Don't Go Out In The Woods Today

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

He was about a meter away me. Shaking my head in disbelief I took a stroke forwards kicking my legs behind me in an attempt to get out the lake. A hand around my ankle dragged me back to where I started making me let out a small gasp and while my arms splashed about trying to keep afloat. The water around us rippled disturbing the peace.

“Woah and where’d you think you’re going?” he asked as I recovered from being dragged back.

“Didn’t we have the conversation about no touching earlier?” I said bitterly.

“Oh come on it’s not like I touched you inappropriately,” he defended. I felt kind of awkward talking about ‘inappropriate touching’ with him even though he was the one that brought it up.

I wanted to shout at him, tell him to 'fu*k off' but he is still a member of staff and abusing teachers is something our school doesn’t stand for.

“…I really think I should get back to my tent before Ellie starts a search party,” I said quickly. This time I managed to swim away and as I did I was crapping myself about getting out wearing just my bra and knickers in front of him. I entered the shallow water and my feet came in contact with the bottom of the lake as I walked the water became lower down my body. Soon the water became lower than my chest uncovering my chest, the air was cooler than the water making me break out of goose bumps. A few steps later I was completely out of the water. He was still where I’d left him, floating in the lake, still staring at me. This has got to be the most embarrassing moment of my life, I must look like a complete tramp. Underwear was not meant for swimming in and…oh my god he’s going to see my scar- this cannot get any worse.

I bit my tongue as I walked towards the towels, I was considering running but I already look like an idiot I don’t want to add to the list by tripping over. I was hoping he wasn’t going to say anything but considering how nosy he was-

“Where’d you get the scar from?” he started moving his way out of the lake towards me.

“…I fell over,” I stated obviously.

“That's quite a big scar for just falling over.”

“Yeah well...let’s just say I didn’t land on grass,” I muttered grabbing Ellie’s towel that was drying on a branch and wrapped it round my body. Mr Bates was now out of the water and walking over to me.

“How many times do I have to say I’m sorry? You can’t avoid me for the next year and a bit,” he stood in front of me still shirtless, still smiling. My face was burning with embarrassment not just because I was in my underwear wrapped up in a towel but also because he was standing there totally relaxed and topless!

“You can say sorry until the cows come home if you want to and I won’t have to avoid you for much longer. Once me and Ellie get moved to another registration group I-“

“No you’re not,” he butted in. The smile had suddenly disappeared and his face was serious, his eyes intently staring into mine.

“…not what!” it wasn’t really a question, I knew what he meant but I just needed clarification.

“Moving out of my class. You’re not doing it,” his voice was stern which for some reason which I’m oblivious to made me even more attracted to him.

“Any particular reason or-“ I shurgged.

“You’re just not,” he said sternly but calmly, I wasn’t going to bother asking why he was so against me and Ellie leaving his registration group because it would probably lead into a deeper conversation and that’s something I’m trying to avoid. I subtly chewed on my bottom lip trying to contain my anger.