felt like a total fucking heel. I don’t know what the hell it is about this girl that affects me so much, but man, she does. I wanted to grab her and pull her into my arms, and tell her how sorry I was, but when she said it wasn’t about me, I halfway believed her. There’s certainly more to her than meets the eye. I just hope whatever it is doesn’t mess with my plan.
I have to keep to my plan, to stay at arms-length from everyone, and keep my nose in my books. Nobody’s going to pay this guy’s way. I’m on my own here, and I can’t fuck up my future, especially for a tall blonde that makes me go all caveman, wanting to protect her and tell her everything is going to be okay, without even knowing who she really is.
I’m stickin’ to the plan.
Mac texts me when I’m almost home, saying she’ll be there shortly and—the best part—she’s bringing dinner home. Holy hell, how lucky am I?
After the suckage that was my day, I’m looking forward to Mac getting home. How odd that, in just a few days, I already can’t imagine her not being here with me. She accepts me and doesn’t know my past. She brings a light into my darkness. I’ve never thought I was in the dark until this very moment. But it’s true. My so-called life isn’t the greatest, and I don’t have much to look forward to, but Mac, she brings something into it that makes it lighter. It doesn’t feel as hazy and miserable with her in it.
I walk down the hallway towards my front door, and I see Austin and a couple other guys chatting in the hallway.
What is it with hallways?
My plan is to continue walking and ignore them, but I’m spotted almost immediately. “Hey, beautiful.” Austin says.
“Hello, Austin.”
I still intend to walk on by, but my plan is thwarted by the guy next to him.
“Hi, I’m Nick.”
I sigh and, trying to be the nice girl, smile, “Hi, Nick, nice to meet you.”
“Aren’t you in my English class? Professor Forrester?”
Shit fire and light a match.
If the floor could have swallowed me up, I’d let it.
“Yep.”
“You sure made quite the impression on him, as well as a few others in the class, me included.” He sneers with appreciation, chilling me to the bone. He doesn’t hide looking me up and down, and back up again.
“I have to go.” I say, trying to escape. Unfortunately, Nick doesn’t get it, and isn’t taking the hint.
“I think our esteemed professor has a thing for our girl Ashley.” He directs to Austin. Austin isn’t as dumb as I first thought because he sees my discomfort.
He looks at Nick, “Quit being a dick, dude. You know we’ve only heard rumors, and Ashley’s too smart to get involved in that kind of shit.”
Now I’m intrigued, and a bit concerned. “What are you talking about, Austin?”
He looks uncomfortable, but answers, “There’ve been rumors of girls throwing themselves all over Professor Forrester. Nothing has ever been proved, just rumors.”
I decide to squelch these rumors immediately, especially not knowing what kind of game Nick is playing. “Look, I’m not that kind of girl. I don’t date, or throw myself at, my teachers. Never have, and I never will.”
Austin punches Nick in the arm. “Asshole!”
Nick hollers and rubs his arm. I throw a grateful smile to Austin, mouth a thank you, and continue on to my door. Once there, I open it, throw my crap down and launch myself onto the couch.
I rub my temples with my hand, trying desperately to ease the beginnings of a headache, as well as trying to contain the tears threatening to escape, again. This time, I allow a few to trickle their way down my face, too tired to fight them anymore.
I think of what Austin just said about Professor Forrester, and my intuition when he’d looked at me. I wasn’t crazy after all. I think about Zeke and wonder why my thoughts seem to veer back to him. And, unfortunately, I think about my dad and the lack of feelings he has for
Carolyn Keene, Franklin W. Dixon