Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (Teacher-Student Romance Robert Downey Jr.)

I Know You.

"I'm home!"
Hannah's voice resounds from downstairs. I lift up my blanket and crawl out of bed. Right after I got home from shopping, I immediately crushed into the sheets and fell asleep. For one teeny tiny second, I thought I could escape Downey's game, but then he suddenly appeared in my dream. It's ridiculous.
My heart raced as I woke up and looked next to me, checking if I had dreamt, at all.
Opening my door, I stretch my back and walk down the stairs. As I see Hannah, carrying about 4 bags on each side, I laugh.
"I thought you just wanted to buy something for John? What happened?"
She grins, sneaky. "I got a bit carried away."
I nod and start helping her with all of these clothes. "Did you find something?"
Hannah holds up a little white bag, written something on it in a calligraphic style, I can't really figure out. "A new tie and cologne."
"Can't go wrong with that." I agree and smile.
Finally, she has put all the bags on the kitchen counter and sighs with relief. "By the way, I have a question."
Her glance turns serious and I frown. "Why so serious?" I reply and smile like the Joker.
Hannah sits down on one of the grey chairs and folds get hands.
"I was just wondering if I'm still up to date."
"About what?" I ask and grab an apple out of the fruit bowl on the kitchen table.
"Robert."
I cough and try to catch some air. "Why?"
She crosses her arms and leans back. "I just wanted to know."
"Did he say something about me?" I say.
"The question is, did he say anything else?" Hannah mumbles.
My heart skips a beat and I need to remind myself, to stay calm.
"What did he say?"
"Well, first he gave a speech about, how college boys are a bad influence on you and that I shouldn't just let you stay with William." Hannah starts.
"Already heard that one." I note.
"And then he kept asking if you were considering any college in particular and if you and William had something going on." She continues.
"Very curious, the Professor." I chuckle and take a bite of the apple.
Hannah raises her eyebrows and I can see that she still hasn't gotten her desired answer.
"It's complicated." I try to explain.
She shakes her head. "Why is it?"
"Well, if you'd consider the age difference and that he's my teacher..." I answer.
"Oh come on, Aria." Hannah tells me. "I know you don't have a problem with these things."
"Just because you don't, doesn't mean that I'm not concerned about losing my good reputation." I snap.
Hannah rolls her eyes. "You're afraid."
"I'm sorry?" I ask, a bit surprised.
Slowly, Hannah gets up and walks towards the fridge. She opens it and grabs a bottle of water. Leaning against the counter.
"You're afraid that you might like him a little bit more than you had expected."
I shake my head, aggressively. "I do not."
"Like him more?" Hannah grins.
I shoot her a look and she defensively raises her hands. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth."
"What if I just don't want to get caught up with a fifty year old?"
Hannah frowns, her smile is gone. "That was harsh."
I sigh and rub my temples. "It was meant to be."
"Get it together, Aria!" She suddenly groaned. "It's not like he's keeping you from anything you want to do."
I roll my eyes and try to escape her piercing stare.
"Why are you so afraid of giving in?" Hannah asks and it's the first time I've ever really thought about it. Why am I doing this? Constantly going back and forth, not letting it become something firm, steady.
"I don't know." I whisper and look out of the window. "Maybe I don't want to appear so fragile. What if he doesn't feel the same way? I don't even know if I feel the same way."
"But Darling, what if he does? You can't live your life wondering if someone's going to break your heart." Hannah answers. "You can't always be sure about everything. Love isn't about being concerned or figuring out when to do what. It's about taking the step, falling, even when sometimes no one catches you."
"What if I don't know if I even want to take the step....with him?" I say and my glance wanders outside the widow.
"You have to find out. But don't take too much time, sooner or later someone will come along, who needs less time figuring out."
The doorbell rings and rips us out of our conversation.
"Have you invited someone over?"
Hannah asks and turns her head towards the door. I shake my head and shrug my shoulders.
"Maybe mom has forgotten her key."
She sighs and slides off of the chair, making her way towards the door.
I hear the door open and Hannah squeak.
Walking around the kitchen counter, I see John appearing behind the door. He's wearing a suit and holds a matching bunch of tulips in his other hand. I frown and walk towards him.
"I hope I'm not interrupting something." He tells us and steps a bit further into the room.
Hannah shakes her head and I can see her eyes light up. "No, no. You're never interrupting something."
I roll my eyes and try a weak smile. "What's up, John?"
"I wanted to take you out to dinner, if you're not already hung up?"
She raises her hand and holds up a finger. "Wait here."
Hannah runs upstairs and I can hear her open the door of her room and smashing it behind her.
"What is she doing?" John asks, confused.
I shrug my shoulders." Performing a miracle."
"She is one, isn't she?" He replies and his glance wanders up the stairs.
I cringe. The romantic tension in this room is too much for me.
"Want something to drink?" I say, because I'm a marvellous host.
John nods and follows me in the kitchen.
"What would you like?" I say and look inside the fridge. "We have water, orange juice, soda..."
"Water is perfect." He answers. "Thank you."
"No problem." I reply and hand him a cooled bottle.
John opens it with a click and gulps down, as if he hasn't seen a drop of water in days.
"Are you alright?" I say, a bit concerned.
