The Jerk Of A Science Teacher

Navy Blue

It had been a few weeks since he came back to school. He seems happier, standing behind his desk talking about chromosomes and DNA. He would occasionally steal glances at my direction, and I was worried it would become obvious, especially to Riley. But she had been oblivious to it all so far.

"You picked your dress yet?" Riley asked while sitting down next to me. The Christmas dance was coming up, and surprisingly I was excited. I usually didn't like the school dances, but Riley had hyped it up until I was starting to feel the Christmas spirit myself. 

"I have a few picked out but not a definite one." 

"It's next week, why do you always leave it 'till the last minute." As she stared at me I realised how much she sounded like my mom. 

"I procrastinate a lot." I shrugged. She rolled her eyes, as she turned to face Mr Harris at the front  of the room. 

Halfway through class, she whispered to me,

"What about your date?" 

"Don't have one." Technically Mark had asked me, but it had to be a secret, I couldn't just say that a teacher was my date to the Christmas. That would raise alarm bells. 

"Why not?"

"I don't need one. I don't need to have a guy just to take a few pictures with him."

"Sure, but it looks good." I rolled my eyes.

"Fine, who's your date?" 

"I don't have one." 

"So why are you getting on at me?"

"Because I want you to have a date so I can live vicariously through you." I gave a small laugh. 

"Trust me you don't want to do that." 

"Why not?" 

"My life's not perfect." 

"No one's is. But your life seems better. Not complicated." Oh, if only she knew. "Anyway, we're getting your dress after school today, no excuses."

"Fine." I gave in.

~~~~~

I had picked a navy blue dress that day. Riley wouldn't leave the mall without a dress in hand. She picked out the highest heels she could find while I went for flats as I was already tall at 6ft. 

"Miss Miller. A word please." Mr Harris shouted as I walked past his classroom in the corridor. 

"Yes, Sir," I said as I entered the classroom, closing the door behind me. I didn't know whether he was talking to me as 'Mr Harris', or 'Mark', so I decided to play it safe in school. 

"What colour is your dress?"

"Navy blue, why?"

"I need to get my tie the same colour. Even if we can't be seen together as dates, we still have that." I smiled.

"That's perfect, one quick question, though. Why are you just getting a tie the day of the dance?" 

"I don't need to buy the tie, I already have a collection of them."

"Of course you do." 

"Remember that tie you insulted on the first day?" 

"Yeah." 

"That was my favourite. Though it looks like the navy blue one is my new favourite." 

"I know what your Christmas present is then." I joked.

"Are we doing Christmas presents. I'm just happy having you."

"Well, I'm definitely giving you a present. I don't care if you get me anything."