Bad Teacher

“Quit? What?” My jaw drops. “Why? Are you angry at me or something?”

“No, I’m not mad at you,” he says, balling his fist. “I’m angry with myself. For letting it get this far. For letting her see us.”

“I told you it won’t happen again.”

“You don’t know that. It could be someone else. Anyone. This whole thing could blow up,” he says.

“So you just wanna give up? Quit?”

“Yes.” He takes another sharp breath. “It was fun, Hailey. While it lasted.”

“Fun …” I repeat.

The way he puts it makes my stomach feel like someone’s grasping and constricting it.

“Yes. And I mean that in a good way.” He leans in and grabs a loose strand of my hair, tucking it behind my ear. “I like you, Hailey. And I did enjoy it while it lasted.”

“While it lasted? I don’t like this.”

“Well, I’m sorry, but this is my call.”

“And I don’t have any say in it?” I say, making a face.

“Unfortunately not.”

“Fuck no,” I say.

“Please …” He rubs his eyes with his index finger and thumb. “Please, don’t make this any more difficult.”

“Difficult? Like it’s so fucking difficult to call it quits.”

“To me it is,” he snaps.

“Well, I don’t agree, Thomas.” I fold my arms, giving him my cheeky, non-agreeable gaze, which he hates so much.

“That’s the last time you’ll call me that,” he says. “It’s Mr. Hard. Remember it.”

He turns around, and as he walks away, I yell out, “Why? So no one will know we were on a first-name basis?”

“We never were,” he says, glancing at me over his shoulder. “I am, and will always be, Sir to you.”

“Yeah, well you know what else? I think I’m gonna call you Mr. Fuck. Because that’s what you are. A fucking asshole.”

He narrows his eyes at me but doesn’t respond as he keeps walking.

“I think I’ll call you Sir Asshole! Sir Dickwad! Sir Go-Fuck-Yourself!”

But no matter what I call him, he won’t come to spank me for it.

He won’t even turn around to look at me.

Fuck.

Chapter 13

Thomas

I didn’t want to be an asshole to her, but what else was I supposed to do when faced with such a threat?

That girl knows about us.

Not just the kissing part, but the fucking part too, no doubt. Hailey would tell her best friend everything. God, it was only a matter of time before it came out.

I sink into my couch and grab my rum off the table, taking a much-needed sip.

I wish it could’ve been more simple.

That I could just fuck girls without there being a consequence, but there always is.

Lies. Anger. Bittersweet good-byes.

It’s always there, even when I fight so damn hard not to have any of it.

I don’t want to feel these things.

And I fucking hate feeling caught.

Maybe I should just give up fucking once and for all.

I take another sip and stare out the window.

Like I ever could.

I love sex too much to give it up.

But I should definitely be more careful who I approach from now on.

Had I known the club was a place students would come, I would’ve never have gone there. I wouldn’t have risked it. Not that it was completely my fault because she was there when she wasn’t supposed to be. She isn’t even twenty-one yet. She’s not supposed to drink.

Not that I should be surprised.

Hailey doesn’t listen to rules.

Maybe that’s why she fascinates me so much.

It’s probably also why I can’t stop thinking about her.

I like her tenacity. Her unyielding nature. Like she could fight off the world and still not give up.

Maybe it’s something I’ve always missed in my life.

Because I did give up.

Once.

I take another sip but follow it with a full chug.

I need another drink.

Instead, I grab my laptop and start stalking her profile again.

I know it’s fucking wrong … but I need something to numb myself, and alcohol is not the right choice.

Only when I look through her pictures do I notice the green circle next to her name. She’s online.

Without thinking, I open our messages and send her something.

Thomas: Be on time next class. I have important homework.

Hailey: Why are you still messaging me?

Thomas: Because I can.

Hailey: Isn’t it unprofessional to message students on Facebook?

Thomas: I’m not going to let you change the topic. You will be on time for my next class.

Hailey: Or else?

I ball my fists and sigh, biting my lip in the process. Goddamn this girl. She keeps getting under my skin, and she knows it. That’s why she’s acting this way. To make me mad. Well, it’s working all right.

Hailey: Oh, right … nothing because there is no ‘or else’ anymore. Pity.

Thomas: Stop.

Hailey: No, you started it. You messaged me. Have nothing better to do? Oh wait, it must be because you’re bored.

Thomas: Keep pushing and you’ll have extra homework to dig through.

Hailey: Don’t care. I won’t do it anyway.