SARAH
“In trouble?” I shot over the phone right before being cut off the line, wondering why I had just gotten a call from Ryan but directly from Nate.
“What's happening?” I asked myself.
“Is he some kind of trouble like he just mentioned?” I continued staring at my phone screen.
I took a deep breath as I dialed Nate’s number, hoping he had all of this in control.
“Whatever it was,” I thought to myself.
The line rang repeatedly without Nate picking up, which got me extra worried about what was happening.
As I held on to my phone staring at my screen waiting for Nate to pick up, I quickly remembered Ryan had talked about going to a party.
“Fuck!!” I muttered to myself.
At this point Nate not picking up, and I was more than worried and confused about what next to do.
I stared at the clock, seeing how late it was already, and then kept dialing Nate’s contact. I had my robe taken off as I changed into my hoodie and a pair of black jeans and then rolled my hair into a bun.
Just when I was about to step out of the house with nowhere in mind to go aside from the station, he finally picked up.
“Hello dear, I missed your calls!” Nate said.
“Yeah!” I stuttered trying to control my words and not raise any suspicions as to why I was this bothered.
“Is he in some kind of trouble?” I asked lowering my voice on the phone.
“I have that settled already Sarah,” He spoke in a tone, which was his custom when in the presence of people he had in custody.
I knew perfectly well, what he meant by the word settled and it was that he had plans of locking Ryan up for a few days which definitely would get him in bigger trouble.
“Uhmmm, would you mind if I interfere?,” I asked holding on to my doorknob hoping Nate would listen to me.
“I can't allow you to do that dear,” Nate protested.
“Shit!” I mumbled to myself as I tightened my grip on my phone waiting to hear him speak.
“I wouldn't want you bothering yourself with all of that,” He continued.
“No, not at all!” I answered.
“You know all of this concerns the school still and I wouldn't want this to get any worse than it already is,” I requested.
“So, can you please let me pick him up tonight,” I continued.
“For old time's sake Nate,” I added as I waited on Nate to say a word.
But then silence was all that came from his end after all I had said.
“Nate please!” I pleaded as I held my head up staring at the ceiling waiting for him to utter the exact words I was waiting so long to hear.
“Fine!!” He responded with a croaked voice.
“Just for old time’s sake,” He added and then he hung up.
I exhaled holding on to my chest, feeling a bit of relief that he had gotten out of this particular one.
I dashed out of the house not minding whether or not it had been too late to be out in the cold. I had a taxi booked immediately and was headed straight for the station.
“3rd Avenue to the right down the road,” I yelled to the taxi driver who had the volume of the music in the background of his car turned down the minute I stepped into the car.
“Roger that ma’am” He responded zooming off on the road, as the wind from outside the window blew against my dry skin causing me to shiver a bit.
In no time we had arrived at the station and then I walked in quietly and headed for Nate’s office. Apparently, on my way in, I found him seated next to a chair by Nate’s office.
He winked at me the moment our eyes met as I glared at him making it quite obvious that I was angry seeing that he had gotten into trouble in the end.
“Mr Nate my old time buddy,” I said with a smile creased on my face as I approached him by his desk.
He had been on a file scribbling a few words but had it suspended the moment I walked in.
“He sure was lucky to have you here Sarah,” He said.
“I was just about writing him a drink citation,” Nate added.
“All of that won't be necessary anymore friend,” I said smiling at him.
“Good to see you after a long while,” He responded.
“Have a seat!” He ordered softly but then I wasn't in for any discussions aside from taking Ryan away from the station.
“I’d love to stay Nate, but I have a very busy day tomorrow and it's kinda late,” I said staring at the clock in his office with a sad look.
“Duty calls, I understand what it's like Sarah,” He responded standing up to his feet as he had volunteered to walk me out to meet Ryan.
“How have things been on your end?” I asked as we both walked towards the door with my hands tucked into the pocket of my hoodie.
“Terrible!” He winced and then had a fake smile on. I could tell he wasn't so happy with his current position but then had no choice but to accept.
“I see, will keep in touch then,” I responded with a forced smile as well as we both stepped out of his office standing next to Ryan who had his eyes on the ground.
“Now, you be a good boy son,” Nate said as he patted Ryan’s shoulders. Ryan glared at him and then looked at me as I could tell that all of that didn't sit well with him either.
“Thanks, Nate,” I greeted as I bid him goodbye with Ryan right behind me as we walked out of the station.
Silence soon eluded the voices in my head the moment we stood right outside the station waiting for the taxi I had booked.
After a couple of minutes of both of us being silent, Ryan finally spoke up.
“You’d keep in touch seriously?” He asked aggressively like he had been pissed from the very minute I uttered those words.
“You are the reason I had to come in here smiling at Nate and making such statements,” I shot back at him.
“And I didn't mean any of what I said inside Ryan,” I added turning to face him.
He looked away running his hand through his hair like he was trying so hard to control his emotions.
“How the hell did you guys get busted in the first place?” I asked.
“I mean, this would have gotten worse!” I yelled at him.
“But you are just too ignorant to even notice that!!” I added.
Ryan stayed silent as he had suddenly blacked out in his head. I studied him for a bit in the dark and then realized he was still a bit tipsy from the party.
“That explains why, I guess,” I said as I crossed my arms over my chest staring at him and I was glad all of this ended where it was meant to end, at the station.
I soon remembered he had been with other boys as well and I thought it to be wise speaking to all of them and not letting the incident from tonight get to the management in school. Which would get me in trouble as well.
Soon enough, the ride soon came and I watched him stagger his way into the car as we drove off to my house.
I couldn't let him leave in such a state. Looking completely drunk in the middle of the night.
“Get in,” I said as I opened the door to my house letting him in.
I heard the sound of his body dropping to the couch as his snores were heard afterward.
“What a jerk!!” I muttered under my breath as I climbed up the stairs ignorant of the fact that he had his clothes on and was sure going to sleep in them all through the night.
I took my hoodie off staring at my reflection in the mirror, pondering on what had just happened.
“Was I wrong not letting the school management know a student had been in the custody of the police for a couple of hours?” I asked myself.
But then, Ryan was more than a student to me which no one knew about. And I was glad to say that our secret affair was all that mattered from the very night he had approached me at the bar.
I was trying so hard to suppress the thoughts I was having over knowing that I had slowly fallen in love with him and was refusing to admit it to myself.
“Was I wrong falling for one of my students?!” I asked myself as I let down my hair taking off my gloss and staring at my reflection in the mirror.