The Good Intentions

Chapter 8 - Bethany

Bethany

The final straw has been broken.

I have been cutting Kaden some slack because most of the work for our marketing class I can get done on my own. But when I texted him to get together at the library to go over the next assignment, he was a no-show. He didn't even respond to my text. I'm done.

I'm marching down the hall to Professor Tate's office hours. I'm the first one here. Her door is open and I step inside and she greets me with a smile. But it soon falls when she sees the serious expression I'm wearing.

"I need to switch partners," I say bluntly.

"Bethany I—"

"I can even work alone. Please, I just can't take it anymore. Kaden is so distracting. He makes no effort. He blows me off. I can't do it."

She gives me a sympathetic look, but not too sympathetic because she shrugs and says, "I'm sorry, but the partners are final."

I cross my arms over my chest, hoping it will control the rate of my breathing. It doesn't. "But that's not fair."

"If you work alone, it wouldn't be fair to Mr. Kell to work alone."

"Trust me, I don't think he'll have an issue with that," I chide.

She takes a breath. "Bethany," she starts, adjusting her glasses, "there are reasons I run my class the way I do. I'm trying to prepare you students for the real world. You may get a job and have to work with someone you don't particularly like. You'll just have to figure out how to make do." She looks down at her desk and starts to rummage through the papers that litter it.

I can't help but grunt a very loud and noticeable grunt as I storm out of her office. At this point, it's too late to drop the class. If I withdraw from it, I'll still need to pay for it. This sucks.

My body slams into a brick wall. I stumble back, catching my balance. Blinking, I look up. Oh... It's not a brick wall at all. It's... It's...

"Hi," Teddy says, smiling down at me.

My mouth instantly goes dry.

He laughs when I don't say anything. "Were you just leaving Professor Tate's office?"

I nod. It's all I can muster.

"How do you like her? I was planning on taking her marketing class next semester."

"Oh," I stammer. Shaking my head, I clear my throat. "It's a good class. She goes over some good material." I pause to glance over my shoulder at her office, reliving our conversation. I turn back to Teddy. "She's not very accommodating to her students though."

He laughs and so do I.

I can't believe this is happening. I'm actually talking to Teddy Wilson, and it's coming out so naturally.

"Hm, maybe I'll take Lincox then. Some of his former students said he's a pretty chill guy."

"Yeah, the complete opposite of Professor Tate."

He smiles. "Well, I should get to class. See you around--"

He's waiting for my name. "Bethany," I say with a grin.

"Teddy." He smiles. "I'll see you," he says before walking off. As I begin to let out the breath that's weighing on my chest he turns back around and says, "Thanks for the input."

"You're wel—" I begin to say but he's already too far down the hall to even hear me.

I take a step back, leaning my body against the wall. Did that really just happen? Oh, Cam is going to die when I tell him.

***

Cam in fact did freak out when I told him about my interaction with Teddy. Though I did have to cut telling him the story for the third time short because I need to help my mom and sister with wedding planning.

My sister, Paige, is marrying her high school sweetheart in just a couple of months and it's been all hands on deck with planning. Paige and Caleb, their love, their relationship, it's what I aspire to have. Same with my mom and dad.

They are all so in love. It's something I always dreamed of.

Though, planning a wedding, not so much. This has been so stressful for me. I can only imagine how Mom and Paige feel. Caleb helps out when he can, but he owns some kind of tech company and has to travel a lot for his business. Of course, he'll be back for their engagement party, which is this weekend. Honestly, I think he'd be here even if it wasn't necessary. He would drop anything for Paige. But she won't let him.

"The centerpieces for Saturday will be delivered in the morning at nine o'clock," Mom says once she hangs up the phone.

"Great, I'm getting my hair done at eleven so I have enough time to be here to supervise," Paige says, flipping through her huge wedding binder. "What about the balloons?"

"Around ten-thirty."

"Ugh seriously!"

"Don't worry," I say, resting my hand on my sister's knee. "Mom and I will be here to supervise."

"Okay," she lets out a sigh of relief, tucking her blond hair behind her ears. "Just make sure they situate the archway over the door. I have the flower wall being put up on the far end of the yard for pictures."

"Paige," I say, waiting to speak again until she's looking into my eyes. If we weren't four years apart in age, we could literally be twins. Triplets if mom is staying next to us. "We got this. And if we have any questions we can refer back to your gigantic wedding binder."

"Okay." She nods, the tension instantly leaving her body.

"Ugh," Mom groans, digging her hand through the bowl full of keys on the counter. "Your father has the key to the shed. I need to get in there to get the folding chairs." She pulls her hand out and looks at me. "Bethany, can you run to the field and get them from your father please?"

"Sure. No problem."