Illicitly Sweet. Shhh...[Teacher/ Student Romance] Chp.13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: EXPRESS

So it’s a Monday morning and I’m sitting by myself in the Library.

When was I ever this early into school on a Monday!?

I had texted Anita once I’d woken up and got dressed to let her know that my dad was giving me a ride into school. He was more than willing to ever since my parents had heard the good news about my new job. They enabled me to work at the bar because they were happy for me and the one condition was that my dad dropped me off at the place every Saturday. I didn’t object to this. It was a dream come true.

Okay so I was sitting in the Quiet corner of the library for a reason. My art teacher.

I decided that I was going to bring in his Art books with me so that I could stare at them whilst I waited. He deserved the biggest thank you possible; after all, it was him that helped me get my new job. It was a long shot but I came to the conclusion that at some point he would come to the library because I found that he liked to come here of a morning to study. Not that I was stalking... Oh god, I am stalking aren’t I? :|

“Amy you are a crazy, crazy stalker” I said to myself, maybe a little over dramatic

I rolled my eyes and lay my head in my arms whilst I thought about everything and anything as usual. I had plenty time to daydream and get lost in my thoughts.

I swear my daydreams were becoming more real every day because as I thought about Mr. Romano, there he was in my line of vision. He held a black folder practically bursting out of the binder with loads of paperwork. He was clad in his usual attire, black slacks, white button down shirt and blazer. I couldn’t help but giggle at how smart he looked, even with his glasses on he was gorgeous.

Is this actually a daydream?

If anyone was looking at me they could have laughed because I was pulling all sorts of faces as I watched my art teacher walk down a book aisle into my direction. He was too busy flicking through his oversized work folder to notice me but there he was, walking up towards me.

Here we go...I braced myself for what I was about to do.

As he got to the entrance of the ‘Quiet Corner’ he finally stopped to look up from the folder and spot me sitting at a vacant table, waiting patiently for him.

Behind his glasses I saw his eyes light up and then his lips pulled up into a smile, “Good morning, Amy”

I was momentarily frozen, my mind going blank.

Why am I here again?

“Morning Mr. Romano” I finally greeted him, returning the smile

“Have you forgotten already?” he chuckled, “We’re technically out of school hours so you can call me-..”

“Mark” I finished for him, nodding my head, “Sorry, I keep forgetting” I blushed a little

“So how are you today?” he asked as he strode over to me and set his things down onto the table.

Oh right, I remember now

I puffed out my chest and started to get up. I felt a bit giddy with excitement because I knew what I was about to do and that it I’m sure it’s something I wouldn’t really be able to do, I mean he’s my teacher. We’re friends though, so hey...

“I’m great!” I beamed before practically tripping over my own feet as I wrapped my arms around him and hugged his body

He stumbled back only slightly because my hug was almost like a rugby tackle considering how clumsy my contact with him was. I was about to pull away because I wasn’t expecting to carry it out like a clingy, obsessed teen even though he smelt good but he surprised me when he accepted the hug.

I heard him chuckle and felt his arms envelope over mine. Okay so he wasn’t hugging my waist but he was hugging me back!

Those crazy butterflies were fluttering around again in my stomach and my heart was slowly ticking into overdrive.

What do I do now...?

I was too embarrassed to look at him but I couldn’t really stand here holding onto him like this. Someone could walk past and notice. Thankfully he was the first one to move but it weren’t a big movement. He pulled away and detached my arms from his body and I swear his cologne rubbed off onto my clothing so I could smell him on me.

I’m not going to wash these clothes for the next week...wait...that’s weird. I am a stalker :(

“You must be really happy today” he finally spoke, a grin on his face

“Well, yeah...it’s kind of a thank you” I fiddled with a bit of stray cotton from my top as I spoke

“It makes a change from you apologising all of the time, I’ll give you that”

That surprised me, I mean...did I really apologise a lot? Okay I guess I did. In lessons I always seemed to be getting in trouble for something.

“It’s John, he’s the trouble maker” I commented, now looking away

Mark laughed, “The hair and good looks distract you I take it?”

My mouth fell open but I couldn’t help but laugh back, “You’re kidding right? It’s his voice, he’s always talking or joking about something”

“Maybe I should place you two on separate tables, that’s what a normal teacher would do...” he contemplated, a smirk on his lips

I rolled my eyes but shrugged in a, ‘I don’t mind’ kind of way. He was my teacher after- all so he could do what he liked...well, except date me.

Okay Amy quit thinking about your teacher like that

He took a seat beside the one I had been sitting on and started taking out paperwork from his overloaded folder. I sat back down on my seat and watched him without a word. He pursed his lips but smiled as if he was waiting for something, then he glanced at me sideways.

