Underneath the Sycamore Tree

“I can’t.”

He waits for me to explain why.

I sigh. “I’ve got Book Club.”

“Skip it.”

“Why?”

“Let’s be honest,” he says, “the only reason people go to that is because of Nichols.”

Refraining from rolling my eyes, I shake my head in disagreement. “Some of us like to read, Kaiden.”

He knows my love for books because on the rare occasions he’s in a teasing mood, he’ll mention the book stack next to my bed. And if Dad can take notice to the so-called fairytales I escape into, there’s no doubt Kaiden acknowledges I’m in Book Club because it’s my only happy place.

It’s my freedom here.

When his lips tip into a crooked, devious grin, I know something bad is about to happen. “I know for a fact that isn’t true. I’ve seen the girls in that group, Mouse. Let me tell you a little secret—a reminder of an old conversation we’ve had. You can’t fuck Mr. Nichols.”

A few giggles sound from around us, followed by a deep clearing throat. When I look off to the side, I see Mr. Nichols looking uncomfortable and shifting his weight from one foot to the other by the water fountain across the hall.

Kaiden winks at me before strolling away to wherever Satan likes to hangout. Probably the boiler room downstairs.

Not able to meet Mr. Nichols eyes when he calls my name, I quickly walk to my next class and try thinking about how I can get out of English. I could pretend I’m sick, it shouldn’t be hard to pull off. Then again, the chances of me needing actual sick days means I need to reserve my absences.

Maybe I should have built a friendship with Ms. Gilly in the nurse’s office. She could have given me free passes out of pity. Too late now.

Silently cursing Kaiden’s name, I force myself to pretend it never happened. In two periods, I’ll go to English and just play it off.

But when last period comes around, sweat dots my brow. Keeping my head down as I walk into the room, I can feel a pair of eyes on me that I know belong to the teacher. I don’t look up, instead, I focus on preparing for class.

Notebook.

Pen.

Book.

He doesn’t call on me throughout the class, and I don’t offer any answers. It isn’t unusual for me to stay quiet, but never silent. Anyone could chalk it up to not having anything to say. Maybe they think I didn’t do the reading.

Kaiden smirks when he catches my eye.

I glare.

After class, Mr. Nichols does what I should have known he would. He asks me to stay behind. What does surprise me is him asking Kaiden the same thing.

We remain in our seats, Kaiden looking bored and me looking nervous. Mr. Nichols waits until the hallway is cleared enough before turning his attention on us.

“I don’t like when students say things that could cause problems for me,” he says directly to Kaiden. I’ve never heard him sound stern before, but it seems like the perfect moment to be. “I am aware that my age puts me in a difficult spot with teenagers, but that doesn’t mean anybody should speak to their teachers, or peers for that matter, in the way you did earlier.”

Kaiden doesn’t look the least bit guilty over being scolded. In fact, he smirks like he couldn’t care less. Me on the other hand? I gape. I’ve never heard a teacher talk to Kaiden like that, and I’m sure plenty have witnessed how he treats the other students. I

assumed it had to do with his spot on the lacrosse team because every school seems to give free passes to the boys who fill the trophy cases.

Mr. Nichols leans back in his seat. “I want you to apologize to Emery.”

Kaiden laughs abruptly. “I don’t apologize to anyone.”

“Now’s a good time to start then.”