Sunshine (Student/Teacher Romance) 18+

14

Ari

"I knew that was you. What are you doing, sitting here?"

I get up from the ground, dusting myself off as I answer to Stacey's questioning face and then walk into her arms. "I don't know anymore."

She drives me back to the diner. It doesn't open until noon, but she'd always arrive an hour early to get set up.

We sat at the booth and she made me a cherry sprite, even after I insisted I'd pass on it. But her dedication to making me one made me laugh, so I let her.

I swirled around the cherries with my straw, watching them spin more than I actually drank the beverage.

She folds her arms on the countertop, leaning toward me. "Please talk to me. I've known something was wrong since you've started, but I tried to mind my business. I've tried not to invade your personal life, but now that I've found you in a deserted gas station, I've gotta start asking some questions."

"I'm okay Stacey. I got tired, so I sat down."

"You got tired on your way to where? And why were all of your things thrown around?"

"I got into a fight. With my boyfriend," I lie before leaning toward the straw and taking a hefty sip. I can barely taste any cherry. That's gotta be the biggest restaurant gimmick I've ever seen. Stacey's a genius.

"Your boyfriend?"

I nod. "Yeah, we've been dating for like six months now. He has anger issues, I think I'm going to leave him."

Her brow arches at me, but she seems to be buying it. "What's his name?"

"Jack," I answer so quick, I almost surprise myself.

"Okay...Well, I agree then. You definitely should break up with him. You don't need to deal with aggression. Especially if he's leaving you alone in the desert like that."

I nod seeing two cars pull up. "Well, thanks for the chat Stace. But it looks like Snappy and Sass' are here, so I'll let you guys get started."

As I hop off the stool, she grabs a hold of my arm and looks me dead in the eyes. "Get home safe."

"I will. Don't even worry about it." She lets me go and I slide my one strap over my arm.

"I do worry about you a lot."

I leave her with a wave and a smile until I'm off the lot.

The sun's most brutal during this time and I don't even have money for a bottle of water. When I was younger, I'd go inside a liquor store and drink a full bottle so that'd I'd leave empty handed and not feel like a thief because technically, I didn't take anything from the store.

I know that's far from true, now. In every way I was a thief, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

I finally make it to a gas station, not far from Carlson. At this point, I'm wandering aimlessly, so I don't know why I've ended up back in the heart of town.

After standing out front for a few minutes, tying my hair into a bun, I entered the store closely behind a couple before heading straight to the freezers in the back.

The frosty air makes me sigh as I get a temporary relief from the heat. I glance up at the round mirror in the corner above me, seeing that the couple hasn't left yet, and the cashier is way too preoccupied with his phone to notice me.

I grab a water bottle, the cold stinging my palm as I twist the cap off and take a desperate sip. Streams of water run down my neck. I just about chug the entire bottle in one go, before I hear the register beeping.

In a moment of heat induced impulsion, I grab two more bottles from the freezer and pull back the flap on my bag.

"Hey," a man says, making me freeze still. My empty bottle is on the ground at my feet, the plastic still dewy.

This is about as red handed and red handed can be.

I peer up at the man, dumbfounded when I see the perfect face I hadn't been able to get out of my head since I slept in his bed.

"Mr. Caswell?"

"Don't do this." He takes both bottles from me, shoving my backpack closed and into my chest. "Come on."

I see him walk to the front register and although he said to come on, I keep my distance from him. I head to the door, waiting as he pays for a case of beer and the two waters I was about to smuggle out of here.

I follow him into the lot, noticing his eyes shift around as he hands me the bottles. "Thanks."

"Where are you headed, right now, Ari?"

I stare down at the water that's dripping off the cold bottles onto my shoes and shrug.

"Alright, come on. Get in." The car chirps and he's quick to run to the drivers side before I do as he says.

I don't want Mr. Caswell to think I'm one of these kids. One of the bad ones who run away from home and steal things. I want him to see me like he sees Maya. A bubbly, vibrant girl who's got an exciting life ahead of her. Someone who hasn't been bent by the weight of the world in so many directions that she's probably unsalvageable at this point.

He pities me, just like everyone else does.

But the cold air blowing through the vents of his twenty seventeen Lexus feels nice. Being next to him feels, nice. Even if he isn't speaking to me because this crosses every line between teacher and student.

I hear my bag vibrate and I reach inside to see a new text.

Maya: Are you okay?

Me: I am now.