“So that thank you...” he began, “Any particular kind of thank you?”

I blushed and pulled a free strand of hair away from my face but tried to calm myself from looking like a complete idiot.

“I got that job” I stated and I couldn’t help but grin

“I know” he grinned back, “You deserve it”

Well of course he knew

“I take it Jared called you or something” I said and Mark nodded. “Are you like, best friends?”

“We go back, yeah” he nodded some more before looking straight at me

I shifted my gaze so I wasn’t looking directly into his brown eyes. I could be staring at them forever because they held some kind of magical attraction.

“I guess he just told you that I was a good singer and that he had hired me” I commented

“Actually” Mark smirked but it looked quite playful, “He phoned me up whilst you were singing and held up the phone during your performance so I could listen to you on the other line”

I stared back at him in slight disbelief, my cheeks growing warm, “Really!?”

Mark nodded, a smirk still apparent on his lips, “I had my phone on loud speaker so I could listen to your voice as I marked school work” he admitted and my eyebrows shot up.

“That’s kinda embarrassing” I pointed out

He shrugged.

“Well it helped me get through my paper work”

It made me smile without realising because he was in his own way, complimenting me.

“So how was my singing last night then? Did you think I had an impressive set of lungs” I quoted what Jared had said to me yesterday. I thought I’d be daring.

Mark stopped sifting through the paper in his folder to look up at me from behind his glasses. He looked a bit thrown by that question and I think I may have detected slight discomfort.

“What has Jared being saying?” he questioned

“Nothing...” I answered. This was kind of true because I remember how Jared didn’t really want to tell me straight on. “Actually, he told me he was sworn to secrecy”

Mark ruffled up the back of his black hair with his free hand and gave me a sheepish smile, “I hope so...he’s the only one that gets burdened with all my thoughts”

I slowly nodded, not too sure what to make of that but I knew that he was talking about more than just me. I’m guessing him and Jared have been good friends for a long time.

“If he does say things...just ignore him” Mark pointed out, “Sometimes I do”

I breathed out a small laugh to try and make it less awkward. Well, I was feeling slightly awkward anyway. Mark then took off his blazer to hang it over the back of his chair and as usual I couldn’t help back gawk.

I caught the smell of his cologne again as it wafted into my direction and I couldn’t help but inhale deeply. I tried my best to be discreet about it but if Mark did notice he did nothing but smile at me. He then took off his glasses to put them in one of his pockets before standing up.

“I’m going to get a coffee, do you want anything from the vending machine?” he asked

That’s nice

“Umm no thanks” I declined. Fizzy pop in the morning probably wasn’t a good idea.

“Don’t go anywhere” he laughed but it could almost sound like a teachers order.

He could get away with it because he was my teacher, something I’ve been pointing out to myself ever since that day in school when I first saw him but it was like he wanted my company. Something that he relied on and with that I couldn’t refuse. I felt the same way.

I gave him a sure nod and planted myself firmly down on my seat.

As I watched him walk off down one of the aisles and leave the library, I had time again to think. Only this time I had time to think about our conversation and how he reacted around me. I knew he was a young teacher and this was probably his first proper teaching job but I was confused about the way he approached his teaching and the methods he used.

Was he giving everyone else a helping hand like he was with me? I don’t recall ever seeing him speak to Anita and the other guys from the band about the auditions that were being held at the bar. I guess it did come down to the fact that he was now my friend and not just a teacher. This fact made me think about how confusing it could get between being professional and being friendly. Knowing me, I would get these mixed up and soon I’d be calling him by his first name in class.

Waiting for him was actually becoming a bit too long and I ended up leaning against my arms on the desk again as the time slowly ticked by. I couldn’t exactly leave his folder sat on the table by itself but I didn’t really want to sit around waiting for too long. My legs were going to go numb or something.

He appeared around the corner, practically speed walking down the aisle back to the ‘Quiet corner’ and looking somewhat out of breath.

“That took a bit longer than expected” Mark grimaced

I took in his appearance and his hair was slightly ruffled, not to mention a coffee stain patch on the side of his shirt.

?

“What happened to you?” I laughed.

“A group of students from one of my classes were waiting outside the staff room” he frowned, “They cornered me”

I tried not to laugh because he made it sound like a bad thing or that he was a victim. So I guess that they were a group of teenage girls who just wanted to chat with him but ended up chasing him.

“One of them just appeared on my left out of nowhere and I spilt my coffee. Luckily I have a spare shirt in my classroom” he explained

Okay, I snickered. I couldn’t help myself.

“You should probably get changed into the clean shirt then before school starts” I stated with a smile

He agreed but his frown was still fixed, giving him small creases on his forehead, “Can you carry my folder for me whilst I hold my coffee? I don’t think I’ll be able to carry both” he said

I just nodded and grabbed his folder before walking beside him back to his classroom. He was looking left and right constantly the whole time because I’m sure he didn’t want to spill any more of his drink down himself.

