Teaching Mr. Cooper

Chapter 22

Daniel and Jezzy arrived at the school and pulled into the teachers parking lot. Several other teachers were already there and no one else was around. "Thanks for the ride," Jezzy said as she opened her door. "I'll just head around to the front doors."

Daniel nodded and turned towards the teachers entrance. "Jezzy," he said, pausing to look at her one last time, "have fun, tonight." Jezz smiled at Daniel, they would see each other in only a few minutes, but the roles they must play would be different. He would, once again, be her teacher and she his student. Despite the fact that neither one of them had behaved romantically, she knew that even a friendship like the one they had begun, would be looked upon skeptically.

"Thanks, you too," she said softly in the fading light. Daniel rolled his eyes, picturing himself enjoying the evening as chaperone to a couple hundred teenagers.

Jezzy was at the front doors, when she spotted Nate and her friends. They all talked happily as they made their way into the school gym. They had done a wonderful job decorating, and now with the lights down low, it looked amazing. Harvest colors filled the gym, as swags of yellow and orange streamers fanned out from the high ceiling and out to the four corners of the room. Balloons were filled and floated in clusters at each corner and as centerpieces on a couple tables set up on one end of the gym.

Despite all of Jezzy's nervousness over her first dance, she was able to put that aside and have fun with her new friends. For that night she felt just like a regular teen, which is what she thought she wanted, but instead the experience proved to be bittersweet. For while she danced, she saw Mr. Cooper, and as much as she enjoyed the evening, she enjoyed the time part spent with him slightly more. With him, she didn't have to pretend to be something she wasn't. She could be herself and that was enough.

"You feeling ok?" her dance partner asked, after noticing her distracted look.

Jezzy looked up at Nate and smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yes, it's been a long day I suppose."

Nate and Jezzy finished their dance and joined the others as the music changed. Soon Jezzy was laughing alongside them, but every now then she would see him. Standing off to the side, chatting with the other teachers. Another reminder of the of the great chasm that separates them. He seemed pleased that she was enjoying herself. A couple of times she had laughed and caught him smiling because of it.

Later that night, after her friends had taken her home, Jezzy was nearly ready to collapse into bed, when her phone buzzed. Checking her messages, she found an unknown caller. -It was nice to see you smiling, tonight. I hope to see more of it. Goodnight, DC.-

DC, Daniel Cooper. Jezzy smiled to herself knowing that he had kept her phone number all this time, since she first wrote it on his palm nearly two months ago. Jezzy's lips twitched at the memory, then sent him a quick message in return. -I hope so, too. It felt good to have a reason to smile. Goodnight, Jezzy. -

With a smile still on her lips, Jezzy went to sleep, and had many happy dreams in which all her hearts desires seemed infinitely possible.

Saturday came and that meant Jezzy got to see her sister again. She missed her so much it hurts, but at least she knew the foster family she stayed with were nice people, even if they had three other foster kids. "So, do you like your foster family?" Jezzy asked out of the blue. "Are they nice to you?"

Annabel who was watching cartoons at that moment looked up at her big sister. "They're nice," she shrugged. "They got a new foster kid," she said after a minute of silence.

"Really, do they still have the other three?"

"No. Lacey went back to live with her mom. But I heard Mr. and Mrs. White say that she will probably be back." Annabel was pretty casual about it, as a seven year old might be. She had already seen a couple kids come and go. And this was her second family since being taken by CPS. It was scary at first, but the families were kind and meant well, even if they weren't her real family. Jezzy was her only real family.

"You know that once I'm old enough, I would like you to be able to come and love with me. Would you like that?" Jezzy asked as she came to sit next to Annabel on the couch. She had promised her that she would find a way for them to be together, but that was months ago and to a seven year old, it might as well be a lifetime.

Annabel nodded her head. "Yes, but I think I would miss being with other kids too. Missy is six and she's been with the White's since I came." Jezzy smiled and ruffled her sisters hair. It was just like Annabel to want to look out for others. She was forever trying to bring home stray kittens. One year she found a baby squirrel. She fed it and it spent all summer in their yard.

That evening after Annabel had gone to bed, Jezzy stood out on her apartment balcony. It was a chilly October eve and the temperature had been dipping down below freezing every night for weeks. Jezz searched the night sky for signs of snow. If they were lucky, it would hold off until November. Leaning against the railing with her phone in hand, she fidgeted with it. She debated with herself over whether to text someone. He sent a text last night, even though it had been a simple good night, it meant he was thinking of her. Jezzy shook her head and stared at the object in her now cold hands. He was probably just making sure she was home safe. Concern for her safety, that was all. It certainly didn't mean he wanted a high school girl texting him everyday. A shiver ran through her body forcing her to return to the warmth of her apartment.