Ocean Breeze

9-Ryan

I looked up into Ms. Austin's blue eyes as she spoke, "So give me at least a hint of what you're working on."

I smiled back shaking my head. "I don't think so. I like building the anticipation."

She dropped her head in fake defeat trying to guilt me into telling her about my project. I shouldn't have but I let my eyes travel down her body. She was leaning over and I could see further into her blouse. She lifted her head just in time to catch me. I felt the heat rush to my cheeks as I tried to look away quickly. There was a smile playing on her lips and she didn't move or change position. Hell she just caught me checking her out the least I could do was show her my piece.

"Fine, I'm done anyway so I'll show you. It's not like you won't be seeing it in the next 20 minutes anyways," I conceded which brought a smile to her face revealing her perfect white teeth.

I turned my drawing around to show her. The smile left her face as she took it in. I had drawn a wolf's head in black and white with the forrest growing up through the bottom of his fur. The only color in the picture was in his eyes. He wasn't growling or howling at the moon but simply staring straight ahead. I wasn't one for "happy" art. I drew what I felt and it usually came out dark. I watched her eyes as she examined every inch of the wolf finally landing on his eyes. She looked away from him and into my eyes and back again. I don't know what she saw in them but I didn't have a chance to find out.

"Damn bro I'd tap the shit out of that ass," I heard a guy at the table behind Ms. Austin say. His friends followed up with their own derogatory remarks. I didn't give myself time to think before I shot up out of my seat. I saw Ms. Austin jump when I startled her.

"What the fuck did you say?" I exclaimed as I made my way around the table.

"I said I'd give that bitch all of this dick." He stuck his tongue out and grabbed his crotch while looking at Ms. Austin. I could see his eyes on her breasts and that was my undoing. I leapt at him, tackling him off of the stool and onto the hard tile floor. I punched him square in the nose. I felt a sharp jab to my side but didn't let up. I hit him again before I felt myself being pulled off of him. I could hear Ms. Austin's voice calling my name and then Principal Sanders was there pushing past students and yanking the jerk I had punched back away from me.

I continued to move towards him until Ms. Austin wedged herself between us. She shouted something at him and kept her eyes on him as her came up and rested against my chest pushing me back. The principal silenced everyone and Ms. Austin turned to me, "That's enough Ryan. Stop please." She had a pleading tone to her voice. I took a deep breath trying to regain control over myself. I couldn't seem to focus and then I felt the pressure of her fingers in my chest and focused on the feeling of her hand on me.

"Breathe. Just let it go," she said quietly where only I could hear.

"What is going on here," the principals voice boomed.

Victoria had apparently witnessed and heard the whole situation and gave the principal a detailed account after the bell rang and everyone else was forced to exit. "There is absolutely no excuse for this behavior." He turned towards the jerk and his two friends. "Detention with Coach Dawson for the next two weeks." They all protested before being silenced again, "Do you want me to make it three." They didn't respond again.

He then turned his frustrated eyes on me. I felt Ms. Austin pull her hand alway suddenly. "Ryan I expected more from you." He sounded disappointed and torn on what to do. "You're suspended for the next week. If this happens again I'll have to expel you." He dismissed himself from the room leaving me alone with Ms. Austin.

She didn't speak. She turned away from me avoiding eye contact and walked to her desk packing up her things. I grabbed my bag and walked out of the room and headed towards the parking lot. How could she be mad at me when I was defending her. Okay I punched someone for checking her out but the way he spoke about her had made me feel sick. The anger boiled up again as I jumped in my car throwing my bag beside me. I shoved the key into the ignition but it wouldn't crank. Ashley's face popped up on my phone but I ignored it trying to crank it up once again with no success.

Just my fucking luck to get suspended and now this. I popped the hood and looked inside seeing the corroded battery cables. I slammed my fist down and reached in disconnecting the cables. I grabbed a bottle of water from under my seat and poured it over the cables and wiped them down. I tried to start it again but it still wouldn't turn over. I extended my arms against the front of the jeep and stretched back looking down at the ground. I could call Ashley but I knew she had already heard about the fight and would want to chew me out. I looked up at the black SUV pulled up next to me.

"Do you need a ride?" Ms. Austin asked.  I was surprised by her offer considering everything that had just happened. I nodded and mumbled a quick thanks before closing the hood and locking the door. The drive was made in complete silence. I didn't know how to break it and I figured she was too angry to try. We pulled up in my driveway and she finally spoke.

"Thank you, for what you did back there. I shouldn't be thanking you for being a completed dumb ass and getting yourself suspended but I heard what they said and, just, thank you."

"You want a drink?" I asked as I got out of the car. She must've been debating because she didn't answer. I leaned back down into the car. "Come on, thank me by having a drink with me." I shut the car door and started towards the house. I felt a flood of relief come over me when a I heard the engine cut off and her car door open and shut. I left the door open and headed for the kitchen.

She slowly made her way inside. She was hesitant but I pushed on, "I've got red or white wine, beer, or tequila. What do you want?"

She just stared at me and then said, "You shouldn't be drinking should you?" I didn't answer. "I think I need a beer." She finally gave in. I grabbed the pack and walked to the back of the house and out onto the porch. Ms. Austin followed me outside. I sat down in one of the patio chairs and placed the six pack on the ground. She stood for a moment looking out towards the woods and finally sat down in the chair next to me.

"I didn't really peg you for a beer drinker, Ms. Austin." She cringed at the use of her name. I twisted the top off two beers and handed her one.

"Do me a favor Ryan. Just today, and I mean just today, while I'm at your house drinking with an underaged minor, called me Keegan."

"Keegan." I said aloud taking note of how good her name felt coming out of my mouth. After she finished her beer I handed her another and she relaxed back into her chair.

"So what happened back there? You just snapped." She asked.

I wasn't sure how to respond but figured for just today, I could be honest. "I heard what they said about you and I couldn't take it and then that asshole had the nerve to grab his dick while staring at your chest. I mean yeah two seconds before I was doing the same thing but that's beside the point." I smiled.

Keegan returned the smile and nodded while taking another sip of her beer. We joked back and forth about the incident for a while. I asked about her life trying to avoid asking about her husband because talking about him would just ruin the moment. She told me stories about her life and I told her about mine, but I mostly sat back taking her and everything she said in. She smiled and laughed about her childhood and growing up in Colorado. Before I knew it we had finished the pack. I walked inside to grab her a bottle of water at her request. While inside I ordered a pizza and then made my way back outside.

"So you're telling me sneaking out of your house at 18 is the wildest thing you've ever done?!" I asked mocking her.

"We aren't all bad ass rebels like you Ryan!" she exclaimed.

"Well then we're just going to have to broaden your horizons Keegan."