Ragged Petals

Chapter 12

Alexanders POV

                I looked up and my eyes widened. “Halle!” my voice came out in a pathetic high pitched crackle like back when I was a teenager.  “Hi.” I stepped back from Eli and shoved my hands deep into my pockets.

                “Hi.” She pursed her lips and looked from me to Eli and back.  The silence hung between us as I chewed on my bottom lip lightly, waiting for her to say something, anything. “So…” she clenched her teeth and looked around the room. “Ready to go?”

                “What?” I spat suddenly, in the midst of my confusion, before I realised what I had said. “I mean yeah… I think so… sure… let me uhh..” I stumbled awkwardly towards the coffee table and slammed my shin into the corner of it while looking for my wallet. “Dammit!” I let out a quick girlish cry and continued limping towards my wallet.

                “Are you? Uhh… okay?” Eli raised her eyebrow suspiciously and gave me a doubtful smile, looking quickly from Halle to me and back again.

                “Yup, for surreeee…” I scratched the back of my neck.  Why the hell am I so nervous?  I have done nooothhhinng wrong.  Nothing.  Right?

                Eli stared at me for a second. “Over this year I totally forgot how weird you are.” She sighed, causing Halle to crack a smile. 

                Eli grabbed Halle’s hand and dragged her out into the hall, Halle following reluctantly, her eyes wide.  I followed, walking a few steps behind, shutting the door carefully.  As I trudged behind them into the snowy abyss towards the diner up the street I could hear Eli yammering on about how much she loved the snow.  Halle, who was still being led hand-in-hand, nodded every once in a while, but didn’t say anything.

                I found myself examining Halle’s fine features, her high cheek bones, her fair skin, her cute button nose, her blue eyes… I could see why guys liked her, if I was in high school I would find her attractive, hell, I did find her attractive. 

                Wait.  What?  Did I… did I just… did I just admit to being attracted to a student?  No no no no no… very bad.  I, am her teacher, she, is my student.  I am an adult, she is a minor… hell, I have a girlfriend for petes sake!

                I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket as we walked into the diner, so I flipped it opened, not checking who it was. “Yo.” I mumbled, meanwhile smiling at Halle and Eli who were waiting for me to follow them to our table.

                “Yo?” a nasal voice snarled. “Is that anyway to greet your loving, drool-worthy girlfriend?”

                Ahhh… speak of the devil.  Soph.

                “Sorry, didn’t check who it was.” I mentally sighed.

                “Yes well you should still mind your manners, do matter who you are talking to.” She scolded me. “I don’t want people think I’m dating a caveman.” She continued. “I mean honestly Alexander, how many times do we have to talk about this?”

                “I said I was sorry Soph.” I snarled, tired of her constant criticism.

                “Don’t give me that tone.” She sounded deeply offended, as always. “I want a real apology, for being rude, for not minding your manners, for not calling me last night, and for blowing me off you jerk.”

                “Yeah Soph… wait, when did I blow you off?” I asked, extremely puzzled, giving an awkward smile to Halle and Eli who were still waiting, obviously eavesdropping on my conversation.

                “Remember?” she asked, even though we both knew I didn’t. “Honestly Alexander!” her voice got higher. “We were supposed to go shopping this morning!  10am!”

                Suddenly, it all came back to me.  I was supposed to help her pick out a dress for the annual teachers banquet.

                “Ohhhh shit.” I huffed under my breath.

                “Yes!  Yes oh shit!  You better be thinking oh shit because you are in deep shit!” her voice rose and became screechy, and I could tell by Eli and Halle’s expressions that they could definitely hear it.   

                “Shhhhh… Sophie baby.  I’m so sorry.” I spoke in a soft, subdued voice, wishing I could just throw my phone out the door. “How can I make it up to you?”

                “I don’t know Alexander, you have not been up to par lately.  Forgetting about me, snapping at me, denying me pleasure because you have picked up some little refugee?”

                “Sophie… honey.” I sighed, rubbing my neck nervously. “I’m sorry that I was rude.  I’m incredibly sorry for forgetting about you this morning.  I just have a lot on my plate at the moment.  Can’t you understand that?  You have always said you love me because I am a good person and right now that little refugee, as you so put it, is homeless, is scared, and I need to be a good person, a good teacher and help her.  Please baby…” I spoke in a low tone, turning my back to Eli and Halle. 

                “I know Alexander, you are a good boy.” I held my tongue, wanting to ask her for the one thousandth time to not use the same phrase on me as she does on her dogs. “You want to me to not be mad?” I waited for her to continue, then realised she was waiting for a response.

                “Yes Sophie.”

                “Yes what Alexander?” she sneered in a condescending tone.

                “Yes Sophie, I want you to not be mad.  I want you to forgive me.  I want to make it up to you.”

                “Then come.  Now.  My apartment.” She spoke each sentence with authority, clearly showing that this was a test.

                “Babe, I’m out for brunch right now with Eli and Halle…” I tried to put in a reasonable excuse but she cut me off.

                “Alexander.  If I hear one more word about that Halle girl, or one of your sisters, I will hang up this phone and I will put you through hell.  My apartment.  NOW.” She stressed the word. “And will we see how much you really want to make me happy.”

                I heard the phone click before I could put in another word.  Knowing I didn’t have a choice, I turned around, and looked sheepishly over at Eli and Halle.

                “Hey girls.  So I was on the phone…”

                “With your girlfriend no doubt.” Eli tsked. “I could hear her yelling clearly from over here baby brother.”   

                “I knew it was her because I had to be on the opposite end of her yelling yesterday.” Halle laughed with my sister.

                I couldn’t believe that my student and my sister were teaming up against me. “Listen, I have to run.” Eli glared at me, but didn’t say anything. “Sophie needs me.  I kind of, sort of, screwed up.  But you two have fun, okay?  See you later.” I ran out quickly before they could protest, leaving the two girls in silence.