Teacher's Pet

15: The Teacher's House

When I got home I felt more happy and free than I had felt in a long time.

"Where were you," my mom asked, walking out of the kitchen.

"Oh," I said, trying to think of something on the spot. "I was talking to a teacher. I would've texted you but I thought it would be rude." That wasn't a lie. Mr. Hudson- I mean Daniel and I did talk.

"Oh okay. I was just wondering. What were you talking about that could've kept you for an hour?"

Think Lydia. Think! "Oh, just about an assignment."

"Did you have a question about it?" She started to walk back into the kitchen and I followed closely behind her.

"No, he was just telling me how good mine was and then started talking about his life."

"What teacher was it?"

"Ms..." Think! Think! "...Carter?"

"I thought you said 'he'?"

"I meant 'Mr.'"

"I've never heard of him before."

"He's not my teacher. He's friends with my English teacher."

"That's the new teacher, right? What was his name again?"

"Mr. Hudson."

"He was the one that gave you a bad grade, right? Did he ever fix that or do I need to go down there?"

"He fixed it. We're good now." We're really good now. I smiled to myself, looking at the floor.

"That's good. Glad we don't have a problem."

"Actually, you met him. He was the one that took Asher to the principal's office."

"Oh okay. I remember him now. Is he nice, besides that little incident?"

"Yeah, he's really nice. He's a good teacher too."

"He's taught you a lot in his time at the school?"

"Yeah, you could say that," I whispered.

.

.

.

My phone rang, waking me up. "Hello," I answered groggily.

"Hey," Chloe answered. "I totally forgot to tell you that Mrs. Hudson invited us to her house to learn some dance moves and talk about dance scholarships."

I popped up from my bed. "Her house! You mean where she and her husband live."

"Umm, yeah I would assume her husband lives with her," Chloe laughed. "Oh my gosh! I'm so dumb. I completely forgot that her husband is our teacher. Ooh, didn't he used to work at Harvard? They probably live in a nice house. Do you know how much Harvard professors get paid? It's a lot!"

"Yeah I know," I rubbed my eyes to try and wake myself up. "Why would you just invite me to something without consulting me?"

"He probably didn't make as much as your mom though," she ignored me. "Now that lady! She is balling! Claudia is a 'G'."

"Chloe," I yelled. "Focus!"

"Well, I didn't want to go alone! And she asked for both of us anyway. She was a professional dancer. It would be helpful. Plus she said she has connections."

"I don't want to go!"

"Why not?"

"Because!"

At this point, we were just yelling back and forth. "Please! You can't make me go alone."