Imperfect Match (Student/teacher romance)

Chapter 6 - One more day down

TREVOR'S P.O.V.

Carrying my mug of steaming coffee in one hand and a large folder in the other, I walked briskly to my classroom. It was only 7am and the corridors were eerily quiet. I was exhausted, I constantly tossed and turned the night before, my mind unable to shut up, my thoughts swirling around her. Jenna. I lifted the mug to my lips, the coffee warming my throat.

"Trevor!"

I coughed and spluttered, holding the mug at arms length to refrain from spilling it on myself. I turned around and with an odd rush of disappointment saw Ms. Aimee walking toward me. She smiled and put a comforting hand on my back.

"Are you okay there?"

"Casually drowning myself, no big." I grinned and her face flushed the slightest shade of pink. "What are you doing here so early?"

I seemed to catch her off guard, for a moment she just looked at me blinking. "Oh, I-I just thought I'd catch up on some work."

"Already behind? It's only the second day!" I joked, as we began making our way down the hall.

"Oh, right. Well ya know, just want to stay on top of things."

I nodded and took another drink of my coffee. I could feel her eyes watching me intently and I suddenly felt awkward and uncomfortable. We continued to walk in silence, my eyes glued to the floor. I looked up and to my relief saw my classroom, the gleaming number 394, a symbol of my freedom.

"This is my stop!" I said, unable to hide my enthusiasm.

Her face fell but only momentarily. She smiled at me and I felt an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach. I stared at her curiously for a moment before turning to unlock the door.

"Trevor?"

I looked at her again and her eyes were suddenly wide, anxious.

"I was wondering if maybe you'd like to- um- get a coffee with me sometime?"

I stared at her incredulously. I had only met her yesterday, when I had walked into her science class to ask if she had seen Mr. Johnson, the P.E. teacher, and the very instant I thought I had felt an attraction to her, I had seen Jenna in the back of her class. Jenna. I couldn't possibly say yes to this woman when my heart belonged to another. But then again it was just coffee, it wasn't as if she was asking to run away with me. But what about Jenna? I pushed the thought from my mind. I was going to try to get over her and any way I knew how.

"Sure that'd be great, Ms. Aimee."

Her face lit up and she let out a sigh. "I'll talk to you later. And please, call me Angela."

"Angela." I repeated.

I watched as she strolled down the hall and grimaced. Was I really reduced to using this woman to get over the feelings I had for a student? To think, this time last year I really believed my life couldn't get any more complicated. I pushed open the door and darted inside, looking forward to the one stress free hour I had to myself.

***

The day passed by quickly and I knew why. Time was against me, speeding up in an effort of torture. I was teaching sophomore english last. I was going to see Jenna. The bell rang for last period and I watched in dread as the students began to file in. A few I remembered from yesterday, like Chelsea and Cameron but the others appeared complete strangers to me. Then I saw her and I coughed trying to cover up my involuntary gasp.

Jenna had her long black hair out, falling perfectly over her small shoulders. She wore a dress, not a formal dress as she had worn at the wedding but a flowery summer piece that complimented her slender body. A few boys turned to look at her as she made her way to her seat at the back of the class, entranced by her, just as I was.

I shook my head. No, I thought, you can't! She's a student. I turned my attention to the class with a simple enough goal in mind, to ignore her. I stole a glance at her, she smirked and I could feel my face redden.

***

I sat at my desk, writing down a few notes on my notepad. The period was almost over, one more day of torture endured. One more day down. I smiled, eager to get away from it all.

"I'm done."

I stared at a piece of paper that appeared in front of me. I slowly looked up to see Jenna's beautiful brown eyes staring at me impatiently. I swallowed hard, silently praying that I wasn't as transparent as I felt.

"I'll read it soon." I managed to say.

"Can't you read it now?" She replied, quickly.

The bell rung for the end of class and the class began to leave even before I dismissed them. Jenna continued to stand in front of me, her eyes determined. I waited for the classroom to empty before speaking again.

"I can't." I ran my fingers through my hair, a thought tugging at my heart, a thought telling me that it wasn't just the paper that I was talking about.

"Why not?" Her fierce tone made apparent that she wasn't either.

"It is after school now. You are free to leave and go home, which I strongly suggest you do."

"Fine," she snapped.

"Wait."

I grabbed her wrist as she turned to leave, her chocolate brown eyes glistening. She winced and, concerned, I looked down at where I held her and gently let go. Her hand was shaking as I lifted the bottom of her sleeve and saw a large purple bruise, a mark where someone had grabbed her. Where someone had hurt her.

"Jenna, what's this?" I demanded, anger rising in my voice. I got to my feet, my eyes locked onto her bruised skin.

She snatched her wrist away and glared at me.

"You don't care." Her voice was as cold as ice. "Why should you?"

And with that she ran out of the classroom, her long black hair trailing after her. Concern and love for her bubbled inside me, I wanted to chase after her, to hold her tight, to protect her but all I could do was stand there, eyes cast downward in shame. She deserved better than me.

I packed up my work folder and realised her creative writing paper was still sitting on my desk. I picked it up in curiosity and read the title,

The Truth.

I couldn't bear to read it for the truth was that I loved her. The truth was that I knew it from the very moment I had seen her walk into that church. The truth was that she was too good for me and there was no way I'd ever be the guy she deserved to be with. The truth was that we couldn't be together no matter how badly I wanted it.

I folded her paper and put it into the bottom draw of my desk, hoping to never read the words she had written. She liked me, I knew that much, but it was simply infatuation. The feelings she has for me now could be gone in a few months time.

I smiled in spite of myself. All I had to do was give it time. Soon enough she would be over me and I would have no choice but to do the same.

"You can do it. It'll be easy." I said to myself but even I didn't sound convinced.