A Proscriptive Relationship (3 page)

“
Sure thing,” I responded, finally peeling my eyes away from his handsome face to look at my locker. It was rude to stare.

After a few seconds I heard him start walking away, and I spun the combo to my locker and opened it again. I stuffed my jacket inside and frowned, still miffed at the appearance of the man. We didn’t usually get transfer students. The school was small, and not many people lived around here.

“
Holly!” someone cried and I turned to see Casey running towards me. “Holly, oh my god!”

“
What?”

“
I just saw the new biology teacher!” she exclaimed, eyes bright and looking excited. “He is
hot!
”

“
Eh? Where’d you see him?” I asked, looking down the hall. “Is he still there?”

“
No! He walked this way. Didn’t you see him?”

“
No, but listen—”

“
Oh boy. Your thoughts about science teachers will be changing now. Wait until you see him. He looks so young!” Casey gushed, her eyes wide with excitement. “What period do you have bio?”

I laughed at her excitement. “Fourth and fifth.”

Casey groaned. “You have to wait that long to see him?”

“
Apparently so,” I responded, shaking my head. “Listen to this—”

The homeroom bell rung overhead, interrupting me, and I scowled. Now I would have to wait until I could tell Casey that I saw my mystery man. If she was that excited over a teacher, I could just imagine her excitement over a new hot transfer student. Transfer students were datable, unlike teachers.

I sighed and started off toward my homeroom, waving to Casey as she left in the opposite direction. I had to admit I was kind of excited to see the new biology teacher and that it was kind of disappointing how I had to wait until fourth period, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. He was just a teacher.

I entered my homeroom and searched for the transfer student. A frown spread across my face when I couldn’t locate him. Hopefully I’d at least be able to see him again today.
It’d be great if I had some classes with him too . . .
The announcements came on and I quickly hurried towards my seat next to Lance. He grinned up at me and I smiled back. I just had to wait and find out.

LESSON TWO

“
Holly!”

I turned when I heard my name being called from across the boisterous cafeteria. My friend James was waving me over to him where he sat with a few of my other friends. I clutched my tray tighter and began to maneuver my way through the throng of students to get to him. He patted to a seat next to him. “Sit, sit!”

I smiled at him and shook my head. “Sorry. I’m going to sit with Casey and them. I already promised. It’s nice to see you again though.”

He faked a pout. “That’s too bad. Maybe tomorrow?”

“
Maybe tomorrow,” I agreed, turning to walk away.

“
Wait!” a girl named Allison stopped me. “Have you seen the biology teacher yet?”

I frowned slightly. What was up with everyone making a commotion about the new biology teacher? Was he really that good looking? “Not yet . . .”

Allison clicked her tongue. “He’s very handsome.”

“
So I’ve heard,” I responded wearily. I could see it now. Some scandal about a student dating the new handsome biology teacher. “About one hundred times today. But I’m going to go eat now.”

I made my way back across the cafeteria to where Casey was and took a seat next to Willis, setting down my tray.

“
How’s your day been, Holly?” Willis asked, picking up his French bread pizza and sniffing it cautiously.

“
Pretty normal,” I responded, grabbing my own piece of pizza and prodding it. A disgusting oil liquid drooled out from the edge. I made a face, setting the slice back down on my tray. It was the first day of school and I didn’t want to risk dying from food poisoning.

“
That’s because she hasn’t had biology yet,” Casey interjected, absolutely glowing. I opened my mouth to complain, but she held up her hand. “Just wait! Not only is he hot, he’s funny, nice and he has the most attractive voice. I don’t ever think I’ll be falling asleep in that class.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. “Someone has a crush.”

“
Hey,” Willis interrupted, frowning at me. “Boyfriend present.”

“
For a boyfriend, you sure are calm about your girlfriend basically drooling over another guy,” Lance commented, shaking his head.

“
She is drooling,” I muttered, taking a look at Casey, who was wiping her mouth with her sleeve.

