Lessons of the Heart (2 page)

She steers us to our lockers before propping herself against it. “Mr. Ward was fired last night.”

I shut my locker with slightly more force than I intended to. “Are you kidding me? Why? I loved him.”

Penny shrugs. “Word on the street is he was caught having sex with a student.”

I turn and my jaw drops. “No way! Who? I mean, not that Mr. Ward isn’t handsome, but he’s just, I don’t know…”

“Old? Unfunny? Flaccid?”

I snort at her last comment. “Gross. I don’t know. He always seemed to be so friendly to everyone.”

“Obviously a little too friendly.”

“Who was it? Do you know?”

She shakes her head. “No one has said who, but I checked the absentee list at the office this morning and Krista Baker was listed.”

“Oh my God, she is such a skank. That would totally be right up her alley. He was probably failing her and she needed some extra credit.”

“That’s my guess too.”

Penny slams her locker and checks her watch. “You going to American Lit now?” I ask her.

She groans loudly, making a few heads turn in the process. “Fuck, don’t remind me. The witch has it out for me and I’m supposed to give my speech today on F. Scott Fitzgerald.”

“Did you read
The Great Gatsby
like you were supposed to?”

“Pfft. Why read the book when there’s a movie out?”

I pause outside the door and give her a sideways glance. “Which one?”

“Duh, the one with Leo in it.”

“Good luck. That one isn’t true to the book. Half of it is way off the mark and the parts that are close aren’t even worth it.”

Penny steps into the doorway. “I’ll be okay. You know me. I can always talk myself out of a situation.”

I pat her on the shoulder. “That you can. See you later, crazy.”

We wave goodbye and I head to the teacher’s lounge for my fourth-period class. Since I didn’t want to take two study halls, I volunteered to be a teacher’s assistant instead. Mrs. Davis refused my volunteer work because she said it wouldn’t show up on my transcript. So for two hours each day I’m her assistant, doing all the stuff that she hates doing. Not that I mind grading papers or creating tests. It’s actually quite fun. I love the fact that I get to be away from the prying eyes of the student body and the gossip that always fills the halls, even if it’s only for a few hours.

Gossip, like poor Mr. Ward. I highly doubt he would have slept with a student. Because let’s face it, Penny’s description of him was dead on. He was a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a mild beer gut. Not exactly someone that I would lay my academic career on the line for. That sort of stigma stays with you forever.

I pull out the chair to my desk and open the grade book, entering in the numbers from the last few assignments over all her classes. Each pile is separated out by period and alphabetized so I can find everything quickly. Yes, I’m kind of a stickler for that, the need to have everything in a place so it can be found. There’s a reason why the place exists. Neat and tidy and in order is how I prefer things. Otherwise, it’s chaos. And chaos and I do not get along well.

After a half hour, I stretch my neck, getting a small kink in it after hunching over the book without moving. There’s murmuring down the hall from a couple teachers who usually take their lunch break at this time.

“Did you hear about Adam? So sad but really it was kind of stupid on his part,” someone says.

“I heard he was sleeping with a student.”

“No, that’s a lie. He wasn’t sleeping with a student. He was sleeping with Garrett’s wife.”

I silently gasp as I eavesdrop on the conversation. Holy shit, Mr. Ward was sleeping with the principal’s wife? No wonder he was fired.

“No! With Melissa?”

“Yep. They ran off together when Garrett confronted them. I guess he saw them having dinner and waited until they were done. Followed them to Adam’s house and that’s where it all went down.”

“Wow. Just when you think you know a guy.”

“I know. Too bad.”

I tune the harpies out, going back to my work until I hear the bell for the end of the fifth period. Gathering up the assignment book, I start walking back toward Mrs. Davis’s desk when I run into something. I sprawl on the floor, my ass pounding in discomfort as the papers and book skitter away from me.

“Damn,” I mutter to myself.

That’s when I start to look up and see it wasn’t a something I ran into but a some
one
. A really tall someone. A really
handsome
someone with green eyes and a head full of disheveled brown hair. My throat tightens and my heart beats just a smidge faster as I look up from my squatted position.

“Are you okay? I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there,” he says as he reaches down to grab my hand.

I place my shaking hand in his and am amazed how tightly he grips me. Not painful but strong, sure, almost as if he was meant to always hold my hand. The fit of our hands is perfect with just the right amount of symmetry.

“Yeah I’m fine,” I grunt as he pulls me off the floor. I brush the dust off my jeans and sweater.

“It’s my fault. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going and then I got turned around back here. It’s kind of a maze.”

“I hear you there. It took me a while to figure it out my first time back here. Are you new?”

He gives me a smile that has my heart skipping a beat.
Whoa. That’s a strange reaction
.

“I will be. I start on Monday, so I was just kind of wandering around trying to find stuff. I guess I got lost.”

I laugh, and his smile widens. “I guess you did. Well, what are you looking for? Maybe I can help point you in the right direction.”

He pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket and studies it for a second. While he’s looking over the paper, I take the moment to examine him further. He’s tall but not overly tall, and lean but not skinny. The long-sleeved shirt he’s wearing shows off enough to let me know he takes care of himself. Not buff but definitely muscular, judging from the way his body narrows at the waist. And he looks good in jeans. Really good. Damn good. Like the boy-next-door good.

I shake my head, shameful of where my thoughts were going. I have no idea who this guy is or how he ended up back in the teacher’s lounge. But if he’s a new student starting Monday I need to find out what classes he has. Maybe this school year can be salvaged after all.

“I’m looking for Mr. Herman’s office. Someone told me it was back this way.”

I shake my head. “No, not back here. He’s in the main office, next to Mr. Leonard’s office. Mr. Herman is the vice principal.”

