Mr.James *UNDER MAJOR CONSTRUCTION*

Chapter 5- Sweet Tooth Surprise

"Hey, can you take me to The Sweet Tooth? I'm kinda hungry and seriously craving sweetness. Do you know where that is?" She asked. "Anyone that lives in this city knows where it is." He said. "I want some unicorn bark and my brother, Ben has been seriously craving caramel pecan bark, chocolate bars, and CC brownies," I told him. "I freaking love that place." He said. "Anyone with taste buds loves that place," I said. "Yeah, I'll take you, but it's almost 7 and I don't want to worry your brother. You won't get in trouble" I asked. "No, and even if so, as soon as he sees the bark he'll praise me if anything," She said. I couldn't help but laugh. "Sure, then," I said, kicking the gas.

I parked across the street from the double-sided sweet spot. I looked next to and saw another sweet spot I wanted to get into. God, what the fuck is wrong with me. I looked away. I got out first and went around and opened Jazmin's door. We walked across the street to the two-sided sweet spot and went to the quick stop side. We went in and got in line behind this fiery-red haired woman. After a minute Jazmin reached forward and tapped the woman on the shoulder and she turned around and looked at Jazmin. "Charlie?" Jazmin said. "Oh my god, Jazmin!" The woman said. Jazmin pulled the woman into a hug. I cleared my throat loudly and she let go and turned to me with red cheeks. "Mr.-James, this is Charlie Holzer, my old neighbor. Charlie this Mr- This is Ste-This is my teacher and my new neighbor." She said, giving a stiff smile. I stifled a chuckle. She put her hand forward and I shook it. She turned back to Jazmin. "What are you doing here?" Charlie asked Jazmin. "I actually live here now with my brother,"Jazmin said. "Oh, is it because of ..."Jazmine cut her off with a small nod. "How are you about the incident?"Charlie asked. She looked at me and then away. "I'm fine. Sometimes I have nightmares." She said softly. "How long did that boy get?" Charlie asked. Okay, I knew two things, there was an incident and it involved a boy. I gritted my teeth at the thought of what happened. "25."Jazmin said. "Anytime you want to talk just call," Charlie said. "Same number?"Jazmin said, with a sly, mischievous smile. "You know it is!" Charlie said. Jazmin laughed. My heart lifted at the beautiful sound. "Charlie."The counter-guy Dave. Dave handed Charlie her order. "It was good to see you."Charlie said hugging Jazmin. "You too."Jazmin said. Charlie turned and left. "Okay, I'm gonna be nosy." I said. "It's nothing." She said. "No, It's something," I said. "I want it to be nothing, so can it just be nothing?" She said. "Sure, for now." I said. "James, I..." "I'm not pressing, I'm just saying you can't hold hurt in forever. So I'm here whenever your ready to let it out, ready to help you tame it so it won't bite anymore." I said. She turned away from me to the counter. "Hey Jaz, what can I get you today?"Dave asked. "Can I get a bag of caramel pecan bark, a bag unicorn bark, a bag of caramel chocolate brownies, 2 bags of white chocolate bark, 2 bags of caramel popcorn bars, 2 bags of white chocolate crunch bars, a bag of salted caramel brownies, a bag of white chocolate crunch brownies, and... a... Golden Oreo crumble cake." I said. "Wow. Stockin up. Are you getting ready for another movie weekend?" He asked her. "You know it." She said. "Get another list of good ones." He said. "I won't let you down." She said, with a serious face. It crumbled into a lopsided smile that melted my heart.  When I noticed he was flirting with her I felt half obliged to jump in and tell him to stop. I was jealous. Why was I jealous? Why did this girl have such an effect on me? I stepped up to the counter beside her. "What's up J man? What can I get you today?" He asked me. "Sup dave. I have 2 bags of vanilla malt bark, a bag of cookies N' cream bars, a bag of blondie brownies, and a slice of red velvet smore cake." I said. "Man, you get some vanilla malt bark everytime you come here. You love you some vanilla dont'cha, James?"He said. Jazmin's cheeks burned red and I was sure mine were too. "Will those orders be together or separate?"He asked. "Separate." Jazmin said. "My wallet is in my bag, I'll go get it." She said, turning to leave. But she stopped. She froze in her tracks. Then she falling-stumbling. I rushed forward and caught her in my arms. Her eyes were wide and her breath came quick and shallow. "Jazmin, Jazmin look at me." I said. She looked at me. "What's wrong?" I asked. "I just saw my dad."She said gravely.

