Dream Catch Me (Student/Teacher)

Dream Catch Me - Chapter Seventeen (Joe's P.O.V)

The first Saturday we worked together I thought it would be awkward. I thought Jane wouldn't be able to get over the fact that I was her teacher, and I was right in some sense. She never fully relaxed around me, but that could just be her character. Jane didn't seem like the person to put her guard down to just any old person, especially her teacher. I was comfortable at least, comfortable that she was the sensible one when I couldn't be.

That morning like nearly every other morning this past week I went to Al's. It was really my regular shop, i usually just had coffee from home in the plunger, but knowing that i could have an intelligible conversation with a smart girl kept bringing me back to the coffee shop. I wasn't too surprised to see Jane approach me but I still got a fright when she asked,

"Going for a run?" she had stealthily walked up behind me and almost whispered it in my ear. It was quite an intimate action by someone so timid and afraid of touch. I think I have been analysing her too much, but it's hard when I've been the counsellor for a long time now.

"Geez Jane! You scared the crap outta me!" I said loudly in a playful shouting tone, I smiled widely to let her know I didn't mean to really shout at her. "And no, not yet. But I don't think I can be bothered now, it's too much of a beautiful day to waste it running," I said and gestured to the windows which had the natural sunlight streaming in them. To be honest I still planned to go for a quick run but now that Jane was here all my plans went out the window.

"That's a shame," She said and walked up to the counter to order a drink.

"What do you mean by 'That's a shame'?" I asked.

"Well you see, running is good for you, it gives you endorphins which make you feel better and judging by the absence of a smile most of the time, you could do with some cheering up, sir," Jane explained. I could see that she was becoming a bit more relaxed around me, and her true joking nature was coming out more, and that was a side to er that truly made me smile. Not the fake smiles I seem to have plastered on my face nowadays.

"Yes okay okay! I'll go for a run! Just not now, we have to work in an hour." I explained, knowing we were sharing the busy Saturday and Sunday shift together. She seemed surprised by this, perhaps she was expecting to do the whole shift on her own? Good luck to that!

"Oh, so you're working today? With me?"

I decided to tease her a little, "Why Jane? Do you not want me to?" I asked her.

"Oh no that's fine, I just didn't know the shop got that busy and I already know how to work stuff and the systems." I chuckled a little, amused at her oblivion towards the shop's popularity.

"Nan said to watch over just in case, and you'll come to realise the shop is actually quite busy. The only place to buy books in town," I said in a tone that belonged on the infomercials, causing her to giggle. It was cute when she giggled and I was happy I could do that; have a positive effect on her.

We sat there and talked for ages, and I was enjoying myself until we both realised the short amount of time we had to get to work. Jane and I had to run to work and we casually walked through the door to make it look like we hadn't been running to get here on time. Nan was sitting at the front counter reading a book, a familiar sight all throughout my childhood. When the bell rang above the door she placed her book down and looked towards us as we approached her.

"Well! I see my grandson and my new employee have met already, and have arrived just on time!" Nan exclaimed happily. "Yes, Nan. Jane and I have already met, I'm her geography teacher at the high school." I explained to her. But in a way I was also trying to reassure myself. That I was only her teacher to her and nothing more so I had to be able to respect those boundaries.