LOVE BEYOND LESSONS (A Teacher and Student Romance)

I-BI. TRACKS

It is the middle of August, and in two weeks, classes will resume. With a sigh, I allowed myself to get out of my blanket. I yawned as I reached for my phone on my bedside table. It's only four in the morning.

I turned to face the mirror and grabbed my hair tie. I look into my own reflection, a reflection I hardly knew existed. I approached the mirror and traced my nearly healed lips. As much as I enjoy summer, I'm glad it's finally coming to an end because my mom's boyfriend will not be hitting any exposed body part, most especially my face.

I let out a sigh; this was my life for the previous two years—constant beatings at the hands of my mom's drunken boyfriends while she do nothing about it. I would have laughed like a crazy hyena if you had told me two years ago that this is how my life would be, but it is. I touched the locket around my neck, which serves as a constant reminder of my almost perfect life before this nightmare.

I undressed my pajamas, disregarding the bruises at the base of my tailbone, and put on my typical running clothes. I usually run this early because it's the only way I can truly let go of everything and feel like ME—no hiding and I can just be carefree.

Even though I'm used to it, the smell of burnt cigarettes and alcohol when I come downstairs from my room always made me wrinkle my nose. I shut the door behind me, inserted my wireless headphones, and took a deep breath of the clean air.

"Excellent," I grinned as I take my usual route going at my own speed, and arrived at the end of the road towards Mrs. Walter house just under twenty minutes, I turned right as I speed up. I took a turn again, feeling the breeze washed my face, when suddenly a hard thing hit me, pushing me down flat at the floor, I immediately winced at the impact, moaning in pain.

Papers were flying all around and I heard someone muttered fuck. I suddenly gained my composure and stood up, wondering who is up at this time around. He turned to face me, and he got up too, and began gathering up the papers. I hesitated, but I overcame my moral qualms and began helping him to pick the papers.

He said softly, "Just put those papers in the box over there." I glanced at him and I noticed that he wasn't familiar; in this small town, it's unlikely that you won't know everybody. We both quietly picked the scattered papers, once done I carried the box over to him

"Sorry," I said, handing him the box. He took it from me and looked up.

I looked back at him, staring at his green eyes. He is tall and he has a fair complexion and a brown medium length textured haircut; I looked how refined his biceps, and I thought how strong his hug will be. I admit he is gorgeous he can pass as runaway model hell no he is better than those! He will be pass as a Greek God. He does not appear to be a teenager, but he does appear to be young. I'm not sure why I keep staring at him, maybe because he's new and doesn't know anything about me - which is refreshing, I suppose.

"I get that a lot," he chuckled, and oh myyyy goooodddddd his laugh is so low and sexy

"What?" I asked, holding the box out and he gasped as he takes the box from me. I raised an eyebrow, but then I realized what he might have seen - my week-old bruise. I immediately drew my arms to my back to hide it

"I fell" it was a lie, he just nodded and turned his back away from me and that's when we both heard a crushing sound beneath his feet.

"Crap," I said, hovering down the ground. He looks back, and we're both staring at my crushed wireless earphones, which may have flown away when I fell.

"I didn't mean it," his voice said, and I nodded, hiding my face from this stranger; this earphone was one of my father's last gifts. I stood up and smiled, assuring him that everything was fine, but he still looked at me with concern in his eyes. His stare is like a fire giving me warmth, in a very good way.