Learning Curve

Chapter 1.2-Flirting and Cleaning

The school day ended at the signal of the 2 PM bell and the sounds of his last period class students scrambling to pack up their things and leave for the day. In their doing so, Emile quickly reminded them of their homework assignment before leaving them to do their thing.

With the last of his students gone for the day, and the knowledge that he did not have to stay after school for meetings or tutoring, Emile was quick to shut down his powerpoint and pack up his own things.

Tonight was D&D night and he was hosting at his house. He still had so much to prepare for his rowdy group of friends.

Emile stood with his bag and prepared to lock up his room for the evening when he remembered that he still had Claire's tupperware from this morning.

In any other situation, Emile would save such trivial matters for tomorrow as he really was anxious to get back home and prepare for the night. However, that would mean "any other situation besides the ones concerning Claire".

As a man absolutely in love with this woman, he just couldn't help but to insert himself into her life in whatever ways possible. It was the most he was willing to do. Admitting such a thing to Claire, his co-worker, was completely out of the question. There were already rumors spreading about them throughout the school from both staff and students. Emile didn't want to risk fanning the flames.

However, he was also very unwilling to part with his feelings. He saw her five days a week which made quelling his desires an impossible task and it didn't help that he seemed to find something new to adore and fall in love with every week. So he compromised.

Maintaining a friendship wouldn't hurt anyone.

Well, no one except himself.

Emile knocked on the frame of Claire's classroom door and lifted up her tupperware.

"Yo Claire, I have your dishes." He announced, assigning himself with the nonchalant tone he's had for years so as not to reveal his hidden truths. He used it on everyone, but if he had his way, Claire would be the exception.

"My dishes huh? You're not going to wash them for me first?" She asked, arms crossed and ready to tell him off if she needed to. Emile wanted to laugh to himself and decided to further goad her into a fight.

"I mean considering this food was forced upon me, I think it's rather rude to expect me to clean as well." He smirked and watched as she fumed in silence. But he could also see the subtle sparkle in her eye that told him she wasn't quite enraged by his audacity.

"Oh yeah, right Emile. 'Forced'." She snorted, but came over to take the tupperware anyway. "I can see how 'forced' you were by the fact that you ate absolutely everything." Emile rolled his eyes.

"Like you wouldn't have yelled at me if I didn't." He tossed back, adjusting his shoulder strap and turning to take his leave. "Have a good weekend Claire." He said, dismissing himself and raising a half-hearted arm to wave.

"You too Emile." He didn't look back to see what her face looked like, but he probably would have been pleasantly surprised if he had.

Once he stepped out into the open air, Emile finally felt as if he could breathe freely again. Simply talking and being around Claire set fire and anxiety to his nerves. He wasn't the kind of person to feel so uncomposed and jittery and sometimes it was very unsettling to him.

But now it was the weekend and he had two whole days to reset and recharge. And then in a couple weeks time, he'd have a whole summer vacation to try and get his nerves back in check. It was just what the doctor ordered at the rate he continued to fall for a certain math teacher.