eye contact / h.s

0.2

opal's pov.

after my small embarrassment in front of Mr. Long Legged Styles, i put my head into a book i borrowed from the library.

before i know it, children are exiting the classroom, and i'm slowing packing my things up. not once has someone asked me to stay behind in class, this is my first. not that, that is surprising or anything, because normally everything i do is a first time thing for me.

"you wanted to see me, Mr. Styles?" i lean against a desk behind me, almost daring to look into his eyes, but the thought of him seeing me embarrassed again is mortifying.

"yes, Ms. Carter," he puts his hands together on his lap, "may I call you Opal?" he waits for my response. "oh yes, of course!" i state, wanting to punch myself in the face for sounding enthusiastic.

"alright, well Opal," he begins, "because i am new here, i am very appreciative of you answering my question in the beginning of class. i can tell you've paid a lot of attention whenever Ms. Yoak was teaching. do you actually know what happened to her? they had recently just hired me without a reasoning of them firing her."

"oh, i had just heard from whispers in the hallway that she had slept with a student, William Harris to be exact. but you know how rumors go," i lightly laugh. Mr. Styles starts to utter, "thats a shame to hear, but it is yet a good thing for me, this is my 2nd teaching job, and i feel like this will go well," he looks up and smiles at me. i return the smile, staring into his emerald eyes, nearly getting lost. out of the corner of my eye, i see and feel his fingers touch my hair, putting the loose strands from my braid behind my ear.

"but, from now on, whenever i talk to you, or you are speaking to me, do look me in the eyes." he states, "this time will slip, but there won't be a next darling. you are dismissed," and hands me a tardy slip to my next class.

"thank you, sir," i make sure to look him in the eyes, and hurry my way to the door. i head to my advanced civics class, Mr. Johnson teaches it. hopefully Haley is done "rephrasing" my paper.

i knock on the door, to having to meet eyes with Mr. Johnson. "Opal Carter, where is your slip? what were you doing 5 minutes after the bell?" he whisper-screams. "sorry sir, Mr. Styles has pulled me after class," i apologize as i hand him my pink paper. he takes it and allows me to pass through. i sit down beside Haley, and she whispers, "what was that about?" she is nearly grinning ear-to-ear. i shake my head at her, hoping she would drop it.

i finish doodling what i started in the beginning of my last period class, while i'm listening to Johnson teach class. though it is awful hard to listen to someone preach about politics whenever your head is distracted by what Mr. Styles said to me. what does he mean there won't be a next time? that doesn't even make sense. what is he going to do? give me detention for not making direct eye-contact?  just the thought of the way his fingers barely touched my ear makes me feel on fire.

what am i talking about? this is my teacher for God's sake! Mr. Styles is like way older than me.

finally my mind is put to a slight distraction when the bell rings, dismissing us to go to our next class.

~~

i stuff my locker full of the books that are in my hand before closing it. "ready to eat? i hear we are having tacos!" Haley pipes. i nod my head as we make our way down the hallway. up ahead i can see Mr. Styles closing his door, must be heading for lunch as well.

"oh, hello girls," i wave and Haley smiles. "by chance do you either one of you know what we are having for lunch?" he asks. "Tacos," i speak, making sure to look him dead in the eye. he turns to me and smiles, and then glances at Haley, "thank you, see you guys in homeroom."

Haley and i make it to the cafeteria where we go through the line and come out sitting down at an empty table. "so, why did Styles hold you after class?" she starts questioning while munching on some of her crushed taco.

i shrug my shoulders, "he thanked me for answering his question correctly, but told me basically next time if i don't look him in the eyes and speak, i'll be punished."

she nearly spits lettuce at me, "are you serious? give you detention for not making eye contact?" i tuck the loose strands behind my ear, just like how he did. "wait a minute, unless he means smack that ass!" she starts laughing while doing a hitting motion across her lap. i giggle, too. she can't be serious, he is a teacher, not my daddy.

{WORD COUNT 865}

thank you once again for reading this. much love

-grace