the substitute | l.r.h.

t h r e e

(A/N) Somewhat graphic content towards the end.

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The endeavor of making dinner was simple for me. Cooking was a natural thing, I'd been doing this most of my life. In my spare time, I would watch world renowned chefs cook their signature meals, then do my best to copy.
  However, I didn't feel like showing off to our new neighbors, at least not yet. So, I stuck with a simple Caesar salad, baked ziti, and chocolate cake for dessert.
  I was so diligent in my cooking that I ended up finishing quickly. I popped the ziti in the oven along with the cake, and put the bowl of tossed salad on the dining room table. Dad had held out and set the table and dusted off the dishes. They hadn't been used in a long time. Not since before mom...
  Just then, I heard a knock on the front door. I took a deep breath and walked to the door. Before I opened it, I smoothed my hair down, pushed it away so it cascaded down my back, and then smoothed down my skirt.
  I opened the door slowly, composing a serene smile. I was greeted by a tall blonde with striking green eyes. She wore a short black dress that showed off her long tanned legs. She sauntered passed me and flashed an impeccable smile when she saw my father.
  "Colin," she coquettishly purred. He smiled and made his way to her. They hugged and kissed each others cheeks. I stood there at the door, dumbfounded.
  Who is this ostentatious woman?
  Dad finally noticed my expression and cleared his throat. "Jeanette, this is my daughter. Mara, this is our new neighbor, Jeanette McDowell." My gaze kept shifting from her to my father, and I felt nonplussed. This woman, this glorified Bratz doll, was our new neighbor?
  "It's nice to meet you," I said in a brusque voice. Jeanette narrowed her eyes and gave me a cool smile, a complacent look on her face. An awkward silence ensued, and dad tried his best to fix it.
  "The dining room is this way. Honey, go check on the ziti and cake." They promenaded down the hall, and I rolled my eyes. I still couldn't believe I was going to be living next to her. I let out a shaky breath and went back to the kitchen. Jeanette's strident laughing could be heard, and I groaned loudly. How could I possibly survive this dinner?
  I pulled the ziti and cake out of the stove with oven mitts on my hands. I placed them on the counter next to me and closed the stove door. Then, another knock came upon the front door.
  "Could you get that, Mara? That should be Jeanette's fiancée!" I frowned. Fiancée? Who would want to spend the rest of their life with such a haughty woman?
  "Sure dad!" I took the mitts off of my hands and hurried to the door. I swung it open and was greeted with a familiar staid expression. The silver lip ring glinted from the porch light, and he raised his eyebrows, clearly befuddled at my answering the door.
  "Miss Dean? What're you doing here?"
  "I live here, Mr. Hemmings. What're you doing here?" I tucked some hair behind my ear and feigned a straight face. Before he could respond, Jeanette pushed passed me.
  "Robert! Darling," she squeaks, hugging him tightly. He hugs her back, a morose expression visible. They break apart and she kisses his cheek. I turn away and walk towards the kitchen, grabbing the ziti and leaving the cake to cool.
  I walked to the dining room and sat the ziti next to the salad and sat down at the chair furthest from the door. I heard my father greeting Mr. Hemmings, their laughter booming throughout the halls. Huh, who knew Mr. Hemmings had a sense of humor.
  They all walked in and sat down, my father and Robert on either side of me and Jeanette across from me. Dad had brought a bottle of red wine from the cellar and poured everyone a glass, me included. He usually let me have one with him, provided I nurse it and only have one. The dinner was mostly silent, everyone ate the salad with no complaint. But, when we got to the ziti, Jeanette spoke up.
  "Oh Colin, this ziti is divine. So rich with cheese and sauce, I had no idea you were a chef," she said licking her lips. I suppressed a smile and looked down at my plate.
  "Actually, Jeanette, I didn't make this. Mara is the one with all the talent." The seductive smile left her lips as she simply replied, "Oh." I let a complacent smirk show on my face, but only to her. I replaced it with an innocent smile when my father looked up from his plate.
