The next two days went by the same way, she kept tutoring me, but since I was doing so well we decided that I should take the test on Friday instead of Monday. My dad hasn’t been back home since that day and that meant that I could study in peace.
It was now Thursday and after a long and exhausting day it was time for a tutoring session with Ms. Miller. I sat at my desk as usual and she sat next to me.
She helped me solve an exercise and our fingers brushed as she kept taking the pen from my hand. Our shoulders were touching and our faces were centimeters away. She turned to look at me and smiled. All I wanted to do at that moment was kiss her.
I leaned closer and let my eyes travel on her lips. She did the same and then our eyes met. I licked my lips.
She cleared her throat and pulled away.
-“Try and solve the rest of it and I’ll correct it” she said and got up. I looked at her and then went back to the exercise, but I couldn’t focus.
What was that, did we just have a moment? Could she possibly feel the same way I do?
-“Emma, exercise, NOW” she said in a stern voice pulling me out of my thoughts.
-“Sorry Ms.” I solved the rest of it and she sat next to me to correct it. She pulled her sleeves up and my eyes fell on a big bruise on her arm.
She handed me the paper back and I noticed that her wrist was also slightly bruised. She saw me looking and quickly pulled down her sleeve.
-“It was correct, I think you are ready for tomorrow” She said in a blunt tone.
-“Thank you for the help Ms. Miller” I gave her a half smile. “and I’m sorry”
-“No problem Emma, and don’t worry about that” she seemed to understand to what I was referring to.
-“Uhm, I know it’s none of my business, but…”
-“You are right, it’s not” she cut me off. I nodded and left.
For the rest of the day, I couldn’t stop thinking about her and these bruises. It seemed as if she was forcefully dragged or grabbed or something like that.
When I got home I studied some more for tomorrow’s test. I wanted to do well. I went to sleep at ten, but I couldn’t, she was on my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking of what happened today, I almost kissed her. I should start being more cautious, I don’t want her transferring me to another class, plus I don’t want to ruin what we have. And by that, I mean this weird type of friendship.
After an hour I managed to fall asleep.
The next morning I got to school twenty minutes earlier, I would be taking the test during lunch break and I was stressed. I wore my hearing aids before entering the school and as I was walking inside I took my phone out to set them up. I wanted to change the volume. As I was walking I bumped with someone.
-“Emma, watch where you are going” She said annoyed
-“I’m sorry Ms. Miller”
-“You shouldn’t be using your phone on school grounds” She said and rubbed her arm.
-“I’m sorry, I know, I just needed to change the settings on my hearing aid. It won’t happen again.”
-“Oh, okay” She seemed troubled
-“Are you having a bad day?”
-“Yeah” She pulled her lips into a thin line.
-“At least you don’t have to tutor me for one extra hour from now on” Her mouth curved into a small smile.
-“It wasn’t that bad”
-“Of course it wasn’t, I’m amazing” I said and she rolled her eyes. “I’ve been wanting to ask you” She eyed me cautiously.
-“If it has anything to do with yesterday I’d rather you didn’t”
-“No, nothing like that” I smiled “What’s your name?” She looked at me amused.
-“I’m not telling you”
-“What? Why?” I whined
-“Because, I’m your teacher, you don’t need to know my name.” So we are just teacher-student.
-“Fair point” I said disappointed
-“See you in my class Emma”
-“See ya Ms. M” I said and she shot me a threatening look causing me to giggle.
On my way to English, I came face to face with the same guy that kicked me a while ago.
-“Dyke” He said and I walked past him, but he grabbed my wrist. “I thought we established the last time that you don’t get to walk away when I’m talking to you”
-“Oh you were talking? I didn’t know animals could speak”
He lifted his fist to punch me but I ducked and punched him first, which didn’t seem to phase him much. He was still grabbing me by my wrist. He clenched his jaw and punched me.
-“Mr. Williams” A teacher yelled and he pushed me with force.
I fell down backward and ended up hitting my head. The teacher escorted him to the principal’s office and another one took me to the nurse.
I told the teacher and the nurse what happened. She gave me ice for my face and she helped me ice the back of my head so that I won't get a bump.
I stayed at the nurse's office for the entire first period and after making sure I was ok she let me go. I went to history where I spent half of the class explaining to Rachel and Marcus what happened. Thankfully he didn’t punch that hard and he didn’t get my eye, my cheekbone was red though.
-“Bro, the fuck?” Marcus exclaimed when the bell rang.
-“Yeah…”
Rachel was looking at me worried
-“I’m fine Rach” I said and gave her a small smile.
I went to algebra and I sat at my usual seat. Ms. Miller walked in smiling, but when her eyes landed on me her smile turned into a frown. I smiled at her and she rolled her eyes.
