I reach down into the desk drawer and send Jorge a quick text back to thank him.
It’s time to LIVE.
The words stick out like a sore thumb. Maybe he’s right. I need to let my guard down. I need to have a little fun. I was invited by some of the staff to have a drink after work. That would be a start. I haven’t even taken the time to get to know hardly anyone in this town.
I think it’s time to do just that.
When the final bell rings, I grab my things quickly, but hold back until the hallway clears. I’d prefer to be the first one out the doors, but I also like to avoid any unnecessary socialization. I know that this job is my first step to independence that I’ve craved for so long. I should enjoy it more than I do. Art is a big part of my life and sharing with others should bring me happiness, but my time with Malcolm has forced me into solitude and it’s what I’ve grown accustomed to. Working with others, or even just talking to people in general, is a skill that I need to work on.
I’ve never been given the opportunity to be independent. Even growing up, Dad wouldn’t let me work because school was far too important, and God forbid, if my GPA took a slide down from a 4.0. Not that he was ever there to guide me much. Mom was. She was always cheering me on and supporting my dreams from behind closed doors. Which is exactly where Dad forced her opinions to stay. She was inferior to him, or so he thought. She was simply his doormat. When she passed away, I don’t even think he truly cared. He showed the emotions, but I never believed he felt them. Being an only child and him having an exponential need for control, I took Mom’s place as his stepping stone. Until, I left and never looked back. I made a promise to myself that I would never allow a man to control me the way my father did her. I broke that promise less than six months later. I was only eighteen years old, so what the hell did I know? When a gorgeous man with a jawline as sharp as an ice sculpture offers you the world and his heart in one breath, you take it. Little did I know, it came with a high price. One that I could never afford to give.
My life.
So, here I am broke and broken—but, independent. At least I’ve got that going for me.
When the classroom empties, I throw a stack of papers inside my oversized black bag and shuffle across the room to hit the lights. I stand at the door for a moment to give the students a chance to clear the hallway. I watch out the small glass panel of the cracked open door and see Knox Burton standing around with a few of his friends. Axel begins to unravel the white bandage that he has on, and I gasp when I see his bruised and battered knuckles.
“It’s going down this weekend.” Axel nods with a smirk, staring down at his hand, as if he’s pleased with himself. “Two weeks, though. That’s when the real fun begins. Those fuckers will never know what hit them when Knox steps in the cage.”
I assume they are talking about fighting, and I’m not surprised, nor do I care.
“I still don’t know about this.” Knox inhales deeply, raking his fingers through his golden blonde hair.
“You.need.to.chill.” Axel slaps his back with his good hand, “You’ve got this. You’ve been training for months. Shane wouldn’t put you in if he didn’t think you were ready. Unless..” he pauses, “Unless you’re scared.”
“I’m not fucking scared,” Knox spits. “I just like this pretty face too much to fuck it up.” He brushes his hand against his cheek. “I also like the idea of graduating high school and going to UCLA. The last thing I need is a record for illegal…”
Just as I begin to move away from the door, my stupid ass kicks it, causing it to latch. All eyes shoot to me as I make a quick attempt to hide, by slamming my back against the classroom wall.
I don’t even know why the hell I’m hiding.
Why am I hiding?
They’re just kids.
I hear footsteps coming closer and swallow hard when I watch the handle turn. The door pushes open. I spread open my bag and pretend that I’m searching for something. I pull out my keys and look up when Axel’s eyes meet mine.
“Everything ok?” he asks, with his head cocked to the side. A devious grin on his face.
I take Axel to be the leader of their group. He’s loud, he’s defiant, and he’s always cracking jokes at the expense of other students. His sleek crow black hair is slicked back against his ghostly skin, and his eyes are as dark as the color of coal. The veins pop out of his toned forearms that are braced on each side of the open door frame.
I unglue my gaze and search for words. “Everything is fine. Just searching for my keys.” I choke, dangling them in the air, as they clank together. I look to the doorway that he’s blocking, and my eyes turn as I wait for him to excuse himself.
He straightens up and presses his back to the door, gesturing for me to exit. I take a deep breath and slither past him awkwardly. I’m not sure what he thinks I heard, but the intimidation I feel right now leads me to believe it was something he didn’t want me to. The word illegal replays in my head as I look to Knox. His blue eyes catch mine, and my heart sinks deep into the pool of my coffee filled stomach. I hope he isn’t letting these boys drag him down. I know his mom, and she’s mentioned a time or two what a bright kid he is.
Maybe she’s just as naive as I am because, by the sounds of it, her son is up to no good.
3
Knox
We all stand by idly until Ms. Hyland is out of sight. She gives us one last glance over her shoulder, before she rounds the corner to exit the school.
“Think she heard?” I ask the guys, still staring at the empty space that she once filled.
“Fuck that lady.” Axel growls, as he flexes his injured hand.
“You wish.” Kip laughs. He slams his locker shut, and we all begin walking toward the main doors.
“I could totally bag Ms. Hyland. She’d be all over this.” Axel smooths his hand down his chest with a smirk.
They both start laughing, but I refrain. I don’t find it funny. Maybe it’s because she might actually do it. I’ve seen her cheeks flush in Axel’s presence. Just like every other girl in the school. Girls fall over their feet for him, and the guys make a path for him. Axel is my best friend in the world, but he’s the biggest asshole I’ve ever met. Apparently, it works for him.
The thought of Axel and Ms. Hyland makes my blood boil. I can feel the pressure rising, as my cheeks begin to burn.
“Prove it,” Kip retorts.
A devious bout of laughter erupts from Axel. “What’s in it for me?”
“How about the satisfaction of bagging the hottest teacher in this school? Bragging rights. What more could you want?” Kip says, as he pushes the doors open, and we walk out into the dry sunshine. We’ve been in a drought, and the temperatures have been unusually high for this time of year. “She’s pretty hardcore, I don’t think you have a chance in hell.”
“You definitely have no chance in hell.” I step in, voicing my opinion. Even if it may be a lie. I don’t think it would be easy, that’s for sure. But, with a little persuasion, he may have a chance. She seems lonely, so she may welcome the attention. “Why are we even talking about this?” My tone shifts. He can’t really be considering it.