  "She is right," Mr. Hemmings suddenly spoke. "This ziti is very good. How long have you been cooking?" His cold, blue eyes stared into my soul and I took a deep breath.
  "Uh, all my life, I guess. My mom was really into cooking. She insisted it was a life skill. Guess she was right." I took another bite of my ziti. He was right, it was pretty good.
  "So I hear you're an English teacher, Robert. You're starting at Tate Prep, right?" Mr. Hemmings nodded and took a sip of his wine.
  "Yes, today was my first day. Mara here is actually in my first class." Jeanette shot me a dirty look and my father raised his eyebrows.
  "Really? Well, I'm glad I can be friends with one of her teachers. Now you can tell me what she's like in class," my dad chuckled, and Mr. Hemmings - Robert - smirked.
  "She's an excellent student from what I can tell. She's way ahead of the curriculum. You should be proud." I took a sip of wine and felt my face go florid. Seeing this side of him was nice, considering I didn't feel too intimidated by him at the moment. I noticed how relaxed he was now, unlike earlier today. He seemed on edge. But I would be too if I was a new teacher for a bunch of teenagers.
  We finished the meal and I brought out the cake, but Jeanette stuck her nose up at it. "Oh no, I hate chocolate. I can't eat that." I rolled my eyes when she wasn't looking.
  "Jeanette, I have a business card for a landscaping company upstairs in my office. He does a beautiful job, would you like his number?" Her eyes lit up and she nodded. My father and her rushed up the stairs. Leaving me alone with Robert.
  "So," I began. "Robert, huh?" Hr rolled his eyed and shook his head.
  "It's my middle name, but that's what she calls me. She says it sounds fancier then my actual name." I tilted my head and furrowed my brows.
  "What is your name, Mr. Hemmings?"
  "Lucas. But, you can call me Luke. Just, don't do it around other students. I don't want them thinking I'm their friend." The corner of his cheeks rose slightly and I giggled, completely forgetting why he ever made me feel intimidated.
  "No problem, sir. Here, hand me your dish," I said with an outstretched hand.
  "Why?"
  "So I can go wash it?"
  "I insist you let me help you." He gathered Jeanette and my fathers dishes while I grabbed the wine glasses. We walked into the kitchen, stopping at the sink. He rinsed off the plates and handed them to me, and I put them in the dishwasher. Once he finished those, I handed him the glasses. We continued in silence, until he spoke.
  "You use the past tense when talking about your mother. What happened to her?" I felt my body tense up, and I took a breath.
  "She...died." I didn't look up at him, even when I felt his gaze on me.
  "I'm sorry, I didn't know."
  "It's fine, you were bound to find out sooner or later," I said putting away the oven mitts I left on the counter. I turned around and suddenly he was next to me. I looked up at him, taken aback.
  He tucked some of my hair behind my ear and then pulled me to his chest. I didn't respond at first, but then I wrapped my arms around him. It felt nice to just hug someone. Most people didn't hug me too tightly, I think its cause they thought I would break down crying. Which, I would've two years ago. But tight hugs were my favourite. It made me feel important. Like, the person hugging me wanted me all to themselves.
  But obviously that wasn't the case for Mr. Hemmings. Luke, I reminded myself.
  He pulled away slightly, so that he wasn't suffocating me, but his arms stayed wrapped around my waist. Mine moved from around his neck to on his chest, and I could feel his heart. The fast heartbeat didn't match his calm exterior.
  "Mr. Hemmings - Luke - are you alright?" I stared into my eyes, an unreadable expression plastered on his face. He clenched his jaw, but then let out a sigh.
  "Fuck it," he whispered. I raised and eyebrow, confused. Then, he quickly brought his lips down on mine.

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Yay, they finally kiss! It's like two in the morning, I'm cuddled in my blanket, listening to Spotify while writing this. Hope you guys liked it!

Luke's highlight on fleek, I aspire to have mine look like that. XD anyone else obsessed with makeup?

evangeline