Smile For Me (Student/Teacher)

Seduction For Dummies

"I'm calling the police." Mrs. Norman said.

"How long has she been gone?" The man finally asked, but only because he wanted to know if it was okay to call the police.

"Since Friday night." I told him.

"And you've looked everywhere?"

"Yes, we can't find her and she hasn't been home since."

Mrs. Norman was already speaking to the police when I answered. "I'd like to report a missing child." She said, giving all the information I gave to her.

Mrs. Norman finished the call and went into the kitchen, calling us in behind her. Mr. Norman followed also, but she wasn't very happy with him so he kept his distance. "You two must be starving." She said between sniffles, wiping underneath her makeup-filled eyes. I noticed she was shaking as she opened up the pantry door, and her husband called the cook in, but Mrs. Norman told him to go back to what he was doing. "I've got it, Aurbey, I'm not useless." She snapped to him.

He looked even more angry and grumbled that he'd be in his office, not saying a word to Connor or me. She turned around and smiled sadly at us when he was gone. "What do you kids want to eat?"

Connor and I shared a small glance asking eachother what was going on. Her mother never really bothered much with us. Sure, when I was over she'd take us out to a spa or something like that, but it was weird watching her cry. "Uh, I'm fine, thank you." I said, feeling the empty pit in my stomach, but ignoring it because I just felt sick with worry.

"Oh surely you haven't already eaten, you're getting so thin, honey." She said in honesty.

I looked down at myself and wondered if she was right. Food would do my stomach some good considering I began to faintly see my ribs. I wasn't thin, I never was, but if I was starting to be that wasn't the best sign.

But I couldn't bring myself to even smell food. "I'm fine, I promise."

"I'll just have a sandwich." Connor said.

We sat by eachother after the sandwich was made, while Mrs. Norman propped her elbows up and held her chin, staring at the table in thought. Connor finished his sandwhich and checked the time. "We should get going." He said, standing up and I did the same.

"Yeah, thank you for letting us over."

"And thanks for the sandwich."

Mrs. Norman gave us that same sad smile, "Thank you for telling us."

"If we hear something, we'll call you."

"And if she comes by I'll give you two a call." Mrs. Norman said and suddenly pulled me in for a hug, shaking on my shoulder.

It was such a miserable hug, a scared one and it surprised me to see how quickly her motherly instincts kicked in. Just twenty minutes ago she was acting as if we weren't there and the next thing I know she's crying on my shoulder. I felt the strange motherliness of it and I wanted it to stay for a while so I could understand it for a second. I gave her a hug back and she squeezed me tighter, sniffling more. When we both pulled back she apologized and touched my face. "You're such a pretty girl, you know? I'm glad Erin has friends like you two."

I've never seen her like that before, nor have I ever been told how good of a girl I was before for a friend. When we said goodbye I sat in Connor's car as he drove us back and I thought over how strange it was to witness as she changed so easily for her daughter- and didn't even know it. I wondered if my mother would be like that, if she was alive. I wished I knew her, and it put me in a worse mood.

"We're back." Connor said. "Short trip, but pretty dramatic, huh?" He said, trying to lighten the mood, but we both knew it was a strange sight. "Are you okay?" He asked.