Dangerous (Bad Boys of Voyageur Bay #3)

Chapter 18

18

Katy/Katherine

I slipped back into Mr. Taylor’s class. He nodded at me, giving me a welcoming smile, but continued to explain the equation on the board. A couple of my classmates turned to see what had caught Mr. Taylor’s eye, but the rest ignored the slight interruption, too focused on the work.

“You can copy my notes,” Ethan whispered as I sat.

“Thanks.” I smiled, relieved he wasn’t acting strange. But then, since the beginning, he’d taken everything in stride. Even that first day when I’d had to change our plans at last minute. He’d jumped in, driven me to the hospital, and then to Winnipeg to purchase the items we’d needed to care for Liam. And even when people had made comments about us being young parents, he’d acted like Peter had, not caring in the least.

With Liam continuing to sleep, occasionally sucking on the damp cloth I’d rested by his mouth, I picked up my pencil and began to copy the equation from the board into my notes. Thankfully this class was reviewing what we’d learnt the year before, so it wasn’t difficult to figure out what we were doing. But even though Mr. Taylor kept teaching right to the bell, it didn’t stop my classmates, in increasing numbers, from turning and staring at me. Shock and glee covered many of their faces. And as much as I disliked our cell phone policy of not being allowed to have them during class, for once, I was grateful. If they’d been allowed them, pictures of me with Liam would have already spread.

Just before the bell rang, Mr. Taylor finished his lecture and handed out the homework assignment. “Katy, if you can please stay behind for a second once class ends.”

Around me, my classmates packed up their bags and began to filter out as soon the bell rang. Liam stirred my arms, but I rocked him a little, allowing him to fall back into a deeper sleep.

Before I could stand, Mr. Taylor was there, hand out, helping me up. “Glad you could make it back. Everything okay with the little guy?”

“They think he’s teething and just wants to be held, but by people he knows.”

He nodded. “That’s understandable. What class do you have next? I’ll walk you.”

“I have Mr. Evans, but you don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine.”

“Nonsense,” Mr. Taylor protested. “You have the baby, a diaper bag, and your school bag to carry through the crowded halls.”

“It’s okay, Mr. Taylor, I’ll help her.” Ethan picked up my backpack and slung it over his shoulder with his. “I have English with Mr. Evans as well so I can make sure they arrive safely.”

“That’s nice of you, Ethan.” Mr. Taylor gave him one of those cool bro chin nods before returning his attention to me. “Are you sure you’ll be fine? It’s no problem for me to help.”

I knew that Mr. Taylor was a good friend of Peter’s, but this seemed a little over the top. But when his lips tightened as he glanced over my shoulder and out into the hall where I could already hear the increasing number of students gathering, I understood. He thought that if he walked with me, he’d be able to protect me from the initial onslaught of comments about why I was carrying a baby during school hours. That was something a nice teacher did. One who cared for their students. It made me feel special, supported, like I didn’t have to face it all alone. But as much as I wanted to give in, to allow him to help, I knew it would only be delaying the inevitable. And with the way Peter had worried about how people would react if they knew about our kiss or even his feelings for me, having Mr. Taylor walk with me, helping me with Liam, would invite that same sort of scrutiny towards him. And the last thing I wanted to do was to hang a cloud of suspicion over him.

“Thank you for offering, but I’ll be fine with Ethan. He’s already offered up his notes so I can copy what I missed.”

“If you’re sure then?” I nodded. “Well, then, off you go. You don’t want to be late.”

He walked us to the door and then stepped into the hall with us. I could feel every eye turn to watch me, but I ignored it all. I held my head high and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. My breathing started to stutter as panic from everyone staring started to form. Not now. Not now. No panic attacks, please. Not in the hallway. Yet through it all, I could feel the weight of Mr. Taylor’s gaze on me, grounding me, helping me to smoother the impending panic back.

But one thing his gaze couldn’t do was to plug my ears. With each step, the whispers grew louder, bolder. I could feel the heat creep up my face as different statements breeched my mental defences.

“Wonder if that’s why Mason fled. He didn’t want to be a teen dad.”

“Can you imagine being saddle to her for life? I mean I wouldn’t turn down a fuck, but one would be enough.”

“Maybe the new guy is the baby daddy? Is that why he moved here? Parents making him take responsibility for his fuck ups.”

