How to make your teacher fall in love with you

Chapter 35

Chapter 35- Ella’s POV

Heaven was the only word that I can use to describe the feeling I felt as soon as Edward’s lips pressed onto mine. I had been anticipating this moment ever since my birthday, back in December. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.

 I kissed him back, slowly at first, and then more urgently, while he grabbed my thighs and lifted me up against his stomach. I pulled away and looked at him, my face breaking into a smile as I tried recapturing my breath. He pecked my lips softly and put me down, still holding me firmly against him.

“You drive me crazy,” he murmured against my lips.

I smiled, his breath feeling funny on my lips.

“You do, too,” I said. I put a hand up to his face, feeling his stubble underneath my fingers. “I love you,” I voiced my thoughts. It still felt strange saying it, but I knew I meant it. I meant it with all my heart.

Edward kissed me again, and this time it was long and full of passion. “You have no idea how long I have waited for you to say that. I love you too, Ella,” he said, recapturing his breath.. He stroked my hair with one hand and held me close to him with the other. “So much...” he whispered. His lips moved to my ear and he added, still in a whisper, “Spend the weekend with me.”  

I nodded, his low voice sending me shivers down my spine. I stepped back from him but still holding on to his hand. I wondered how I would be able to get rid of Malcolm’s questioning regarding the weekend.  This was way more serious than everything else that occurred before.

Edward smirked. “This is so illegal,” he said in a low voice. His suggestive tone made me confirm that our relationship was going on a whole new level. He pulled me towards him and hugged me tightly.

“I could get used to this,” I mumbled. He kissed the top of my head and held me to him.

When the rest of the class came in for the last lesson, I took the usual seat and did not interact with anyone. I caught Edward’s eye a few times and he sent me a furtive look each time. I was so glad we had made up. I tried focusing on the portrait I was painting in acrylic, but my mind was still on him.

I picked up my bottle of water and paintbrushes and went to the sink, so that I would change the water and rinse the brushes. We had only one sink in the classroom, so when someone else arrived, he had to wait behind me so that I would finish first. I glanced back to see who it was, and it was no surprise when I saw that it was Nathan standing behind me.

“Hey,” he said, walking over to me so that he could throw away the water from his can into the sink. I moved up and he shuffled in beside me, so that we were cleaning our brushes simultaneously. “What’s up? You seem to be a lot happier today.”

I shrugged. “Nothing, just the same old stuff.” I figured that I shouldn’t tell him about Edward and I being back together, because it wasn’t his business, and anyway, it would be risky to even tell anyone. “How’s Jessica?” I asked instead. I hadn’t seen my friend in weeks.

Nathan’s frown changed into a toothy smile with the mention of his girlfriend. He was literally swooning as he spoke about her. Kill me now.

“She’s good,” he said. “I’m quite blessed to have her.”

I am, too, I thought, thinking of Edward. I wondered if I had acted so... giddily, when I first got with Edward. Awkward. I forced a smile as I filled my bottle with water. “Good,” I said. I turned to leave.

“Ella.” Nathan gripped my wrist and I turned around to face him. What now? I noticed Edward looking at this scene, but he did not intervene. Good for him, I thought. He shouldn’t be sticking up for me all the time.

“Yeah?” I asked Nathan. For the first time ever, his hold on me wasn't rough, but actually gentle. Jessica seemed to have tamed the beast. Or was it the person sending the notes who tamed him?

Nathan looked at me sheepishly. “Are you and Edward okay? Has he received any more notes?” he asked warily.

“I don’t know,” I answered truthfully. Then I added suspiciously, “Why are you asking? You were the one who said you knew and then decided not to tell us whom it was.”

Nathan let go of my hand. “I had my reasons for that.” He frowned. “Anyway...” he added with reluctance, “if you need anything, please tell me. You know I’ll help if I can.” He let go of my hand and hurriedly walked to his desk. I followed him with my eyes, and then turned my glance to Edward, whose look was troubled as well.

I had my reasons for that...

I blinked and stood there for just a minute, baffled. Then I walked to my seat. Had Nathan just admitted that he couldn't tell me who the stalker was because the latter had shut him up? I thought of this possibility as I continued mixing the paint on my palette, and then applying it to my canvas paper. This was all too complicated. I took a deep breath, and motioned Edward towards me, pretending that I had a problem with painting the figure's hair. I couldn't care less about the figure right now, actually. 

Edward scooted over. "What's up?" he asked.

"Can't seem to get her hair right," I mumbled, glaring at the picture and then at him. He raised his eyebrow, knowing fully that I did not really care about the human figure I was painting. I sighed.

"How much is left of this lesson?" I asked in a low voice.

Edward looked at his watch on his wrist and then at me. "Ten minutes. Is it that boring?" he chuckled. "Or maybe you just want to spend time with me," he added in a hushed tone, putting his hand on mine. He grabbed my paintbrush from the same hand when he saw Nathan staring, so that he looked like he had been in the act of doing just that, but I was sure Nathan had noticed it all, and figured it out.

My phone beeped right then and I stepped back from Edward to see who had texted me. It was Malcolm. The text simply said, "Hey, can't pick you up today, sorry. Bus OK?"  

I smirked, knowing that I didn't need to catch the bus when I had my own personal driver. Actually, this just made things easier for me to get out of the house. Great.

"What are you smiling about?" Edward asked. I shrugged, figuring it would be better if I told him later. He was risking by being so friendly to me. He had been giving me the cold shoulder for weeks, and if he were to suddenly start being excessively friendly, like he was today, it would trigger suspicion from other students. And from his stalker.

When the lesson finished, I waited for all the others to leave the classroom, as per usual. Nathan caught my eye as he did, and his eyes flitted from me to Edward, and back. I'm sure he sensed something. He managed half a smile and left. I turned to Edward and explained what Malcolm had texted me, and he locked the art room behind us and we walked to his car. I had missed all of this.

Edward dropped me off at my home and said he would park his car next to his place, and then walk over to mine so that we'd walk to his house together. I unlocked the front door and entered, dropping my bag off at the entrance. I walked to the kitchen to get a drink, assuming that no one else would be home at this hour. However, when I got to the kitchen I found my brother putting clothes into a black backback. There were also clothes and everyday necessities on the dining table.

He looked shocked to see me. "Heyyy..." he said, trying to act like he wasn't surprised to see me. Ha, I'm not fooled, bro. "How are you already home?" he asked, breaking eye contact with me to look at his clothes.

I shrugged. "I got lucky," I answered, hoping that Malcolm wouldn't pressure me into telling him more. "I thought you weren't going to be home," I added, looking at him suspiciously.

"Mhm," Malcolm mumbled, looking at me. "Lucky eh?" He continued stuffing clothes into his backpack.

"Where are you going?" I asked him.

"Away for the weekend." Malcolm met my eyes.

Coincidences.

I took this as the opportunity to break the news to him. "Really? Me too," I said, and turned to leave.

"Where are you off to?" Malcolm's tone was sharp.

"Staying with a friend... you?" I swiftly turned around to see his reaction. He pursed his lips and shook his head. He wasn't going to tell me where he was off to, and because he wasn't, he could not expect me to specify with whom I was going to spend my time. "Have fun," I muttered, and turned around, bolting up the stairs to my bedroom. Edward would be here soon.