No Strings *COMPLETE*

Chapter Ten

Nathan, I love you. No. I'm falling for you, Nate. Nope, I'm head over heels in love with you Nathaniel Richardson. Nope, Nada. Not happening. I can't fucking do it, I think to myself as I rush back downstairs after changing out of my coffee soaked clothes.

Nathan is waiting impatiently in the car, as I climb, indicating that I'm ready to go.

Normally, it doesn't take him very long to get to the school- even with all the snow and ice- but this time it seemed like he was driving ten miles an hour... on purpose. And he wasn't saying a word to me, so I decided to break the awkward silence. "Nathan-" "Yes, Baby girl?" I resist the blush rising in my cheeks. So, he's not mad at me for yelling at him. "I'm really sorry for yelling at you. I totally deserve it if you're mad at me, and-"

"Sky, calm down. I'm not mad at you. Everybody has their off days." he says quickly, putting his hand on mine. I smile gratefully at him. As big of a pain in the ass as he can some days, I was lucky to have him. He's kind of became my rock. So was it really that far off for me to believe that I'd grown to love him... even the slightest bit? Of course, it would be. It should be crazy that I had started to fall in love with him because I wasn't supposed to. The only thing that was supposed to go on between us was fun and great sex. But I fucked up and got attached and now I don't know what to do.

He parks out in front of the English building for the 3rd time today and smiles at me, unknowing of what's going on my head. "Ready to show those exams who's boss?" I scrunch my nose up at him and stick my tongue out in response. "Not really.  I'm already late." He squeezes my hand. "You'll do fine. Text me when you get done and I will meet you right back here, okay beautiful?" I nod slowly, and try to get out of the car, but not before he manages to pull me back to him and kisses me quickly on the lips. I kiss him back and slip out the car door. 

I manage to get to the classroom fairly quickly, only to find out the door is locked. Fuck. Now, what am I supposed to do? 

As if an unknown source was answering my silent question, the door unlocks and opens, releasing the river of my peers behind it. When the river ends, the Lit teacher appears in the doorway. "Ms. Torres?" I look up at the man who's speaking to me. His glasses slide to the end of his nose and peers over them at me, his emerald eyes piercing me. "Yes, sir?" "You missed your exam this morning. Care to explain?" "I was on my way to your classroom, when someone ran into me, spilling my coffee into my clothes, and it was too cold to stay in them the rest of the day." "Understood. Do you understand the importance of passing these exams and being on time?" I nod, "Yes, sir, I apologize."  "Don't apologize to me, you are only hurting your own grades." There's an awkward silence. Well, I guess that's that then... 

Just as I'm about to turn around and leave, Mr. Sexy clears his throat. What? He's like 28 and a college Lit teacher, it's almost as if he begging to be called 'Ezra Fitz- except he doesn't have a thirst for minors. 

"Today is your lucky day, Ms. Torres. I'm giving you the opportunity to take your exam for my class. But please do not make me regret it. Good luck and you will have an hour to complete your quiz." 

I smile and nod thanks to him, hurrying into the classroom. The test is easy- to me anyway- and I finish it in thirty-five minutes. After checking it over twice, I get up from my seat and hand it to the professor. "Thank you for giving me the chance to prove to you that I really care about my grades. When will grades be posted?" "Tomorrow at 10am." I walk towards the door. "Please take a seat, Ms. Torres. This will only take a moment," he says in a politely stern tone. I look at him confused, but do so anyway. He pulls a red ball point pen out of the cup on his desk and skims over my test. I pull out a book and start reading. About five to ten minutes later I hear, "Ms. Torres?" I put the book down and say, "Yes?"  You have passed with flying colors! No one has made a one hundred percent in almost four years." I sit there for a second, trying to sum up what he just said. My mind is blank and so is my face, apparently. "Well, congrats, you passed!" He exclaims, once again. I grin from ear to ear, ecstatic to hear the great news.