Story Of Her Life.

Hello, Beautiful.

The next morning, also the first day of eleventh grade for most of the kids, cars were still parked outside Beth's home. Sleeping teenasgers and trash cluttered the area, and they all were hungover and half-awake.

Like zombies in fast-forward mode, the eight partiers still remaining assissted in clean-up and began showering before the full day of school ahead of them.

One by one, the partiers arrived to school moments before the final bell, retrieved their class schedules from the guidance area, and separated to their classes like nothing happened.

Beth's vision blurred as she attempted to read her schedule. She winced and blinked. Mr. Conklin. She grinned; because this teacher, not only was her favorite teacher, but was quite a charmer for someone ten years older than she. Her face brightened at the mere fact that he was all hers for the entire term.

Mr. Conklin was also the type of teacher that spent more time cracking jokes and pranking people than he did actually being a mature adult. That was another thing she enjoyed about his class. It never got old.

When she arrived at his door, she tried to smile and hide the events that had taken place the previous night. But when the door opened, she saw something she was never expecting.

Standing at the fron tof the room was not Mr. Conklin, but a short muscular man dressed in a polo and slacks with a killer smile and deep brown eyes that could melt the heart of any not expecting it.

"Mr. Conklin's not here today?" she opened her mouth without any warning.

"I'm here tardy," he grinned, approaching her from the back of the room. "How was your summer?"

She hugged him. She felt like she knew Mr. Conklin a bit better than most of the other kids because he used to live three streets over from her with his family, and she used to watch his little sister from time to time while he partied. She remembered being fourteen and stealing a kiss from him when he was drunk at one point, but neither of them ever repeated a word of that moment again.

"Good...great." she responded, recalling the events from last night. She even got a few giggles from the rest of the class.

Her eyes then darted from his to the man standing a few feet away. Who is he? she mouthed.

Not even bothering to lower his voice he stated, "If you'd join the rest of the class and sit down, I'll explain who the short, tan dude is," he winked and pointed her to a seat close to the front desk, which also happened to be next to her best friend Dana. Dana smiled and motioned her over. Beth proceeded to take her seat.

"Now, I'd like you to meet Eric Inman. He's a Senior at ASU, an Education Major. He's going to be in here this semester learning fromt he best," Mr. Conklin grinned, "So please treat him with respect and use him when needed."

Beth gazed at Mr. Inman. He sat at his desk preparing to assign text books. He's almost... cute. She thought to herself.

"He's not even that cute!" Dana whispered to Beth.

"Wha- I wasn't-" Beth's heart sank.

"The guy from last night? I leave town to visit family for two day sand I come home to find out that you had a party and got wasted? Not to mention you made out with a guy!" Dana ranted.

Beth didn't respond for a moment. She had a weird feeling in her gut, like she was being watched? She looked over at Mr. Inman. Caught him. He jumped, realizing he'd been found out, and looked down. He blushed slightly and Beth smiled. Cute.

She looked back at Dana.

"You mean Michael Miller? I didn't make out with him. We fell asleep on an air matress floating in a pool." she exclaimed. "Hardly worth mentioning."

"Beth Anderson?" An unfamiliar voice called.

She crained her neck around the crowded classroom and spotted Mr. Inman lookin in her direction. She approached him.

"Your book," he handed her a ten pound book labeled 'United States History'. "Try not to use it while floating on any airmatresses," his deep southern accent clenched to his words and a sly grin grew across his face.

Her eyes narrowd. "Thanks for the advice." She snatched the text book away and headed to her seat.

The next hour of class was trying, for sitting though boring lectures and rules made Beth even more sleepy than the night before had. And when the first period release bell rang, the other students never felt more relieved. Students gathered in the door way, rushing to their next classes. Beth sat at her desk enjoying her deep slumber.

Mr. Inman took a seat in the desk beside her and waited patiently for her to return to reality. Two minutes turned into ten and Mr. Conklin left for lunch, leaving Mr. Inman snacking on crackers and a smoothie, still seated next to Beth.

After twenty minutes of great anticipation, Mr. Inmman grinned as Beth opened her eyes. She yawned, stretched and looked around the empty classsroom. She glared at a giggling Mr. Inman, then yelled.

"Oh. My. God! What time is it? Why didn't you wake me up!" she playfully hit his shoulder and quickly gathered her things together.

"That was part one of your punishment for sleeping in class," he said, chewing on a cracker.

"What's part two?" she was curious.

"Lunch detention. In here with us for two weeks." he explained.

She got over it quickly. Easiest punishment ever. "Those are the lamest punishments ever. Going to have to do a lot better if you ever want to be a real teacher," she remarked, heading towards the exit.

"Almost forgot Beth," he called following her to the door. He handed her his thermis. "Fruit smoothies do wonders for hang-overs."

She studied his face, trying to read if this gesture was ment from a teacher's or a partier's standpoint. Or was it neither?

"Thanks for the advice," she took the smoothie and walked out.