Willis shrugged. “He’s a teacher. Teacher-student relationships can never happen. It’s basically illegal.”

“
It is illegal,” Lance corrected him. “In some states.”

“
I’d be a little jealous if I were you,” Sadie warned. “He’s one good-looking guy.”

“
See!” Casey cried, pointing at Sadie. “Just wait!”

Lance snorted. “I really doubt Holly is interested in teachers, Casey.”

“
Actually, I’m kind of interested,” I admitted. “Everyone is making such a big deal about him.”

“
No way,” Lance responded, frowning at me. “Don’t tell me you are going to fall head over heels for him when you see him.”

“
Someone’s getting a little jealous,” Sadie teased, winking at Lance.

Lance sent a glare at her. “I am not!”

“
It’s hard to take Lance seriously with his accent,” she commented, rolling her eyes.

“
Not fair,” he said, crossing his arms.

“
Come on Sadie, leave Lance alone,” I said, laughing. “I like his accent.”

“
Same,” Casey agreed immediately.

“
It’s sexy,” Lance said with a wink.

“
Now don’t be too modest,” I told him sarcastically, turning my attention back to my food. “But Casey, I’ve been meaning to tell you something.”

She cocked her head to the side. “What?”

“
Remember mystery man?”

She nodded.

“
He’s a new student here.”

Casey’s eyes widened significantly. “Serious?”

I nodded. “Completely.”

A grin spread across her face. “You have to point him out to me, okay? Is he in this lunch?”

“
Nope,” I responded glumly. “I haven’t seen him since this morning.”

“
I’m sure you’ll see him again,” Casey assured me.

“
See who again?” Lance interjected quickly.

Casey pursed her lips at him. “Never mind. Eat your lunch, Lance.”

The rest of lunch passed by quickly. So quickly in fact, I didn’t bring up my tray before the bell rang. Lance laughed as I quickly jumped up, heading towards the front of the cafeteria.

“
I’ll see you in bio!”  he called after me.

I struggled to navigate my way around the swarm of students exiting the cafeteria. One kid bumped into me, sending my tray onto the ground. A groan of frustration escaped my lips, and I quickly picked up the tray, retrieving the trash that had fallen off it. By now, the cafeteria was empty. I hurried to the trash cans and dumped my tray, handing it off to the lunch lady.

I grit my teeth as I made my way out of the cafeteria. I had to get my backpack from my locker, which was on the other side of the school, and make it back to the science wing before the bell rang. Hastening down the hall, I avoided the other students who were also scurrying to get to class on time. By the time I got to my locker, I hazarded a guess that I had about a minute left to make it to the biology room on time. I pulled my backpack out of my locker and shut it, just as the bell signaled.

“Crap,” I muttered, slinging my backpack over my shoulder and speeding down the hallway toward the science wing.

Great. I was late to class on my first day of school. Not only that, but it was with a new teacher—a
handsome
new teacher, apparently. I cursed myself and rushed down the hallway and into the classroom.

“
Sorry I’m late,” I apologized, my eyes on the floor. “My locker—”

My mind went blank when I looked up, making me forget my excuse. It felt like I’d been punched in the stomach. Staring back at me was the same handsome umber-haired guy that had run into my locker earlier—my mystery man. I blinked as I stared at him in surprise.

So he really was a new student.

He glanced down at a paper in his hands, and once again a shocked look appeared on his face. Looking bewildered, he turned to me, then back to the paper, and back to me again. “You must be Ms. Evers,” he said finally. “Glad you managed to join us.”

Now it felt like a freight train had run into my gut. My heart sunk low in my chest. This man wasn’t a student. He was a
teacher
, the new handsome biology teacher.

I felt my face grow hot and I looked at the floor. “Ah . . . sorry.”

He chuckled, but it sounded somewhat forced. “It’s quite alright. The first day can be hectic. But let’s not make this a habit, alright?”

