Sunshine (Student/Teacher Romance) 18+

48

Abel

Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice.

I listen to myself when I'm lecturing Ari, or any of my students on the importance of knowledge. Of college, or seeking opportunities. Not limiting yourself because it's truly never too late to change the course of your life. And then I sit in my class all alone and let my own words smack me in the back of the skull.

Teaching has been great, I mean despite the fact that I made things far more complicated than they ever needed to be taking in Ari. But sometimes, when I walk those halls and pass all these kids, bright eyed and so full of life, I wonder where mine went wrong.

I wonder why I didn't take my own advice.

The door to the faculty lounge pops open as I prep the coffee maker. Not only are my few seconds of alone time over, but they're over because of Shyla. She always did have great timing.

"Fuck me," I mutter the words under my breath, and turn my attention back to the coffee that's still broiling and taking its sweet time doing so.

Maybe she's over it.

She has to be at this point. She's been pretty quiet ever since the homecoming thing, when I drunkenly told her off. I meant every last word of it, and I think I finally got it all out of my system.

Even as I glance at her, I know I don't have anything left in me and it feels good.

Good bye to years of bitterness I kept carrying around.

But after all that was said, why is she still here? Just to be a sight for sore eyes?

"Abel."

"Yes, Nurse." I press the button on the machine a few times, hoping it'll speed up the process, but it doesn't even react. "How's Carlson been treating you so far?"

"Cut the shit."

I look at her, completely taken aback by the total change in tone. Actually, I'm triggered.

It's like being sent back in time to the days we were still together, just briefly.

"Excuse me?"

"I have one question, and don't fucking lie to me, Abel." Her eyes narrow, but I can still see how dark and black they are while they're staring into me. "The last time you talked to me, asking me for medical advice, you sent me a picture of someone's arm. Who was it?"

The fuck?

"Literally so random, Shyla. Where is this coming from?"

"Just tell me, who was it?" She crosses her arms.

"I don't know what your deal is, but whatever it is that you're doing or trying to do, I'm just not going to engage in." I grab my mug before it can even fill up to a decent level, a level that would keep me out of this faculty lounge later, and head toward the door.

"Abel, tell me who it was." She speaks behind my back, but I keep forward.

"It was a girl, obviously. And you called me early in the morning on a Saturday, so I'm sure she had spent the night with you, or you with her or—"

I whip around so quickly, she stumbles to stop without bumping chests with me. "Seriously, this is getting insane, Shyla. If you keep this shit up, I'll report you for harassment."

"And I'll report you for inappropriate behavior with a student."

"What?"

"It was Ari Reid."