I had finally gotten her to slow her breathing and got her in a chair. "What?" I said. "I saw my d-father outside, looking at me." She said. "Why is that bad?" I asked. "He's not supposed to be looking at me." She said gravely. "He's dead?" I said. "No. He's restrained against seeing me." She said. "What did he do?" I asked, not really wanting to know the answer. "Let's just say he hurt me, a lot, and I'm a virgin anymore."She said. "Oh my god." I said. I gritted my teeth, trying my best not to punch something. "He smiled at me like he knew something I didn't. Why did he smile at me?" She said. "Hey, you go, get her home, you can pay later," Dave said. "No," I said. I pulled out of my card. "No," Jazmin said, putting a hand over mine. My skin blazed where it met hers. Fuck hormones, this isn't the time.  "Yes. Look you can pay me back if you want." I said. She let go of my hand. I handed Dave the card. He swiped it handed it to me with the bags. Jazmin stood and took her bags. "Ready to go?" I asked. "What if he's out there?" She said. Her usually confident facade was gone and pure fear had settled over her whole being. Whatever he did to her had so scared she was scared to even go out of the sweet tooth door to get the car and go home. He'd hurt her bad. I wanted to make her feel safe again. I wanted to pull her into my arms and tell it was okay. That I had her and I wouldn't let anything ever hurt her without it ripping me to shreds first. But the closest I could get to that was taking her hand in mine. "I won't let him lay a finger on you, okay?" I said. She gave me a ghost of a smile. She nodded. She slipped her hand out of mine and grabbed her bags. "You good to go?" I asked. She nodded. We went out to the car and checking the back seat, twice, and trunk we finally got in and started home. Her phone buzzed. She ignored it. It buzzed again and then rang a minute later. She pulled it out and turned it off. "You should have answered. It's your brother. He's worried about you." I told her. "If I answer I'm gonna have to him about the "seeing my father" thing and he's gonna freak. And I really don't feel like dealing with him. He treats me like a child. I'm 17 for fuck's sake. I should be able to go hang-out without having to check-in with my big brother like a ten-year-old." She said. "You know he's just like that because he loves you. When your not home when you said you'd be home and you don't answer your phone he thinks you've been kidnapped and the writing out their ransom note and smacking Carl for asking to put rap snacks in the demand. He just wants you to be safe." I said. She giggled. Her laugh stroked where it felt damn good and where it hurt like hell. I pulled up in front of her house. She looked up at her porch and cursed. The porch light was on. "I hope your not in trouble." I said. "Me too." She said. She grabbed her sweet tooth bags from my backseat and her bookbag from under her and slipped out of the car quietly. "Night neighbor." She said, turned to leave. She paused and turned back to me. She stooped her head in the car and smiled. "You know this is not a good picture, you leaning into my car like so." I said. She snorted. "You wish." She said. I really did. "I was wondering if it was okay with my brother, can you drive to school? I can't drive for nine more days and Ben leaves before I go to school." She said. "Why can't you... know what? I don't want to know. Uh...sure. But only if it's okay with your brother." I said. She smiled brightly, making my insides shift. "Awesome! I'll ask and just come over in the morning for the go-no-go, Kay?" She said. "Okay, go before your brother goes crazy." I said. "Night teach." She said. She turned and ran up her walk like an eager child. She rushed up the steps but paused at the front door. She stood there for a moment then she opened the door and went in and closed the door behind her. I sat there until the porch light went off and parked my car in my driveway and went inside. It was official had inexplicable, unshakable crush on my student. What a wonderful change of pace.