To My Future Cheating Husband

IX. Part Time Jobs

Ava's POV:

The only time I had faced this man was during class. One class. Go in. Fifty minutes. Go out.

No eye contact.

No acknowledgment.

No problem.

Ever since the conversation about Maeve, he had been avoiding me as much as I avoided him. Somehow, it wasn't easy to face him.

It shouldn't be.

At my lowest, he was the only man who would stand beside me.

Not my father.

Not my brother.

Not my husband.

But, him.

My eyes refuse to remove itself. Despite seeing him five days a week, it felt like I haven't seen him at all. My mouth grew dry, "I-I mean Mr.Nocella."

Mr.Nocella adjusted his weight, "Why are you still in the hallway? Class started a few minutes ago."

I closed my locker, "I was busy." I held my phone in the air, indirectly telling him the reason why I was late.

He exhales lightly, "Go to class."

I grip onto my books, "I need an excuse or late pass." No teacher will kindly allow you to walk into their classroom without a red, yellow, or green pass. Red means late, no excuse. Yellow means late before the first period but excused. Green means excused.

Mr.Nocella exhaled lightly before he made his way towards me. Each step seemingly echoes in the empty hallway. He grabbed a green pad from the back of his pocket, and scribbled made its way into my ears.

He rips off the paper and hands it to me.

I could only stare at it.

"Why?" I ask.

"I don't like students getting in trouble for insignificant things. Be sure to get to class on time, next time."

I grabbed the slip, "Thanks." My eyes waiver from the paper towards him. He wasn't close, but he's not far either. A reasonable distance, one may say.

Mr.Nocella cleared his throat, "Have a good rest of your day Miss Makee." He made his way down the hall.

"Mr.Nocella," I said. I hope he's already gone.

"Yes?" I don't think he's gone.

I turned around, "How's everything?" Based on the rumors, Mr.Nocella's divorce was finalized not too long ago. On a typical day, girls would've swarmed him. But, in recent days, they have been giving him space. Give or take, one or two girls would approach him. But, even an outsider knows when to step back.

He smiles, "Good. Thank you." Another step back. Maintain the distance.

My eyes flicker towards his left finger. Empty. The tanned line is still there. In the past, no matter what happened, he never took it off. Now, it's different. I wonder if my change in behavior had any effect on him.

"How are Miles and Zach?"

"They're good." Short. To the point. A wall.

It was clear he didn't want to talk to me any further. "That's good."

"Have a good day Miss Makee."

Once he turns around the corner, I release the breath that somehow got caught inside my throat, "Calm down Ava. He's not going to bite you." Maybe.

The weekend arrived, and the jitters came along with it. I straighten out the shirt, mature and professional. I exhale softly before pulling my hair into a ponytail.