angel baby (heavy editing)

8.0

When Chris arrived home with Kathy, he ignored everything and rushed to his room. 
Lia looked up from the resume she was filling. She was applying for another job that could enable her and her kids live better. 
"What is up with him?" She asked Kathy. 
"I don't know. He's your son", she shrugged walking to their room.  
       Chris on the other hand dropped his bag on his bed. He got on his kneels and pulled out a medium sized box from under his bed. 
He opened the box and brought a small canvas with his palette and brushes. He smiled and placed the canvas on the only table in the room and got to work. 
 Kathy entered at that moment and saw him. She was surprised he was painting that late. 
"What are you doing?"
He didn't answer. 
She rolled her eyes. 
"You're so weird" 

***********************

"You're good to go"
The girl stood up and hugged him. He felt so uncomfortable because one, she was a student and two, she was a student. You'd think after a year of this, he'd be used to it.
"OK, Lisa"
He pulled her away gently. 
"I feel better now. Thank you Mr. Harris, you're the best", the girl, Lisa stared up at him with stars in her eyes. 
Derek managed a smile at her. 
"Get to class before you're late" 
A disappointed look passes through her eyes but she covers it up with a smile.  
"Bye Mr. Harris. I'll see you soon"
God, no. 
Lisa walked towards the door and opened it. They are both surprised to see a student standing there. 
"Hey Chris" 
Chris' face flushed embarrassed to have been caught. He didn't recognise the girl who greeted him but he muttered a greeting in return. 
"Chris, come on in", Derek broke the silence. Chris flushed further. He's never felt so flustered in his life. 
"Close the door behind you", Derek told him. Chris did as he was told and walked further into his office. 
Derek on his seat and Chris sat at his front, the table separating them. 
"So how are you today?" Derek asked smiling. 
Chris nodded in reply looking down. He couldn't maintain eye contact for long. 
He's so handsome. 
"Your headache is gone, I hope?" 
Chris nodded his head again and bit his lip. Derek's eyes settled on his lips but he quickly chided himself. 
He's not legal yet. He's a student. What is wrong with me?
"I-" Chris started to say. 
Derek hasn't heard Chris speak before but he had heard he sounded good since the whole school can't seem to stop talking about him so he was eager to hear it in person. 
Chris opened his school bag that was on the floor beside him and brought out a small canvas. 
He cleared his throat and stretched the painting to Derek. 
Derek looked at it confused for a second before collecting it. He looked down at the painting. He sucked in a breath as his eyes widen. 
He looked up at Chris who stared at him nervously. 
It was a painting of...him. 
He recognized where he was in the painting. It was yesterday when he came into the cafeteria for orange juice because it ran out in the teacher's lounge. 
"You painted this?"
Chris blushed for the nth time that day looking down. 
He nodded. 
"I'm sorry if it's not good or anything, I just wanted to say thank you for the other day when I fainted", he whispered out and buried his head further. That was the most he's said in a sentence to anyone that wasn't Kathy that it exhausted him. He bit his fingernails.
Derek smiled softly at him. At his big age, he felt butterflies in his stomach like he was a school girl. 
Why couldn't you be a year older? 
Yes, there was only three years between them, Derek being 20 but it still felt so wrong, so wrong.
Derek knew his thoughts were wrong but he desperately wanted to kiss Chris. 
"This is brilliant, Chris. You are very talented. I'll keep this close to my heart. Thank you" 
Chris looked up at that moment. He offered a small smile before standing up. Derek stood up too. He was so close to breaking his resolve and kissing the boy senseless, rules be damned. 
"I'll go now", Chris whispered again and proceeded to walk out. 
He liked talking to Derek.
He felt Derek's hand grab his wrist. He felt something chilling run up his spine and he almost gasped at the feeling. 
He didn't understand why he was feeling that way. 
"If you need anything, Chris I'm here. Anything" 
Chris felt that the way he emphasized his words, they might actually be on the same page. 
Instead of doing anything else, he nodded. 
Derek smiled at him and released him. 
Chris smiled back before rushing out. 
Derek exhaled sharply,
"Shit"