Discipline

He was unintentionally sexy as he peered up in the middle of his answer. “Because I make strange faces when I read something I like.” I’m sure I laughed something ferociously girly.

Before leaving, Mr. Cole prepared my late pass while I leaned against my desk. He’d originally chosen the surface next to my ass to write, but he moved a desk over after a few seconds, realizing suddenly that he was eye level with my backside. He still seemed flustered about that when he stood up to give me the paper.

It didn’t seem to help that I was in the midst of gathering my hair into a ponytail for gym. Arms behind my head, I asked him something or another, all the while struggling to locate the hair band on my wrist. He opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out – not until he smiled a bit nervously, lowered his eyes and then put his hands on my forearms, bringing them down from behind my head so I couldn’t finish my ponytail.

“Sorry,” he said with a sheepish smile, and only then was he able to resume his answer.

I still barely understood the moment, but for Daniel and his strict standards, that was considered inappropriate. Simply touching me was a big deal. Because of the incidents in the past, Woodhill teachers were wary about ever touching students. Kelsey theorized that the younger teachers were even stricter about it. “Notice how the young, hot ones always have their arms crossed or their hands in their pockets? It’s strategy. They know that they’re the easy targets,” she had said long ago. “They do not touch. Ever.”

Watching Daniel, it seemed he still didn’t. Surrounded by a bunch of flirty new graduates, he kept his thumbs hooked on his pockets and his fingers just tucked inside. When the girls asked for a picture and thrust him in the middle, he put his hands on their shoulders in a way that made it seem like they were his guy pals. For some reason, his hyper-professionalism was now even hotter to me than it was back in school. Probably because I could say that a week ago, those proper hands had been up my shirt in public.

Asldkfjsd I want to jump

on him, I texted Em.

“Is that Ben?” Mom asked, glancing at my screen. I held it away.

“No? Why would it be Ben?”

I stood at the edge of the field with her, Dad and Kelsey’s family while waiting for Jake and Shawn to finish taking pictures with friends. Mom shrugged while patting her freshly highlighted bob.

“I don’t know. If Ben really loved Jake like family, he’d find a way to be here on such a special day.”

I groaned. Because Ben once took Jake to the occasional Knicks or Yankees game, Mom decided that they were essentially brothers with an unbreakable bond. I never told her that Jake only got those tickets because Ben’s friends backed out last minute, and Jake never told her that Ben spent all their time together on the phone.

“It’s okay, I have faith in him,” Mom declared long after we’d stopped talking about him. “He’s very busy, but I’m sure he could turn up at the house later. I think it would be a big show of love for this whole family, and for Nina.” She smiled, exchanging a look with Aunt Erin.

What the hell was that? I tried to ask but right on cue, Jake and Shawn came ambling over with Mr. Davies, the assistant wrestling coach.

“So, is this family gonna pop out any more kids for me to take to state or what?” Mr. Davies joked in his corny, old man way. Everyone laughed. He’s almost seventy, so you pretty much have to. “It’s a wonder Nina and Kelsey weren’t champion wrestlers with this bloodline. I bet they would’ve been if we ever had a girls team!”

If I had Coach Cole, then totally.

As Mom prodded Mr. Davies about coming to the party, I peered over at Daniel once again. To my surprise, his roving eyes met mine after a second of my staring. My body instantly buzzed despite his expression being blank, even as his eyes dipped to quickly look at my dress. He wasn’t frowning but he certainly wasn’t smiling. Feeling awkward, I curved the ends of my lips up, in just a polite and friendly way, hoping that he’d follow suit.

Without a change in his own expression, he turned and walked away. My mouth fell slightly agape but snapped shut when Mom nudged me to start heading towards the parking lot – something about needing to be home to welcome guests. Miffed by Daniel’s dismissal, I was somewhat thankful for the distraction.

“Glad you at least made it to my graduation,” Jake ribbed as we climbed into Dad’s X5. “Guess lacrosse finals weren’t a big enough deal.”

“Quiet, you. I couldn’t get off of work.” I ruffled Jake’s mop of brown hair, though I quickly regretted the mention Todos Santos. From the backseat, I saw Mom crinkle her nose through the compact mirror that she held to her face.

“You know, Nina,” she started, taking her time as she touched up her lipstick, torturing me with the obvious beginnings of her nagging. “I don’t understand why you’re still working at that place. It’s not even one of those four-star restaurants. It’s a place where men go to look at the waitresses. It might as well be a… a Hooters,” she said, whispering “Hooters” like it were some derogatory word. “Besides, it’s not like you need the money anymore,” she pointed out. She’d known about my allowance from Ben, and she wholeheartedly approved.

I rested my forehead against the window. “Uh-huh,” was all I said in response. I’ve never been a good liar so I basically try to keep it simple. Not having to say words at all is my preference.

“Uh-huh?” Mom repeated, disgusted by such an improper reply. “Enough uh-huh and more complete sentences, please. Real words, even.” She pressed on, making my stomach turn. “I want you to answer me, Nina. Why are you working at that place when you know Ben and I don’t want you to? It upsets us.”

Ben and I. Us. Gross. I said nothing, letting the tension build in the air. After five seconds of quiet, Jake whipped out his cell phone and started playing some game with disinterest. Feeling guilty, I tried to think of a topic change so his graduation day wouldn’t be filled with awkwardness, but Mom finally broke the silence.

“I know that you and Ben were fighting. He told me everything.”

“What?” Her composure confused me. Had Ben actually told her about the breakup and calmed her over it too? It couldn’t be, because that would mean that he did me a favor. “I don’t understand, Mom. When?”

“I called him while you were out with Kelsey yesterday. You won’t answer my questions but he will. He picked up right away, unlike you.”

“And?”

“I told him that you’ve been acting strange lately, so I asked if you two were fighting.”