Teaching Mr. Cooper

Chapter 8

Rushing into the cafe, Jezzy pulled off her coat and grabbed an apron off the wall.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." Jezzy said to Hailey as she came to the counter.

"No problem, it's been pretty slow," Hailey said with a bored look. "How was you first day of school?" Jezz could tell that she wasn't really interested. It was just high school, after all. When Jezz didn't answer, Hailey turned to look her in the eye. "Well, did something happen?"

Jezz sighed, Hailey always did have a way of sniffing out a story. "It's the kinda thing you can't make up," Jezzy shook her head and stared down at the counter, twisting a stir stick in her hands. "I'll give you three guesses as to who my new history teacher is."

Hailey stared at her for a second then realization dawned as she opened her eyes wide. "No way. You can't be serious," she said in shock. "So what happened? Are you in some forbidden romance now?" Hailey smirked and winked suggestively at Jezz.

"What? No!" Jezzy shook her head emphatically. "Of course not. This isn't some soap opera. Geez Hails, you are so immature sometimes," Jezz huffed, irritated at her friend. "Look I'm sorry, but it's just a been a really long day. I don't blame him for being mad or feeling slightly betrayed. I'm the one who knew I was too young, and I never said anything. He, also, made it pretty clear that nothing could happen now," Jezz said, remembering back to the classroom, Daniel's words echoed in her head, 'Is this supposed to be your idea of a joke?'

Not feeling like talking to anyone, Jezz began going around and making sure all the table were clean. Work helped take her mind off things, but she couldn't shake the miserable feeling creeping over her. Looking forward to crawling into bed that night and putting the whole day behind her, Jezz worked and made coffees for Hailey, while her friend took most of the orders.

While making a latte, Jezz looked up to the entrance of the cafe. Grey-blue eyes, like a stormy sky, stared at her making her lose focus as hot milk scalded her hand. "Sh...oot," Jezz exclaimed as she glanced at the customers waiting at the counter. Turning to run her hand under cold water, she muttered to herself, "Stupid, stupid." Grimacing as the burning feeling subsided, she turned back to see where Daniel had moved to. Hailey came and finished the coffee, while Jezz met Daniel at the counter, her eyebrows raised in an impatient expression.

Offering a sheepish grin, Daniel shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. "Soo, I think I owe you a bit of an apology," he began. "I may have been a bit harsh today, when I found out you were a student... my student," he said.

"You couldn't just say that at school?" Jezzy asked, her arms crossed over her chest, eyeing him cynically.

"I could have, but I thought it would be best to keep school on a more professional level." Daniel spoke with in a slow, deliberate manner, like he had rehearsed this before. Jezzy watched as he continued to appear uncomfortable, his mouth opening slightly, but closes again before and further words come. Shaking his head as if trying to shake free a thought, Daniel looked up at Jezz and as he stepped away from the counter casually adds, "Yeah, so I hope that we will be able to make this work. I guess I'll see you tomorrow in class?" Tapping the counter with fingers, he waits for Jezzy to give him a nod and says goodbye, before leaving the cafe.

Jezzy clenched her jaw as she turned back to Hailey, who of course was already waiting for all the juicy details. "I hate high school," Jezz groaned, dreading tomorrow and having to sit in his class. "Maybe I could transfer out of his class."

"Well, at least your school year won't be boring. But I think you're looking at this high school thing all wrong," Hailey said, ever the optimist, while Jezzy just looked at her doubtfully. "Instead of dreading it, and stressing out about being in a new school and not knowing anyone, you should be looking at this as an opportunity. An opportunity to be a new person. You can be anyone you want." Hailey gestured wildly, almost knocking over a coffee pot sitting on the counter. " You can start fresh and... if you happen to catch the eye of a certain, Mr. Hottie, well then, even better."

Jezz rolled her eyes. "You're crazy. There's no way I'm gonna try and... and I don't know. I wouldn't even know what to do," but as Jezz spoke, what Hailey said didn't sound so bad, not about trying to seduce her teacher, the part about starting fresh.