Chasing Miss Conner •OLD VERSION•

Eight

Eight

I found myself in the school parking lot at the ridiculous time of eight fifteen in the morning. I carefully took off my helmet, wincing as the cold air hit my face. My hair cascaded down my shoulders in soft ringlets. I'd gotten up early and curled it for my date, even though it wasn't until later.

I was a bit nervous, but figured if I curled it now, since my hair stays curled forever, I wouldn't need to worry about it later. My make up was also light, mascara and a little bit of eye shadow made my brown eyes deepen just right in color. My attire consisted of a pair of jean-skinnies and a Mayday Parade band tee. Casually classy, as my mom would say.

I wasn't sure why I'd gotten here so early- okay scratch that, we all know why I'm here.

Ms. Conner had prep from 8-9.

I shook my head at my stupid self as I wandered towards the front of the school, my helmet a comfortable weight against my side.

"Hey! Shay!" I turned at my name and saw Caleb running towards me. He stopped when he got to me and put his hands on his knees, breathing hard as if he'd just run a marathon. I giggled into my hand and raised a brow at him.

"Out of shape are we?"

He straightened and let out a long sigh before pinning me with a look and sticking his tongue out at me childishly, making me giggle again.

"Oh you hush." He reprimanded, before pulling me into an abrupt hug. I stiffened at the unexpected gesture, confused as why he felt I'd needed a hug. I sort of just stood there awkwardly in his embrace while he hugged me.

"Uh, Caleb? What are you doing?"

He pulled back to look at me and gave me a cheeky smile. "Hey, it's not every day I get to hug a beautiful woman." I blushed and shoved him.

"Yeah right. I bet you have women lined up straight to Portland." I teased. He took on a thoughtful look, rubbing his chin before he grinned at me. "Well I guess they're all in the wrong line, because I don't see anyone." He glanced around in mock-confusion. I laughed.

"Yeah yeah, let's go inside, I'm cold." I complained.

He laughed at me, a deep rich sound that automatically stumped me on how he didn't already have a girlfriend.

"Why are you here so early?" I asked as we sat down at one of the tables in the lobby.

"I had football practice from 7-8."

I nodded. "Oh, cool." He shrugged and turned to me. "What about you? Why are you here so early?" I shrugged nonchalantly and gestured to upstairs. "I have to go see my English teacher about a paper." He nodded.

"Oh, okay."

We talked for a few more minutes about our week. I turned to leave but he stopped me. "Hey! We're still on for tonight right?" I smiled and nodded. "Yep!" That charming smile of his spread across his face.

"Great!"

He walked me to class, or elevated me I guess, which was sweet considering all his classes were down stairs. We joked and laughed the whole way there, I truly did enjoy his company.

"See ya later." I said to him before pushing the door open to English.

Ms. Conner was there at her desk, surrounded by papers and looking as perfect as ever in a pair of comfy-looking skinnys and a creamy sweater. Her hair was up in a perfectly messy bun today, and my eyes were immediately drawn to her slender neck and the flawless creamy skin there.

She looked up in surprise when she heard the door open, before her face filled up with a smile when she saw it was me. "Shay, you're here early." She remarked, running her eyes over me absentmindedly. My cheeks begged to scarlet but I forbade them to and smiled at her to distract myself.

I took the desk in front of hers since class still had about thirty minutes until it started and it would be weird to shout across an empty room.

"Yeah. I'd thought I'd get here early for once." I laughed lightly.

She raised a brow but didn't say anything before she focused on her work once more. The sounds of her pen scribbling on paper were soothing, and I let my mind wander. I found myself running my eyes over her again and absentmindedly noticing the little details; the way she sucked her lip in and out of her mouth as she worked, the way her forehead crinkled adorably when she was frustrated or thinking hard, and my favorite, the way her inky black eyelashes fluttered and lowered around her eyes halfway when she was pleased with something.

I nearly jumped a foot in the air when she spoke out of the blue. "So, if I've heard your peers clearly, I believe you have a date tonight with one Caleb Ryce?" My face bloomed with heat but luckily she didn't look up from her work when she spoke.

"Y-yes." I managed. She looked up then and the intensity behind her sapphire gaze made my blood freeze. We stared at each other for a long moment, I shifted in my seat, suddenly aware of how close we were to one another. If I reached out a hand I would be touching her arm.

I almost missed it, but I swear her gaze flitted to my lips before returning to my face. My blood suddenly warmed again, or maybe boiled was more appropriate because she'd lowered her eyelashes halfway, and damn if it wasn't the sexiest thing I'd ever seen.

She tapped her pen against her lips, and I immediately envied the object. Her lips pursed, giving me the idea that she was unpleased. She "hmm'd" lowly, confirming my thoughts. I felt my brow furrow at her sudden change of demeanor.

"Well.....just be careful." She said finally, lowering her head back to her work and snapping me out of her trance. My eyes narrowed in suspicion as I looked at her, I got the feeling she wasn't telling me something.

"What does that-" the bell rang, cutting me off.

Ms. Connor looked up and set her pen down. My heart sunk at her expression. For the first time she had actually shut herself off from me. Her face had become an impenetrable mask that I couldn't crack no matter how many times I tried.

"You should probably return to your seat, Ms. Daniels." My heart sunk even lower at her formal, emotionless tone.

I sauntered back to my seat and settled in. Genny arrived a little while later and blabbed on and on about her lunch date with Amy. Ms. Conner's lesson was brief and short and brisk. None of the happiness she usually expressed was present.

She gave us a worksheet before retreating to her desk again. Genny talked all about Amy basically the rest of the period, which was beyond annoying, but I couldn't say that to her and ruin her happiness so I smiled and nodded at all the appropriate places, but my heart just wasn't in the conversation.