Sunshine (Student/Teacher Romance) 18+

28

Abel

"So..." Hailey stirs a single fry in a tiny white paper cup filled with ketchup, her brows hopping on her face before she sticks the whole thing in her mouth. "You and the hot teacher with purple hair. Hows that going?"

"I mean, you say that like what we're doing is really even anything."

"Well it's something, right? Teacher fling? Sneaking around for quickees in the lunchroom. Under the bleachers. Reliving your youth."

I snort at her mockery.

She's mad because I gave Sabrina the cold shoulder.

"I just, I thought you liked her." She shrugs, a small pout on her face as she wipes her hands on a napkin.

"I think you're the one who liked Sabrina."

"She's so sweet, Abel. And she really liked you, I mean what was the problem?"

I slightly frown to myself as I think about her, only to come up blank.

I guess there wasn't a problem. She just wasn't what I wanted.

Who I wanted.

"Nothing, I just wanted something different." I clap the crumbs from my hands and reach for a napkin.

"You wanted a wild, violet haired teacher with big boobs?"

I laugh. "No, Hailey."

"So when can I meet Jordyn or whatever?"

I laugh even harder at the way she rolls her eyes on her name.

Jordyn seemed to have that effect on people. Even me.

She was sweet, but her personality could at times be as loud as the shade of her hair.

"Never. It's not necessary."

Hailey's face drops and she scoffs.

"You're right," I add, "it's a fling. Not important."

I watch her chew on her cheek like she's disappointed and bunch my brows as I wonder why.

Why Hailey has been so jet-set on finding me my perfect match. I must've gone through all the singles in her office at this point, and she still isn't letting up.

"Shyla came by last week."

And just like that she snaps out of it, looking at me sideways. "Shyla? What? Why?"

"I honestly couldn't tell you that. It made no sense to me either."

"Abel, Abel, Abel." She sighs through her nose. "You can't just take her back. I mean, I know she's the love of your life, but fuck. She just threw you away like trash and then-"

"Was," I correct her. "She was the love of my life. And I didn't take her back. I sent her the fuck away. She did more than just throw me out, she completely shattered me and now that I'm actually finally starting to feel like myself again..." I shake my head, "there's no way I can let her come back into my life and undo every piece I put back together all by myself."

Hailey has a faint smile on her face, her eyes not moving from mine like she's waiting for me to second guess that. To flinch or bat an eye. But I mean every last word like the letters are engrained in me.

"What?" I squint at her, my fist tightening around the balled up napkin in my palm.

"Nothing." She's fighting her smile, and losing. Her grin only leaving momentarily as she tosses a couple more fries in her mouth. "Just proud of you."