Page 9 of The Prom

“Thanks for this and, well, everything.”

My face heats as his eyes burn into mine and a soft smile lights his handsome face.

“Any time, Imogen.”

Just hearing my name on his lips causes my heart to curl with pleasure and I don’t even get a chance to process that before he reaches for my hand.

“Come. We have a date with the medical room.”

As we make the journey in silence, a huge dose of disappointment sits heavy in my heart because this encounter is over and it’s very doubtful will ever be repeated, no matter how much I wish it was.

Drake,or Mr. Bellingham, as I should now think of him, leaves me at the medical room and explains what happened to the nurse, who it appears can’t stop staring at him either. I hate my reaction to that as she openly flirts with him, despite the fact she’s in her forties and happily married, judging by the wedding band on her left finger.

He is cool and professional and nothing like the man I met in the forest and as he leaves, he smiles in my direction. “I hope you recover soon, Imogen. Take care when running in future and make sure you always have your phone to call someone.”

“I will and–” I swallow my disappointment and smile brightly. “Thank you for helping me, sir.”

He nods, but I don’t miss the resignation in his eyes before he turns and leaves, effectively relegating our association back to teacher and student.

The nurse turns to me and smiles. “Thank goodness Mr. Bellingham was on hand to help. It’s doubtful you would have made it back alone.”

“Yes, I’m very grateful to him.”

As she busies herself strapping my ankle, I replay the events a thousand times in my mind and hate how desolate I am knowing that my time will be spent with Jesse and not the handsome history teacher who sets my soul on fire with just one smile from his heavenly lips.

Cassie peerat me with concern. “Fuck, Imogen, are you okay?”

She came flying over to Willow Tree House as soon as she took my call. The nurse gave me crutches to use and instructed me to rest my ankle for twenty-four hours, which would have been cool had it been through lessons but it’s the weekend and all it means is I’ll spend it in my room instead of partying with the others.

“What happened?”

She peers at my ankle and I shrug off her concern. “I tripped and fell. It was lucky that Mr. Bellingham was also out jogging and he helped me to the medical room.”

I make light of the situation and she smirks. “Lucky you. What’s he like?”

My heart races when I think of him, and as she studies me carefully, I attempt to conceal my obvious interest in our teacher. “He was kind. He didn’t say much and just helped me to the medical room.”

I conveniently gloss over the way he stripped and used his shirt as a bandage. I don’t mention the way he held me so tenderly in his arms as he carried me to safety and I ignore the way my heart raced when he stared into my eyes and lit the end of a fuse that really should be left dormant.

She appears disappointed with my story and sighs. “I’ll wait with you tonight. It’s not fair if you sit here alone while the rest of us have fun.”

“Don’t you dare.” I fix her with a firm glare. “I’ll be fine. I have some work to catch up on and there’s a movie I’ve been meaning to watch. To be honest, I’m kind of looking forward to it.”

“It doesn’t sit well with me.”

Cassie’s brow is furrowed in indecision, and I shrug. “It’s fine.”

“And Jesse?”

Her concerned question causes my heart to plummet as I revisit my current situation.

“What about him?”

“You tell me, Imogen.”

Cassie’s eyes flash. “Something isn’t sitting right with me about your relationship.”

“Relationship?” I raise my eyes. “We don’t have one—not yet, anyway.”

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