Ms. Anderson

Chapter 7

"I'm not sure, but I think she's over 35," I reply, pondering. I've never really thought about her age before.

"That's actually a lot younger than I was expecting," she remarks, nodding. "Is there anything going on, or is it just you with a crush?" she probes.

"I believe there's something going on, I'm just not sure what. She's all over me one moment and then distant the next, so I guess we'll have to wait and see," I admit, offering a small smile.

"She's probably confused about her feelings. I mean, you're her student, and she could get in serious trouble," she explains, and I nod in agreement.

"Yeah, I know. That's why I've been trying to keep my distance a bit, until yesterday, I guess," I chuckle.

"What happened yesterday?" she asks, growing even more interested.

"Well, you know what kind of day it was two days ago, and I really needed to get out of the house. For some reason, I ended up at her place, and she invited me in. She was really nice about everything, and I ended up crashing there. But then yesterday, there was a lot—and I mean a lot—of tension," I recount, and she listens intently, absorbing every detail.

"Well, I can tell you one thing. If you've been inside her house, you're in. You just have to give her some time, I think," she says, understanding.

"I know, I know. That's what I'm trying to do. It's just not that easy. I think I really like her, and I've only known her for less than two weeks," I confess.

"I can see that. You light up when you talk about her," she observes, smiling, and I can't help but smile back.

"Yeah, well, she has that effect on people," I reply, nervously fidgeting with my hands, trying to suppress a grin as thoughts of her consume my mind.

After a while, our food arrives, and I find myself enjoying it more than I expected. The grilled steak is delicious, and the fries are irresistible. My aunt and I catch up on everything, and I genuinely have a great time. It was nice to see her again and discuss things that I can't share with anyone else.

• • •

It's Friday, and I'm making my way into school. After stopping by my locker to grab my English book for our first class, I decide to head to class early. As I turn the corner, I accidentally bump into Ms. Anderson.

"Sorry. Hi," I say, a hint of excitement in my voice.

"Yeah, whatever," she replies, rolling her eyes and brushing past me.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, concerned, reaching out to grab her arm and turn her around. Something clearly has her on edge this early in the morning.

"Yes, leave me alone," she snaps.

"What's going on with you?" I press, starting to feel annoyed but still worried.

"I don't have a problem," she snaps again.

"Clearly you do, because your being a bitch right now." I respond, frustration creeping into my tone.

"I'm a bitch? You say you want me, but go out with some other woman," she shouts, pushing a finger into my chest. I glance around, checking if anyone can hear us, then quickly pull her into an empty classroom.