Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CALLAN
“Where the hell are they?” I mumbled to myself on my break period before lunch. I walked up and down the grocery aisles of Stop and Shop, the closest grocery store to Redwood Academy, to pick up lunch.
“Can I help you find something?” a college-aged brunette asked, twirling her finger around a strand of her hair.
I suppressed an eye roll and gazed down the aisle. “Pickle-flavored chips?”
“Follow me!”
“Can you just tell me where they are?” I asked, wanting to get back to class before Sakura made it there.
If Principal Vaughn caught her standing out in the hallway during lunch, he’d be talking shit to me about her.
And after this morning’s class, I didn’t want anyone talking to or about Sakura.
She was mine.
“Right this way.” When she turned around, I ran a hand over my face and followed her down the aisle. She stopped in front of a selection of chips and grabbed a green bag. “Pickle-flavored chips, just for you.”
“Thanks,” I said, twirling on my heel.
She grabbed my wrist. “I didn’t catch—”
“Get your damn hands off me,” I growled, not looking back once while heading toward the prepared food. I grabbed two containers, in case Sakura didn’t have anything, and walked to the checkout line.
After scanning my items, I hopped into my car and headed back to the school. Once I parked, I grabbed my paper bag, filled with food, and started for the side entrance. I did not want to run into Principal Vaughn on my way over because he’d ask too many fucking questions.
What’d you buy? Why’d you leave the school grounds? You’re going to eat two meals?
Grumbling to myself, I slipped into the building and walked through the empty halls to the staircase to head up to my classroom. Whistling echoed through the corridor, and one of the gym teachers nodded at me.
I pushed through the doors to the staircase and took two stairs at a time. When I reached the top, I sighed through my nose and headed to the classroom. I wanted to be out of these halls before the bell rang and the students flooded into the hallways.
Once I made it to my classroom, I shifted the paper bag into my left hand and opened the door. Inside my damn classroom was Blaise Harleen—the fucking punk—and Vera Rodriguez, who sat on my desk, both their cheeks flushed.
I arched a brow at Blaise. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Vera scooted behind Blaise and stared at me in fear, as if I’d send her to the principal. And while I didn’t like Blaise, I didn’t want to get into it with his father and then Jett. I didn’t want him making another unannounced trip to my house in the middle of the night.
“Just leaving,” Blaise said, nudging Vera toward the door.
Vera shuffled out of the room and nearly sprinted down the hallway toward the library, but I caught Blaise by the shoulder and yanked him back.
“We need to have a fucking talk,” I said between gritted teeth.
“What do you want?” he asked, tossing his backpack over his shoulder and grabbing his skateboard off the ground. He jerked himself away from me and headed toward the door again. “I don’t have time. I gotta get to class.”
I grabbed his shoulder again and shoved him back. “Tell me you didn’t fuck that girl in my class.”
Blaise stopped walking and rolled his eyes. “Come on, Avery. It’s not like you haven’t fucked anyone in here before. I know Aunt Georgie isn’t sucking your dick. She’s out with her girlfriends every night, isn’t she?”
Blaise was trying to get underneath my skin, and it was working.
I clenched my jaw and shoved him away. “You could’ve used any other fucking classroom, Blaise. Don’t use mine next time, or I’ll write you up and get you suspended.”
His eyes widened, and then he smirked.
“No shit. You have fucked someone in here, haven’t you?” he asked.
God, I hate this kid more and more by the fucking day. All the Harleens kill me.
He ambled around the room and shook his head, chuckling. “But who could it be? Definitely not any of the cheerleaders. I mean, not that you couldn’t score them, but they’re not really your type, just like Georgina isn’t.”
I gritted my teeth and placed my grocery bag down. “Get out of my fucking classroom.”
“But I thought you wanted to talk,” he taunted. “It’s not Nicole or Jasmine or Aiza. Couldn’t be Juana. She’s probably your type but way too loud. And her voice …” He scrunched his nose. “Too fucking annoying.”
“Out. Now.”
Suddenly, someone knocked on my door. I tensed and glanced over, my jaw clenched. A moment later, Sakura peered into the classroom with her hair still in those braided pigtails and a huge grin on her face.
“Calla—” she started, but then spotted Blaise in the back of the classroom. Her cheeks flushed red, and she quickly looked away and stood up straight. “I-I mean, Mr. Avery, you said that you wanted me to meet with you during lunch about an assignment.”
After Blaise eyed me, he curled his lips into a smirk and sauntered to the door. “Would’ve never guessed, Avery. Is that why you were at the skatepark last night? Needed to take care of”—he glanced at Sakura, who quickly averted her gaze—“someone?”
Fucking Blaise.
I didn’t want him to scare her away, and I definitely didn’t need rumors about Sakura and me. Especially not when Jett and Georgina were still alive and thriving, apparently.
I drew my tongue across my teeth. “Sakura, give us a minute.”
Sakura quickly scurried out of the classroom, keeping her head down the entire time.
When the door closed, I grabbed Blaise by the collar and shoved him against the wall. “If you speak a fucking word about this to anyone, I will fucking kill you. You understand?”
Blaise tilted his head—the same way his father and grandfather did when they were about to make a god-awful offer to me. “If you don’t mention anything about Vera to Redwood, then your secret is safe with me.”
Not as bad as I thought.
Growling, I pushed him toward the door and straightened out my suit. “Get the fuck out of my classroom and send Sakura in.”
I had a lunch date with her that I didn’t want to miss. And I didn’t want her scurrying off to the cafeteria either.
Once Blaise found his way out of my class, he peered over at Sakura and smirked. “Have fun.”