The Teacher's Pet | Slowburn MJ FanFic

• | Chapter Seventy-Two | •

| That Late Afternoon. . .

Riley couldn't stop staring at the number Michael had given her—that was now safely imputed in her phone—for what felt like forever. She had to pinch herself a few times to realize this wasn't a dream. During the time that she had been here with her aunt, she hardly used her phone except when her best friends and parents checked up on her. She still had to act like she was uninterested or her aunt would become more suspicious than she already was.

When she gained the nerve, she finally sent Michael a text to let him know it was her before trying to focus on a cheesy kid show that CiCi was watching. Her phone vibrated seconds later and she was screaming in pure excitement on the inside.

AppleHead ❤️😘

Hey beautiful. I missed you so much.
3:17 PM

She bit the inside of her cheek and tried to fight the blush that warmed her face.

I missed you more. I want to see you again.
3:19 PM

I want to see you too. We'll figure something out soon.
3:20 PM

She blew out a breath of air and slumped back against the couch. She felt like she waited forever to see him again—alive and well—and now she had to somehow get past her aunt just to be with him for a few minutes.

"Psst, Ree." CiCi whispered from beside her on the couch. She was sitting on her knees, facing her.

Riley turned toward her and playfully mocked her, "Psst, CiCi."

She giggled. "I gotta tell ya somethin'."

"What is it?" Riley watched as her cousin scooted closer and leaned into her ear.

"I saw you and that teacher kiss." CiCi whispered and Riley's eyes nearly popped out of her head. She gasped and gently grabbed her arms as CiCi innocently asked, "Is he your boyfriend?"

She nervously bit her lip, then answered, "...yes. But CiCi, you can't tell anybody this, okay? It has to be a secret between us."

Her eyes widened with excitement. "I like secrets. You can trust me, Ree."

Riley kissed her forehead and smiled. "You're the best secret keeper ever."

CiCi grinned, her adorable gap on full display, then moved off the couch to continue watching TV on the floor as if their conversation didn't happen. Riley's head plopped back against the cushion of the couch and she quietly exhaled before running her hands over face.

🥀

Much later that night, Riley's eyes landed on the red digits displayed across the digital clock next to her bed and she frowned from being unable to sleep peacefully. This night was one of many nights her restless mind tortured her with relentless memories and nightmares,

It didn't help that Michael still occupied her thoughts for every second of the day and she was struggling to fight the urge to somehow end up back in his arms where she instantly felt safe and comforted. Every time she closed her eyes for a few moments, snippets of flashbacks regarding Javen would wrack her mind and tears would streak her cheeks as soon as she opened them. The thick blankets over her overheating body were the last straw as she annoyingly tossed them off her body, then sat up to move to the edge of the bed.

She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and scrolled through her contacts as she left the room and walked down the hallway. The thought of texting Michael had crossed her mind, but she decided to call him instead.