Chapter 23- Rumors

1.3K 70 32
                                    

*Recap*

Benedict moves closer to Nicole and puts his hand underneath her chin, keeping her attention on what he was about to say.

"What if I wasn't your teacher anymore..?"

Her eyes widen. "What are you saying Ben?"

"I'm saying that I got a job offer at a University not far from here." A smile slowly appears on the corners of his mouth. "Nicole, we might not have to hide our feelings anymore. What do you say?"

*

"What do I say??" She throws her arms around him and gives him a warm endearing embrace. "Benedict this is amazing. It's the opportunity we've been looking for all along."

He cradles the back of her head gently with the palm of his hand. "I know," he laughs subtly. He rests his head against her shoulder. "I would put in my two weeks of notice starting tomorrow. In two weeks we can finally be together Nicole."

His words echo within her mind. Two weeks. Two weeks and they can finally be together. Butterflies form in her stomach at the thought. She isn't sure which emotion she's feeling more at this moment; excitement or fear.

----------------------

It's Finally Monday morning, three days after homecoming, and Nicole still hasn't been able to shake the thought of publicizing their relationship from her mind. She wants to be able to talk to Benedict more about it, but she has to go through the rest of the school day first. That also includes making awkward confrontation with Kevin first period.

Nicole walks into Benedict's classroom 5 minutes before the bell is scheduled to ring. She moves towards her normal chair and throws her bag over the back. She glances around the room to take in her surroundings. Something was off. There were stacked up cardboard boxes in the corner towards his bookshelves, the walls were stripped of all educational posters, and his desk was almost completely cleared off except for his laptop, notepad, and a few wooden pencils. A single thought floods her head quickly. "Had he already started packing things up to leave?" She looks back from his desk to the doorway and notices Kevin had been standing there staring at her for who knows how long. He looked a bit pale, like he was about to throw up.

"Kevin!" Nicole shouts waving him over. He starts to move but diverts his path over to a desk on the other side of the room. He does this without making eye contact with her the entire time.

"Is he avoiding me on purpose?" she thinks. "I have to talk to him about what he saw. But from the way he's acting, I need to."

The late bell for class rings and the rest of the students scurry to their seats. Benedict walks in moments later.

"Good morning everyone." He casually takes off his jacket and throws it over his rolling chair. "I hope you all enjoyed your weekend." He shifts his gaze above some of the students, to no one in particular, and raises an eyebrow. "I hope everyone made good choices this weekend that is of course." The class makes small laughter and a few names get called out teasingly.

"Mr. Cumberbatch?" one student says while raising their arm.

He leans back and balances the weight of his body on his desk. "Yes, Jessica?"

Mr. CumberbatchWhere stories live. Discover now