Bad Teacher (Temp Title)

13| Pizza Date

Casey

"You'd have to born in hell for anybody to survive this damned heat," Chloe grumbled, and continued to fan herself with a makeshift paper fan she managed to build using a page with homework instructions written that I'm pretty sure she hasn't done yet.

The sun particularly seemed to hate Maywood today. With a whooping 45°c, we were suffering. The girls and I decided that with the cafeteria too humid and crowded, we would sit outside today.

In the courtyard past the grass where lunch tables stood, we took refuge under a large oak tree that provided the perfect amount of shade for all of us to relax comfortably. However, it didn't stop the heavy and suffocating air to choke all remaining water from our bodies. I was sweating and tried to subtly open the slit in my satin knee-length skirt without flashing anybody. I had removed the light hoodie I wore this morning when it was still a tad bit chilli. The sun was out with a vengeance hours later and I have stripped the hoodie, leaving me in a black camisole top. I was still sweating-I hated sweating.

"Hate the weather but love the view," Jordan commented with a heavy sigh, and her head nodded slightly in the direction in front of us.

Our heads turned in response to her change conversation, but I already knew it had something to do with a man. I'm right. My heart stuttered inside of my chest, so briefly that I almost didn't acknowledge that it had happened. Especially now that my entire being was aware of the man walking through the courtyard with Miss Peregrine beside him.

Something uncomfortable settled inside my chest as I watched the two of them interact. Close to age, and definitely making flutter eyes at Mr Black, I knew Miss Peregrine obviously seemed to be enjoying her company during her lunch.

It bothered me that I knew how attractive she was. Blonde, glossy hair and beautiful thick lips that somehow fit perfectly with her feline features. Sharp cornered eyes that sparkled light brown in the sun and high cheekbones that had me hating how perfectly they seemed to look together. I never wanted to hate on a beautiful woman. But this beautiful woman was talking to the one man that seemed to have my brain all kinds of messy.

"Honestly. That man has fine written all over him," Jordan mumbled dreamily, her eyes tracking his every movement.

The tension inside of my chest tightened horribly as the girls all hummed in agreement. My nails dug into the palms of my hands as I tried to relax, knowing that I had absolute no right to feel... anything when it came to him. Anybody could look if they wanted. He was not mine to stare at, not mine to think of or to understand.

Especially since we hadn't spoken in two weeks.

Two weeks since I had left his place after a quiet and awkward lunch. The food was great. Homemade pizza and pasta and all the things I happened to like, but Mr Black seemed different after he came back from his meeting. Just for a moment I thought... when we were in the garden I thought I had sensed something. Saw something inside those stormy dark eyes. I had been mistaken, clearly. He ignored me with a clenched jaw and we didn't speak more than five words with. I left shortly after.

I spent that night awake, confused about what had happened. What had gone wrong. It was not like I had expected him to jump me-even though the thought itself sent shivers down my spine, but having access to him in those few moments had been nice. Comforting somehow. I thought it was odd that he seemed colder than usual when he got back. I never asked.

On Monday the issue worsened.

Mr Black had fully gone back to being himself. The usual weird and tense-filled eye-contact had disappeared alongside our little stolen moments. With a clenched jaw and a stoic face.