“What?” I stammer . “Your boss? You mean to say she hired you to teach us?”
“Yup. Look, I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but you have to believe me. This is the truth. She’s a friend. Albeit, one I didn’t want.” He chuckles. “When my wife died, everyone around me blamed me for her suicide, except Natalie. But she was mad … understandably. And even though part of her hated me for what had happened to her sister, she still tried to help me. Got me a job here at the college so I could move on. I got an apartment and tried to move past what happened. I drowned myself in work … and with alcohol and women. I was in a shitty place.”
I swallow away the lump in my throat when I hear him say that.
“Well, you know the rest.” He clears his throat. “Anyway, she only drove me to school that one time you saw her because my car was at the garage. And that time she wanted to talk to me was because I was messing up again. I have a history, you see …”
“Of what? Chasing school girls?”
“No … just, drinking … and maybe a lot of random sex.” He sniffs. “The point is, she was looking out for me. Granted, it was mostly done through scolding.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Because she didn’t want you to get hurt.” He looks up at me. “And because I’m not supposed to hook up with students.” He clears his throat. “When she found out about you, she fired me.”
“Fired … you got fired?” I don’t know why, but I suddenly feel bad. Guilty. I knew it was gonna happen, but still, it’s tough to hear.
He shrugs. “Yeah, but I don’t really care. Besides, it’s not like she could keep me on after finding out. I understand.” He smiles at me again. “It was worth it, though. I got to have you in my life, even if it was only for a little while.”
He gets up and stares ahead. “You know, I once thought I was unlovable. That I should stay away from everyone because I could only hurt them. I didn’t want a relationship because I’d always end up hurting the people that I love. Turns out I was right.”
When he tries to walk away, I grab his hand.
He stops and glances at me over his shoulder. “I hurt you, Hailey. I know that. I wish I could turn back time, but I can’t. I made the wrong decisions. I put more value in keeping my job than keeping you, and it cost me both. I won’t make that mistake again.”
I nod and rub my lips together. “I never wanted to lose you,” I say. “But when I saw you with her, I thought … I thought …”
“That I was a cheating bastard.” He raises a brow. “Yeah, I know. And I had it coming. I should’ve told you about her before.” He cracks his knuckles. “But talking about my past is difficult for me. It makes me feel weak, and I don’t like feeling weak.”
He leans in and caresses my cheek, then tips up my chin. “You also made me weak.”
My brows furrow, but when I try to speak, he places a finger on my lips.
“Weak from your love.”
Love.
That word.
It’s all I wanted to hear but never got from him.
He pulls me up from my seat with just the tip of his finger. “I know it’s too late to say this, as I’ve already ruined my chance, but I just wanted to say it to make you feel good again because you deserve it. Because it’s the truth. I love you, Hailey Walters. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
I freeze as he leans in and presses a delicate kiss on my cheeks, smiling after. He turns around and starts to walk away. I want to call out for him to stop, but then a door opens, and my mom steps out. I’m torn, but I know I can’t go after him and leave my mother here.
So I stay, staring at him as he opens the door, goes down the steps, and disappears from my view.
Blinking a tear away, I gaze at my mom and ask, “And? How did it go?”
She smiles, tears welling up in her eyes. “They’re going to press charges, and I’m hoping he’s going behind bars for a long time.”
“Really?”
She nods, and I rush to her, hugging her gently as I don’t want to hurt her. Finally, justice has been served.
“I’m sorry for all those years …” she mutters, but I shush her.
“It’s okay, Mom. It’s finally over now.” I brush the tears from her face and peck her on the cheek. “Let’s go home, okay?”
She nods as I grab her hand and walk out the door with my mother by my side.