Perfect Student

Chapter 22

I listened to the clock tick and waited for the hour to pass. True to his word, detention was a punishment, and I did contemplate my actions. While I was mostly remorseful, a small, vindictive part of myself wished Hunter had written his message in Sharpie and not dry-erase marker. After nearly an hour had passed, James walked over to where I was sitting and dropped down on the desk in front of me. I could see the dark stubble that lined the sharp angle of his jaw, both so foreign to me. I remembered his smooth, chubby cheeks and shaggy childhood hair. That version of him was long gone now.

"Have you completed the quizzes?" he asked, as I wrote a score at the top of the paper I was working on.

"Just two left," I stated, placing the graded page in the period 7 stack. He was silent, which made me look up, to try and read his eyes. They looked confused, but there was a sadness to them as well. I remembered that expression well. When he comforted me after one of my father's rages, his brown eyes held the same sorrow. 

"What's wrong?" I asked softly, capping my pen. His right cheek sucked in a little as he chewed on it, making his cheekbone appear more angular than usual.

"You didn't do this, Adeline," he said with conviction, making outrage flutter in me.

"I did! I graded them all perfectly. I even double-checked them if my mind drifted during grading!" I protested, looking down at my work. He let out a laugh and shook his head, smirking at me.

"Not the grading. The breaking into school and writing that message on the board," he said, growing serious once more.

I looked down at the desk, examining the patterns in the wood as guilt swirled inside of me.

"I did, James. I'm sorry," I said, meaning it. He wasn't the type to be ruffled by something as trivial as Hunter's insult, but it hurt that he would think it was me who wrote it.

"I saw you talking to Hunter Davis about something earlier," he said, reading my mind.

"Umm yes, he's my boyfriend so...we talk a lot," I said awkwardly.

"He was," I lied, praying it was believable. "He was... concerned, that I broke into school. He was worried about me."

"Hmm," James hummed, unconvinced.

"I was just being reckless with a friend. It won't happen again," I reassured him, trying to get his attention off Hunter. He would kill me if he got in trouble for this.

"I believe you," James finally said, although he didn't look convinced. "I know you wouldn't lie to me."

If a hole opened suddenly in the ground and swallowed me into it, I would've been grateful. I tried to rationalize the lie. Hunter was a friend technically, and he was concerned about me earlier, wasn't he? I wasn't being dishonest.

"I'm really sorry James," I added quietly. "I never meant to make you unhappy in any way."

He smiled slightly and nodded his head.

"I'm more worried that you broke in somewhere that might not have been safe, with your friend," he amended. "Maybe you need to find some new friends."

My heart began pounding. Did he know about Hunter? What did he know?

"I'll keep that in mind," I choked out. He swept the stacks of paper off the desk, and walked to the back of the room, tucking them into his briefcase.

"You ready to go?" he asked, checking his watch. I threw my backpack over my arm and nodded eagerly, rushing to his side. He scrolled through his cell phone and read a long message with a thoughtful expression.

"Bryce said that he's going to be out late tonight, so he can't give you a ride home," he said, looking conflicted.

"Oh, no worries. I can call Trinity or walk home, it's not that far." I brushed my hair behind my ear as I considered the distance and how I would be pouring with sweat when I got home. He knew what I was thinking.

"I'll drive you home," he said suddenly. "If you're okay with that?"

I bit my lip and nodded.

"Of course. You're my best friend's little sister," he justified. It sounded like he was trying to convince himself of something, so I remained quiet until he was ready to go.

"C-can I have my phone back?" I asked, feeling childish. I held out my hand as he plucked it from his pocket, placing it on my palm. 

"I think you learned your lesson," he said with a smirk, enjoying my torment. My heart lifted as I realized detention was over. He wasn't Mr. Mason anymore; he was my James.

"I did," I agreed. "Teaching is boring." I scrunched up my nose in distaste and he laughed as we walked outside together. He locked the classroom behind us, and we crossed the courtyard to exit the school out of the front office, so he could handle some business first.

"I'm afraid grading is the worst part of it. The rest is quite fun, though. Talking about a subject you love to a captive audience, getting to watch students understand material that might previously have been a challenge, learning about your students' needs and hopes..." he trailed off, with a relaxed grin.

"Just be careful with Chrissy McCullough," I warned him, disgust tarnishing my voice. "Her need and hope is that you'll sleep with her."

He laughed loudly as he opened the door to the office and dropped a clipboard onto the attendance desk. I blushed as I realized that I was talking about sex with my teacher.

"I'll be extremely careful," he assured me, taunting in his voice. "I wouldn't want any of my students to fall in love with me. Writing my last name in their diaries and whatnot..."

I slapped his arm as my blush grew darker and put a hand over my face.

"You were cute as a kid!" I defended, before realizing I was making things worse.

"Was I?" he asked with a look, teasing me further.

"No, I take that back. You were insufferable and annoying, just like you are today," I decided, shoving him as we walked towards his car.

"And you're the exact same brat you used to be," he replied confidently, nudging me back.

"You loved me," I countered with a laugh, knowing he was joking.

"Still do," he said casually, walking around to the driver's side of the car and climbing in. I froze as the meaning of his words set in and a huge smile appeared on my face. I shook my head to make it go away and slid into the passenger seat, wishing I could hear those two simple words again.