Illegal Innocence (Student/Teacher Relationship)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I slumped down onto my bed, sighing. Finally, it was Saturday, one of the best days of the week. No school, and no waking up early the next morning. Saturday was the one day I longed for each and every day of the week that slowly went by. Not that I was complaining, seeing as how my mother wouldn't allow me to step foot out of the house for the whole week after my accident. Thankfully, Ashley and Chloe have been giving me my assignments, which really weren't that many.

"Avery!" my mom called from downstairs. "Pancakes!"

I got up and ran out of my room. Oh boy, pancakes. One of my mother's best meals. About halfway down the staircase, the scent of freshly cooked bacon and sausage filled the air around me, along with maple syrup and eggs. I stepped into the kitchen and looked around.

Josh was sitting at the high counter top, on one of the stools, texting; my mom was flipping a pancake, and... I looked at the empty seat at one end of the mahogany table where the missing family member should've been. Dad. It's been three months since I've seen him. My heart ached with pain and longing. He was deployed in Afghanistan at the last minute, and had to leave at the end of my junior year. My mom refused to talk about him, but Josh and I both knew it was because she would burst into tears if we ever mentioned it. I knew he would come back though. He promised me.

"Good morning mom," I said, walking passed her. I slid past Josh and ruffled his hair in the process. "Morning, squirt."

"Hey!" he exclaimed, trying to fix it.

"You'll get over it and live," I teased.

"How are you feeling, Avery?" my mom asked, flipping another pancake over.

I rolled my eyes, careful to make sure she didn't see it. "Like I have been for the past three days, mom. Fine."

"Good, good," she replied. "I'm going out today with some of the girls from my book club, so you guys will have the house to yourselves today."

"I'm going out to play baseball with Jake," Josh said, looking up from his phone. I slid into the stool next to him, not wanting to be at the big table alone. My mom nodded in agreement and placed two glasses of orange juice in front of us. He grabbed one and gulped half of it down. I took a sip of mine and set it in front of me once more.

"What about you, Avery? Got any plans?" my mom asked, dividing up the scrambled eggs onto three separate plates.

I thought for a moment. "I was thinking about hanging out with someone today. Maybe at the diner?"

"That sounds fun," she commented, topping off the pancakes with maple syrup. She picked up two of the plates in each hand and set one down in front of each of us. We began eating, and continued to talk school and what not. I found out that my mom had gotten a promotion, which meant more money. Money we probably needed. Josh found out that a girl had a crush on him, and he's thinking about trying out for the lacrosse team. I, however, didn't have much to share. Well, nothing that I wanted to share anyways.

I finished my breakfast and placed my plate and empty cup in the sink, then ran upstairs to get changed for the day. I decided that today was one of the days I wanted to be alone, so I would go to the diner by myself. I threw on a maroon tank top and some faded jeans, slipped on a pair of flip flops, and tied my hair up in a high ponytail. Once I was satisfied I looked alright, I told my mom I was leaving, although I didn't tell her I was going alone, and left for the diner.

~

I slid into the wooden stool at the bar and folded my hands casually on the mahogany countertop. A man with a uniform on came up to me, drying a cup and chewing on a toothpick. "What can I get for you?"

"Water, please," I answered him. Technically, I wasn't allowed to sit at the bar. But it was a Saturday morning, and they really didn't care what age you were, or how old you looked. The man nodded and walked away. I looked up to the TV, blankly staring at it while it played the morning news. The same man came back and placed a water in front of me. I nodded thanks and he walked away once more.

"Can I get a water please?"

I froze, mid-sip. I knew that voice. I would always know that voice. Quickly turning to my right, I saw Mr. Taylor slid into the stool next to mine. He was looking ahead at the bartender, who nodded to him, and hadn't noticed me. Or at least, I don't think he did.

"Mr. Taylor?" I asked.

He turned to me, eyes widening. "Avery? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," I replied coolly. I scooted away from him in my stool, but hadn't managed to get very far. The diner was a small place, and the bar was only as big as the high counter in my own kitchen, which meant there weren't many seats to choose from, but didn't he notice me? Why, with five other seats to choose from, did he sit next to me? But more importantly, why the hell was he here?

"Well," he began. "I come in here sometimes. Why? Is it weird?"

Yes, I thought. Yes, it is very weird. But instead I said, "No, it's just... awkward. I've never really seen teachers out in public before. Let alone in small diner bars, ordering a water next to their new student."

He gave me a smile and raised his eye brows. "What are the odds?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, twirling my straw in my water. The bartender had come back with Mr. Taylor's water and he was now sipping at it, ignoring the straw.

"How are you?" he said suddenly. I looked at him with a confused look, not really sure what to say. He motioned to my head with his pointer finger. "How's your head?"

"Oh, uh, good," I said. "Nothing bad, just a small bump."

"Well I hope you'll be back in school Monday. I've missed you."

I froze. He what? Missed me? Was that even allowed? "Oh, uh, yeah. I should be back by Monday. My mom wouldn't let me leave the house, out of stupid reasons. I was fine the next day, but she insisted." I still couldn't find out why I was telling him about why I wasn't in school, but it was too late anyways. I felt like he should... know. Know why I wasn't there, in his class, for three days.

"Well I'm glad you'll be back. I was worried," he said, then took another sip.

"Worried?" I asked.

"Yes." He looked at me with his warm, brown eyes. "Worried."

My heart skipped a beat. I felt my face grow warm. I turned away, resting my cheek on my fist and twirling my straw some more. "That's a first."

"A first? Why would that be a first?"

My voice got quiet. "No guy has ever worried about me before, that's all. Besides my dad."

"None? Not even a boyfriend?" he asked. I heard disbelief in his voice, along with a hint of shock.

"No boyfriend to speak of," I answered.

"Why?" he asked. "You're too beautiful to not have a boyfriend."

I spun my head to look at him, and I knew my face was probably bright red. He looked at me and winked, then slid off of his chair and placed a five dollar bill in between our cups.

"Here, this should cover both of them," he said. I was speechless, and didn't know what to do. Should I tell him that what he said made me feel uncomfortable? No, I couldn't... because it didn't. It made me feel... strangely happy. Happy because it came from him.

"Um..." I stuttered.

He leaned it, getting his lips only a few inches away from my ear. He placed one hand on the counter and the other on the back of my chair, where his thumb lightly touched my back. "Oh, and call me Elliott outside of school. Mr. Taylor is too formal," he said. He stood straight again and proceeded to leave the diner. I stared at the five dollar bill on the counter. "Good bye, Ms. Winters. I'll see you on Monday."