Page 19 of Sparks of Insanity
She pouted at me, while I leaned over and switched her laptop on, determined to get her back on track.
“Ethan, please,” she whispered, as I moved back to my seat.
“Please remember to call me Mr E, or Mr Erickson, Em. We mustn’t blur any lines here.”
“Alright Teach, just stopping by to see how things are going.” I turned to see Gray standing in the doorway, his eyes very firmly on me and me alone. Fucking hell. I left the door open for a reason, but it still unnerved me to see him taking advantage ofthat fact. He wasn’t necessarily bigger than me, but there was an aura of something about him. Something dangerous.
“Hi Gray, uh we’re just getting started now. Did you need to see where we’re at?” I reached into my bag for my files, and set them on my desk as I waited for his response.
“Nah, I trust you. I know you’re helping our girl get where she needs to be. We’ll soon be out of your hair, and you can forget all about us.” It didn’t sound like anything less than a threat, and that’s exactly how I took it.
I watched Ember as her eyes widened, and she looked from her dad to me. I knew she was smart enough to realise what was going on here. It wasn’t about whether I wanted to risk getting closer to her, even though I was smart enough to know I shouldn’t. It was more about that threat hanging over me, that I was pretty sure I’d disappear off the face of the earth, if they caught me doing anything untoward.
“Dad, we need to get started. Can you just go away now? Close the door,” she muttered, waving a hand at her dad as she turned to her laptop, and pulled up the files for her geography project.
He chuckled as he left, and he pulled the door almost closed, and that honestly felt even more dangerous to me. If he chose to stand there, out of sight, he could listen all fucking day if he wanted to. That meant I had to watch every word that came out of my mouth.
“You don’t need to be afraid of my dad, Mr E. He’s just being a pain in the ass, because he’s overprotective. They both are.” Didn’t I know it…
“They’re right to care, Em, this is important stuff. Okay, so let’s revisit your project notes, because there were a few areas we need to go over again. You’re so close to perfect, but let’s aim higher, right?”
“Always aim higher, Mr E, I know I plan to.” She shot me a look that told me she wasn’t deterred in the slightest, so I guessthe only question was this… would I survive whatever heights she aimed for, once her dads found out about my forbidden interest in their only daughter?
12
Ember
Ethan stayed annoyingly onsubject all day, even keeping his distance when he gave me a twenty minute sketch break, after we redid my project for the third time, and had everything nailed.
I think my subject matter unnerved him though, because I’d drawn myself, but I’d left out some of my clothing. I’d seen this pose in a raunchy picture online, because there were no parental controls on our laptops, and porn was easily obtainable for us.
In the picture, I was sitting back on a chair with my knees pressed wide open and my hands on my inner thighs. I didn’t draw me without underwear, but that was all I wore in the picture. It was amazing, actually. It felt liberating to even draw such a thing, and even more so to see myself so confident, and sexual. It even made me feel a little aroused to picture myself that way, and know that he was about to see it. Mr E.Ethan.
The timing was bad though. Just as I handed it to him, and his eyes widened at the image in front of him, someone tapped on the door and he gasped, shoving it into the inner pocket of his jacket as he turned to greet the intruder.
It was my other dad, and I wondered why they were suddenly starting to interrupt my lessons, especially after seeing them intimidating Ethan the other day. Did they suspect I had feelings for him, or that those feelings might not be entirely one sided? Maybe I should speak to them, and tell them to butt out of my life.
“Hey, you two, I was just checking in to see when you’re wrapping up. Dinner’s already on, and you’re welcome to stay if you’d like, Ethan.”
Ethan’s eyes widened, and he looked like he’d rather stab himself in the liver than stay for dinner, which was a shame, because if he stayed longer, maybe I could get some more time alone with him, where my lessons weren’t the focus.
“Oh, that’s incredibly kind of you, Dory, but I have plans tonight, so I’m heading off in a few minutes. I’m happy to report that Ember’s geography report is complete though, and she’s well on her way to acing that exam.” I bristled at his use of my name, but dad was doing his proud dad face already.
“That’s great news, but I know my girl’s smart as hell. She just needed some support after being fucked over by that asshole school of hers.” Whoa dad, who bit your ass?
“Dad!”
He shrugged, smoothing his bushy beard as he backed up.
“Anyway, you guys call it a night, and I’ll see you out, Ethan.”
I’d never seen my teacher so unnerved, but his hands actually shook as he grabbed his bag and stood up.
“Good idea. Night Em, good work today. I think we only need a few more sessions and you’ll be good to go.” No. That was thelast thing I wanted, although… if he wasn’t my teacher, nobody could argue with us being together, could they?
Dad walked him out, and over dinner, my parents were expressing their pride over my achievements, while Ash was giving me snarky looks. I knew what he was getting at. He wasn’t needing extra classes to get by, but then he also wasn’t molested and bullied so much in school that he kept trying to kill himself, so bite me.
“Em?”
