An Endless Serenade

Chapter Fourteen

Paul beamed at the younger brunet. "I always knew you had at least one ounce of kindness inside you."

"Shut up," Elliot growled.

"Elliot Allen!" a short, bespectacled woman near the door of the audition room called.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Elliot forced himself out of his chair. "Good luck!" I wished him, shooting him a bright smile.

Paul smacked his ass.

"Hey!" Elliot protested, but Paul was laughing too much to notice. I bit my bottom lip, trying to keep my smile to myself. It wasn't working. "Go home," Elliot muttered as he stalked over to the audition room.

"You're going to get arrested for sexual harassment," I warned Paul.

"Yeah, right after Kyle gets his arrest warrant."

For a moment I stayed quiet, debating on whether or not that was a dig at Mr. Tucker. Judging by the small smile still on Paul's face, I figured it was just a joke. Still, it unsettled me. "What? Has something happened with him?"

Paul's gaze turned to me and he frowned. "Well, no... but he has dated a few female students, and at any school that wouldn't settle well with the law."

"Even if the student is eighteen?"

"Well, no, but..."

I cocked my head to the side. "Does that matter at this school? Or... wait, last year he was dating a student, wasn't he?"

"No, that law still applies... but it can be easily amended with parental consent, as it is in any case that isn't student and teacher." Paul seemed uncomfortable talking about the subject. He pulled at the tie around his neck, fidgeting in his seat. "Kyle has never broken the law per se..."

"And you can't tell me he's the only one who dates his students," I argued, remembering a girl in my math class bragging about the gym teacher.

"It's still morally wrong," Paul concluded, crossing his arms.

I set my jaw. "Unless it comes to you and Olivia?"

He gave me an exasperated look. "Allie, I don't like Olivia like that. She's just a student. A good student, and I admire her piano playing skills—"

"Oh, I bet you do."

"— just like I admire yours," he finished firmly. "What's up with you anyway? Why does it even matter?"

Now crossing my arms, I turned away from him. "I just happen to know what kind of girl she is."

"No, Allie, you just happen to know what kind of girl you want to see judging by the part of her personality you've seen. Come on. Everyone has a mean side to them."

"But at least some of us have the decency to hold it back."

"I hope you're not including yourself in that."

Even though his comment should've made me angry, a smile cracked on my face. He smiled back. "Sometimes I don't," I relented, shaking my head. "But I wouldn't take it out on a stranger."

"I have to admit, she's not exactly the friendliest person... but she's not exactly the worst either."

I rubbed my forehead wearily. "Okay, whatever. Can we just not talk about her anymore? We aren't going to be friends, if that's what you're planning on making happen."