Teach Me ✅

6. Needing Space

"That's sweet" Josh smiles. "Now may I ask one more question?" he smirks as I laugh and nod my head.

"Sure" I reply as I take a bite of my pancakes.

"Why'd you skip today?" he asks as blush rises on my cheeks, I bring my eyes up to meet his and I know this is it. I can lie or I can fess up and see if he feels it too. I bite my lip as I stare up at him nervously. "And don't lie" he smirks as I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "When you lie, this" he says softly as he leans forward and rubs the spot between my eyebrows, "wrinkles" he smiles as he pulls back.

I take a deep breath and a sip of my coffee before opening my mouth. "Because I was hoping it would help me stop thinking about you" I admit as his eyes widen in shock. Maybe he thought I'd still try to lie but if he knew my tell then there was really no reason to lie because he'd just call me out and drag the truth out of me. "Why did you skip?"

"Because the way I think about a student in my class scares the hell out of me" he admits and just like that it's out there. The fact that we're both being driven by this want to see each other. It was wrong, I've been told enough already in the past five days, but it didn't feel wrong. It felt insanely right.

*************************************************************************************

"So what are you doing the rest of the day?" Josh asks as we reach the apartment building after breakfast, neither of us making a move to walk inside.

"Well since I'm skipping that would be a whole lot of nothing" I smile as I lean against the wall. "And I really don't want to go back to my place" I add with a sigh.

"It's Friday night, what do you usually do?" he asks curiously.

"Um" I reply as I avert my eyes to the ground. "I um spend time with Derek" I add as his eyes widen.

"Got it" he says awkwardly. "Maya you're in college, have you even gone to a party yet?" he asks expectantly.

"No" I confess, "but I'm not really the party type. Why, do you have plans?" I ask curiously.

"Maybe" he smirks, "and maybe I want you to come with."

"I'm not going anywhere dressed like this" I argue as I look down at my sweatpants and t-shirt.

"Go get ready. I still gotta see my sister. We'll meet in the hallway" he smiles as he pulls open the door.

"Is it really appropriate for us to hang out like this?"

"Maybe not but I won't tell if you don't." I look into his eyes and my heart skips a beat, as wrong as it was to spend the night out with him I wanted to.

"It'll be our little secret" I smile as I walk through the door and head up to the apartment.

*************************************************************************************

As I'm getting ready in my luckily empty apartment my phone rings catching my attention. I grab it from my purse and sigh when I read the caller ID. "Hey Riles" I smile as I answer the phone.

"Hey. How was your Josh free day?" she asks curiously as my heart drops. I couldn't lie to Riley, she's my best friend but I also knew that I couldn't tell her I was going out with Josh tonight. "Did you make up with Derek?"

"Um no actually. He was an ass this morning and I ended up going out to breakfast."

"I'm sorry Peaches" she says softly. "Do you wanna hang out tonight? Just have a girl's night?"

"I actually have plans" I reply as I attempt to zip up my dress with no success.

"With who?" she asks curiously as I rack my brain for an answer that wouldn't end in an inquisition.