Come Up For Air

Chapter One

I cheated the vending machine almost everyday. I used some hack I found online to get free stuff. I knew I was gonna get caught That's why I'm here. That's why I was called down to the principle's office...I think. I can't think of anything other reason. My Papa would be so disappointed if he got a phone call from the Principal. I sat in the chair thinking the hardest I've ever in my life. What if I can't get into college because of this? What if they suspend me? What if he yells at me? Oh God please don't let him yell at me. I can't take it. I hate being yelled at.

A hand touched me out of nowhere. I jerked and looked up to see the principal's secretary looking at me worried. "Are you okay, honey, you're shaking"

Looking at my hands I could see them shaking uncontrollably. "Oh shoot" I whispered to myself quietly. Grabbing one hand in the other I hoped that it looked like I had stopped the goddamned vibrating.

"Oh Sasha, honey, you're not in any trouble at all. Mr. Samuels needs your help with something, is all. Okay?"

I let out a breath that I must have been holding in since I was called over the speaker. I nodded "Yes, okay, I'm fine now"
She smiled lightly "Now, Principal Samuels is ready to see you"

I stood up and followed behind her as she walked towards the Principal's office. She knocked once and opened the door, gesturing for me to walk in. Principal Samuels looked up from his computer and spoke. "Ah, Miss Benvolio! Good morning, good morning"

"Good Morning" I spoke somewhat hesitantly

"And this as you may know is Christian Vitalli" he said motioning towards a man sitting in one of the chairs in front of his desk. "He left school for a bit but now he is back"

So.. He isn't a grown man.. He's taller than my Papa and Papa was a big burly man. "Hello" I waved softly to him. He didn't say anything back, not even a nod.

He was staring at me. His vision seemed to be trained on my me. I sat down in the chair hoping that he would stop staring at me so deeply. "Now Sasha, Christian is behind on all the material for his senior year. So I put him in a few of your classes and I wanted to see if you were willing to help him catch up."

'I put him in a few of your classes'

He was obviously counting on me saying yes.

"He will only need your assistance for about a month or so just so he can catch up"

"Let's make it a month and a half, just to play it safe"He spoke for the first time. His voice help authority along with a lot of baritone. He spoke with his eyes still on me.

"Does that sound like something you would be able to handle, Sasha?" Mr. Samuels said

"I would love to help, but Spirit Squad starts this week. And I'm captain this year and I've already made a huge commitment with them"

Looking at Principal Samuels he looked tired and stressed and Christian had a scowl engraved on his face.

"Oh Principal Samuels earlier when you were telling me about the activities you said something about dance team staring a little later this year"

"Uh Yes, I forgot. Coach Silver.. she's taking a two-week leave for personal reasons"

What? I haven't heard anything about Coach taking a leave, but of course the principal knows more that I do.

"So, Sasha, would you be willing to help Christian until dance team starts?"

"Um, Yeah, I can do that"

Mr. Samuels clasped his hands together "Great. Now you two can work out what day of the week you will meet and how many days you will meet"

I nodded "Okay"

"Now for the rest of this period, go to the Library to get acquainted and figure out the schedule"

Christian got up at the same time as me, so I could see how much taller he was than me. Compared to my five feet, he had to be at least a foot and a half taller, maybe more. He opened the door and help it open so that I could walk through. "Thanks" I smiled faintly. He smiled back at me brightly "Of course".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So what's your favorite color?" He smiled at me

"Uh, I would have to say yellow, or baby blue, or periwinkle, or grey"

He looked at me like I was crazy for a second and then we both bursted into laughter. We had been in the library for ten minutes now and we had got kinda comfortable with each other.

"So, what school did you come from?" I Asked

I could see him tense slightly, and look down at the table. "You don't have to answer that"

We had just started to become comfortable with each other and I didn't want him to close back up.

"No, no it's fine. I wasn't really in normal school for awhile. I've been in Italy for the past two years and when I was there I had private tutors. So being in school again is kinda new in a sense, you know?" He questioned looking up at me hesitantly.

I smiled softly and nodded "I understand, and pretty soon you'll be the hang of it"

"Thanks Sasha, for everything"

"No problem... So! When are you free?"

~~~

Five minutes later we had agreed on Mondays and Thursdays right after school for an hour and a half.

I was filling in the days in my planner when the bell rang and he stood up from his chair.

"What's your next class?" I asked him as I continued writing.

He pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. "I'm going to... Geography in Room 311."

"Do you know where it is?" I asked looking up at him

"Well, I know is on the third floor, I'll figure it out from there" He said somewhat folding the paper back up and shoving it into his pocket.

"Ok, well let me know if you need anything, locker number 331, and I'll give you my number. Uh let me find some paper"

I hurried remembering that the bell had rang and my next class was in the another building.

"Here, write it on my hand" He said holding out his hand. I chuckled softly and grabbed his hand and wrote the number quickly.

"There"

He grinned slyly and nodded.

We walked together out of the exit and before he opened his mouth but before he could speak he was cut off.