He gives me a half smile then walks past my desk while my eyes fall to his awesome tight ass. "So, what else did you learn about Miss Dickinson in your reading?"
No one says anything, and Mr. Hayes looks slightly disappointed.
"Come on guys." He winces and cocks his head at us. "Don't tell me you didn't actually do the reading last night."
I'm trembling but I raise my hand. My teacher's eyes fall on me once again and he nods.
"Yes...Taryn, right?"
My face breaks into a smile. He finally got my name right!
"Yes, um, Emily only had ten of her poems published in her lifetime." I clear my throat and continue. "She had a passion for Botany and her father was a United States Senator. Oh, and um, she didn't get along well with her parents. Her mother was cold and her father didn't have a lot of respect for female scholars."
Mr. Hayes walks back to me. "Very good, Taryn." He taps his fingers on my desk and then turns to the rest of the class. "See, at least one of my students does what I ask!" He smiles and the bell rings.
"Alright, read pages 210 to 215 for your homework and be prepared to discuss tomorrow please. Don't let Taryn be my only favorite." He gives me a wink and goes back to his desk.
Holy crap! He called me his favorite!
I gather my books as Pam rolls her eyes at me.
"Brown noser!" she hisses but then smiles on her way out.
I pay Pam no attention, stopping by Mr. Hayes's desk while everyone else files out.
"Um, Mr. Hayes?"
He sits down and looks up at me. "What's up?"
"Are we still meeting after school about the school paper?"
His brow furrows for a moment. "Oh, that was you?" He looks surprised but then grins. "Oh my God, I was trying to remember who you were! Jeez, I called you Karen didn't I? I'm so sorry!"
I shrug but I'm melting under his smile. "It's okay. So, um, after school, in the library?"
"Sure thing!" He leans forward, his forearms on his desk. "Thank you for actually doing the reading homework by the way. I do appreciate it."
I shrug again. "Well, it is what we were assigned, right?"
He laughs. "That doesn't seem to matter to some people. You're a good student, Taryn. Teachers like that. I like that."
And I like you. I realize I'm staring and feel the flush creep up my cheeks.
"I should get going. I have algebra."
"Right. Okay, see you in a few hours, Taryn."
I float from the room; I don't think my feet even touch the floor.
◆◆◆
"I think I'm in love." I lay on my bed, staring up at my ceiling, while Kim digs through my closet. She wants to borrow a top she insists I bought last week but hell if I know which one it is.
Kim snorts and looks at me over her shoulder. "With Patrick?"
Now it's my turn to snort. "Oh my God, no! Do you know he stacked my locker again, this afternoon? He's so damn immature!"
She laughs and finally finds the shirt she's looking for. It's an off the shoulder tight blue thing with sequins. Jesus, I don't remember it at all!
"So, who's the lucky boy?" She flops on my bed and I sit up.
"Mr. Hayes." I giggle.
Kim rolls her eyes. "So basically, you're like all the other girls in the entire school?"
"Yeah." I can't stop picturing his handsome face and how he gave me his full attention at our meeting after school. "He kept touching my hand while we talked about the school paper."
"Oh, my Gawd! Your hand???" Kim puts both hands to her face. "However did you not climax??"
"Shut up!" I snap at her sarcasm. "He's so cool. I wish I wasn't his student."
Kim gives me the side eye. "Taryn, if you weren't his student, he wouldn't give you the time of day. He's only flirting with you because it doesn't mean anything. Get real already."
I bite my lip. Why does she always have to be such a bitch??
"Whatever." I decide to change the subject. "So, what about you and Ryan? Is he coming to Kyle's party Saturday?"
"Yeah, probably. Ugh, I'm so bored though. I might break up with him before that."
"That's kind of mean!"
Kim smirks. "Why? I don't want to be bored all night. I'd rather go with Jason. Besides, you say the same shit about Patrick."
I shake my head. "My situation is completely different. And Jason's your ex!"
"So?" Kim jumps up, my shirt in her hand. "Jason is hot and Jason likes to fuck. I know that for a fact. If I don't get some serious sex soon, I'm going to lose my mind. Ryan's like a little kid. I mean, he's cute and all, but oh my God, do you know he still watches cartoons?"
Shit, I watch cartoons too. "Wow." My mind is turning. Ryan might soon be available. Hmmmm.....
"I gotta go. Jason's supposed to text me later. Maybe we can do some sexting." She gives me an impish grin and waves on her way out.
I lay back on my bed and let my mind wander back and forth between Ryan and Mr. Hayes, my own impish grin on my lips.
◆◆◆
Parties. They used to be kind of fun, back in Freshman year when we all started going to them. Someone would sneak in some beer in or we'd raid their parents liquor cabinet and we'd all smoke cigarettes without inhaling, pretending to be so cool and hot. But now, to me at least, they feel more like a chore. Like I have to go to them because of the crowd I hang with. Kim insists on it.
What one wears to a party is almost as important as the party itself.
