Dream Catch Me (Student/Teacher)

Dream Catch Me - Chapter Thirty Eight

It was still my birthday, and I refused to let the note try and change my birthday spirit, despite how hard it was to do so. After getting the textbooks need I slotted the note back into my locker, saving it as evidence if I ever needed it again, even though I was hoping I wouldn't.

Geography was my last period of the day, and I knew it would build my spirits up. There was no disappointment during that period that's for sure. I kept glancing at Joe to find him smiling at me, making a warmth spread through my body. At the end of the period, my spirits were feeling lighter and I would be able to enjoy my birthday party.

I was gathering up my stuff when Joe stopped me, "Alex texted me to pick you up from school and keep you away for a while. He said something about a cake?" I chuckled, wondering how many cakes he had made that day. After the morning's happenings I could bet at least three more, Alex wasn't one to give up easily and admit defeat. Each student filed out, and left Joe and I alone in his classroom. "So how's your birthday been?" He asked as I sat down in the desk in front of him.

"It's was alright. There's not much on a birthday that makes it so special. I never understood birthdays anyway. The day you were born? Probably one of the worst days of your life!"

"It was alright? The day's not over Jane! I still have to give you my gift." He smirked and insisted, "It's going to be amazing." Gifts were always an awkward thing. I hadn't received many gifts before, and so I didn't have that practice that would help me. "You shouldn't have got me anything.." I muttered and rubbed the back of my neck in discomfort.

"Well you won't be saying that when you get it. I hope." I chuckled nervously at the suspense of yet another gift. Both Jaz and Fletch had insisted they had already got me gifts, even though I had told them they shouldn't have. It seemed that on you birthday, you don't have much control over what happens; Your brother throws you a party and your friends give you presents. It made me wonder what else I didn't have control over, and knowing this just reinforced my dislike towards birthdays.

"Do you like birthdays?" I asked Joe as we sat next to each other casually in the classroom. He sat there thinking for a minute, rubbing the short stubble on his chin. "Yes and no," he finally answered, leaving me puzzled. Chuckling at mu confused expression, he explained what he meant. "Well you see, when I lived with my aunt she used to bake me a cake and give me a couple of presents. At the time it was amazing, and even though I wasn't her son, she made sure I felt special. But since I moved out, went to college I haven't really celebrated my birthday since then. I had the occasional beer as a treat, but apart from that my birthday hasn't been too exciting."

"That sounds nice, to have someone who treated you like a mother should even though she wasn't. I once had a teacher at school, who would look after me. She would sometimes have an extra sandwich with her lunch because I "forgot" mine. But she moved away when she got married. Ms Tinsley was her name." Ms Tinsley was there before the bullying started, and before I turned into 'Jumbo Jane'. Without the release of Ms Tinsley who would talk to me and ask me questions, I bottled it all up and became a stress eater. I was feeling nostalgic at the mention of Joe's past, and felt that I had to share something in return to his own memory, but I refused to tell him too much, as he probably was too.

"That's sweet," he noted and smiled at me. "And you're right. Even without a mother, I still had one. You know? Anyway, you hungry?" Without giving me time to respond he said, "Great." and went fishing in his bag for food, producing a bag of chocolate kisses. "A kiss?" he asked, a cheeky grin on his face. I blushed furiously as I felt my face light up. I went to take a chocolate kiss from the bag when he pulled it away from me. "A kiss for a kiss?" he asked, and tapped his cheek.

I blushed again, but grinned as I saw his evil plan laid out in front of him. I crossed my arms across my chest and stuck my nose in the air. "Nope." I refused. He chuckled, "Well it was worth a shot." Joe offered me the bag anyway and I took a chocolate kiss and cradled the small drop in my hands. The gold foil glinted under the lights and invited me to eat it. I unwrapped the foil and popped it into my mouth.