Anyone that did pass us, he smiled or said good morning to. They were mostly teachers and we did have to stop at one point as we bumped into my gym teacher. He said good morning to both Mark and I before he started telling me about how I should try and include myself more in the sports activities. I nodded but only to try and get the conversation over and done with because it was really embarrassing.

Mark agreed with Coach Jefferson but I wasn’t too sure whether he was being serious or not? In all honesty I didn’t want to know, I switched off. When my Gym teacher finally left us, Mark and I got back to hurrying to his classroom. Once we were in the class and safe from any teenage school girls, he locked his door and taped a coloured piece of paper over the door window.

“Err Mark? I’m still here” I reminded him as I set down his folder on his desk

He turned back around and threw me a guilty expression, “I know”

? Is he not going to expand on that answer at all?

“You can’t exactly change whilst I’m in the same room” I told him as color rose to my cheeks. I looked away because images were now flying through my brain of him topless.

“I don’t mind but if it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll change in the store room” he pointed to the back of the class

I nodded weakly, I mean as much as I would love to watch him strip off his shirt and stand in front of me bare chested, it would also make me go very red in the face.

He saw my reaction and figured that it probably was best that he change somewhere where I couldn’t see him. I didn’t miss how he’d already managed to loosen his tie and undo his top button near the collar.

He started over towards the store room door whilst releasing his tie from around his neck and placing it down on a desk nearest to him and then he was undoing his buttons whilst walking through the other door and out of my eye sight.

I breathed out slowly and tried to think about something else rather than the fact my teacher was taking off his clothes around me.

How is this even happening?

I began twiddling my thumbs and humming mostly as a distraction because the next thing I saw was his stained shirt fly out from the store room and land on the floor.

Is he doing this on purpose?

“Amy..?” I heard him say from the inside of the store room

“Yes?” I called back a little hesitant

“My clean shirt is in my bag, you wouldn’t mind bringing it over would you?”

My eyebrows shot up into my hair. He has to be doing this on purpose!?

“Okay” I agreed anyway and picked up his bag from the desk and slowly walked over to the back of the classroom, near to the store room door.

Once I got to the store room, I stopped at the doorway and extended my arm to hand over his bag. I made sure that I was looking at the floor rather than peeping inside the storage room. This was so awkward yet kind of exciting.

“Here you go”

“Thanks”

I felt his warm hand brush over mine before he took the bag from me. I dropped my hand instantly once I knew that he had his stuff. I didn’t want to be tempted to have a look.

Oh Amy don’t be so stupid, just one peek

It didn’t really matter what my inner voice was saying anyway because Mark ended up clicking the light on within the storage room and then everything was illuminated which means I had a clear view of skin out of the right side of my vision. I did try my very best to keep my eyes down on the floor though.

“Sorry, couldn’t see anything in my bag” I heard Mark say

I shifted on the spot and tried to act cool like this was an everyday thing. I mean, teachers did this all the time didn’t they? Umm no...

“Oh my god what is that!?” Mark suddenly shouted which made me almost jump out of my skin. Then I twirled around in a full circle trying to look for what he was seeing. Only once I looked over at Mark, I got an eyeful of his chest and...Muscles.

I gulped but couldn’t look away and like I predicted, my face burned so warm that I’m sure I could fry an egg on it.

He began laughing which caused his stomach to tense and gave me a better look at his muscles.

Oh my god, wow. Just...wow...

He was really toned and I got a better look at his upper arms which were huge.

“Your face” he chortled, “Priceless” he put a hand to his stomach like his sides were splitting.

That’s when I finally looked away and frowned for a moment. So he was trying to get me to look at him.

“Does my being semi-naked make you uncomfortable” he asked sounding a little guilty now

I looked up at him, this time keeping my eyes locked with his so that I wasn’t tempted to gaze back down at his toned figure. I don’t know how I managed it but I did.

“No. Just...you’re my teacher, it’s not something that happens everyday” I stated

He smirked but slowly pulled on his clean shirt and began to button it up, “Sorry”

“It’s cool” I waved it off

“Did you like what you saw though?” his voice asked in almost a teasing way

“Mark I’m not going to answer that” my cheeks were growing hot now

“That answer speaks volumes” he grinned

So now I wasn’t only fighting to stop myself from daydreaming about his lips ever since my dream, I now had to not think about his body. This was going to prove difficult.

Today is going to be a long day.
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SONGS FOR CHAPTER:
Operator Please- Just Kiss
Amy
Mr. Romano/ Mark :D Hope everyone likes the photo lol