Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
I was fast asleep when I was woken by my phone ringing. Bleary-eyed, I searched for it with my fingers on the duvet, finally locating it.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?”
“ Arden ?”
I pulled the phone away, checking the time to see it was four AM on a Thursday night.
“Yeah, who else calls you at four AM?” Arden laughed as I groaned.
“Why would you call me at four AM?” I asked grumpily, rubbing my eyes as I felt sleep enticing me back.
“Wanna come over?”
I let out a laugh before I declined.
“Why not? Just come to mine.”
“Because it’s four AM. I have school—”
“Stop being boring, Doe,” he muttered, his words slurring slightly.
I bristled, feeling annoyed he would try that shit with me .
“I’m going back to sleep. Call someone else if I’m boring.” I snapped as I heard him sigh.
“Maybe I will.”
Arden hung up, and I sat staring at my phone with disbelief. So he had been out, and now he wanted a booty call. Tears pricked my eyes as I realised that I had developed feelings for him no matter what I told myself.
A beep came through shortly after, and it was a photo of Arden, in bed, looking incredibly sexy.
I’m sorry. I wouldn’t call anyone but you. So please come and see me.
Despite myself, I grinned stupidly.
You’re hot, but I’m boring and tired. Tomorrow?
Arden didn’t reply, and before long, I fell asleep.
When I woke up the following day, I was pleased to see I was early. I decided to make a bit of an effort, wearing a shirt dress over knee-high boots, teaming it up with my brown leather jacket. I rubbed eyeliner under my eyes before adding a dash of bronzer. For some reason, I was determined to make Arden realise what he had if he turned up to school today.
“Wow, looking good, Doe,” Harley smirked as I walked past him in the hall later that day. “You still seeing that loser?”
“Harley, jealousy doesn’t suit you.” I sighed as I glanced around the hallway.
Harley watched me before rolling his eyes. “Such a fucking waste. We would’ve been good together.”
“Language, Mr Owen,” I heard a familiar voice snap as Harley scowled.
I noticed the hungry gazes around us and knew before I turned around that Mr Silver would be there. I turned to see him as he walked past us, glaring at Harley. His eyes fell to me momentarily before turning away.
“Morning, Sir.” The girls beside us chorused as he nodded back with a polite smile.
Why didn’t he acknowledge me?
If anything, he knew me better than any student here!
“I bet he is balls deep in Miss Penny,” Harley muttered before letting out a childish snigger.
“Grow up, Harley.”
“Why don’t you just fuck off?” Harley demanded before walking away from me.
I stared at him open-mouthed before I turned towards my class.
What was Harley’s problem?!
I was early, but I didn’t want to stand in the hallway looking like a loner.
Sarah was off sick today, and I knew Arden wouldn’t make it judging by his early morning antics. I walked in, surprised to see it was only me in the class. I paused in the doorway as Mr Silver glanced up at me in surprise.
“Can I help you?” He said before shuffling the papers on his desk.
“I’ve got English?”
“No, you have a free period. Revision period, remember?” He arched his eyebrow at me as a smile played on his lips.
“Oh, shit. Yeah. Oops—”
“You can study here if you want. I’m marking essays,” Mr Silver said breezily, sinking into his chair as he nodded at the door behind me. “You’ll need to leave that open, or there will be all sorts of ridiculous rumours flying around.”
There it was again, that soft tone. Playful, yet sensual. He never spoke like that in class .
“Are you sure? I can head to the library—” I began when he shook his head, glancing over his glasses at me.
“I like your company. Sit.”
This sounded more like an invitation I could accept as I dropped my bag to the floor.
His eyes fell to my boots before he quickly glanced away.
I shrugged my jacket off before pulling my hair over one shoulder. I was lost in these simple acts when I felt him watching me. I didn’t look at him—I found myself crossing my legs, tapping my pencil against my lips.
Was I seriously trying to appeal to my teacher?
We sat in silence for a while before I found myself gazing at him when he wasn’t looking.
He was frowning, tipping his head to the side as he read, the only sound the scraping of his pen against the paper as he made notes. His shirt was buttoned up, complete with a tie. I couldn’t help but notice the way his lips pouted naturally as he concentrated, wondering what he would taste like.
Focus, you harlot!
Before I could look away, he glanced up as though he knew I was watching him. A smile played at his lips as he dropped his pen onto the table.
“Are you alright, Jain? You look kind of...flushed?”
I was flushed. I was on fire.
Oh God, I had a crush on my fucking teacher.
“I’m just warm.”
“In that?” Mr Silver smirked, his eyes trailing down my thin dress.
I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe, all the air suddenly held by an invisible fist. I opened my mouth to speak as he sank his teeth into his lip.
“Yeah, it’s thicker than it looks,” I said, and our eyes met as he glanced at the open door. I followed his gaze, expecting to see someone there yet seeing no one.
“It looks just fine to me.”
Was he... flirting with me? Surely not.
“Thank you.”
“So, after school, did you want to ride with me? It seems pointless walking when we are both heading in the same direction.”
I nodded, staring at his forearms as he smirked again, glancing down at the papers in front of him.
“Jain, don’t tell anyone. Not that there’s anything to hide, but you know gossip...”
“Of course, Sir.”
“Call me Evan.”
Oh god.