Illegal Innocence (Student/Teacher Relationship)

Chapter 2

 Chapter 2

I pulled into the school and parked the car in one of the few empty parking spots that remained. Chloe grabbed her book bag from the back seat of the car, then tossed me mine. We got out of the car and narrowed our eyes at the bright sunlight.

"Ready?" she asked, smiling excitedly at me. I nodded and smiled back, then closed my door and locked the car. We walked into the entrance of the school and into the courtyard.

"Avery, Chloe! Over here!"

We turned to our left to see a group of three people sitting on one of the stone benches that outlined the courtyard.

"Ashley!" Chloe exclaimed. They ran to each other and hugged tightly. I looked behind Ashley to see Hunter, Daniel, and Julie smiling and waving at us. Smiling back, I turned and walked into their direction. Chloe and Ashley were still hugging each other as I passed them.

"Hey gu- Oof!" I fell onto the hard concrete, landing on my but, as I crashed into something tall and hard. I looked up with one eye as I rubbed my lower back.

"I'm sorry!" a male voice exclaimed. His face came into view as he kneeled down beside me. "Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah," I muttered. "Sorry, I should watch where I'm going."

I looked at him and let out a silent, startled gasp. I hadn't seen this teacher in school before. Maybe he was the new teacher Chloe was talking about? No, impossible. This man was younger, or at least he looked young. His loose brown hair hung in front of his bright brown eyes, and his clothing attire hadn't looked anything what a normal teacher wears. Was he a new student?

"Here," he said, taking my upper arm. "Let me help you."

I pulled myself up, with the help of the mysterious man, and stood on my own two feet again. He let go of me and I brushed off my butt, then looked up at him again. "Thanks."

"No problem," he replied, smiling. "I really am sorry."

"Don't worry about it," I told him, shaking my head. He nodded, then walked away. I looked back over to where my friends were at the bench, and they were all staring at me. I walked over, feeling their eyes on me every step I took. "What?"

"Avery," Julie said, widening her eyes. "That was Mr. Taylor."

I widened my eyes. "It was?"

She nodded, and Chloe came up beside me. She elbowed me playfully in the side. "Avery! Getting cozy with the teacher, eh?"

I glared at her. "Absolutely not."

She laughed and threw her arm around my neck. "Yeah, sure." I wrapped my arm around her waist and smiled. Oh, how I loved my best friend.

"Wait a second," Ashley said suddenly. "Avery, you look different."

I smiled at her. "Yep."

"You look great!" Julie said.

"Thanks," I smiled. I felt someone else's eyes on me. Looking behind Julie, I caught Hunter staring at me. "Hey Hunter."

"Hey Avery," he said, nodding at me. We all looked around when the chimes of the school bell echoed throughout the courtyard. I sighed, not wanting to depart from my friends this soon. Pulling out my schedule from my back pocket, I looked down the list of teachers.

"Who has Mrs. Winston for first period?" I asked them.

"I do!" Ashley said excitedly. She went to my other side and wrapped her arm around my waist, like I had done with Chloe.