He grins a bit shy and I'm surprised by the loss of his usual forwardness.
"A bit nervous."
I frown. "Why?"
"Hannah is just so ....gorgeous." He sighs. "I'm afraid to mess it up."
I start laughing and he looks a bit hurt. "John. She's crazy about you."
His eyebrows rise and his eyes widen, simultaneously. "Really? You think so?"
"The only thing she can talk about right now, is how wonderful you are." I explain.
His facial expression relaxes. Then he looks outside and his glance wandered back to me.
"I wanted to ask you something."
Slowly, I sit down on a chair and run my fingers through my hair.
"Go ahead."
"I'm really sorry if I'm invading your privacy here, totally understand that. But Robert wanted to know if you're seeing this University of California-Guy?"
I clear my throat and can't believe that he has dragged John into this.
"You mean William?"
"Yes!" He replies. "That was his name."
I shake my head. "No, we're not dating."
"I'm sure he's just concerned about your education. He doesn't want you to choose a college, just because your boyfriend goes there." John explains.
Feeling my fist clinch, I try to stay calm. "It's not a problem."
"Just tell him something that'll soothe his worries."
My sarcastic laugh, is thankfully overheard, since Hannah storms down the stairs. She wears a dress, which matches John's suit perfectly, and fits her like a glove. Her make up and hair game, is damn well on point.
"Sorry, you had to wait."
Johns eyes almost fall out of his head, as he turns around and sees her.
"I should have called, in the first place."
And there is it again. The romantic tension, which makes me want to throw up.
"Give me the flowers, I'll put them in a vase." I say and grab the bunch of beautiful red tulips. "Now go, have fun."
They jump up like two teenagers and are out of the house in one swift moment.
I get a vase out of the living room and fill it with water. Then I climb up the stairs and place the flowers on Hannah's bedroom table. Sitting down on her bed, my eyes look around her room. It's messier than mine, always has, always will be. I'm probably the most tidiest person in this household.
My mind wanders to the things Hannah said about Downey. Maybe she is right. Maybe I should just straight ahead jump into the cold water. But what happens when the water is too deep and I get lost? Or what if there isn't any water at all?
I sigh and stand up, closing the door behind me. Why does everything have to be so complicated? Why can't everything be simple?
'You. Tomorrow. My place. 3 pm.'
Why can't it be that easy?
The many rhetorical questions make me dizzy. I walk down the stairs and pass my room, where I hear my phone ring.
I assume that Aaron has finally decided wether he wants to wear the grey or black suit. I go back and enter my room, picking up the black phone, laying on my bed.
Quickly, I press my thumb on the screen and hold the phone against my ear.
"I still think grey is a sexy colour, even though you have ruined it, by telling Professor Downey." I say and grin.
"My name sounds so sexy in your voice."
......
..............
Shit.
My thoughts are trying to rearrange themselves, as I look at my phone. It shows a number, which I don't know, most certainly it's not Aaron's.
"I-I ....H-hm." I stutter, as if I'm mentally ill.
"Aria?" His voice is a hundred times deeper on the phone and I can't compete with the sudden lightning shooting through my veins.
I exhale, shaking. "What do you want?"
"I wanted to ask you something." He replies.
"John already did. How dare you ask him to ask me if I'm dating Will?" I apparently regained a bit of confidence by now.
A raspy chuckle resounds from the other end of the line.
"I was just concerned."
"You're a fucking maniac. That's what you are." I snap.
"Watch your language, young lady."
He warns. "But it's another question I wanted to ask you."
I roll my eyes.
"Stop rolling your eyes." He suddenly says and I frown.
"Oh god. Are you watching me?"
"Yes Aria, I'm standing outside your house, staring at you from afar. Who do you think I am?" He says, sarcastic. "I know you."
"Well, you can't be too careful." I state.
"If I wanted to see you, I would just walk into your house."
"It's locked, though."
"Your dad told me, where you put your emergency key." He whispers.
"Oh no, he did not!" I cry. "He's so in love with you that he risks his daughters life."
"You're not in danger."
"Maybe I am? You could be a serial killer." I answer and lay back on my bed. "I hear you have a reputation. That you got arrested once."
I can almost feel his jar muscles tense. "You won't be laughing, when I get you back."
"No? What will I be doing then?" I ask.
"I don't know yet. Begging on your knees. Screaming my name. Moaning. Something in that area, I haven't decided. Like to keep the surprise, as long as possible ."
The breath stays stuck inside my throat and the images that shoot though my head aren't PG -13.
"I think its time to change the locks." I mumble.
He laughs and to my dismay, it fills my whole body with warmth.
Then I hear the door open and my father scream from downstairs. "ARIA? CAN YOU HELP WITH THE GROCERIES?"
"I need to go." I say into the phone and hear Downey say something. But I already press the red button.
Quickly, I run downstairs and see my dad come through the door, carrying brown paper bags.
"Hey Sweetie, I need you to get the frozen stuff outside first, okay?"
"Sure." I answer and slip into a pair of Toms.
The air outside is still warm and a slight breeze lifts up my hair. Suddenly, my pants start buzzing and I pull my phone out of the pocket of my jeans.
It's a text from a number I now remember.
The display is reflecting the sunshine, so I have to hold a hand over my phone, to see what is written on the dark screen.
The corners of my mouth lift up, as I begin to recognise the first letters.

You. Tomorrow. My Place. 3pm.