Not The Teacher's Pet

8. The Cranky Teacher

It was a Sunday afternoon and Ruby was busy sorting out the library shelves. As she climbed up the ladder, she heard a familiar voice beside her.

"Would you like a hand?"

"The library is closed till three. Please exit" She groaned.

"Really? That's too bad" Mr.Hayes replied, "Then, let me take you out for lunch"

"No" She replied while getting down the ladder, "I have homework"

"Nobody gave you homework on Friday" He replied.

"Apparently our cranky English teacher wants me to write a ten-page presentation" She muttered and walked towards the manager's office, to ask permission to leave for lunch.

"Do you really think I'm cranky?"

Hayes stopped her as she came out. "Mr.Hayes, I could report you to the principal. You can't stalk your student, and you can certainly not flirt with me. You've been coming here since yesterday and bothering my work. You need to stop" She was furious.

"Look, I have a theory. Mikaela is my student, not Ruby. And I don't give two shits about what the school is going to do about this. I have molded too many great students for them to fire me now. Besides, all your secrets are safe with me" He winked.

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"I can be an asshole if I want to, and yes, I am blackmailing you" Hayes laughed.

This was what she had been fearing the whole time.

This was why she had trust issues.

Nobody in this world could be trusted.

She knew that Mr.Hayes wasn't all godlike.

But she had hoped him to be.

She had hoped for him to be extremely nice inside and out, even though he had secrets.

But she feared that he would blackmail her for taking his help. In the end, Ruby owed him more than just money and shelter, she owed him her entire life. One wrong step and he could send her behind bars for all the unspeakable things she had done.

"What do you want with me?"

The harsh reality that her life wasn't hers anymore, dawned on her. At least, he didn't seem half as bad as Vernes.

"I'd like to date you, Ruby"

She stared at him stunned.

"You're joking right?"

"What would you like for lunch?" He asked as he unlocked the car and beckoned her to get in.

On that lunch date, Ruby didn't talk much, and nor did she eat like usual. "You're wasting good food," Hayes told her.

"Are we dating for real?" She couldn't help but ask him.

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

"How can you be fine with everything?"

"Do you want to break up?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Obviously Mr.Hayes!" She shot up from the chair, "Okay, but know that as soon as you leave this table, I'm calling the cops" He replied.

Had he always been this toxic?

Maybe she was too late to realize.

Ruby sat back down defeated, and ate her food in silence. "Good, you're not wasting food anymore" He smiled at her but she didn't meet his eyes.

In the evening, Mr.Hayes dropped her off in front of her apartment and she didn't give him as much as a goodbye. He drove off just as unemotional.

Hayes was kept awake that night, but it wasn't because he felt guilty. He had a hard time sorting out what was right and wrong.