Bitter Sweet Blaire: Teacher/Student Romance

Chapter Twenty-Four

24.

A/N: Bit of a time change here, work with it people ;) And keep up, things are really picking up toward the climax of the story. I have about ten more chapters planned, give or take (but most likely, give), and it's about to get a whole hell of a lot more intense. I hope you like roller coasters :)

A month had passed since.

Thea had gone back to being Thea, Christian continued being responsible Mr Henrik, and I had finally completed my prison sentence. Seriously, this was officially my first day of freedom. Sure, a few weeks ago my mother had re-'let' me start going on runs with Christian, but one does not simply call that 'freedom' without a slap in the face by reality. And by reality, I meant me.

"Are we still going?" I'd asked Christian, when he'd told me to get dressed for our first run.

"Unless you have a reason why we shouldn't, because I had assumed we were."

"I guess we don't need to give my mother anything to suspect," I mentioned, without really thinking.

"There isn't anything to suspect," he'd responded flatly, crossing his arms authoritatively. "Get dressed."

And because I was too embarrassed to put forth any Romero-style remark, I didn't. "Yes, sir, captain, sir!" Well I tried not to at least.

The run was silent as hell.

Anyway, cross country season had officially begun, and we were racing for our places in the team today. I stumbled into the changing rooms, having sprinted all the way from a detention on the other side of school. Caroline reguarded me with an amused expression--which was a relief. Only recently had she begun treating me like I wasn't a bird with a broken wing. Following the incident with Thea, I'd told her the real reason why I never accepted a car ride to school, and she'd felt terrible.

"Mr Adams kept me in," I huffed, dragging my shirt over my head. I had no time for modesty, and, weirdly enough, Tegan wasn't here to comment on that fact.

"What a jerk," she laughed. "Hey, Henrik's out there."

"Great," I drew out, sarcasm lacing my tone, which Caroline didn't seem to appreciate.

Next thing I knew, Greta, Tegan's friend, was standing in front of us. But she didn't look like she was going to hit us, so I was caught a bit off guard when she seemed worried. "Have you seen Tegan?"

When Caroline didn't speak up, I said, "No sorry," and turned around so I could grab my shorts out of my bag.

"I keep telling you, Blaire, you need to up the temptation," she whispered. "The sooner he's back in your pants, the sooner he'll get off our backs." Like I'd mentioned before, Christian was still playing the teacher act. The only time he ever talked to me anymore was when he was giving me advice during runs, or giving me detentions during class. By default, Caroline was usually lumped in with me. Convicted by association.

What was frustrating me even more, though, was the fact that nobody would tell me why he kept coming around to talk to my father in his office, no matter how much I asked. Surely it wasn't just their weekly catch up.

"And I keep telling you," I shot back, "there is no temptation to up. I'm not falling into that trap again."

"What trap?" She fluttered her eyes innocently. "Oh, wait... You mean the one with the big, brown? With the dreamy stubble, and the sexy accent, and the--"

"Yes, Caroline, that is exactly what I mean."

"Come on, girls!" Mr Hadens yelled from outside the locker room. "All the boys are waiting for you!"