His Favorite Teacher: Student-Teacher romance

Chapter 9

Aaron's POV

I had underestimated how much Hailey would speak without me giving some speaking time to Lana. I know how much she loves speaking about what she is passionate about, and I'm used to listening to her, but I suddenly hope she's not boring my favorite teacher.

But Lana sincerely laughs at every joke Hailey makes and goes along with every one of her remarks about anything from the buses' color to how dogs can totally understand us when we talk to them.

- Do you think American dogs understand French? Lana asks, amused, biting in her hot dog.

Hailey starts speaking with her mouth full and I make a little sound to make her not do it. I'm trying to raise her right.

- I can speak and you can't, she says to me, her mouth full of bred, sausage, and mustard.

I nod, as if saying "you'll see when we get home".

Lana laughs and I'm surprised to see she looks the happiest that I have ever seen her. Maybe I should shut up more often. But her eyes spark when she looks at me. Beneath what I tell her with confidence, I am not at all convinced she'll ever want anything to do with me. I just wish she would.

When I walk behind the both of them chatting and bonding, I can't help myself but look at her naked back and imagining my hand softly running on it. We end up back in the park and we all sit on a bench.

I put my arm around Hailey and she rests her head against my ribs. I like this park. It's peaceful.

- So. What's the most embarrassing thing about your brother? Lana asks suddenly.

Hailey snorts and I tense up a little. Don't say anything weird, don't say anything weird.

- Mmmmh let me think.

Lana smiles and sends me a look. She's really playing with fire.

- I know! I think he has a crush on you.

Lana looks a little embarrassed. You played with fire and got burned, beautiful.

- Students don't have crushes on their teachers, so I don't think that's true.

- Students are people and teachers are people, so why not?

Well said, Hailey, I think. Not speaking is hard, man... In any case, Hailey is getting another hot dog on the way home, that's for sure.

- It's against the rules, Lana answers.

- Who makes the rules?

Lana thinks for a little.

- Some rules aren't made by anyone, I guess. Some things are right, and some things are wrong, you know?

- Ok, I see... Will you still be our friend though?

- Sure, she says with a slight smile.

I sense something change in her because of this conversation with Hailey. She doesn't look at me at all and stands up.

- Well, I have to go. It was such a pleasure meeting you Hailey!

- For me too! Can we do this everyday?

Lana pauses. I think she is waiting for me to intervene, but I'm not making this easy for her. Doing this everyday sounds good to me. 

          - We'll definitely do this again sometime.

- Ok...

She grabs her purse and gives me a quick look. Yep. Something's wrong. She's regretting spending time around me.

- I'll see you at school on the next test.

- Lana...

She walks away, but I stand up, make a gesture to Hailey to stay on the bench, and run after her.

- Lana!

- What?! She asks with exasperation.

She still doesn't meet my eyes. I think she decided it was too much. Maybe it was, after all. She's right, there are rules. Maybe she's not worth the trouble of breaking them.

- Never mind. See you around, I hear myself answer cooly. 

She nods and walks away again.

I don't care. I don't have to care. I met the girl 3 weeks ago. Even if she hasn't left my mind since, how long is 3 weeks in a life? I will forget about her quickly. The only reason I want her is because she's hot and unattainable. I've met other hot women in my life, and I'll meet others in the future.

The sun sets as I watch her go. I can still smell her perfume around me.

I guess I empathize with her grief too. And I admire how smart she is, and I like how smooth talking to her feels like. And how alive I feel around her. And God is she hot. 

Shit... It sounds like she might be worth the trouble of breaking the rules.