I Won't Give Up (Teacher/Student)

Chapter 15

"Drive safe, and don't go causing any trouble."

I smiled and twisted my keys around my finger. "Since when have you known me to cause trouble?"

"You and Cassie are a nightmare. The only thing putting my mind at ease is knowing Braxton will be there to keep you both away from bad ideas."

"I'm a good girl, Mr. Livingston. You said so yourself, don't you remember?" I smirked, knowing my comment resurfaced memories from the other night.

I yelped when Caden's hand came down on my ass. He stepped closer to me, his hand still gripping my ass as he looked down at me. The burning sensation had subsided and was replaced by my need for him.

"You keep it up and you'll be late for your movie night."

I gave him another quick kiss and said goodbye, ignoring the guilty feeling that settled in my stomach. I didn't want to lie to Caden, but I knew that telling him would only cause another fight between us. There was no way in hell he'd let me go to that dinner with Dustin, and the dinner was the only path to an end.

I sat in Dustin's driveway for five minutes, trying to gather the courage to see him and his family again. I didn't want to break his mother's heart. She was the closest thing I had to one myself, and I was afraid that by letting go of Dustin, I'd lose her, too.

I took a deep breath and approached the front door, giving it a curt knock. It swung open to reveal the older version of Dustin, but only by the face. Rick was fairly short, dressed in a football t-shirt that was tight around his protruding stomach. His black hair was slicked back with gel and his brown eyes were the exact copy of Dustin's, except they were warm, resembling golden sand, as they settled on me.

"Hey, kiddo. Where've you been?" Rick ushered me inside and set my bag on the hook near the door.

"I hope you didn't miss me too much," I said, hugging him. Before we could turn the corner, Debbie poked her head out of the kitchen, her eyes lighting up when she saw me. Her bright smile had warmed that familiar place in my heart that was probably reserved for my mother, but she never wanted it. Debbie was happier to see me tonight than my mother had ever been happy to see me in all her life. I'd always be in her background, a last-minute thought that was quickly forgotten again.

"Oh, thank god. I was going crazy with these two."

"Hi, Deb."

"Hi, sweetheart. Come give me a hand."

For the first time, I recognized Dustin standing on the staircase. He was watching me carefully, his legs crossed at his ankles and his hand lazily holding on the wooden rail. The small voice in my head prayed for him to fall over, but I pushed the thought away, feeling guilty for wishing him harm.

He skipped down the steps and pulled me into a hug. His arms felt heavy around my body, weighing me down and trapping me against him. I tensed, pinching my shoulders together, but returned the favor when I felt two sets of eyes watching our exchange. Dustin must have felt them too, or maybe he just saw an opportunity to take advantage of me, because he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. The kiss was quick but still longer than I would've ever liked. I resisted the urge to knee him where it'd hurt most, a reward for his ballsy act.

Now is not the time for puns, Dee.

With a tight smile, I pulled away from him and followed Deb into the kitchen. My lips burned even after his were gone, and the only person I was thinking of was Caden. He would be so disappointed in me right now, both for agreeing to this dinner and for lying to him about it.

When I walked into the kitchen, Deb was reaching for a pile of plates in her top cabinet. Her hair was brown and short, just barely past her ears. Her rounded jaw and button nose embodied the softness she carried. She was warm and kind, and she treated me like I was her family.