“
Y-yeah,” I stammered, willing the blush from my face to go away.

“
Why don’t you take a seat?”

I looked around the classroom to see Lance sitting in the back, frowning at me. All spots around him were taken. And so were the spots around the spots around him. I slowly realized the only spot available was the front seat in the middle row. Front and center. I bit my lip and made my way over to the desk, slinking into it. The teacher’s name was written on the board. Mr. Heywood. I repeated the name in my head in a few times. It was an unusual last name.

“
So as I was saying, this is my first year as a teacher, so I don’t know much about teaching a class full of high school students,” Mr. Heywood started, standing right in front of me, his hand resting on the edge of my desk. “And obviously you guys don’t know me, so let’s get to know each other a bit today.”

My friend Sarah threw her hand up quickly. “Can we ask you questions?”

Mr. Heywood looked surprised, but shrugged. “If you want.”

“
How old are you?” she asked quickly, causing him to smile.

“
Twenty-two,” he told her.

I stared at him in surprise. The other youngest teacher here was twenty-six. But this guy was only twenty-two? Did that mean that he got a job fresh out of college? How lucky was that?

“
I got this job just as I finished up college this year,” he continued with a laugh, as if he was reading my thoughts. “It was a lucky break.”

“
Are you single?” a guy from the back asked, making the class erupt into laughter.

Mr. Heywood blanked for a minute, but quickly rearranged his features into a grin. “In fact I am,” he told the class. “However, I’m not interested in men.” He winked and the class erupted into laughter again. I laughed with them, sparing a glance at him. Our gazes met and he froze for a minute, staring at me with the same expression as earlier on. I blinked at him, and he quickly looked away.

“
What’s your first name?” another person asked.

“
Chris, but none of you can call me that.”

“
Favorite color?”

“
Black and blue.”

I smiled slightly. “Like a bruise.”

The class laughed and I looked up again, seeing Mr. Heywood staring at me with another startled expression. I narrowed my eyes at him in confusion. What was so surprising about my statement? Finally he seemed to realize he was staring and he quickly cleared his throat.

“
Someone said the exact same thing to me a while back,” he told me, scratching the back of his head. “You surprised me.”

“
Sorry?” I apologized, still confused.

He shook his head. “Um, any other questions?”

“
Are you lactose intolerant?”

The class continued to have a question and answer session with Mr. Heywood. It was pretty entertaining. He had a good sense of humor, and seemed like an easy person to get along with. After the questions ran out he handed out course expectations and a list of materials we would need for the year, and then left us to chat amongst ourselves. A flock of students went up to his desk and gathered around it, talking to him in an excited manner. Lance came and sat down to my right. I turned to face him and stretched out my legs, sighing deeply.

“
Good job coming to class late,” he said, shaking his head. “Now you’re stuck with the front and center seat.”

I shrugged. “Whatever. I don’t really mind.”

Lance raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice. “It can’t be because you too have fallen for Mr. Heywood’s good looks, can it?”

I snorted, feeling my face heat up the slightest bit. Hopefully Lance wouldn’t notice. “Of course not.”

He let out a breathy chuckle. “Just checking. He seems to be very popular.”

I nodded, looking at the crowd of students at the desk. Mr. Heywood seemed to be enjoying talking to all of them. He had to be only four or five years older than most of them. I quickly counted on my fingers to see how much older than he was than me. Only five years, and in about two months, only four. I was right the other day thinking he wasn’t that much older than me.

My shoulders sagged. Why did my mystery man have to be a teacher? That ruined any fantasies I had about meeting him and falling in love. Lance raised an eyebrow curiously at my change of expression. I shook my head at him, trying not to scowl. It wasn’t fair.

Soon the period ended, and the class began filing out of the classroom. I quickly zipped open my backpack, stuffing my newly acquired papers into it as fast as I could.

“
I’m going ahead,” Lance told me, standing up. “I don’t want to be late.”