Teaching Mr. Cooper

Chapter 15

Outside the classroom, Jezzy wanted to bang her head against the wall, thank god it's Friday. Taking a deep breath, Jezzy closed her eyes. The sounds from the Commons drifted down the vacant hallway.

Leaning against the wall, she pressed her hands against the brick, feeling the roughness and attempting to ground herself to reality amid the surge of emotions going through her. Until now she had denied her feelings, accepting that she couldn't have everything she wanted. But now she was forced to acknowledge she wanted Mr. Cooper, and it seemed, that the attraction was mutual. Of course, nothing could come of it, if anything this revelation only led to more frustration. She knew she would have to keep her distance, even if it meant transferring out of his class.

Pushing away from the wall, Jezzy marched to the nearest exit. A stiff breeze nipped at her skin, as she pushed open the double doors. Ignoring the chill and misty rain, she ventured out into the school yard. Wrapping her arms around herself, Jezzy wandered out to one of the ball diamonds. There a row of poplar trees separated one diamond from another. Jezzy walked along the trees, gazing across the outfield.

She thought about everything she and Mr. Cooper talked about. How did things escalate so quickly, one moment they were talking about class and the next they were having this intensely intimate moment. She hated to admit it, but he was right about one thing, she needed to have a friend she could be with, someone she could open up to, then maybe she wouldn't need to spill her guts and her tears to her teacher.

Jezzy sighed as she reluctantly turned back to the school. As if to hurry her along the sky opened up, and what had been a mere drizzle became a downpour. Jezzy began to run for the nearest doors, holding her binder over her head in a vain attempt to stop the onslaught of frigid rain, pelting her body.

Gasping as she rushed into the building, she wiped her wet hair out of her face. Having missed the better part of lunch she headed to the girls bathroom to dry off before the afternoon bell rang.

"Hey, there you are... wow you are soaked," Jezzy looked up from digging in her bag for the hairbrush she kept to see Kaitie's shocked look.

"Yeah, uh, I just needed some fresh air," Jezz shrugged, her lips twisted into a wry smile.

"Oh, by the way Nate was looking for you."

Jezzy nodded, "Thanks, I'll try and catch up with him sometime before school's out." Nate was nice, she even thought that maybe there could be something more than friendship between them. But deep down she knew it would just be a distraction, to keep her mind off someone else.

Jezz smiled at Kaitie at left the girls bathroom. A quick stop at the water fountain, and she turned and nearly walked into Nate. "Hey," she says, "Kaitie said you were looking for me?" Jezzy looked up as Nate shifted his weight and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh, yeah," Nate smiled and chuckled nervously. "I was just going to ask you something."

"Oh, ok. What did you want to ask me?" Jezzy tried to keep her voice light, but in her gut she suspected what his question was going to be.

"You know there's a fall dance next weekend?"

"Yeah, Kaitie and Amanda have been talking about it a lot. Amanda is hoping Mr. Wells will be chaperoning." Jezzy could see he was leading to something so she cut her thought short.

Nate chuckled as his tension eased, "Yeah, anyhow, I think everyone was planning on going. I didn't know if you were or not. We could go together if you wanted."

Nate smiled like the school boy he was. Jezz couldn't decide if his invitation was meant to be as friends or something more. Then she realized she had never actually been to a dance. "Um, I don't know. I sort of had plans with my sister next weekend. I don't live with her, so it's... um."

"No, it's ok. My folks are divorced, so I get it."

"I didn't know, sorry."

Nate shrugs, "Meh, it's better than them fighting all the time. But maybe, you could see her Saturday and still come out with us Friday."

"I'll see what I can do. It might be fun." Jezz smiled and nodded as the bell for 4th period rang. "Well, see you later."

"Bye, Jezz." Nate turned and headed to his next class. Jezzy sighed, she'll have to stop by the office later if she wants to drop Mr. Cooper's class.