He rolls his eyes and it makes me smile. It’s nice to know I’m not the only person who does that anymore.

“Of course. I should have known that.” He looks around for an exit and returns my gaze with wide eyes. “So how do I get out of here?”

“This way,” I say trying to suppress my giggle. I place the grade book and papers on Mrs. Davis’s desk and show the good-looking stranger the way out of the lounge.

“Why do they make this so confusing?” he asks.

“It’s difficult to say. My guess is so students don’t go wandering back here without permission. Unless you’re back there all the time, you never know whose office is whose or the way to get out without losing your mind.”

“I’ve seen labyrinths that were easier to navigate than this.”

I laugh and he smiles again at me. “Supposedly when the school got remodeled they forgot to add the teacher’s offices. So it was a last minute thing, throwing together walls behind this study room, hiding it from the students prying eyes.”

“So the teachers have an office and a classroom?”

I nod. “Yep. It’s better that way really. This way the students can’t break into the desks in the classrooms and change their grades and stuff like that.”

“Good idea.”

He’s wearing some sort of cologne and it smells like heaven. And it’s not overpowering like some of the other guys around the school. Walking near them is like walking by the Abercrombie store, just makes your head instantly hurt. But his is subtle, blending perfectly into him and whatever pheromones he’s giving off, making him that much more appealing.

“So this is the main office. They’ll be able to help you out with anything else.”

I look down at my boots and scuff them against the floor. For some reason, I don’t want to leave. I’m not sure why, though. Maybe because I don’t know his name yet.

“Thanks for your help, um. I’m sorry, I guess I never got your name.”

I laugh and hold my hand out to him. “Britta.”

“James.”

He takes my hand again and another round of tingles travels between our fingers. The sudden jolt of electricity surprises me, and I pull my hand back abruptly. James looks down at me with a slight concern on his face, but I force a smile, trying to play off my strange reaction.

The bell rings again and I start backing away. “I better get going to class. Guess I’ll see you around.”

He nods and flashes one last smile in my direction as I back away. “Guess I will. Nice meeting you.”

I quickly turn and half-run down the hall toward my locker to retrieve my books for next period, which I’m already late for. But my sixth-period class I’m supposed to have Mr. Ward and obviously he won’t be there today so I think I may have a reprieve from punishment.

As Mrs. Malloy warbles on and on about something that she’s reading directly out of the textbook, I can’t help but daydream about James. It’s been a while since someone has started my heart beating like this again. Okay, so I’ve never really had that rush of emotions toward a guy, making me all stupid and lovesick. Yeah, I’ve had a few boyfriends and some of them quasi-serious, one lasting a whole six months. But nothing permanent.

Boys are a distraction I don’t need. My only focus this year is passing all my courses and graduating at the top of my class.

“Hey, Britt?” Chase leans over and whispers to me.

“What?”

“You going to the party tonight?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool. Want to hang out while we’re there?”

I look around trying to find Penny, who is all the way on the other side of the room making goo-goo eyes at Travis Fishman. Gross.

“Why not,” I reply, putting as much enthusiasm into it as I can.

“Awesome. You look nice today, by the way,” he says, still leaning over.

“Chase?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m trying to figure out what she’s saying. I’ll talk to you tonight.”

He nods and leans back into his chair, leaving me alone again. Thank God. Now I just need to decipher what Mrs. Malloy is talking about because somehow I have a feeling it has nothing to do with the topography of Europe.

A
S I WRAP THE FINAL
lock of hair around my curling iron, I sigh as I look at my reflection. After watching numerous YouTube videos about how to do the smoky eye and pouty lip, I think I’ve captured it. My shirt is dressy but casual with the infinity scarf wrapped around me and my skinny jeans are actually behaving themselves for once.

“Damn girl you look hot!” Penny exclaims from the hall behind me.

“Shut up.”

“No seriously dude. Smoking hot.”

I look over at her as I unplug the iron and lightly spray on my favorite perfume. She’s dressed to kill with her destroyed skinny jeans, off the shoulder shirt showing her electric-green bra strap, and messy side ponytail at the nape of her neck. She can pull off stylish better than anyone I know.

“Speak for yourself. Looking good as always. Whose heart are you breaking tonight?”

Penny smirks and leans against the doorjamb. “I was thinking about Travis, but I’m willing to keep my options open.”

I head to my room, with Penny following closely behind. “Yeah I saw you making eyes at him in class today. But really, Travis Fishman?”

She shrugs and sits on my bed while I dig out my boots from the closet. “What? He’s hot, he’s the captain of the football team, and I’m pretty sure he wants me.”

I roll my eyes. “Exactly the kind of qualities you should look for in a solid relationship.”

“Bitch.”

“Love you.” I blow an air kiss and she sticks out her tongue.

Liam walks into my room. Of course, his Penny radar is perfect as always.

“Sexy lady…and Britt.”

“Munch,” I reply, zipping up my boots.

Liam looks over at Penny like she’s a shiny new toy. She loves getting attention, and even more so when it’s from him.

“Wow Pen, looking hot tonight. You sure you want to go out with her?” he says as he leans against the door.

She raises an eyebrow to him. “Why? You have a better idea?”

He clicks his tongue and nods. “Oh yeah. A way better idea. One that will take you on a ride you’ll never forget.”

“And now we need to leave,” I announce, putting the seduction scene to a halt.

Liam shakes his head and laughs. “God you are such a pill, Britt. I’m just having some fun.”

I look over to Penny and don’t miss the wince that crosses her face.

“Well, we’re off to have some fun of our own. Don’t wait up,” I sing as we pass him.

He shakes his head and follows us out.

“Britta, remember! Home by one o’clock, please,” my mom says from the couch.