Thicker than Blood - Book One (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter Four

I knew it was Nathaniel but it felt so incredibly right to be in his arms that I didn't utter a word. I just leaned in and allowed myself to relax. My skin was warm and tingling and that feeling in my stomach told me I was falling very rapidly for this young handsome man.

Nathaniel just held me for a while. His arms holding me close, one of his hands tracing patterns on my back. Neither of us spoke.

Eventually he slowly let go, 'Ams...' his voice was husky again. 'Go eat your lunch.'

I left him in that class room seated on the edge of a desk, he was staring ahead of him as if he was lost in thought. I didn't look back as I walked... Even though I very badly wanted to go back and curl up in his arms again.

Neither Missy or Jake said a word as I joined them at their table for the last ten minutes of lunch. I had the feeling they knew what had happened though. Missy was smiling again.

During all of Biology I stared at the top of my desk, I was afraid to look up at Nathaniel. I didn't want to see concern or worry reflected in those stormy eyes of his. I didn't want to imagine things that weren't there and I certainly didn't want to encourage my heart to fall in love even further. It would hurt all the more when reality hit. I couldn't date my teacher.

I was one of the first to leave the classroom that day but he didn't stop me, I could feel his eyes watching me as I left. It felt a little as if I left half of myself behind when I walked out that door. That was just plain silly... I couldn't have fallen that far already.

'So I know you're grounded!' chirped Missy when I met her outside school. 'But eh... there's this party on Friday evening. Please tell me you can think of something and come with me?'

I groaned and shook my head, 'Missy... I don't think that's possible...' But then it hit me. My dad had only talked to me on the phone yesterday, maybe Jessica didn't know what my punishment was! Eliza certainly didn't know I was grounded...

'Fine I'll try...' I muttered.

Immediately happy, Missy jumped up and down and then hugged me tightly. 'Awesome-sauce!'

That made Jake snort, 'You're so stupid Missy...'

The two of them had reached a black car and they got into it, waving goodbye. Jake was driving so apparently Nathaniel had come in his own car.

I still didn't say much to Elliot when he drove me and Eliza home. She was shamelessly flirting with the poor boy but I was too distracted to pay much attention to it.

Nathaniel had hugged me. He'd just gone and hugged me, well he'd pretty much held me in his arms for over fifteen minutes. That was by far the strangest behavior ever, coming from a teacher.

It wasn't that I hadn't liked it, I liked it too much. But I was desperate to know why he'd done it and for what reason... Did it mean he liked me? Or did he simply want to make sure I was alright? Was it because he was attracted to me? Or was I really just imagining that part?