I could handle their comments about me—they hurt, but it wasn’t like I hadn’t been the butt of their bullying before considering I was the only child of a murder victim—but when they started to drag Ethan in, the guy who willingly stepped in to help, they’d gone too far. Right now, he was probably my only true friend, knowing more of the truth than anyone else, but developing this type of reputation wouldn’t be good for him. Like Mason and his dreams of playing in the NFL, Ethan wanted to play soccer professionally in Europe. Reputation was everything. And this would hurt his chances.

Maybe he hasn’t heard them. The thought pushed to the forefront of my mind. That would be the best outcome, but I doubted I could be so lucky. A quick glance to my left where he walked beside me, proved my theory. The only luck I possessed was bad. His jaw throbbed and I could see how rigid his muscles were. Craptastic. From his stance, there was no way he didn’t hear what they were saying. Would this be the end of our friendship?

He brushed his arm against mine. “Ignore them. They’re just jealous.”

I nodded, but that was all I could do as the burning in my eyes grew stronger.

Lost in my pit of self-misery, I jerked to a stop when a tall, imposing body loomed over me. “What happened? Why do you have Liam?” Something in my gaze must have revealed my feelings when I looked up at Peter because the next words, he spoke, were louder. “Thank you, Katy for picking up my son from daycare when they called. I’m sorry I couldn’t leave my class when he needed me.”

He ushed us into his nearly empty classroom, removing Liam’s diaper bag from Ethan’s shoulder with a quick thank you.

“What happened?” Peter hoovered behind me, looking over my right shoulder. Without thinking—I’m sure—he reached around me, almost hugging me as he pulled the cloth from the sling away from Liam’s face. My heart thudded as I felt his breath on the side of my neck, reminding of how it felt to be in his arms, to be kissed by him.

I cleared my throat and tried to shuffle a little to the left, opening a little space between us. This was why I’d stayed away. I didn’t trust myself to be in his presence, in their presence. The moment we were together, I could feel an invisible bungy cord, pulling us intrinsically together. It felt like I was living in one of my romance books where the characters were fated to be with each other. As stupid as it sounded, that’s how it felt.

“He wasn’t feeling well and wouldn’t settle for his nap. When they tried to cuddle him, he cried even harder, so they sent for me. Susan thinks it’s early teething issues.”

“Poor little guy.” Peter stroked Liam’s cheek, making him squirm a little. Thankfully I’d been holding him despite the sling as I still wasn’t sure that I trusted he wouldn’t fall. “Do you want me to take him? I think I can teach this class while holding him.”

I glanced around the classroom, taking note of all who was in this ELA 40S Literary Focus English class. None of them were people I’d had issues with since all of them were focused more on their academic achievements than climbing their way to the top of the social standings. In fact, most of them would probably be in the AP English Literature and Composition class Peter was teaching in the second semester. “It’s fine. I can keep him since he’s finally resting comfortably.”

“If, you’re sure?”

“I am.” I walked over to a seat towards the back of the classroom, where I hopefully wouldn’t disturb anyone if Liam began to fuss. Ethan followed me, plopping into the seat next to mine.

“I know he’s your neighbour and everything, but don’t worry about missing any notes. You can copy mine with this class as well.”

Ethan’s act of kindness might have been small to most people, but it made me want to cry. Letting me copy his notes and sitting beside me after what we’d just gone through, knowing that people would continue to say that he was my baby daddy was the biggest hand of friendship anyone had ever offered me. Even Mason chose to become a player, sleeping around with our classmates at the parties, just to prove that he wasn’t under my spell. And even though I never felt that way towards him, never wanted more than friendship, his actions hurt. He acted the same way Peter and Jarrod—and to a small extent Jason—did, but in their cases, I didn’t know that they liked me unlike with Mason. But having so many so-called friends chose to sleep their way through the masses to put space between us had made me wonder if something was wrong with me, if I was the problem.

Instead of answering, I continued my bobblehead impersonation and nodded too worried that I’d embarrass myself by crying if I opened my mouth.

The bell rang, signifying the beginning of class. Peter stood at the front, looking dashing in his dress pants and button up shirt where the top two buttons were undone. And when he lifted his hand to write on the whiteboard, I bit my lower lip. He’d rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, showcasing his muscular forearms. How was I ever going to get through this class? Each time I glanced up at him, I wanted to throw myself at him and beg for forgiveness for walking away.

But within a few minutes of him teaching, none of that mattered. I saw first-hand what I’d always known. Peter was a gifted teacher. I soon found myself lost myself in his voice and the subject matter.