Page 23 of The Teacher of Nothing
“It’s our secret,” I murmur.
We’re not doing anything wrong. We’re just talking. She admitted to not having any friends. I’m being this for her. The girl can’t go at this shit alone.
“I won’t tell anyone.” She smiles, mischief gleaming in her usually innocent stare. “About any of it.”
The inappropriate stares. The alone time in copy rooms and bathrooms. The late-night texting.
“What did your mother say?” I ask, fisting my hand so I don’t do something stupid like cradle her face in my palm. “About yesterday.”
She flinches at my words, dropping her stare to my azure silk tie. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“I didn’t see her.” She sighs. “I hid out in my room all night. She was still in bed when I got up this morning for school.”
Anger swells up inside me like a red tide, threatening to drown me. Her mother should have gone to her the second she heard what Levi did.
Unless…
“Your stepfather didn’t tell her?” I ask, hoping like hell that’s the reason.
“I don’t know.” She shrugs. “If he did, though, she won’t care.”
The anger is back, like a surprise smack to the face. “Why the fuck wouldn’t she care?”
Her jade eyes are back on mine, filled with heartache and pain no girl her age should feel. It ages her. Makes her more relatable to someone like me. A kindred spirit.
“Willa…” This time, I don’t restrain myself. I reach up and delicately run a finger over her smooth jawline. “Why wouldn’t she care?”
She swallows and starts to look down, but my finger curls under her chin, keeping her face looking up at mine. I lean impossibly closer, the warmth of her body so close I can feel it radiating through my suit, but not enough to feel the softness of her breasts.
“Tell me,” I implore. “I need to understand.”
“Ever since…” She pauses when her voice quavers. “When she started seeing Darren, she started popping pills. For anxiety and depression or whatever. I don’t know exactly. But when she takes them, she just sleeps and…”
Her eyes fill with tears and she closes them, wetting her lashes. I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help myself. I draw her into my arms, hugging her to me. At first, she’s stiff, maybe surprised, but then she melts into me, her hands gripping the back of my suit jacket as she holds me tight. With her cheekpressed to my pectoral muscle, I’m able to bring my mouth to the top of her head, pressing my lips there.
“She doesn’t care about me anymore, Callum.”
Her muffled words against my chest coupled with the natural way she says my first name has my heart twisting painfully. It makes me want to keep her locked in my arms, safe from all the people who’ve hurt her or plan to hurt her.
“I’m sorry.” I kiss her head again. “I really am so sorry.”
I refuse to lie to her—to tell her it will get better or that her mom is going through a hard time. She just needs to know that someone is here for her. Even if that someone is old enough to be her father and who’s in charge of teaching her statistics.
“I’m late for class,” she murmurs after a long beat. “I missed yesterday and now today.”
“I’ll write you a note.” Reluctantly, I pull away from her, ignoring the way my cock twitches, unhappy with no longer being pressed against her. “Are you going to be okay?”
She nods and offers me a brief smile. “I will be. This helped.” Her cheeks blaze bright red again. It makes me want to see where else I can make her turn colors. “Can I, uh, call you later?”
No. Absolutely not. Texting was crossing the line.
“Of course,” I say instead, offering her a comforting smile. “I need to catch you up on what you missed during my lecture.”
Fuck, her smile is beautiful.
I want to kiss her so bad it hurts.
