Sunshine (Student/Teacher Romance) 18+

44

Abel

"Abel?"

"Yeah?" I match her tone, and even though I can only see her silhouette, I still find myself outlining her face with my eyes.

The two of us have just been lying in bed for hours, I felt her tossing and turning as much as I've been.

Maybe even more.

I don't know if it was that conversation earlier, but the tension between us was too thick to end the night on.

"I can't sleep..."

I reach for her cheek as she rolls over me, her arm resting on my chest, head on my shoulder. "Why not?"

"I don't know...just earlier, it's on my mind."

I kiss the top of her head, feeling her body slightly soften over mine. "I promise you Ari, everything I told you earlier is the truth. You don't have to worry about me with anyone else."

"I just hate that everyone wants you. You just give off the vibe that you're single—and I mean technically you are because, what are we really..."

"We are two people that only want each other."

I hear her sigh. "Yep, I guess that's it..."

"I don't mean to give off single vibes," I throw in, as if that's going to ease whatever she's upset by. Probably just the entire situation as a whole. "I've just been single for a long time. My sister's always trying to set me up on these dates, and Steph—Er, Mr. Cross, always has his eye out, trying to hook me up with someone on the faculty."

"Yeah, well maybe they just worry about you."

"I'm completely fine, as long as I have you."

"Well as far as they know, you're lonely."

"I know, and I've gotta keep it that way. Tyson, my sisters husband thinks I'm dating someone and is pissed that I won't show him a picture of Tina."

She chuckles, her fingertips swiping over my five o' clock shadow. With the way the street lights are peeking in I can see her face just enough to know she's looking up at me.

I've never had anyone look at me this way. So much adoration in her eyes. Like every part of me is on display for her to see and she admires it all.

"So, what's the deal with you and Ms. Sinclair?"

Here we go.

Tonight's just the night all bets are off, I guess.

And in a way, this is a good thing. Ari's letting her guard down. She feels comfortable enough with me to ask these questions.

To know she's safe to wonder, even though I can tell we're getting into excruciating territory for me.

I don't want to talk about Jordyn with her. Or anyone I've slept with for that matter.

I don't want to hurt her.

"There is no deal." I shrug the shoulder she's laying on. "We're just colleagues."

"Just colleagues? What about the date you guys went on?"

"It was just a casual date."

"Oh come on, Abel. Ms. Sinclair is about as googly eyed over you as the rest of the girls at school are."

"Now that I'm Mr. Cass-hole, there aren't a whole lot of googly eyes anymore."

She laughs. "Well, you shouldn't have been handing out detention slips like you're the Oprah Winfrey of Carlson high."