*Robert's POV*
I got to school early enough that no students were there. I logged into my computer and pulled up Lauren's schedule. I saw her locker number and combination at the top, I wrote it down and grabbed the bag and vase I had gotten yesterday. I got her locker open no problem and saw it was neat and pretty much empty. Perfect! I took the vase with a dozen roses and set it down on the very bottom shelf. I took the book she was reading at Barnes and Noble yesterday and set it on my middle shelf with a card that said, I know things are tough but..' On the very top shelf I put a plush Cheshire Cat stuffed animal, next I pulled out the very last item. It was a homemade Mad Hatters hat. I had used my head for size so it would be a little big on Lauren but, I hope she still liked it. I placed the hat on the stuffed cat's head and shut the locker. I shut the locker and turned around. I saw Jeremy Harris looking at me strangely. I took one look at his face and instantly knew that he knew. I felt my stomach turn violently.
"I won't say a word. Come into my classroom." Harris held his hands up. I followed him into his classroom terrified to do anything else. Jeremy shut the door and turned to me. "I won't say anything because I'm in the same boat."
"What?" Suddenly my head was spinning.
"Granted my girlfriend's a senior but, she's still only seventeen. I'm sure you know Natalie Marshall?"
I nodded Natalie was in my creative writing class. She was a very brilliant student but very reserved just like Lauren.
"We've been together for a year now. So, trust me it's hard but worth it if you love her. If you ever need someone to talk too here's my number." Jeremy handed me a piece of paper with his number written on it. "Oh tell Lauren if she ever needs to talk to someone to try talking to Natalie. Natalie can and will keep things quiet and just between the two of them."
I nodded and headed back to the my classroom. I was sipping my coffee as I listened to the halls start to fill up with students. I heard a loud squeal and I poked my head out of my classroom door and towards the noise. I spotted Lauren at her locker hugging the stuffed cat wearing the hat. She spotted me and gave me a grin. I went back to my desk my heart bursting with happiness. Ten minutes later Lauren came bursting into my classroom. She shut the door and turned to me. She was holding the roses in one arm, the cat was stuffed in her purse, its head peeking out the top, and she was wearing the hat. It was big on her but she had her curly hair holding it up.
"This is amazing! Did you do this?"
I blushed. "Do you really like it?"
"Are you kidding me? All of this has made coming back here a million times better. I get to wear this hat all day, and I look kick ass in it!" Lauren grinned and set the roses on my desk. "I'm even ok with carrying these around all day."
"You can keep them in here. I don't mind to leave them on my desk."
Lauren smiled. "Awesome I will do that. I'm going to put my lunch in your fridge and then I'm going to head to run around and drop off all my work. I want my teachers to be proud."
"Alright, are you going to have lunch with me today?"
"Obviously since I'm putting my lunch in here. Oh and my answer to your question in that funny card is yes."
I laughed thinking about how I had asked Lauren to be my girlfriend in my card to her this morning. "Good, I'm glad I'll see you during fourth period. Remember to keep your chin up."
Lauren grinned before planting her lips on mine in a quick kiss. She turned and bounced out of the room. I waited impatiently for fourth period. Once it finally got here I was excited to see Lauren again. She still looked like she was on cloud nine. A few students wanted to see her hat and told her she looked awesome in it. I should have known that the good mood wouldn't last because after I had assigned the class to read silently I saw Missy walk up to Lauren's desk.
"You seriously think your make up hides your scar? Let me tell you something, it doesn't! You look like a rag doll misfit toy that no one wants! Oh wait no one does want you!" Missy started laughing and grabbed the hat off Lauren's head.
"Ms. Miller detention!" I boomed out seeing red. I grabbed the hat out of her hands and placed it back on Lauren's desk. I turned to Lauren seeing her gently touch her scar. I excused her to go wash her face and once she was gone I stood in the front of the room.
"Put your books away and pay attention now!" I barked out. When no one even moved to put their books away I slammed my hand down on my desk. "Put your DAMN books away! Everyone listen here and listen well. If one other person has the fucking balls to make fun of another student in my class I swear to god I will make the rest of your year a living hell! You are going to be adults in two years time now act like it!"
I turned my back on the class and texted Jeremy inviting him and Natalie to lunch in my room. I knew Lauren would need a friend who she could talk to about everything. Lauren slid back into the room and sat down at her desk. She shoved the hat back on her head and slunk into her seat. Once class was over and everyone else had left I turned to Lauren.
"Are you ok?" I softly whispered.
"No, today had been going so well. No one had said anything about my scar. Everyone was happy to see me and loved my hat. I even had some girls tell me my boyfriend was super creative. I should have known Missy would mess it up. She was mad Ethan came to see me at my locker."
"Ethan went to see you at your locker?" My anger started to flare up again.
"Yea, but I told him he needed to just leave me alone. I told him I didn't want him to even try to be my friend. Calm down and don't get jealous of a seventeen year old boy." Lauren sat down in my lap and started kissing me. I looked up as the door opened.
"Are we interrupting something?" Natalie stepped into my classroom a smile playing at her lips. Jeremy followed right behind her and shut the door.
