Consumed By Love (on hold)

Chapter 15>>>

He is my secret. My beautiful little secret.

Shailene's POV
"I'm not telling either of you anything, because there's nothing to tell." I tell Christian and Charlotte, who are pressuring me to spill something.

We're walking down the hall to our first classes, this one I have with Christian not Charlotte. I haven't Philosophy class yet today, I have it after this period, and I haven't see Theo yet today either.

"See you later Shai, and you will tell us." Charlotte says turning the corner. I laugh and Christian wraps an arm around my shoulder.

Now normally it would feel weird, and not to mention wrong since I'm with Theo... but Christian's gay. Like really gay. Pink shirt, theatrical hand gesture, fashion lover gay.

"So any guy taking up all your time??" Chris asks raising his eyebrows and smiling.

"I don't know." I answer and he laughs.

"That's a yes." He says and removes his arms to nudge me.

I roll my eyes and see Theo standing outside his classroom talking with a student. But as I walk closer, our gazes meet and I can feel him telling me to come over.

"Hey Chris, I'll meet you in there. I have to talk to Mr. James." I say and he nods walking ahead. It feels a little weird calling him Mr. James now, but I'll have to get used to it.

I walk over to him and the guy walks away, leaving us alone.

"Hey." I say, looking at him.

"Morning." He says and he smiles.

"You wanted to talk to me didn't you?" I ask and he nods, chucking lightly.

He looks down at his feet then back up at me, and I don't think he tried to but he made it look so overly sexy.

"How'd you know?" He asks motioning with his head smirking.

We walk into his classroom, closing the door behind us. Theo sits in his chair at his desk, and I sit on the edge of his desk.

"I missed you this morning." He says and I smile, feeling like I might be blushing.

"I'm so used to waking up with you now, that this morning felt odd." Theo adds, making me know that I'm blushing.

"Well, it's something you'll have to adjust to now isn't it." I joke, smiling at him.

He looks at me for a moment before answering. At first it looks like he wants to say something else, but he ends up saying, "I guess I will won't I."

"You haven't been getting too much work in classes are you? If you are I can see what I can do." Theo tells me.

"Ah, I wondered when the perks of dating my teacher would come in." I joke making Theo laugh.

"Well if you're being weighed down by homework, then that limits the time I can spend with you." He explains.

I smile, "No. I actually haven't gotten a lot of homework." I tell him and he nods.

"I should probably get going, before I end up late for my class." I tell him, noticing the clock and knowing I have two minutes left.

He sighs, "I guess." Theo says.

"Where's your class anyway?" I ask.

"Upstairs. We're using the computer lab today." He says and that makes more sense.

"I'll walk you out." Theo and I stand up and make our way to the door.

"I'll see you later." He tells me and kiss my cheek. I smile and walk the direction of my first class.

>>>>>>

"I thought you were going to be late." Chris says as I take a seat next to him.

The bell rings literally three seconds after I sit down.

"I know." I say, out of breath from walking so fast.

"What did he have to say that took five minutes??" He asks whispering as we get our notebooks out.

"Oh, just an assignment. I had questions." I lie, but he bought it.

I feel bad lying to the only few friends I've made here, but I'd be in a bigger mess if I told them the truth.

"Charlotte was right." Chris says clicking his pen.

"Bout what? That unicorns exist, I doubt it." I say coping the question from the board onto my paper.

Chris laugh, "No, about Mr. James's eye for you." He says and I have to try and keep my head down and my face straight.

"Really huh?" I ask scribbling notes down.

"Yes. He looks at you in a way that, I don't know. It's just different than the way he looks at other students." Christian tells me and I swallow the lump that built in my throat.

He's not wrong, I can definitely see it. And some day I worry others will catch on and find out.

"Must be your guy's imagination, because I don't see it." I lie, and this time I don't even believe it.

"Mmhm." Chris says but thankfully let's go of the topic for now.

I try to focus on class and stick to doing my work, but my mind keeps drifting off. Drifting to the man who's flipped my life and made me believe in love. I've never admitted that before, but it's true. He's a rare kind of man, one that is a gentleman and someone that you can trust full heartedly.

But most of all, he's one that values love. And the important things in a relationship, the foundations. Not all the fancy stuff, not all the wanting dreams, not the petty needs... but the true pure things that make a relationship work.

And that's what makes me believe that love's still out there, and who knows... Maybe I've already found it.