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"Oh ht I was late," the student says as he spots us in the hallway He comes to a stop in front of the classroo the door behind hi for Javier to enter "Javi, I'll be there in a few minutes Let the class know they have five minutes to review before the exam"

Will closes the door behind hiain alone in the hallway

The air is all but gone fro in my chest as this new realization sinks in This can't be happening This can't be possible How is this possible?

"Will," I whisper, not able to get a full breath out "Please don't tell me-"

His face is red and he has a disdained look in his eyes as he bites his lower lip He leans his head back and looks up at the ceiling, rubbing his palth of the hallway between the lockers and the classroolie as it sways back and forth froainst the lockers, repeatedly tapping his forehead against the metal

"How did I not see this?" he says as he drops his hands and turns toward h school?"

4

"I aot me

And every day is worse

Than the one before"

-The Avett Brothers, Ill With Want

Chapter Four

Will turns and leans with his back against the lockers His legs are crossed at the feet and his arms are folded across his chest as he stares at the floor The events unfolding have caught o to the wall opposite hiainst it for support

"Me?" I reply "How did the fact that you’re a teacher not come up? How are you a teacher? You’re only twenty-one"

"Layken, listen," he says as he ignores my questions

He didn’t call ebetween the two of us" He doesn't make eye contact with me as he speaks "We need to talk about this, but now is definitely not the right tiree," I say I want to say more, but I can’t I’m afraid I’ll cry

The door to Will’s classrooes I selfishly pray that she, too, is lost This cannot beto look for you," she smiles "I saved you a seat" She looks at Will, then back at me and realizes she's interrupted a conversation "Oh, sorry Mr Cooper I didn’t know you were out here"

"It’s fine Eddie I was just going over Layken’s schedule with her" He says this as he walks toward the classroom and holds the door for both of us

I reluctantly follow Eddie through the door, around Will, and to the only empty seat in the room; directly in front of the teachers’ desk I don’t kno I ah an entire hour in this classroo when I try to focus, so I close my eyes I need water

"Who’s the hottie?" asks the boy I no as Javier

"Shut it, Javi!" Will snaps as he walks toward his desk, picking up a stack of papers Several students let out a suess Will isn’t his usual self right now, either

"Chill out, Mr Cooper! I was paying her a compliment She’s hot! Look at her!" Javi says this as he leans back in his chair, watching et out!" Will says as he points to the classroom door

"Mr Cooper! Jeez! What’s with the teet out! You will not disrespect worabbing his books "Fine! I’ll go disrespect them in the hallway!"

After the door shuts behind him, the only sound in the roo on the clock above the blackboard I don’t turn around, but I can feelfor some sort of reaction It’s not so easy to blend in now

"Class, we have a new student, this is Layken Cohen," Will says, atte to break the tension "Review is over Put up your notes"