Lessons In Butterflies ｡ ｡ ｡ (StudentxTeacher Romance)

Chapter 38: Come Here Sweetheart.

Shella's POV:

I didn't want to go to the beach.

Not with him there.

When Cheryl invited the Caldwells, I tried every excuse I could think of to get out of it. A headache. Homework. Babysitting the twins. But Cheryl was relentless, insisting that a day in the sun would be good for me.

And when I realized he would be there, my stomach twisted into knots.

I wasn't ready to see him. Not after avoiding him all week. Not after all the thoughts I'd tortured myself with—the way he must've regretted everything. The way he probably saw me as this ridiculous, naive girl who didn't know what she was doing.

I couldn't stop thinking about the way he'd carried me, wondering if he'd gotten sore arms because of my weight. Or if he'd looked at me and thought I was nothing more than an awkward, fumbling mess.

Still, Cheryl wouldn't take no for an answer.

So, I invited Dani and Juliet.

If I was going to suffer through this, I needed backup. And maybe their chatter would drown out my overthinking.

When we arrived, the beach was already packed. Cheryl spread out a large picnic blanket, her smile bright as she helped the twins race toward the water. I hung back, nervously adjusting my swim cover-up and sunglasses, feeling completely out of place.

Dani and Juliet, of course, looked perfect.

Dani wore a bright pink two-piece with a gauzy white sarong tied around her waist. Her dark blonde hair was braided into two sleek plaits, and she'd somehow managed to make her sunglasses look like they belonged in a magazine spread.

Juliet was in a black one-piece with cutouts along the sides, paired with a long, sheer black kimono that flowed in the breeze. She'd even painted her nails to match.

And then there was me.

I'd thrown on an oversized white button-up over my swimsuit and paired it with loose linen pants. Practical. Safe. I felt like a blob next to them. A fat, unremarkable log of a person trying to disappear into the sand.

"You look so cute, Shella," Dani said, twirling in her sarong.

"Sure," I muttered, hugging my arms around myself.

Then, I saw him.

Mr. Caldwell stood near the picnic setup, helping Theo and Leo with their water toys. He'd taken off his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, revealing forearms that I really, really shouldn't have been noticing.

He turned, his eyes scanning the beach, and I ducked behind Dani.

"Oh my God, you're hiding?" Juliet whispered, stifling a laugh.

"Shut up," I hissed, peeking over her shoulder.

"He's coming this way," Dani sang, her voice full of mischief.

"Stop it!" I whined, pulling the edges of my cover-up tighter.

Juliet smirked, lowering her sunglasses showcasing her deep green eyes. "Maybe he'll ask you to help him carry something again."

I glared at her, but my heart was pounding too hard to come up with a comeback.

As he approached, Dani and Juliet exchanged a look, their grins widening. They'd been unusually quiet on the drive here, which meant they were planning something.

"Speak to us in the language," Juliet whispered.

"Not now!" I snapped, but they ignored me.

"Araksha ninsha tromsha," Dani said loudly, her tone playful.