Mr. Cumberbatch

Chapter 16- Deja Vu

"Tell me all about last night. I'm dying to know." Amanda takes a sip of the chocolate milk from her lunch tray anxiously waiting for her to say something.

Nicole looks down at the lunch her mom packed for her. It was the leftovers from the lasagna she cooked them for dinner.

"Nothing exciting happened really," She says.

Amanda gives her the look she does when she knows she's lying. "Come on. You've been acting weird all morning. Something obviously happened last night that's been bothering you."

She shrugs. "Well, apparently my mom and I have the same taste-"

Amanda looks confused. "...of clothes? Shoes? Food?"

"Not exactly," she sighs. "In men."

Amanda nearly sprays chocolate milk out of her mouth. "Your mom likes Benedict?!?"

"Shhhh!" Nicole screams. "You can't just yell that for the whole cafeteria to hear!"

Amanda puts her hand over her mouth. "Oh, right. Forgot, sorry."

"It's fine," she says forgiving her. "She knows he's seeing someone, but doesn't know it's me."

Amanda takes a bite of the school's pizza and cringes from its horrid taste. "So, who does she think he's with then?"

Nicole hesitates before giving her an answer. "Another teacher- here at the school."

Amanda drops her pizza from her hand down onto her pineapples. "That is really risky! What if she asks around and finds out he's not?"

Nicole sighs. "I know, I know. It wasn't my doing though. Benedict was the one that came up with that brilliant idea." She rolls her eyes.

Amanda laughs. "You sure seem to fall for the complicated ones don't you?"

Nicole smiles. "It's true. But Benedict is way different from Michael. He's perfect."

Amanda looks a bit concerned. "I know. Just don't rush into things with him. I don't want to see you get hurt again."

Suddenly, someone in the distance catches Nicole's eye. It's Kevin. He flashes her a bright smile and walks over to where they are sitting. He places his tray on the table across from her and beside Amanda.

"What's up?" He asks.

Amanda smirks. "Not much nerd."

He laughs. "No one asked you princess."

Nicole rolls her eyes. This sort of behavior between the two of them doesn't surprise her. Ever since she invited him to start sitting with them during lunch, the two of them bicker continuously. Amanda still sees him as the quiet student who is socially awkward, and he sees her as a spoiled heiress. This is only because they haven't actually taken the time to get to know each other yet.

"Hey, Kevin," Nicole says cheerfully.

Amanda interrupts and smiles at her. "Guess what?"

"What?" She asks.

Amanda raises her eyebrows. "Homecoming is right around the corner."

She looks unamused. "And..?"

Amanda gasps. "You're telling me you're not going?"

She glances at Kevin who was silently laughing at how persistent Amanda was being. "I don't know. I haven't really thought about it."

Amanda shakes her head. "Well, you better. There is no way I'm going without you."

Nicole smirks. "I guess I'll have to start thinking about it then."

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When the afternoon bell rings Nicole runs to the locker room at the other side of the school for swim practice like always. She quickly changes into her swimsuit. Her coach had said that this day was going to be a fast and easy practice. He had some sort of prior commitment he needed to get to. No one knew exactly what he meant by it, but assumed it was important considering he never shortens a practice. He always wants to make everyone is the best that they can be.

A whistle blows indicating practice has started and everyone needs to return from the locker room. Nicole scurries out across the concrete floor and stops before a line of other girls.

Coach Hiddleston paces up and down the line wearing a white T-shirt and red shorts. "I know you're all aware that today is going to be quick and easy because I have somewhere I have to be, but that doesn't mean I should see you begin to slack off." He glances towards Mia, a girl who takes every opportunity she has to not do the workout to her full potential.

"Give me 7 laps around the pool and you can all call it a day." He blows his whistle and everyone dives in.

Some girls stop swimming after the first few laps, and others give up after about 5. Since the school year has only been going on for a couple of months, everyone was pretty much out of shape. But, not Nicole. She is the first one to finish her laps within 20 minutes. She pushes herself up onto the cold floor out of the water and lays lifelessly on the ground. She can see the dark sillhouette of a man form before her eyes.

"Well done, Nicole!" Coach Hiddleston reaches for her hand to help pull her up. "You have very nice strokes, and your form is spectacular. I can tell you're going to be a very good asset to the team."

She smiles and cheers to herself. "Thanks coach, I won't be one to disappoint!"

He grins. "Good to hear. Now you can change and go home."

She leaves the pool and enters into the locker room. She's the only one in there from what she can tell. She grabs a dry towel and wraps it around her head. As soon as she opens her locker, a ripped piece of paper falls out onto the floor. Her eyes widen. "This cannot be happening again."

She slowly bends down, picks it up, and unfolds it. She reads the bold words out loud.

"I Know your dirty little secret. It makes me sick. He's your teacher."

The last sentence rings in her ears. She lets out a faint cry of terror. The last note she read that fell out of her locker was too broad and she didn't know what it was specifically talking about. But, now she's aware this person knows the truth. But, how? And who? Who is the evil person that wants to destroy her life?

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A/N: Hi everyone! I decided to make this chapter a little shorter :3 Hope you're still enjoying the story! I'm actually quite surprised people are actually still reading it. I never expected so many of you to vote and comment! It's amazing!

Please Vote/Comment/& Save- it helps immensely and lets others find my story, Thanks! xx

-BenedictCumbers