13. River
RIVER
“Alright guys, good practice!” I call out to my guys after blowing my whistle to signal the end of practice, and I roll my eyes when practically everyone turns to the opposite end of the field, where the cheerleaders are making their way onto the field to start their tryouts.
After last year, when I learned it was practically a disaster to have the football team and cheerleading squad practicing at the same time within eyesight, I coordinated with the cheer coach to set different practice times for our teams this year because neither team needed the distraction.
I don’t know how many times I had to clock my players for gawking at them instead of practicing.
“The new girl is a cheerleader too? Dear God,” one of the guys says.
“D said she’s single.”
“She looks like Sabrina Carpenter.”
“But hotter.”
“And a cheerleader.” There are more comments than I can even keep up with, but my eyes float toward the group of girls down the field, and I’m grateful for the Wayfarers still sitting in front of my eyes while my eyes focus on Sloane.
Of course, she’s a cheerleader. Because my life can’t be fucking easy at all.
“Alright alright, back off,” Mack says as he pulls his helmet off and grabs his Gatorade from the sidelines.
“Ooooh, are you calling off-limits?” Mike asks.
“I’m not calling anything.” Mack scoffs. “But she’s new, and she’s shy, so don’t all go sniffing around her.”
I wouldn’t call Sloane shy, but okay. “Oh, he’s iiiinto her,” someone sings as they start making their way off the field, and I try not to let it bother me.
What Sloane did was her business. Not mine.
I know I’ve been hard on her, but it was the only way to keep us from crossing any lines or letting them get blurry. The tougher I was, the more she’d hate me, and we could keep up the ruse that we had never met before yesterday.
And by the end of class tomorrow, I was sure she would fully hate me.
The bell rings, dismissing my third period, and I watch as the students file out of the room, except for Sloane.
I’ve noticed that Mack typically walks out with her, and I'm trying to ignore the pang of annoyance that follows that realization. But today, I notice her motioning toward the door, presumably to tell him to go on without her. I know Rowan said I shouldn’t be alone with her, and after today, I have no intention of being, but I need to clear the air.
When the last student leaves the room, I watch as Sloane slowly gets up and makes her way toward my desk.
Her eyes dart to the door, and I’m grateful that it’s closed in case things get heated.
“What the fuck is this?” she asks while holding up the diagnostic quiz I’d given them to assess their knowledge level.
“All of these answers are correct. I know you were probably just handed this job with zero qualifications because you’re a good football coach or whatever, but it would be great if you actually knew what you were talking about and were at all qualified to teach an honors biology class before you went around handing out D’s,” she snaps.
I raise an eyebrow at her, and I’ll admit she may have struck a nerve.
“You are asking for detention, Sloane.”
She lets out a laugh. “For what exactly?” She puts her hands on her hips, and I very briefly let myself think about how hot she looks when she’s mad.
I’ve only seen her light and fun and fiery in a different way, but this attitude is turning me on too.
Ignore that. “No, go on, tell me, what are you going to say is my reason for detention?”
“Let’s start with your attitude.” And the fact that it might have the power to make me hard if I focus too much on it.
Fury flashes across her blue eyes before she narrows them.
“And how are you going to prove that exactly? And more importantly, who is going to believe that? All the teachers who find me delightful? Or maybe the kids in your class who never hear me speak? Or maybe the guys on your team that can't figure out why you’re such a dick all of a sudden when you’re evidently the ‘cool teacher.’” She shakes her head before putting a hand on her forehead and taking a deep breath.
“Look, I am sorry that we are in this position. I am really, really fucking sorry. I’m sorry I lied, but being an asshole to me isn’t going to help.
And incorrectly failing me isn’t helping either. ”
“First of all, you lied about something big. And you’re correct, you got a perfect score, but I wanted to talk to you, and I knew you would have questions about your quiz when you saw the grade.”
“Okay, so one, that’s mature. And two?” she says, her voice full of annoyance, “come down off your high horse, PLEASE. I’d bet money you’ve probably fucked a nineteen-year-old before.
