Imperfect Match (Student/teacher romance)

Chapter 3 - Surprise, surprise

JENNA'S P.O.V

I couldn't sleep that night. Too many thoughts were rushing through my mind. He'd held my hand and he'd given me his jacket. His jacket. I sat up abruptly and saw it hanging over my dresser. I stood up and put it on. It smelled like him. Like cinnamon. I crawled back into bed and wrapped my arms around myself, imagining he was holding me again. And that kiss. It was wonderful. It was magical even.

Too caught up in my thoughts of him, I'd barely noticed the sunlight streaming through my curtains. It was day now, the memories of last night seemed to fade and the dreaded thought of school invaded my mind. My bedroom door flew open and my mother strutted in. I quickly lifted the blankets to hide Trevor's jacket.

"Good morning, darling!" She cried in a sing-song voice. "What are you doing in bed? Haven't I told you before? A proper young lady never sleeps in!"

I rolled my eyes and glanced at the clock. 6am. My mother turned to me, her face becoming more annoyed as the seconds ticked by. She opened the curtains in one swift motion and the light poured in, burning my eyes.

"Mum!" I yelled, shielding my eyes with my hand.

"Up! Now, missy!" She replied, prying the blanket off me.

I froze. For a moment the room was filled with an awkward silence. I looked away, unable to face her questioning look. But to my surprise she clapped with delight and hauled me out of bed, holding my hands as she danced around. I stared at her incredulously but her smile did not waver.

"I knew it! I knew it!"

"You knew what!" I replied, snatching my hands from her, confused.

"That's that Stuart boys isn't it?" She beamed, gesturing toward the oversized suit jacket I was wearing.

"Uh-"

"Oh I knew you went missing for a while at the reception yesterday! You were with him, weren't you?"

I didn't know what to say. What would happen if I told her the truth? It wouldn't matter really. As long as it was with a guy, she was happy. She was afraid that because I acted so much like a boy, I wouldn't be interested in one. I'm sure Trevor was only a couple years older than me, eighteen or nineteen at the most! But he was sweet and funny and Stuart was really just a sexist jerk. Anyway, my dad was eight years older than my mum. I opened my mouth to protest but she cut me off.

"Oh, you don't need to tell me the details! I'll spare you that, my own mother was such a nosy prat, I completely understand! Now, you better be getting ready for school. Don't want you to be late on your first day back!"

She beamed at me. I smiled and nodded, unable to speak. The last time she had smiled at me like that was before I could talk! I couldn't remember it but I had been told. She gave me a wink and it took all my strength not to throw up. I waited for the door to close behind her before falling back into bed. I turned my head to look at the clock. 6.15am.

"Plenty of time." I whispered to myself, before finally falling asleep.

*** 

"Have a good day at school, hon!" My dad yelled out of the car window.

I waved and watched as his black cadillac sped down the road. Mum always hated that car. Saying it was old and ugly and that they should get rid of it and buy a normal car. My dad scoffed at the idea. "Cadillac's are classics," he had said. I was glad he didn't get rid of it. He loved that car. Sometimes more than he loved my mother.

I turned and walked through the school gates. The huge school sign hung just above it, "Munroe High." The last time I had stepped through these gates, I had been pummelled by water balloons. The thought of it made my blood boil. I didn't know what Stuart had against me. He'd been horrible from the first day I met him.

"JEN!"

I spun around only to be tackled to the ground by my friend Cam. I laughed pushing him off me and struggling to get to my feet. I watched as he fumbled with his glasses, trying to put them on straight. 

He brushed himself off and smiled.

"So, how was your holiday?" I asked as we made our way up the stone steps into the school.

"Fine, you?"

The thoughts of Trevor sprang to mind but I pushed them away. I was dying to tell someone, anyone but I was never one to kiss and tell. I had never actually been kissed before but I wasn't about to start now. We passed a group of platinum blondes flirting with a bunch of guys by the lockers. I refused to turn out like any of them.

"All right. Would have been better if you were there to hang out with!" I laughed, punching him in the arm.

"I'm sorry!" He grinned. "I offered to take you with me on holiday but you were all like naaaa. My cousin's getting married, gotta help him get ready and blah blah blah."

"Shut up." I laughed, shaking my head.

"Oh, looky what we have here boys!"

I'd recognise that antagonising voice anywhere. I attempted to walk around the figure in front of me but he stepped and blocked my way. I scowled.

"What do you want, Stuart!" I snapped.

"Just to ask how your holiday went, Jono." He leaned down so our eyes were levelled. He was a fair bit taller than I was. "So, how was it?"

"Shove off, Wyatt!" Cam yelled, jumping to my defence.

"Was I talking to you, Cameron?"

One of Stuarts friends, Samuel, opened a locker and pushed him in. I glared at him and turned my attention back to Stuart, whom was smiling triumphantly. I attempted to push him but he grabbed my wrists.

"Can't do your own dirty work can you?" I spat, struggling to free myself from his tight grip. "Let go of me, you prick!"

"Not till you tell me how your holiday went?"

I could feel his grip tighten, the bruises already beginning to appear. Cam banged on the locker, his yells muffled by the metal door that trapped him. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth in anger. Stuart's green eyes looked so like Trevor's and yet they were completely different.

"They were fine! Good! Whatever, now let me go!!" I yelled, defeated.

"Good." He muttered.

He let go of my wrists and walked away, his stupid companions following behind him like the dogs they were. Cam banged harder on the locker door and it opened. He fell crashing to the floor. I bent down to help him up, the look on his face of pure rage.

"JERK! That's right. Walk away!" Cam screamed down the almost deserted corridor.

"Let's go to class. We're late." I whispered.

"Did he hurt you?"

Cam turned his attention to me and his face softened. He took my wrists and looked at the bruises that had already formed. I snatched them back and held them against my chest, embarassed.

"It's nothing. What do we have first?"

"Oh, right."

Cam took off his backpack and searched inside, poking his tongue out in concentration. After a few seconds he pulled out a piece of paper. He scanned it and took my arm, leading the way.

"English. Room 394."

We reached the room and I nudged him to go in first. I hated walking into class late and the way everyone stares at you like you killed someone. He rolled his eyes and opened the door.

"You're late."

A voice echoed through my ears. I knew that voice. Cam walked in casually and took a seat near the back. I slowly closed the door and walked in to see a familiar figure, his back to me, writing on the whiteboard.

"Please, take a se-"

He turned and froze. For a moment I couldn't breathe, it was as if my dream had just turned into a nightmare. My feet were stuck to the floor, my eyes locked with his. It was him. It was Trevor. He was here- only now he wasn't the guy whom had held my hand as we walked in the park or the guy that had given me his jacket when it got cold or the guy that kissed me. He was now my new English teacher.