6. Theo
Theo
I’ve put enough puzzle pieces together to have an idea, but I want to hear it from her. And I was telling the truth. Nothing could make me hate this girl. She’s too sweet and needs to be protected at all costs.
Why?
Because you think she’s beautiful?
It’s more than that.
The sadness that lurks in her eyes mirrors mine. I find it fascinating and worth peeling apart to see what’s hiding beneath. I ache for her friendship. It makes me a creep, sure, but I can’t change how I feel.
“I got expelled for sending Mr. Thompson a topless picture when I was underage.” She lifts her chin and snares my gaze with her watery eyes as if to challenge me.
I keep my expression impassive despite the bomb she dropped on me. “Mr. Thompson was your teacher?”
My stomach twists with nerves.
She swipes at a rogue tear and her bottom lip wobbles.
“I didn’t do it, Theo. A friend of mine took a photo I sent her in confidence and showed it to Mr. Thompson from an account with my name.
” She covers her face with both hands and then starts to sob.
“I didn’t do it. I swear. You have to believe me. ”
“Shhh,” I murmur as I pull her to me for a much-needed hug. “I believe you. You’re a good girl.”
She hugs my middle tight. I note how perfect she feels in my arms. Like she belongs in them.
“It was supposed to get quietly swept under the rug. My punishment was public school and living with my mom. But then Lucy told everyone on the first day of school when I didn’t show up.
Now everyone thinks I’m a whore who was having an affair with her teacher.
” She winces and then pulls away from my hug.
“Sorry. I, uh, shouldn’t have hugged you. ”
I step away to grab a box of tissues. Then, I hand them to her. “I hugged you, Addison. You don’t have to take the blame for something you didn’t do.”
She dabs at her eyes and smiles. “Of course, my only friend would be someone I shouldn’t be friends with. At least I’m eighteen now. That makes it a little less dramatic.”
I’m grateful too.
I’m also a little sick in the head that her age never crossed my mind until she brought it up in this conversation. All those fantasies over this past weekend while I jerked off… I’m a fucking monster.
“We can be friends,” I assure her. “What happens in Greenhouse Club stays in Greenhouse Club.”
She giggles. “Is that a Fight Club reference? You’re such a dorky old man.”
“Thirty-seven isn’t that old.”
There it is. Out in the open. She’s eighteen and I’m old as fuck. No more pretending our age gap doesn’t exist. I also can’t ignore the desire to be close to her, hanging on every word that tumbles out of her pouty lips.
“Old enough to be my dad,” she teases.
When I gape at her, horrified, she cackles with laughter. Soon, I’m laughing too. She’s right. Sassy is her middle name. I’m happy to see this side of her. For the past week since I’ve known her, she’s been so sad and withdrawn. A victim.
Like you?
It hurts thinking of myself as a victim in Mary Ellen’s cruelty, but it’s true. And, until starting at Brown High, I’d been withdrawn. Lonely as hell, too.
“I’m sorry your dad didn’t believe you,” I say, bringing a serious note back to our conversation. “That pisses me off if we’re being honest here.”
She shrugs. “Dad means well. He’s a good father.”
I’m not sure if I agree with that statement.
“I know how it feels to be dismissed,” I admit. “My ex-wife treated me like my thoughts and concerns and problems didn’t matter. Eventually, I started to believe that.”
Her eyes water again but tears don’t fall this time. “Thank you. For believing me. My brother Cason was the only one.”
We fall into an easy routine as we prep containers for class tomorrow.
Then, we make a list of all that needs to be done for the events planned for Greenhouse Club.
When we finish up and pack up for the day, I have a hard time saying goodbye.
Like a lost puppy, I follow her all the way back to her car.
After she sets her stuff inside the vehicle and gets the AC blasting, she turns to face me. There’s a smudge of dirt on her face. I reach forward and gently swipe it away, allowing my thumb to stroke softly and slowly over her flesh. Her eyes flutter closed and her lips part.
God, I want to kiss her.
Thank fuck I don’t, though.
She needs a friend. Not another person trying to exploit her.
It’s not exploiting her if you truly have feelings for her and she feels the same way…
I clear my throat and nod my head at her car. “See you tomorrow, Addison.”
“Bye, Theo. Thanks for today. It means more than you know.”
“…like you have an admirer.”
I nearly drop the bar full of weights. Thankfully, Everett guides the bar back to its resting place instead of on my face.
“What?” I ask as I sit up, swiping my towel over my face.
“Just an observation. That girl stares at you a lot.”
I bristle at Everett’s words. “Not sure what you’re talking about.”
He snorts. “Listen. I’m not one to insert myself into another person’s business, but I’m also not blind. That new girl, Monahan, always has her eyes on you whenever you two are in the same vicinity.”
Refusing to meet his gaze for fear of giving my thoughts away, I motion for the bench. “Your turn. I’ll spot you. Where is Adam today anyway?”
“Wife is pregnant. Doctor’s appointment. Just us today.”
The mention of a pregnant wife makes me think of my ex. Mary Ellen is relentless. She keeps calling over and fucking over again. I ignore every call.
