The minute I saw You | Teacher-Student romance | BWWM

Chapter Eight | Nick

I manage to make it home before punching a hole in the wall. I stare at the broken skin and watch as blood drips from my knuckles but I don't feel anything. All I feel is numb and more anger inside of me than I knew what to do with.

After Talia's confession, I somehow was able to get my brain to work enough for me to go back inside my classroom. I canceled the rest of the class and got the Dean to bring in a substitute for the rest of the day because there was no way I was going to be able to stand here and finish teaching after Talia just dropped a bomb on me.

Where is she? God, I should've just ran after her. I had no idea what I was going to say or do to her when I caught her, but at least she'd be with me.

There was one thing I did know though, and that was she was never spending another night in that house again.

•••

I've just about exhausted all my resources when I stop at the diner where Talia works.

The chimes ring the second I enter through the door and I do a quick scan of the room, noticing it was fairly packed for a Monday afternoon. The smell of fried bacon and fresh brewed coffee surrounds me as I make my way further into the diner, searching for a familiar face.

I finally see her coming from a back room, her braided hair is up in a bun and she's dressed in a grey pencil skirt set.

"Rhonda?" I guessed, hoping like hell that was the name Talia called her when she first introduced us nearly three weeks ago.

She smiles when she sees me. "Oh hi, your Talia's friend right? I haven't seen you in a while. Was the food horrible?"

"No, no. It was amazing. I'm sorry about not stopping by again. I promise I will change that soon." I reassure her, but that was all the time I had left for pleasantries. "Is Talia here by any chance?"

"She's not scheduled to work until tomorrow, so no." Rhonda answers.

"Damn it." Where the hell is she?

"Why? What's the matter? Did something happen to her?" Rhonda demands.

"How much do you know about her home life?" I wonder.

"I know she lives with her good for nothing mom and her trail of boyfriends. Why?"

"Well one of those boyfriends touched Talia this morning and her mom was no help. She chose that loser over her own daughter." I tell her. "Talia showed up to school this morning but then just disappeared after my class and now I can't find her and I was hoping maybe you could help me." I explain.

"Wait a minute- what do you mean your class?"

I sigh, not really wanting to explain this. "I'm her teacher. One of them at least. But I swear it's not what you're thinking!" I rush to reassure her. "Nothing has happened between us. I just- I don't know... we have this connection. And I really care about her." I admit. "And I just want to make sure she's okay. Do you have her number or something?"

Rhonda gives me her number and I immediately stab the call button. It rings three times before going to voicemail.

"Talia, it's Nick. You're probably wondering how I got your number... I'm here at the diner with Rhonda and she's really worried about you. I'm really worried about you. Listen, we just want to know you're okay. Call us back so we can come get you or just to let us know you're okay." I tell her before ending the call.

Rhonda looks at me as I slip my cellphone into my back pocket. "I'll let you know if I hear from her." She tells me.

"I'll do the same."