Running Into You

Chapter 11

Henry

The football season ended well. We went eight and two with a strong finish. Closing out our last three games. I am looking over a blanket syllabus I made last year during one of my classes in college on my computer making some changes. Since I have been getting to school earlier every morning I have a little more time to get started. I am now in the habit of running with Emma and then taking a shower and eating breakfast at school. I even have a shower bag I leave in my car now. We only have two more weeks until basketball season. I told Coach Grant that I would help assist. He has been the basketball coach for 12 years now and I have no intentions of taking that over, but I will be looking out for any prospects in class the next couple of weeks. With the break from football practices I was hoping to talk Emma into going somewhere this weekend. I would like to spend more time with her outside the school grounds. Other than a couple of 5ks we have done these past couple of months and the running every morning we have not spent any time together. I wonder what it would be like to just sit and talk. I lean back chewing on my pencil when the bell rings and my day as a teacher begins.

Emma

I am dancing to a Taylor Swift song in my bedroom looking through my outfits to decide which one I am going to wear today. After I started seeing Henry (yeah that is what I call him now) I have been putting more effort in my appearance and I have started wearing make-up. I know at eighteen I should have started way before now, but I never had a reason before. I had put up fliers in the teacher's lounge, at the gas station, grocery store, and only restaurant we had in town for babysitting and tutoring jobs. Jeremy and Scott have had to help out more around the house since I have been so busy with my new jobs. Caleb asked me to help him write his entry essay for college. I think I might talk to some of the other students to see if they want to pay me to help them too. I have not been spending all of my money on clothes and make-up. I started setting aside money for a car too. I will need a car once I graduate to get to college. I have a spreadsheet of all the schools I have applied to and ones I want to apply to with the dates I need to apply by. Most of them are in state. I do not want to move too far from my family in case my mom needs me. Just for the hell of it, I also applied to a school in England. I doubt I will get accepted, but I felt whimsical at that moment.

I decided on a red plaid skirt with a white button up shirt and green vest and knee length boots. I cannot wait for Henry to see it. Too bad I have to change for gym class. The only problem with dressing nicer is other boys have noticed too. Luckily Caleb warns them off quite efficiently. It does not hurt that at 6'3 and 200 pounds he is one of the biggest kids at our school.

Today is the first day since football season has ended. I wonder what a class with Henry will be like when he actually teaches it. Grinning from ear to ear I stuff a pair of purple shorts and a yellow tank top in my book bag with my tennis shoes and socks. I start heading out the door when I remembered a sports bra and my phone. I can't believe I'm looking forward to P.E. If Miss Calhoun could see me now. Well, to be honest I have been looking forward to P.E. for quite some time now.

On my way into the gymnasium I see Henry at his computer as always. When he sees me his face lights up also like always, but when his eyes start traveling down my body his beautiful face starts melting away into a very concerned one. He looks back up at my face and he hisses "What are you wearing?"

I smile, "Do you like it? It's new."

"I do. I do like it, but you are going to give every boy in this school a hard on."

"Don't be silly. Nobody notices me."

"Are you kidding me? Everyone notices you. Especially dressed like that."

I start to get angry. "What are you talking about? My skirt is well below my fingertips and I am not showing half as much skin as any of those bimbo cheerleaders."