If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t have been boo-hooing when I met you about wanting to change and not wanting to date women who were so young, and you were ready to stop messing around and stop thinking with your dick and blah blah blah,” she snaps, and her words shock me.
Is that what she thinks of me?
She continues, “I’m sorry I lied about being in high school and that we are in this situation because of those lies, but I am more than happy to play the part that we’ve never met before.
You are the one fucking it up! I haven’t told my cousin, and I am keeping my head down in your class.
I’m sorry I couldn’t transfer out. My counselor said that if I wanted to graduate on time, I had to stay in your class, as there wasn’t another option, and I needed the credit to graduate.
Believe me, I don’t want to be at this school or in your presence a second longer than I have to, so yes, I’d like to graduate on time in May.
Now, why did you want to talk to me in the first place?
I was more than happy pretending that you did not exist.”
I fold my arms across my chest and give her a confused look. “By joining the cheer squad?”
She scoffs. “What difference does that make?”
“We really shouldn’t spend any more time around each other than what’s necessary.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Are you insane? You can’t tell me I can’t be a cheerleader. Just treat me like the rest of the girls on the squad.”
“Well, you’re not just like the rest of the girls on the squad, now, are you?
” I snap. Even though she was my student, I didn’t see her that way.
I saw her as the woman I met at the airport who offered me weed gummies, and I fingered in her car and then spent the last week fucking all over my house.
How could she think I could look at her the same way I looked at anyone else?
Memories of all the things we’ve done come rushing back after I’d compartmentalized my brain so I wouldn’t think about it.
Touching her. Tasting her. Fucking her.
Her scent.
The way she looks when she comes.
Watching her come on my phone screen.
The way her pussy–
STOP.
“I don’t know. Half the girls at this school thirst after you.
” She rolls her eyes. “Can’t imagine why, you’re kind of the worst,” she says with a saccharine smile.
“But I don’t know what you’ve done before me.
I’m new to this school.” She blinks at me, and fury spikes in my veins and effectively halts all my previous thoughts about her.
“How dare you?” I stand, anger coursing through me.
“You ripped me of a decision I had no idea I was making. Don’t throw that shit in my face when this situation we are in is of your making.
I never would have touched you if I'd known you were going to be a high school senior. I don’t give a shit that you’re nineteen.
You’re a student, and that’s a line I never would have crossed if I were given the choice. ”
She twists her mouth, and I think she actually looks contrite over that vile comment. “Fine, I’m sorry for what I said. I don’t… actually think that. And I’m sorry for all of this. I don’t know how many times I can say it.”
I lower myself back to my seat and let out a sigh. “Good. And look, I'm sorry that I’ve been cold and… tough on you. I just felt like it was easier to do that, so if anything ever did come out, it wouldn’t look as if we’d been sneaking around when you were my student.”
“I get that, but it’s also a giant red flag that you’re the only person who seems to have this problem with the new girl in school.
You’re being more obvious by acting this way, and it’s not a good look.
” She glances at the door before looking back at me.
“You have more to lose than me, River, and I don’t want you to get into trouble.
But you’re walking around looking guilty as hell by treating me differently than everyone else. ”
I scratch my beard, hearing her words loud and clear. “You’re right,” I tell her. Her eyebrows pinch slightly, and I can tell she wasn’t expecting me to say that. “And you’re right that I have no right to tell you that you can’t be a cheerleader.”
“If you’re thinking I joined just to be closer to you, you couldn’t be further from the truth. My cousin is on the team, and she wanted me to join. I’ve been doing gymnastics since I was a kid.” She shrugs. “This was always the plan.”
If I was being honest, I never thought she was joining as a way to get closer to me. There was no reason for her to lie about that either. “I believe you.”
“Well… good. Can we just… call a truce or whatever? Otherwise, this is going to be a really long nine months.”
“Yeah,” I tell her. “Truce.” I nod.
“Great. Can you start by writing me a pass? I’m going to be late for fourth period, and everyone is such a stickler about tardiness.”
Rowan:
First week down, everything okay? I didn’t get any 911 texts, so I assume nothing is on fire?