Lessons From Throne

Chapter Ten

Wednesday

I had ignored everybody yesterday, I was embarrassed as hell and who knows if a student saw, a teacher, or if Mr. Stewart regretted it. I couldn't help but get butterflies every time I thought of him and smile when I thought of Monday. I spent Monday and Tuesday daydreaming of him until it all got shattered by reality and what he most likely thought of me.

I was in my last hour of the day before I was able and forced by law for half day students to leave the campus. As I took my notes on things I'd forget after the unit finished, the teacher's phone rang. I rested my head in the palm of my left hand the right one wrote what was on the projector.

Shay sat right next to me, now in my math class, leaning over to copy my notes since she couldn't see the board as she talked about her classes.

"What did you get on your essay," She asked me, biting at the end of her pencil. I wrote down the last of the notes as I sighed. I really didn't want to talk about Mr. Stewart because all I thought about was me attempting to kiss him. Who knew what he would've done? Just because he didn't pull away at first doesn't mean he wouldn't have pulled away.

"Shay, that was forever ago," I mention. She glared at me and wrote the last of what I had, then we both shoved the notes in our backpacks. "Not really, and we haven't talked that much since you've been hanging out with hottie or going home," she explains.

I tapped my foot on the floor and looked around the class, "98," Her eyes got wide and she put her cheek on her fist. "My future husband only gave me an 84," she said. "I was hoping to get a higher score since he's so hard on grades just to get his attention or impress him," she mumbled. I laughed and shrugged at her. That wasn't her future husband and, in all honesty, he wasn't any of ours. I probably fucked up any possible friendship he'd ever have with a student because I tried kissing a whole teacher.

"I mean, isn't he cute! I just want him to father all my eggs," she said a bit loud. I tapped my foot on the floor harsher and looked at the door, begging for an escape. "He's really attractive but you've got to stop talking about him like that," I tell her. I understand that he's really sexy but most girls have given it up and what she said was extreme.

"It's not like you've claimed him Lux, you barely show real interest in him. I think he's the opposite of your type anyway,"

"And what would my type be, Shay," The teacher walked past me, dropping a note on my desk. Layla eyed him until he was out of earshot. "Daddy material," she smirked. I immediately picked up the note and saw I had to go to room 215, up the stairs and to the right where a certain man spent most of his days.

I picked up my backpack and waved to Shay, happy to turn my back to her. As I walked down the hall to the other side of the school and to Mr. Stewart's class I thought about the last class where Shay entered my life more. All she ever did was talk about Mr. Stewart. I know I have no right to judge as I think some of the things that she does but not as much or as vulgar. He had a class once I walked in but he pointed me over to his desk so I sat in his chair and placed my backpack against the wall.

Plugging in my phone and putting in headphones, I had seven minutes until his class was over and until I had to talk to him. I really didn't want to be here, all I wanted was to go home and sleep, ignore my homework thus ruining my grades, and sabotage myself even more.

This is going to be so embarrassing. He could say 'are you crazy' or 'I'm not into children' and 'I'm switching you out of my class'. Mr. Stewart could say anything and it would ruin me. I could visual my whole body slowly crumbling away as I heard all the possible things he would tell me. Not could, but would tell me. There was no way he wasn't going to tell me off.

The bell finally rang as I tapped on the desk a little and closed my eyes to my music. My music did calm me down slightly but as my anxiety raised, I turned it up and tapped harshly on the desk, but not as harsh as he would let me down.

It seemed like forever had passed and gone until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and saw him in a chair he had pulled up right next to me. I sat up immediately and took in his sight before we spoke, and it seemed like he let me. He was in all black today; pants that were perfectly ironed, shiny black shoes, a shirt that left three unbuttoned, and a jacket that hung open. His legs were wide open with his hands locked together in between his legs.

"You can have your chair back, those seats are uncomfortable," I said quickly before starting to get up, but he held his hand up and smiled. "No," he laughed. "But I will sit here instead because those are uncomfortable," he started to sit on the desk which positioned him above me but slightly to the side, and it only scared me more.

"So," he said as he fidgeted with the charger that was connected to my phone. "Where have you been, Lux," asked.

"What," I said confused.

"Look, you didn't talk to me yesterday, you had Sev turn in your work for you, you basically ran out of my class and then you didn't check out-" I cut him off.

"I never check out Mr. St-" he put a finger in my face to stop me. He always hushes me or calls my attention with that finger. "No Layla," he said sternly. Whenever he was trying to be all "professional", he was really cute, but he was still scaring me slightly.

"You did the same routine yesterday and I called out of your class before you could leave because you can't just not come when a teacher calls for you," he finished. So, this man called me out of my class before I left to ask me why I haven't been talking to him after I inappropriately tried doing more than talking.

"Mr. Stewart," I said in shock. He raised his eyebrows and held his hands out before dropping them on his legs. "What," he asked.

"I tried kissing you, "I reiterated. He shrugged and leaned down to me. "But did anything happen," he said before he answered it for me. "No," he said.

"Asa called and I left, you went home and became distant. I don't want that Layla, and you only want that for some stupid unknown reason," he said softly.

"You're my teacher."

"You obviously don't care and neither do I," he mentioned matter of factly. I took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. I was biting on my nail before I spoke. "I was embarrassed," I admitted.

"Does it seem like I was going to pull away," he laughed at me. Suddenly all the thoughts I knew were there and all the ones I didn't know about came spilling out before I could put a plug in between my lips.

"That doesn't matter because you're literally the most attractive man I've ever seen in my life and I don't even know your first name, let alone your age. Every girl in this school wants you but know they can't have you so it's overwhelming that you gave me a speck of attention because no man ever has, let alone an attractive man. And you have Shay who is the most beautiful girl in the world begs for your attention, so I don't know if you want her. And Mr. Stewart, you're my teacher," I finished with a final breath.

"The only thing holding anything back is whether you care," he mentions. I was about to tell him that I didn't really know whether or not I would consider the possibility before he cut me off.

"And Layla, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever met, your intelligence, integrity, and humanity was the core of what made me think you were beautiful. I don't talk to people, I'm not supposed to have any friendly relationship with my student on top of that, yet I talk to you. I told you I never noticed Shay because what was on my mind was you, and I put all my focus into one girl. The same feelings you share, I share too. Do not be embarrassed because I would've kissed you if it weren't for Asa calling. It's a total promise. I'm sorry for my participation in all of this if you regret any of it though," he finished, sitting up right again instead of leaning towards me.

"Mr. Stewart," I asked. He looks at me with a smile, waiting for my question. While I prepare myself to say what I've wanted all along he gives me a study guide for the test he briefly mentioned.

I look it over and while it's in my hands I stand up and put my charger in my backpack before putting it on. "I like you," I say. He stands up and watches me walk to the door. "I like you too, Lux. I'll meet you at your car again some other time."