I was trying to pay attention but couldn’t, I was anxious about the test. My stomach was hurting and my heart was racing, plus a headache was starting to form, probably from the hit. I felt my face getting hot again.
The bell rang and I kept fidgeting with my rings as I waited for the students to leave. When the class emptied she came closer and put her hand on my leg to stop it from moving up and down.
-“Calm down, there’s no reason to be stressed, I’m sure you’ve got this” She smiled and I nodded.
She passed me the paper and I thought I was going to pass out. I opened it and started reading the questions. It was easy, I managed to stabilize my shaking hand and started answering them. I finished in forty minutes and got up and gave her the paper. Our fingers brushed.
I sat back at my desk, my stomach was stirring and I had a headache. I waited for her to correct it. As time passed I felt sick. I let my eyes wonder to her, she seemed so focused, she was biting her bottom lip and tapping her pen on her desk. After five minutes she spoke.
-“Emma, this is amazing, you did great” She passed me the test and sure enough there was an A on it, I let out a sigh of relief.
-“What can I say, I had the best teacher” I smiled and she blushed and looked away.
-“Anyway, congrats, how are you feeling? I know what happened.”
-“I don’t feel well, my face feels hot and I have a headache and a stomachache”
-“Maybe you could go to the nurse and convince her to let you go home” I looked down. “Maybe I could come with you and tell her myself” I shrugged, and she smiled. “You are so shy” she shook her head and I smiled
We went to the nurse and Ms. Miller told her that I wasn’t feeling well and that I almost passed out in her class. The nurse let me leave early and Ms. Miller offered to give me a ride home. On our way to her car, she had her hand on my back to make sure I was ok. We got in her car, and she drove off.
-“So, what music do you listen to?” I asked
-“Uhm, girl in red and some other artists”
-“Oh, you listen to girl in red?”
-“I think we’ve already established that Emma” I laughed at the ‘are you gay’ reference. “And you?”
-“Cavetown, and girl in red are my top two but I really enjoy Xana as well”
-“Oh, that’s great, we have the same music taste” I looked at her driving, I wish she wasn’t my teacher and she was single.
Her sleeves had gone up exposing part of her hand, and both her wrists were bruised. I looked up at her again, she didn’t seem to be hurt anywhere else, but again, not much of her skin was exposed.
-“I can feel your eyes on me”
-“I’m sorry” I looked away and sighed.
-“What’s going on?”
-“Nothing” I said
-“You want to say something. Go ahead”
-“Uhm, I’m sorry for bringing it up again, but I’m worried about you, are you sure you are ok?” She pulled her sleeves down, which mean that she knew what I was referring to.
-“Yes, I’m fine, it’s nothing to worry about” She said and gave me a small smile. We got to my house and we said our goodbyes.
When I got home I took a painkiller and ice and lay in bed. I fell asleep pretty fast. I woke up a few hours later, the headache was gone but I was hungry. I went into the kitchen and came face to face with my dad.
-“Hey Emma, how are you?”
I walked past him and to the fridge, there was nothing to eat.
-“Come on Emma, I’m sorry about what happened, I was drunk and angry” I walked past him and into my room. I ordered a burger and fries and did my homework as I waited for my order.
I ate and played video games for a couple of hours before taking a shower and going to sleep.
On Saturday I went out for coffee with Rachel and Marcus and told them everything about me and Ms. Miller.
-“Bro, you think she was raped?”
-“Or maybe she’s into some shady shit” Rach added
-“I don’t think so Rach, she’s really nice, and Marcus I can’t say it hasn’t crossed my mind, but I doubt it. At first, it was just the right wrist and then it was both”
-“Whatever bro, she’s an adult, I’m sure she can handle whatever it is”
-“I guess”
-“So about your almost kiss” Rach said “It looks like you have a crush on her Ems”
-“I do, kind of” Marcus nudged my arm. “She’s young and hot and she’s really nice and kind”
-“Simp” Marcus said
-“But I can’t do anything about it, it’s inappropriate and she already has a girlfriend.”
-“Wait, she’s gay?” Marcus exclaimed
-“Yes, she’s a lesbian”
-“Holy fucking shit Emma” Rachel yelled “That’s great news, maybe in the future you have a chance”
-“I doubt it, I don’t think she’s into me or that she’ll ever be” Marcus patted my arm and we kept talking about school, turns out the guy that punched me got a two-day suspension.
When I got home I ate and played video games for a while. I then went for a walk and when I came back I went to bed immediately.
I spent most of my Sunday reading a book and drawing.
The next week went by pretty fast, I had a couple of tests and I didn’t have much time to talk to Ms. Miller, although I noticed that she wasn’t in the best mood.
She didn’t come to school on Monday and Tuesday and I couldn’t help but wonder why.