"Of Course Not, He's My Teacher"

7

THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN RE-WRITTEN/IMPROVED  ✅

ELLA'S POV:

"Babe, what's going on with you?" Luke asks, about four minutes into the silent car ride home from school.

I look at the floor and fiddle with the rings on my fingers.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

He sighs and looks over at me, his eyebrows raised.

"Is it about that bad grade Mr Irwin gave you?"
He puts one hand on my thigh and keeps the other on the steering wheel.
Confused for a second, I remind myself that was the cover-up I told Luke as to why I was so flustered after leaving Mr Irwin's office today.
In reality, I was, for some reason, a little upset after cutting it off with him.
But I couldn't tell Luke that.

"No, it's just about, uh.. A test I'm super nervous for tomorrow." I lie, once again.

Unconvingly, Luke decides to accept that.
We pull up outside my house and Luke kisses me sweetly as I leave.

"Dad, I'm home." I call as I walked into the kitchen. Dad's usually home before me, because he starts work super early in the morning and finishes just before I finish school.
No response.
I spot a small note on the counter.

'I'm working an extra shift tonight, won't be home til 11pm. Call me for emergencies.
-Dad.'

Unphased, I open the fridge, and pull out some left-overs from last nights dinner, when my phone buzzes in my pocket.

FROM: ZOE- you free tonight? wanna hang?

I contemplate for a moment before replying.

TO: ZOE- sure, got the house to myself, call Sammy and Michael and Luke, we'll watch a movie or something.

A couple hours pass, filled with homework and stuffing my face with day-old casserole, before there's a knock on the door.

I shout "it's open" and Michael, Zoe, Sammy and Luke pour in, chatting amongst themselves and making themselves at home.

"I bought beer." Luke grins proudly and hands us all cans of cheap liquor.

"I'm good, thanks." Zoe says, as she puts the can on the table and sits back in her chair, instead pulling out a can of Pepsi instead.

We just smile and accept it. She's a good girl, and that's okay. But after all, Luke always tells me that good girls are just bad girls that haven't been caught.

"I have an idea, let's see if Ella is as innocent as she seems." Michael grins devilishly and opens my can for me, without me even asking.

"Skull the whole can in one go?" He challenges playfully.

Before I can even accept or deny, Luke chimes in.

"Leave her alone, you raging alcoholic." Luke teases Michael, jokingly punching him on the arm.

"Whatever. You guys are goodie goodies." Michael rolls his eyes, and pulls out a packet of cigarettes from his back pocket, taking one out, putting it between his lips and lighting it, all in one Swift motion.
Sammy takes one too and follows his actions almost as though she's a mirror image of her boyfriend.

"Guys, really? Inside?" I gesture towards the patio.

"Right, sorry." Sammy chuckles and everyone move outside.
The Valley winter dusk air stings my nostrils slightly. We all sit down on the stairs, the occasional cloud of cigarette smoke weaving between us.

"I would offer you a smoke, Ella, but I know you wouldn't wanna smell like tobacco when daddy come shome." Michael jokes, putting his arm around Sammy.

As he says the word, 'daddy' Luke tenses his muscles beside me.
This must be one kinky guy.

For what feels like hours, I sit with my friends, talking about everything from school, to our dreams for the future, to our favourite Harry Potter characters.
It's total bliss.

Then, suddenly, my phone starts ringing in my pocket.

I groan and stand up, walking a small bit away from the group so I could hear better before answering.
"Hello?"

"Ella Montgomery?" A voice of an unfamiliar middle-aged man appears on the other line.

"Yes, who's this?" I reply, confused.

"This is Senior Detective Mason, from the LA Police Department. We need you to come down to the station as soon as possible."

"Wh-What's going on?" My voice is unsteady as fear courses through my veins.

"We need to ask you a few questions regarding your teacher, Mr Ashton Irwin."

Fuck.