Secret Torture (Student/Teacher) - COMPLETED

Chapter Twenty One: Reckless

"Hey!" Georgia grinned widely as she stopped by my locker. "How were your Christmas holidays?"

"Um, pretty good," I smiled. The Christmas holidays had been many, many things - by far the most eventful holidays I'd experienced so far. I felt "pretty good" summed it up quite well, for the most part. 

"I'm so sorry I never got a chance to see you - I was just so busy, visiting family, spending time with Andrew - you know how it is."

"It's okay, I was really busy, too," I told her, and I wasn't lying. James had kept me preoccupied most days - well, the days my mom didn't demand I spend with the family.

"So, mural work today - after school. Are you in?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah, definitely."

Georgia smiled. "Awesome. Oh - there was something else I was meaning to ask you. It's Andrews birthday next week. I'm throwing a surprise party for him. You should come!"

I could feel the hesitance grow inside me. I didn't want to be dragged along to another party where I would just be the third wheel, lingering awkwardly at the arm of my best friend while she fawned over her boyfriend. 

"I don't know," I sighed. "I don't really know Andrew that well. I don't think he'd want me there."

"Well… I'd want you there," she muttered, glancing down at the ground. "I just - I feel like I never see you anymore. You're not even in art class anymore, Allison! These days it feels like I barely know you."

I knew she was right. We had never been extremely close, but now we were further apart than we'd ever been. 

"I know. I miss you, Georgia," I told her, with a soft smile.

She laughed. "Yeah, I miss you, too! Look, why don't we do something together? Just us two - no boyfriends allowed. You're eighteen now - I think it's about time we went out and celebrated the occasion."

"Okay," I said, genuinely feeling that this could be a lot of fun. "What did you have in mind?"

"I know a pretty amazing bar. Friday nights there are insane!" she laughed. "So, are you in?"

"Of course. Girls night out."

"Girls night out!" she repeated, laughing. "You can sleep over at my house, if you want."

"Sure," I said, feeling an involuntary smile spread over my face. This time, when I told my mother I was staying over at Georgia's house, I wouldn't have to lie.

*

Since the holidays, more and more people had signed up to help work on the new school mural. It was no longer just the three of us - Georgia, James, and I. That was both a good and a bad thing.

I sat with Georgia and a boy from her art class, Ian. We were working out ideas for the main part of the mural - the centre. So far, all we had was a few sketches of bears - our school's mascot. 

"He looks too cuddly," Ian pointed out. "We need to make him look more vicious."

"But bears are cuddly," Georgia reasoned.

"Well, yes, but they're also vicious," he smirked. "But it can't be both cuddly and vicious at the same time."

"Sure it can," I said. "It can be a bit of both."

He shook his head. "I say we go with vicious. The mural is for the wall behind the basketball courts. It needs to be threatening, not cute and cuddly."

"Okay. So… Add claws?" Georgia asked.

I laughed. "Right. And fangs."

A sudden, dark shadow fell over me. I glanced up, and saw James - Mr. Halter - standing over me.