Lesson Learned {Student Teacher Romance}

Chapter 34

Of course, the waitress chose that moment to bring over our food. Will's expressive eyes searched mine while she painstakingly arranged the dishes and bowls on our small tabletop. 

Everything smelled and looked delicious, but all I could focus on was the amazing man across from me. 

"I don't want to put any pressure on you," he says as soon as the waitress is gone. "Especially since we're just friends."

"For now," I finish. "I'm excited about that too, Will. Heck, I've never even been on a real date before." 

"What's that now?" Will's gorgeous mouth spreads into a wide smile.

I poke my spoon at my soup to keep from looking him in the face. 

"I've never been on a real date," I tell my meal. "And I've never had a boyfriend. So, get ready for lots of awkward questions."

Will laughs out loud, shaking his defined pectorals under his creamy sweater. 

"What kind of awkward questions?" He chuckles like he's game.

I pretend to think it over, but really, I've got a backlog ready to go.

"Have you ever been in love?" I cringe through my own question.

"Love?" Will's expression turns thoughtful. "I would have to say that, no, I haven't been in love, yet." 

"What about girlfriends?" I blurt and blush as bright as a fire engine.

Will reaches across the table to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

"You're so beautiful," he whispers.

"And you are so stalling!" I tease as a surge of jealousy deepens the flush of my skin.

"I've had one girlfriend, yes," he answers with conviction. "In college."

"So you prefer to date around a lot?" My question makes Will break into a chuckle. "See? I'm the queen of awkward questions." 

"It's not that I want to date around, it's that I'm picky when it comes to calling someone my girlfriend," Will's shoulders bounce. "I dated a little in high school, but I didn't want anyone to get close enough to me to know what was going on at home. My family's problems had me pretty much isolated by the end of high school."

Will's eyes glow molten indigo in the restaurant's dim lighting. 

"My last semi-serious relationship was right after law school," he remembers while I keep eating. "I went on a brief solo backpacking trip through Portugal. It was a chance to start over and distance myself from all the pain back home, and I loved it. I worked for a fisherman for a while in Esposende and it was there that I met a woman.

"We had a short fling over the course of a month. She was beautiful, exotic, and older, but I let great sex override good sense. I ignored a lot of red flags, like her explosive temper or the fact that we only met in secret. When I found out she was the wife of the man I worked for, I left without saying goodbye to either of them."

"Wow," I gasped.

"After that, I kind of swore off relationships," Will shrugged. "I thought I could use the pain of that experience to write a great novel, but it turns out, that story is older than time and I had nothing new to say about it."

We fell quiet for a bit, chewing on our food and our thoughts, alike. 

"How are you doing?" Will asks. 

"I'm full," I admit. "And I have lots more awkward questions, though." 

Will gestures for the waitress and eyes me, "There will be plenty of opportunities to ask in the near future." 

He asks for the check and we get ready to leave. 

I can tell that Will wants to ask me questions too, but for some reason, he's holding back. 

Our drive to Keri's house is quiet and far too short. I'm already missing Will and we haven't even said goodnight yet. 

"Can I call you tomorrow?" Will asks when he pulls over in front of the Gotlieb's house. 

"You'd better!" I exclaim. "I want to know whether Rory trashed your house." 

A pained look flickers across Will's face but it's replaced with his dreamy smile in no time. 

"Goodnight, Moira," he leans over to lightly brush my lips. 

"Goodnight, Will," I sigh. 

He waits until I'm inside The Gotlieb's house before driving away with my heart. 

***

"Wait, so you haven't told Fitzwilliam that you're a virgin?" Keri squeaks in disbelief. 

"No, but I'm pretty sure he knows," I hiss and roll my eyes while pointing to the stairs. "Don't tell everybody else!" 

I've been at the Gotlieb's house for two days soaking up their hospitality and eating all their amazing food. 

"Whatever!" Keri scoffs at a much lower volume. "If he's as sensitive as you're saying, then Will's going to think it's a huge deal to punch your v-card."

"Punch my v-card?" I giggle. "What is this, an episode of Gilmore Girls?"

"Hey! That show is a national treasure," Keri retorts and sticks out her tongue. "Seriously though, Moira, this is a big deal. When do you think you're going to go for it?" 

"We're not even dating yet!"

"But you want to, right?" Keri waggles her brows.

"Of course I do," I cover my mouth to muffle my nervous laughter. "But nothing is going to happen until the quarter ends." 

"And, when is that, exactly?"

"In two weeks," my mouth falls open as I realize that's just fourteen days away. "All that's left is the final exam, I guess."

It's strange to say it out loud because my AA has always felt like a distant concept or a dream I was going to achieve 'one day.' 

Now that it's really here I'm going to have to start thinking about college. I don't even know if Will is going to stay in Auburn since he quit his job. He could probably work anywhere he wanted in the state.

"Are you excited?" Keri whispers, always able to read my face.

"For graduation?" I clarify with a sassy giggle. "Or having sex with Will?" 

"Both!" Keri exclaims, throwing up her arms like she's on a roller coaster. 

My life certainly felt like I was on a twisty thrill ride lately. 

"Yes," it's my turn to squeal. "I'm super excited for both!" 

"I wish I was that excited about a boy," Keri sighs.

"Will's a man," I correct her.

"Fine," she tosses her head back to wine. "Go have lots of kinky sex with a hot older man. Just promise you'll tell me about it later." 

"Gross," I shove a pillow into her midsection to set us off another giggle-fit. "Get a better vibrator."

That's pretty much my days at Keri's in a nutshell. 

I won't impose on the Gotlieg's hospitality forever, but it feels so good to have people around who love me in spite of all my baggage.

Will calls me every day to give me updates on my mom's case and to chat with me. I was so impressed that he was able to convince the district attorney that my mom was better served in private, long-term rehabilitation, than in jail. We'll have to pay a lot of fines for her breaking probation, but she'll get to keep her freedom.

My talks with Will are always light-hearted and fun, but we haven't revisited our feelings or what we plan to do about them. 

Honestly, I'm too scared to broach the subject and Will doesn't seem to want to bring it up either.