Page 42 of The Teacher of Nothing
“Maybe,” I allow, shrugging, “but that still makes him ten times nicer than you.”
“He’s only nice because he wants to fuck you. I don’t, so you get this.” He motions to himself and smirks. “Don’t comecrying to me when he pops your cherry and then leaves you heartbroken.”
As if I would ever come to Levi for anything.
Ignoring him, I go back to doing the dishes. My mind returns to Callum. With him infiltrating my every thought, I don’t feel like such a prisoner in my own home.
Callum Park is my escape.
Me: Is your event over with yet?
I delete the text before I send it. It’ll make me sound stupid and needy. And while I’m definitely needy, I’m not stupid. I won’t push Callum away by being a whiny girl, waiting for him to acknowledge her.
He’s a grown man.
Thirty-five.
Only two years younger than Mom.
The last thing he needs is someone half his age pouting when she doesn’t get his undivided attention. Even if I am pouting, I certainly don’t want him to know about it.
I’ve done everything since dinner to distract myself. I’m ahead on my homework, deep cleaned my room, and even took a long bath to relax. I’m still on edge, though.
I miss Callum.
The stolen moment in his classroom today was nothing but a tease. A tiny bite of what could be.
Time crawls by and when midnight finally hits, I give up.
Did he forget?
Text him, idiot.
I want to tell him I’m hurt that he hasn’t even checked in on me but decide against that as well. Emotion clogs my throat. I’m unable to swallow it down, instead my eyes filling with disappointed tears.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
A strangled cry of surprise claws its way out of my throat. My heart goes from painfully throbbing to thundering inside my chest. I rub my eyes with the heels of my hands and then walk over to the window. When I draw the curtain, I find Callum, once again dressed in a black hoodie and jeans. I lift the window and manage a croaked “hello.”
“What’s wrong?” he demands, his voice a soft whisper that I feel in every nerve ending.
I chew on my bottom lip, feeling ridiculous. I’m definitely an idiot. Still, the tears are close and it’s taking everything in me to keep them at bay. Callum clearly grows tired of my silence because he takes it upon himself to climb into my bedroom.
Callum Park is in my bedroom.
Holy crap.
He shuts the window behind him and closes the curtain. Then, he steps toward me, crowding my space. “You’re upset. What happened?”
Guilt surges through me.
Here he is thinking I’m upset over my home life, and really, I’m just pining over him.
“I’m fine. I promise.” I still can’t look at him. “Callum, I swear.”
His fingers bite into my jaw, not as gently as usual. I can smell the faint aroma of liquor on his breath. It makes my mouth water. I wonder if he tastes as heady as he smells.
“Look at me,” he commands. “I said, look at me.”
