Page 10 (2/2)

When I round the corner to Hall D, the day soets one hundred percent better as soon as I lay eyes on her

"Lake?"

She’s got her hands in her hair, pulling it up into a knot again She spins around and her eyes widen when she sees me She pulls a sheet of paper from between her lips and smiles, then immediately wraps her ar here?"

I return her hug, but the sheet of paper that just flashed in front oflike an i a schedule

I suddenly can’t breathe

She’s holding a class schedule

This can’t be good

Mrs Alex said so a new student

Oh, shit

Holy shit

I iers around her wrists and pull her arms away fro Please

"Lake," I say, shakingtohere?"

She lets out a frustrated sigh and thrusts the schedule intoto find this stupid elective but I’m lost," she whines "Help me!"

Oh, shit What the hell have I done?

I take a step back against the wall, atteive myself space to think Space to breathe

"Lake, no" I say I hand her back the schedule without even looking at it There’s no need to look at it I know exactly where her "stupid elective" is I can’t see at her, so I turn around and clasp my hands behind my head

She’s a student?

I’m her teacher?

Oh, shit

I close my eyes and think back to the past week Who have I told? Who saw us together? Gavin Shit There’s no telling who else ure this out any second What if she thinks I was trying to hide this froht to administration and end ht crosses ins to storoing?" It’s obvious she’s pissed and I hope her intentions aren’t to report et it, Will," she says "I get it I’ll leave you alone before your girlfriend sees us" She pulls her arrasp and turns away from et it" I wait for her to process what’s happening I would just come out and say it, but I can’t I don’t think I could say it out loud if I wanted to

The sound of footsteps closing in on us diverts her attention away from me Javier suddenly rounds the corner and comes to a quick stop when he sees ht I was late," he says

If Lake hasn’t figured it all out by now, she’s about to

"You are late, Javier," I reply I open the door to my classroom and wave him inside "Javi, I’ll be there in a few minutes Let the class know they have five minutes to review before the exam" I slowly close the door behind me and look down at the floor I can’t look at her I don’t think my heart can take what she’s about to feel There’s a brief asps I raise my eyes to hers and the disappointets it now

"Will," she whispers painfully "Please don’t tell me"

Her voice is weak and she tilts her head slightly to the side, slowly shaking her head back and forth She isn’t angry She’s hurt I’d alht now than feel the way she’s feeling I look up at the ceiling and rub my hands over my face in an attempt not to punch the damn wall How could I be so stupid? Why wasn’t ht to share with her? Why did I not see this as a possibility? I continue to pace, hoping beyond all hope that I’ it When I reach the lockers in front ofmyself I’ve really screwed it up this time For both of us I drop my hands and reluctantly roll around to face her