The Substitute (A Natasha Romanoff Story)

Chapter 11

If you had told me that I would be sitting on the steps of a grocery store, having an existential crisis while chugging the rest of that milk, I wouldn't have believed you. I checked my phone for the first time that evening and it was already 8pm. Still, I had no missed calls or even any texts from my mom or my dad. Sometimes I wondered if they wanted me to get kidnapped, or our house to get robbed.

As I was about to stand up and hail a taxi, I saw a black SUV pull into the gas station. This was when I assumed that I would finally get kidnapped. I prepared for the worst until I saw none other than Natalie Rushman jump out of the car. She wore blue bootcut jeans and a black coat with her hair down. It was weird seeing one of my teachers dressed like a normal person, instead of dressing so formally. She started filling her car with gas, taking no notice of me on the steps. I decided to have some fun while she was there.

"Now I'm convinced that you're stalking me," I said, walking towards her, making her turn around and let out a sigh.

"It's a coincidence," She said, shaking her head.

"I think it's fate," I insisted and she scoffed.

"So, is there a reason why you're in Brooklyn?" She asked "And why do you look like you got into a bullfight?" She added teasingly.

"I went to a protest, very fun." I told her, lifting up my milk carton. "What about you? What are you doing in Brooklyn?"

"I live here," She said "My apartment is a couple blocks away,"

"You drive from Brooklyn to Manhattan every day? And back?" I asked, stunned.

"Why do you think I'm here?" She asked me "Besides the fact that my roommate sent me to buy groceries."

"Groceries, huh?" I questioned and she tilted her head at me "At eight o'clock at night?"

"The roads were blocked all afternoon because of the protest action," She said "Do you have a ride home?"

"I was gonna call an Uber or something later." I told her with a shrug.

"I don't want to show up to your apartment tomorrow and find out that you're still sitting here drenched in milk," She said.

"What are you suggesting then?" I asked, stepping closer to her.

"I'm suggesting that you should go home now and take a shower," She spoke, turning to face me "I need to pay for my gas now."

She waited for me to move out of the way, but I didn't budge. Instead, I held eye contact with her and took her coat and pulled her towards me slightly. At this point, I had forgotten that we were in public.

"This is very inappropriate," She said lowly with a smirk.

"And finger fucking me in your classroom yesterday wasn't?" I smiled.

"It was more private," She retorted.

"I thought you didn't fuck your students?" I added in a whisper.

"I can make an exception," She said softly, placing her hand on my hip, moving me out of the way "When I come out of that grocery store, you'd better be gone." She said, walking towards the entrance.

"And if I'm not?" I asked, turning around to look at her.

"Don't test me," She threatened, walking into the store without another word.

Of course I was going to test her. I wanted to see just how far I could push, but not enough for her to lose interest. Nat had just said that I was an exception. I wouldn't give up that easily, considering how far I've already come. So I waited. I stood near the entrance of the store, patiently waiting for her to walk out so I could see the look on her face.