“Just be careful,” Everett warns as he easily lifts the weights I was just struggling with. “I’ve heard some things going around about her. Don’t want you getting yourself mixed up in more drama. I know you’re evading it with your ex-wife.”
Though I know his words are true and caring in nature, I can’t help but fixate on the rumor part.
“You know better than to believe these kids around here. They gossip,” I grumble. “Most of them are just dicks.”
He barks out a laugh and then hisses as he pushes through a few more reps.
Once he replaces the bar where it goes, he sits up and shakes his head.
“No argument there. I man the detention room, remember? I know all the dicks at this school.” He rises to his feet and then turns to look at me.
“I also know Addison Monahan didn’t leave her cushy private school to come to Brown High her senior year just for the fun of it.
There may be some truth in those rumors, and if they are, I worry for you. ”
I grit my teeth and make my way over to a bicep curl machine. “I can handle myself.”
“Touchy,” Everett remarks as he comes to stand beside me.
He chugs from his water bottle. “But that shitty attitude tells me I’m onto something.
All I’m saying is to be careful. The last thing you need is your ex getting wind that you’re friendly with a girl who got expelled for sending nudes to her teacher. ”
My blood burns hot and I glower at him. “She didn’t send him nudes. Someone framed her.”
Everett gives me a pitying look and I hate it. “Whatever you say, man.”
“Did Adam tell you all this?”
“He didn’t have to,” Everett states with a shrug. “Shit gets around in this town. Trust me. I’ve been there.”
Doubtful. What does the great, grouchy Coach Long have in common with the likes of me? I’m lusting over a student for fuck’s sake.
“I’m being careful,” I say with a groan. “Happy? Can we drop it now?”
He nods. “Consider it dropped.” His lips curl into an evil, wolfish grin. “Now give me ten more reps. You don’t get jacked like me with the bare minimum.”
Fuck my life.
I’m sore as hell but feeling good physically. Plus, I’m perking up because I’ll get to see Addison again today. It took everything in me not to text her last night.
What am I even doing with her?
I should put the boundaries back up. Tell her we can’t be so friendly.
The imagined look of hurt on her face kills me. People have let her down too much lately. I refuse to be one of them. I can keep my dick in my pants and be the friend she needs.
Surely.
“Teacher fucker.”
Duke, the big ass jock who put his hands on Addison, cracks up laughing. He’s clearly the mouth behind the awful words. I ignore him, searching the crowded morning hallway to look for her.
And then, like an angel parting the sea, people move aside as Addison walks through. Her silky blond hair is perfectly straight today, hanging down in front of her shoulders. She’s wearing some sort of outfit that looks a little complicated to put on. I try to remember what they’re called.
Ahh, a romper.
It’s made of thin, bouncy material that stretches over her breasts and teases her pretty thighs. Several guys watch her like they’d love a chance to fuck her.
Over my dead body.
“…see the picture?”
I tear my gaze from the beauty in front of me to glare at Duke. His friend beside him is looking at Duke’s phone. They both start howling. I storm over to them and see what I fear is on his screen.
It’s her.
Addison.
Dainty fingers barely covering her nipples. The swells of her breasts can be seen around her hands. Her stomach is taught and silky-smooth. She’s wearing a pleated school uniform skirt and wearing a flirty grin.
Fucking perfect.
But no one needs to see this. She didn’t consent to this.
“You,” I roar, snatching the phone out of his meaty grip. “Renner’s office now. You too.”
His friend whines and gripes, but I won’t hear any of it.
Addison, completely oblivious, shoots me a small, shy smile before glancing away.
I want nothing more than to sneak away to the greenhouse to spend a few precious private moments with her before class starts, but now I have to destroy these little shits in the principal’s office.
This is beyond detention.
I hope Adam wipes his ass with these twerps.
Duke grumbles his complaints and something about he can’t get in trouble because of football, but I ignore it all. When we step into the admin office, I stalk right past the receptionist and into Adam’s office. Thankfully, he’s just returned back to school from his morning appointment.
“Possessing and sharing child abuse material,” I say in greeting. “I want them gone.”
Adam’s eyes widen at my furious expression. “What happened?”
When I explain what I saw and who it involved, Adam nodded as if not surprised. At least I know where Everett really got his information.
“Get back to class,” Adam says with a grim look. “I’ll handle these two. Looks like I may need to give Sheriff McMahon a call too considering the nature of the photo.”
“What?” Duke cries out. “Seriously, Principal Renner? You can’t do that. If I get arrested or expelled, I’ll be off the football team.”
Satisfaction burns through me. If only I could pluck up every asshole in this school who’s said a mean thing to Addison and drag them in here for similar punishment.
“I know you’ve been tackled one too many times,” Adam bites out, “but you’re smarter than this, man. This is bad. You’re eighteen and the girl in the photo is not.” He shakes his head and sighs. “Welcome to reality and adulthood and learning a lesson when you screw up.”
Fucking finally.
People need to pay for what they’ve done to that sweet girl.
Starting with dumbass Duke.