Illegal Innocence (Student/Teacher Relationship)

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

My phone vibrated from my pocket. I knew it was the same person who has been calling me every day for the past week, claiming they knew my secret about me and Elliott. I fished my phone out of my pocket and reluctantly picked it up.

"Look, I don't know who you are, but quit calling me already!" I shouted. "If you know my secret, why don't you just tell someone? Quit calling me about it!"

Silence. All I could hear on the other end was breathing. Then soft chuckling. That was something new, at least. I tried to recognize the voice, but I couldn't make it out completely. Then they spoke finally, and my heart stopped.

"Oh, Avery," he said. "So naive."

It was Hunter.

I almost dropped the phone. My worst nightmare was coming true. Hunter would surely make me regret everything that I've ever done to him, which includes breaking his heart. But did that even qualify as breaking his heart? He broke mine first, by cheating on me.

"Hunter," I breathed.

"And we have a winner," he said. I could hear him smiling through the phone, acting all cocky and what not. "It took you this long to figure it out? I'm disappointed in you, Avery."

"What do you want?" I asked. Tears threatened me, forming at the corners of my eyes, but I fought back, blinking hard. "What secret are you even talking about?"

"I think we both know," he replied. His voice was deadly serious and cold. It sent shivers throughout my whole body.

"I have a lot of secrets," I pointed out, keeping my voice level.

He let out a sigh of pride. It made me want to through my phone at the wall. "Meet me at the small diner a few miles from your house," he instructed.

"Why should I do that?" I asked, not thinking before I opened my mouth. We both knew very well why I should go.

He laughed harshly. "Tick tock, Avery. Keep me waiting and I might just let it slip."

I heard a click from the other end, then silence. I pulled the phone away from my ear quickly and dialed Elliott's number. A few rings, then he answered.

"Hey-"

"It's Hunter," I interrupted. "He's the one who knows."

Elliott let out a breath that was mixed with with horror and frustration. "This isn't good."

"I know," I agreed. Should I tell him that he wanted me to go to the diner? Of course I should. Maybe he would know what to do? "I'm meeting him at the diner. And if I don't hurry, things are going to get bad."

"Do you want me to come?" he asked urgently.

"No!" I shouted. "Are you crazy?! The second Hunter sees you he won't hear me out! He wants me... there," I added the last word in at the last second, although we both knew that I didn't have to. Elliott knew Hunter wanted me more than anything, even if I didn't feel the same way towards him.

After a few seconds, Elliott finally sighed in defeat. "Okay, Avery. Be safe. Call me as soon as he leaves," he said. Another second went by. "I love you."

I swallowed a sob, not wanting him to hear me cry. "I love you, too."
~
I slid into the brown leather booth and folded my hands on the table. Hunter sat across from me with a coy smile on his face. I resisted the urge to reach across the table and slap it off, but that wouldn't get me anywhere.

"Hello, Avery," he said, flashing me a smile with pearly-white teeth. I tried to force a smile, but it wouldn't come.

"Hi," I said bluntly. Before I could say anything else, a waitress, whom I'd recognized from coming here so often, walked up to out table, carrying two sodas. She set each of them in front of us and walked away.