5. - – Laura
CHAPTER FIVE
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LAURA
“You’re positive it was him?” Claire asked for the hundredth time on the drive to the local middle school to get her classroom set up for the upcoming school year.
She keeps the same space every school year but likes to update the decor and furnishings as often as she can.
Last year, she let her students vote on her classroom theme, and they picked camping with Miss Claire.
She really is an amazing teacher, and her students look up to her. She loves her job. The halls are empty as we lug all of her things to her classroom. I’m surprised we didn’t run into other teachers or administrators, but it’s fine. I’d rather not make small talk this early in the morning.
Her classroom always feels like the kind of space where everyone is welcome. And they are. Claire has a heart of gold, and I’m the one standing in to remind her that NO is a complete sentence.
“It was him, but older and, fuck, is it weird if he’s sexier?”
“Oh, so silver fox vibes?” Claire asked.
I’m holding the stepladder for her as she balances on one foot… barely, it’s more like on her tippy toes to reach a corner that apparently needs dusting.
“I can’t believe you stalked him around town, then ran home when he caught you.”
“I don’t think he recognized me, C. He just noticed I was watching him like some weird stalker.”
“But you did stalk him all over downtown until you got caught.” Claire sums it up well.
“Guess what I heard while I was at Giana’s?” I ask, hoping she doesn’t notice my attempt at changing the subject.
“Is it juicier than you stalking the one-night stand?”
She definitely noticed.
“Actually, it kinda is.”
I gave her the details I overheard from the group of guys at the pizza place. Claire looked appalled and a little curious.
It’s well past dinnertime, and the snacks we packed are gone. They didn’t make it past noon.
“You know what sounds good?” I asked Claire.
“Please tell me you are thinking of Spanish dogs?” She responds, practically drooling over the fried pork goodness.
“Yes.”
We quickly wrap things up and load the rest back into her SUV so we can hurry over to B&K for the best hot dogs and house-made root beer. I can already taste the ice-cold, perfectly fizzy, and refreshing root beer.
“Claire, look but don’t look,” I ordered as we sat at a red light in downtown.
“Which direction am I not looking in, Laura?”
“By the ax-throwing place,” I whispered.
“Why are you whispering?” Claire asked, but as soon as she saw him, she shut up. Instead, mouthing oh my god in my direction.
“You recognized his ass?” Claire snorted.
B&K isn’t too busy this late. Claire parks in an open spot, and we wait for a server to come out.
A teenager on roller skates emerges from the restaurant, order pad in hand.
She’s probably racking up her last bit of summer job money before school starts.
I taught a few summer courses online and three weeks of a 3-day-a-week summer school to help me get through the summer.
Claire budgets through summer break and makes quite a bit more than I do, so she doesn’t need another income.
However, I might have convinced her to set up an online shop for her super cute sewing projects.
“Four Spanish dogs with slaw and two large root beers,” Claire orders for both of us, and the server skates off to get it to the cook.
“So, what are we going to do about Drake? Oh, and the sex club.”