Butterfly Keeper // h.s. au

Chapter Eleven

As I walk to Mr. Payne's classroom I smile to myself like an idiot as I replay the events from last night in my head. He likes me, and I'm still not sure if I can believe it.

    "I want to see you again." He says firmly.

    "Me too."

    A soft kiss is placed on my forehead and then all too soon he's gone.

    I haven't felt this way in a long time. To where all I can fathom is happiness like a fountain overflowing inside of me and suddenly everything feels like it's going to be okay. The sky is a brighter blue and when I spill coffee on myself I only laugh because I know I was distracted thinking about him. And even then, my past romances never really felt like this does.

    I knock on the open door to Mr. Payne's classroom and he calls for me to come in. He's standing on a chair, hanging something above the chalkboard when I walk in. Looking over his shoulder he smiles at me with his usual squinty eyed smile that I've grown fond of. But a light frown falls on his lips as he examines my face.

    "What happened to you darling?" He asks with concern in his features, halting his taping of what I perceive to be fall themed pumpkin streamers on the wall.

    "Just a little accident." I brush it off and attempt a small smile at him. I'm so used to my bruised appearance by now that I've practically forgotten that it's still a shock to others. Even now my face looks better than it did when it first happened. "Are those fall decorations?"

    He seems hesitant to move on but politely goes along with the subject change.

    "Yes, that's a very good observation Charlotte. I find that students learn better when they're in a comfortable environment." He informs me while taking a step down from his chair to look at his handy work.

    "Do you think you can finish what I've started?" He asks, nodding to the streamers.

    "I can try," I shrug with a light smile.

    The chair is mobil with four wheels which makes it a struggle to stay steady as I mount the object. Mr. Payne hands me the tape and streamers and instructs me on how he wants them hung up. It's pretty simple and I catch on pretty quickly as I hold a streamer on the wall and put a piece of tape on just the right spot so it hangs perfectly.

    Mr. Payne goes to the stacks of papers that always seem to be overflowing on his desk. He seems a lot less stressed than last week and we've chatted a few times throughout this week too, in which he seemed pretty normal. He's doing his job well and he's a friendly yet professional man. I'm not sure how anyone could assume anything bad about him. But I would admit that I'm a little curious as to how he ended up here as a substitute professor in America.

    "Mr. Payne," I begin hesitantly as I move the chair to the next wall. He looks up at me from his paper, granting me his full attention.

    "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

    "I'm twenty seven." He says with a short smile. Wow.

    "Do you have a family?" I ask nonchalantly, holding a streamer in place on the wall with my thumb as I do so.

    I definitely feel more comfortable with him now compared to last week. But I hope I'm not prying by asking about his personal life. He twists the butterfly pin on his tie while pondering my question.

    "I have a mum and dad back in England, but I suppose you were referring to if I have a wife and children?" He concludes with a bit of a sigh. "It's all a bit complicated but I was engaged a long time ago... When I was nineteen."