Teaching Mr. Cooper

Chapter 20

Many of the Student Council members spent the days leading up to Friday making decorations for the gym. Jezzy even helped out, even though it meant seeing Mr. Cooper outside of class. She couldn't deny it had been a little awkward the first couple of days after their little talk, but they always found something to talk about and they soon found themselves once again in an easy repoire. Although, they did try to avoid being alone. Friday Jezzy arrived to the SRC room before her friends and was surprised to see Mr. Cooper already there.

"Oh, hi. I thought there would be others here already." Jezzy hesitated at the door.

Daniel looked up to see Jezzy frozen next to her only escape route and suppressed a grin at her adorable frown. "It's fine. They should be along soon." Daniel leaned against one of the tables and waited for her to enter the room. "So, are you looking forward to the dance tonight?"

Jezz came over and dropped her bag next to the table. "I guess so... actually more nervous. I've never been to a school dance before." Jezzy sat on the edge of the table shoulder to shoulder with her teacher. Tilting his head, Daniel gave her a questioning look. Jezzy shrugged, "I never had the time... before."

He didn't say anything, Jezzy didn't need words. Instead they sat there in comfortable silence until a few students came in to finish working on decorations for tonight's dance. Jezzy gave him a sheepish grin as she stood and moved over to her friends.

"Look," Mr. Cooper motioned over to the door as Nate walked in, "here comes your boyfriend." Daniel's voice was light with just a hint of teasing, he must have overheard her plans to go with him.

Jezz shook her head, "He's not... he's not my boy-", but Nate had already made his way over to them. Daniel gave Jezzy a small smirk as he got up to leave, nodding to Nate as they passed.

The rest of the day passed by quickly and soon the SRC and any volunteers they had managed to rope in were decorating the gym.

Jezzy was trying to hang a banner when Nate came up behind her. "Hey, need a hand with that?" he asked as he grabbed the other side. Mr. Cooper's words played over and over in her head. And the more she thought about it the more uncomfortable she got. Nate was a nice guy but she just didn't feel that way about him.

"Thanks," Jezz smiled at him, but then taking a breathe, "hey, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, of course, shoot."

"So... um, when you invited me tonight... was that like a date or just, you know, a friendly invite?" Jezzy's breathing slowed as she looked up at him and waited for his answer.

Nate let out a breath and self-consciously rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, I suppose that sorta depends on you. Look, I do like you and if you feel the same, then yeah, I'd love this to be a date. But if that's not what you had in mind, well I guess I'd be disappointed but not heartbroken."

Jezzy felt a weight left off her shoulders and she gave him a genuine smile. "Thanks, I just didn't want you to be disappointed if I said I wasn't sure about it being a date."

Nate shrugged, "No worries. Disappointed not heartbroken, remember? Just do me a favor and save me a dance or two." Jezzy grinned and nodded. Once they had the banner up, Nate gave her a friendly nudge and went to go help with the other decorations.

Everyone had started to leave and get ready for tonight, but with her mind distracted by the whole "is it a date" thing, she forgot to ask if someone could give her a lift home. That means she would barely make it home, have enough time to get ready and meet everyone at Kaitie's house, since they planned on going as a group. It was a good thing she had thrown her dress in her bag, along with a pair of flats.

Jezzy was at her locker digging through her bag to see what she had in the way of makeup, when Mr. Cooper came out of his classroom. "Hey, shouldn't you be home getting ready for tonight?"

"Um, it took a bit longer setting up in the gym, and I forgot about asking for a ride. The bus to my place takes 20 minutes... I won't have time to get there and back and actually make myself presentable, too," Jezz explained with a shrug.

"Oh, well," Mr. Cooper hesitated, trying to decide if he should offer her a ride or not. Since quite a few of the teachers were coming back to chaperone, everyone who wasn't setting up cleared out pretty quick. "I guess I could drive you, if you have no other ride."

Sensing his reluctance, Jezzy shakes her head. "No, that's alright. I brought my dress just in case. It's no big deal." Going back to looking in her bag, Jezz stopped when she realized Mr. Cooper was still watching her.

"No, really I don't mind," he said, this time with more conviction. "Come on." Then he turned to the exit near the teachers parking lot, not even looking to see if she followed. Jezz scrambled off the floor and jogged to catch up to him.

Daniel waited quietly by the door, holding it open for her. "Thanks," her voice caught in her throat, causing it to come out in a little more than a whisper. Daniel gave her a small smile in return, before heading to the only vehicle in the parking lot.

Inside the jeep, Jezzy nervously clutches her bag, at least until Daniel looks over and smiles. Letting out a breath and willing herself to relax, Jezz smiles back. "Hey," he says after they pulled out of the parking lot, "are you hungry?"