My Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Two

A/N: Take a minute to check out the awesome picture to the right! Done by @HairyHarrysWife at Strawberry Studios. :) Enjoy Chapter Two!

Grey blouse, black pencil skirt, black pumps. It wasn't the most cheerful first day attire, but I felt sexy. Six o'clock rolled around and I knew I had to get going. Liliana had promised to pick me up at six fifteen, which usually meant six thirty, but I had to be ready anyway.

I wandered into the kitchen, exhausted from the previous night. Kate had gotten me home at midnight - how courteous - and I'd woken up at five. I remembered that she'd stayed the night, but when she wasn't in my bed, I'd figured she'd gone home for whatever reason. Kate had a lot of early mornings, and waking up alone never really gave me pause.

But when I got into the kitchen, expecting to brew a cup of coffee in solitude, there she was. Standing by the stove in sweat pants and a form-fitting tank top, looking casually sexy. There were muffins on the counter, and a coffee already made.

"Hi, baby," I said, smiling, strangely excited to see her even though she'd driven me nuts the night before. "What are you doing up?"

She put her hands on my shoulders and went on tip-toe to kiss me in my heels. "Making apology muffins," she said, half smiling. "For how I acted last night."

"You didn't have to do that, honey," I lied. If she hadn't apologized somehow, I probably would have frozen her out for at least three days.

"I know, but I wanted to. I love you, Brooke. And you know I only get insanely jealous sometimes because you're so beautiful, and deep down I know I don't deserve you."

She was smooth with words, but this was a girl who made a career off of persuasion. "Thank you," I said, calmly, picking up an apology muffin. I could have kept trying to be mad, but they were good muffins.

"I also wanted to wish you good luck," she said, pouring her own coffee. "You didn't think I'd miss the morning of your first day, did you?"

I smiled. I hadn't really thought about it. "You're the best."

She wrinkled her nose. "I know."

I heard the horn of a car outside, and figured it was Liliana. 

"That's my ride," I said, kissing her on the cheek and taking my coffee to go. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby," she said, taking my hand for a moment. "Good luck."

I left, knowing I'd definitely need it.

***

When I came out, Liliana was on the street out front.

Liliana and I were friends from college. We'd both studied secondary education, but after graduating, taken jobs with different schools. The school I was at ended up closing two years later, and so I applied for an opening where Liliana was working - Ardale High, as it happened - and landed it after the first interview. September rolled around, and here we were.

I opened up the passenger door of her car, setting my coffee in the cup holder. "Hey," I said as she put the car into drive.

"Hey," she said, sounding excited. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be," I smiled nervously.

The school was about fifteen minutes away. We shot the breeze about this and that. Finally, she asked, "So how'd it go with Kate last night?"

"Fine," I said, as the easiest answer.

"Did you put her in her place?"

"No," I muttered, shamefully.

"Why not?" she demanded, upset.

"She let me wear the dress."

She rolled her eyes. "Do you even hear yourself? She doesn't have to let you wear a dress!"

"Look, Lil, I know Kate can be kind of...fastidious..." I said, equivocating partially, "but she means well. And she loves me." 

"Really?" Liliana argued. "Does she really? When's the last time she showed you?"

"She tells me so all the time," I defended.

"No," she said. "When's the last time she showed you?"

I shrugged. "She made me muffins this morning," I offered.

She shook her head as she parked in the lot. "Oh, Jesus Christ."

I had to leave Liliana shortly after, having been assigned over the summer to Room 32, seemingly miles away from her sixth floor classroom. The school was huge, without a doubt - far larger than I was used to - but I was excited about the diversity I knew that kind of environment would offer.

I was immediately thrown into the loop, with no mercy for the new kid. My homeroom showed up only ten minutes after I had. I'd barely gotten an attendance sheet.

Having expected at least twenty, given the size of the school, I was surprised to see twelve faces look back at me after the bell had rung. They were mostly quiet, but I felt as though they were all eyeing me. The boys were nudging each other, looking me up and down, and whispering things, smiling. I had gotten hit on by enough students at my last job to know how to deal with it, but it still made me uncomfortable. Not that they had any chance whatsoever.

"Is this everyone?" I asked, sitting casually on a desk in the front, still not convinced.

They mostly shrugged. I decided to go on anyway.

"Okay, I'll start then. I'm Miss Chandler, I'm an English teacher," I introduced informally. Some responded with a "hi," others said nothing. I proceeded then to call attendance, which wasn't easy, knowing nobody's name. Every name was followed by an unenthusiastic "Here," save one name in the middle of the alphabet. 

"Chelsea," I called, looking around for a raised hand or something. "Chelsea Davidson?" I clarified, met by silence.

"Okay," I said, getting ready to mark an "X" next to her name on the sheet. At that moment, the door swung open gently, and in walked what could only be described as an absolute goddess.

I had barely looked at another girl since I'd gotten involved with Kate. Certainly I was human, and I wasn't perfect, and neither was she by any stretch of the imagination, but for the most part, Kate tied me down. I'd never cheated - I had too much experience in that subject to ever do it to someone else - and I certainly didn't plan on it. But this girl was like no one I'd ever seen.

Five and a half feet of beautiful tanned skin, slender legs and a figure to die for, and soft chocolate hair halfway down her back. She was definitely gorgeous. Definitely straight, and definitely too young, but definitely gorgeous. I willed my eyes back into my head and smiled. Knowningly, I guessed "Chelsea?"

She smiled back. "Yeah, sorry," she said, confidently sliding into a seat. Cocking her head to one side, she explained "Locker issues."

"Don't apologize," I said, doing some move with my eyelashes I hadn't done since I was eighteen. I couldn't shut the flirt off as much as I tried.

I returned my eyes from her chest to my attendance sheet, but realizing she'd missed my introduction, I added "I'm Miss Chandler."

She smiled, hands folded on the desk she was sitting at, one leg tucked beneath her. "Nice to meet you," she said. I felt like my insides were on fire.

Willing myself to look back away, I turned my thoughts elsewhere as well. To my work. To Kate. Kate, I had to remind myself. Your girlfriend. Remember her?

Hardly.