The Substitute (A Natasha Romanoff Story)

Chapter 5

The next day, I once again woke up early, in quite a good mood. Knowing that I was going to see Miss Rushman made school that much more enjoyable.

I tried to get a hold of my parents, but they weren't responding to my texts or calls. You would expect them to have the decency to check on their daughter who was left home alone for almost a week, but they didn't. I couldn't say that I was surprised though, this wasn't the first time.

I zoned out while standing in the Honeybrains queue, not realising how much I actually worried about them until then. I snapped out of it when I heard my name being called to collect my order. When I got to school, I made my way up the same flights of stairs I knew so well. Never in my life had I put in so much effort to get closer to a teacher, there was just something about this specific one. I knocked on her door and waited a few seconds before walking in. The redhead was organising her books on the shelves, turning around when she heard the door open.

"Is this going to be an everyday thing now? You coming to my class every morning?" Rushman wondered, walking towards me.

"You seem pretty lonely here, I thought you might want some company" I teased, handing her the coffee cup.

"Nobody likes a suck up" She taunted, taking the drink from me.

"Some people do" I retorted with a smirk.

Miss Rushman's eyes widened when she understood what I had said, taking a sip of the coffee to stop herself from smiling.

"How did you know I like Honeybrains?" She asked.

"Everyone does," I said with a shrug.

"Are you sure you're not stalking me?" She joked, taking another sip and sitting down at her desk.

"I'm just observant." I insisted, putting my hands up in surrender.

"Clearly," She nodded.

"You finished your book?" I questioned, pointing to the organised shelf.

"I did, I enjoyed it"

"Almost as much as the story I wrote yesterday?" I asked.

"You'll have to see when I hand it back to you later" She responded.

I nodded and turned around, starting to make my way towards the door. As much as I wanted to stay, I didn't want to risk running into someone I knew. I felt bad for constantly disappearing and lying to my friends.

"Is this your plan to try and get in my pants?" She asked me, making me turn back around to look at her.

"Is it working?" I smirked and she scoffed before I walked out of the class, mocking her with a little wave.

I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding. I couldn't tell if she was pleased to see me or not. Who was I kidding? She probably loved the attention she got. Not just from me, but from other students too. Most teenagers in this school were dying for her individual attention, she probably got this every day.

I sat on a bench in the quad, waiting patiently for my friends to come. The school started filling up with obnoxious teenagers giving me dirty looks, nothing I wasn't used to.

"You're here early" Ezra smiled, walking over to me.

"I'm sick of my apartment. I don't have anyone to talk to" I groaned.

"Your parents still haven't come back yet?" He asked, sitting beside me.

"They haven't even called" I rolled my eyes.

"How about we go somewhere Friday night? Is there not a party we can go to?" He asked.

"A party? I'm in" Jasper came up behind us, giving me a fright.