"Ok." She says, her voice tiny and barely audible. "Can I ask a question first?"
"Sure," I reply cautiously, wondering what her question could be.
"Is there any way we could do this in say a setting that is…not the school?"
My brows furrow, and my thoughts dip into the gutter again. Is she asking because she's having these feelings too? Maybe she wants to meet somewhere a little less formal. No, I'm reading too much into it. "It depends, what are your reasons for wanting to meet somewhere other than the school?"
She lets out a deep breath. "I just don't want anyone from class to know I'm being…tutored. You don't know how hard it is when they tease. It's very emotionally draining and probably would distract from my studies. Popularity is everything here at Silvercrest High Mr. Harrington. One negative comment spread from say, someone like Catarina and I might as well switch schools."
Her last sentence hits me like a brick to the face. I wouldn't want anything to happen that would make Harlyn leave.
What the fuck? Where did that thought come from?
"Hmm, let me give it some thought. For today lets just work through the lesson I'd planned, and then tomorrow we can decide what venue may work for the rest of the sessions. Deal?"
"Deal." She says, her face lighting.
That expression is something I'd love to see daily, and while I don't want that smile to disappear, I know she needs to understand the rules. "Ok, so how this will work is, every day after class, you and I will meet for an hour. There will be no exceptions for missing Harlyn. If you're going to be late or you can't make it due to unforeseen circumstances, you must let me know beforehand, and they must be dire. Understand?"
"Circumstances must be dire. Got it." She huffs out.
"You'll have homework. I expect it to be completed by the next day if we don't finish in class. And lastly, I expect you to put in an effort. I'm taking time out of my afternoon to help you. If you're not planning on trying, then there's the door. Just know, walking out is an automatic D grade. Do you agree with these terms, Miss Aldridge?"
She looks to the door as though she's contemplating leaving but must decide not too because she opens her book, and her eyes lift to mine. "Yes, I agree. Where do we start?"
"That's my girl." I unintentionally blurt out then instantly regret when her eyes widen and her lips part. "Ahem, let's start with the last scene you read."
"Ok, I believe it was Act IV scene V." She opens the book where the bookmark holds her place, and I close in on her desk, intent on confirming with her.
Her eyes lift to mine.
No longer thinking about tutoring, my thoughts owned by everything, Harlyn. From the chocolate brown orbs teasing my soul as they dance between mine to her pouty bow lips that don't touch completely when her mouth is closed, I can't resist any longer. I take her dainty chin in my palm and lean in until my lips are only a breath from hers. "I want to taste your lips, Harlyn."
She shivers beneath my touch, and her eyes close.
I know it's her answer, but I need to hear her say it. "Tell me to stop. Tell me you don't want this."
"I can't." She says, before wrapping an arm around my neck and pulling me against her.
Shock is what registers in my mind first. The way she takes control unsettles me, throwing me off my game but only for a moment. Once her tongue glides over my bottom lip, my fingers tangle in her hair, and I take back control. I am devouring her mouth like a man on death row, eating his last meal.
At this moment, no one else exists. The school, my family, this town, everything around me fades into oblivion. It's only Harlyn and I. A forbidden pair coming together without regard for the consequences.
The three-thirty bell rings, and it's like an electric shock breaking our connection. Breathing heavily, I drop my forehead to hers and decide my next move. "Maybe you can read the rest at home."
She nods her head against me but doesn't say another word while pulling away and gathering her things. It's as though she's ashamed of what she's done.
I'm not letting her leave like this. "Harlyn, are you ok?"
Ignoring me, she stands and prepares to move toward the door. As though a flip has is switched, but I'm not sure why.
"Look at me," I command, gripping her arm, keeping her from leaving. My breath catches at what I see when she does. A single tear has escaped down her cheek, and I fear I've hurt her somehow. Pulling her against me, she drops her books to the floor and wraps her arms around me, sobbing into my shirt.
I smooth a hand over the back of her head and stand, quietly while she releases whatever it is, she's feeling. This reaction is more significant than what we've just done. This is something kept bottled up inside for quite some time. Disheartened at the fact that no one saw this coming yet honored that she chose me to expose this side of herself.
"I-I'm sorry." She mutters, her voice cracking through sobs.
"Shhh, it's ok. Let it out. Get it all out."
When her sobs begin to wane, she leans back and plucks at my wet wrinkled shirt. "I'm really am sorry. Is it ruined?"
I glance down at where her hand's rest, chuckling softly. "No, it's durable and made to last. Even if it were, I wouldn't care." I tell her while wrapping my arms around her waist and placing a kiss on her cheek. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Her red-rimmed eyes lift to mine and it feels like forever before she answers. I imagine
