If Only (GxG)

Chapter 12 Navigation

"So... do you two remember that girl I was talking to from Drama Club?" Ross begins, his voice brimming with a mix of excitement and nerves. We nod in unison.

He draws a breath, puffing out his chest a bit. "Well, the past couple of weeks, we've gotten closer," he continues. "I'm going to ask her to be my girlfriend tonight."

Amy and I immediately erupt into a barrage of questions:

"Oh my God, that's so exciting!" Amy squeals, practically hopping.
"Eee, when do we get to meet her?" I chime in, half-laughing as I yank him into a quick, congratulatory hug.

Ross chuckles good-naturedly, rubbing the back of his neck in obvious relief that we're so supportive. "Well, assuming she says yes tonight," he says with a sheepish grin, "we could all hang out at that café near your work on Saturday?"

Amy practically screams, "YAAASSS!" and flings herself into another random hug—this time catching me in the crossfire. By the time we step into the Maths classroom, we're a mess of giggles, ignoring the curious stares of a few classmates.

After lunch, I head to Blake's class with my heart fluttering in my chest. Part of me still worries that once she sees me sitting at a student desk—her student—she might second-guess everything that happened over the weekend. She's a teacher, I'm a student. Why would she risk it? I try to shake the gnawing fear off as I walk into the room.

Amy and I slip into seats at the back. I can't help casting a quick glance at Blake, who's busy at her desk. I force my eyes away and jam a single earbud in, letting the faint beats of music calm my nerves while I arrange my books.

Suddenly, my chair jerks to the side. I flinch as it pivots, and I find myself facing the leering grin of Gregory.

I sigh. "Hello, Gregory." My tone is flat—I have zero patience for him today.

He grips the back of my seat, preventing me from turning away. "Why so grumpy, gorgeous?" he says with that smug smirk. I attempt to rotate the chair, but his hold is too strong. "No witty banter today? You know good banter makes for a solid relationship." He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, tapping his fingers on my thigh.

I hear someone shift at the front of the class, but I'm too fed up to pay attention. Enough is enough.

Standing swiftly, I almost knock him off-balance, forcing him to jerk upright. "Gregory," I say, voice low but carrying authority, "don't ever touch me without my permission. Are you hearing me? You. Do. Not. Have. Permission."

He blinks, mouth opening and closing as though searching for words. Several seconds tick by in silence, so I start to curl my lip and prepare a fresh tirade.

But then the entire class breaks out in laughter, startled and amused by my outburst. I freeze, cheeks burning in embarrassment. With a sharp pivot, I set my chair upright again and slump into it, crossing my arms over my chest.

"All right, all right, that's enough," Blake calls from the front, her voice slicing through the rumble of snickers. "Settle down, everyone. Take your seats."

I sneak a glance up and find Blake watching me, something like pride and amusement shining in her eyes. My stomach flips at the realization that she saw the whole exchange—and, from the looks of it, approved of my boundary-setting.