Page 12 of My Turn Petal
“You missed the entire plot of the book!” She states.
I cross my arms on my chest, “Oh, really?”
“Mr. Roberts, I gave you an assignment and you failed.” She tsks, giving me her sly smile.
I can’t hold the edge of my mouth from turning up while I reply, “Is that so?”
“I don’t know.” She crosses her hands, mirroring me. “You only answer with questions.”
“How about I answer you with music?”
Our eyes lock, and fire crosses between us as our chests rise and fall fast.
As my fingers get lost along the strings, my mind quiets as well.
Frankie
Whenallelsefails,I go for a ride.
When I’m on my bike I can run from my problems.
For a little while.
I accelerate, and the wind blows on my heated body. Even in mid-December my temperature rises and gets to dangerous degrees.
Quite the day I had, good thing work was easy today since I only booked small tattoos.
Through the visor, my eyes scan the road, no traffic, no cops around or undercover I can pinpoint.
I take a turn, play with the gear shift as I taunt the speed limit, and pass cars rapidly. The street lamps cast a blurred luminescence that smears as I pass it.
What was he thinking? Concerning himself with my own business.
For the past three years I have known him, he never once hit on me or made it clear he was interested.
Neither did I.
Although I am interested, I’ve always been interested in getting to know him.
There was something about him, a layer he doesn’t reveal to anyone and it appealed to me. He is quite an interesting individual and that drew me to him countlessly. The whole teacher persona doesn’t fool me into thinking he’s a boring math teacher, that’s a shallow assumption.
I like to think he may have a dirty secret and that teacher thing is just a cover-up. I know I read too much, but I tend to come up with stories when I see random people I don’t know. But I do know him and I don’t think he has a secret identity.
Every time I peel a layer, I get a whole new world—Theo’s numerous dimensions.
Even though it seemed obvious why he wanted me to tattoo him often, the reason behind it was charming. He chose to get another piece of my designs and spend some time with me in the same room for hours.
And those flowers he always brings me… it makes me feel special.
The doorbell rings.
I hop off of the couch and look through the peephole.
Theo.
I smile to myself immediately. There is something about him that always makes me smile. Even in the worst mood, he lifts that stupid smile on my face.
He holds his hand behind his back, hiding something from my line of sight, and his attentive expression captures all his features.
