Broken Horse

Chapter 4 - Jacey

The curse drifted around in the air as Sergei ripped his hand through his black hair tasseling it around even more. Dark circles shaded around his eyes and the weekend growth covered his jaw. Sexy? As if he couldn't get any sexier, he just had to not shave over the weekend. "Just go and read the chapter. I will make a quiz next class. As long as you do good on this one, I will add the points to the last test."

My classmates put their stuff away as quick as they could and ran out the door. My eyes stayed on him at the front, his hair messed, and the complete despair in his eyes as he expressionlessly stared at the computer. I needed these lectures because I wasn't getting a damn thing from the book... that I wasn't reading. But I needed the information for the tests and the way the tests were, I needed all the help I could get. I didn't need to be released early only to go home and straight to work. This class was something I was starting to enjoy. Not to count the teacher who caught me in the school parking lot with the horses that I had to woo over before I ruined both my sister's life and mine.

"You may go. No lab today." Giving me a perfect shot of his back, he let out a loud breath as he ran his hands over his face. Soft words filtered through the air, ones I couldn't understand, but they sounded like a prayer or a plea for help with something. Silently, he closed down his presentation and logged off the computer before going to the front table.

"I just had a few questions-" A lump filled my throat. I still had to see if he was going to rat me out. And I haven't had any clue as if he already told on me or not. So far, I hadn't heard anything when I entered the building for class.

"Just go." The words came out harsh as he pressed his hands down on the tabletop letting his head hang. "You have to go now."

"Is everything okay?" This wasn't a side of him I enjoyed watching. Last week, he was on the ball, right in there joking as he lectured to keep us awake. Except for Friday. Friday was different and he wasn't completely himself, but then again, we had a lengthy test to take. Today, he seemed so distant, almost as if he were lost, and had no ambition to even sit in the room while we at least worked on our labs.

"Yes. Go now or I will tell Professor Johnston you had the horses on the school property." When his eyes came up, they were tight, hard, and the coldest sapphires I ever saw. Though they were looking in my direction, they were a thousand miles away, gone, reaching into outer space.

Grabbing my bag, I shoved my book inside. I didn't need to sit here and take this from a teacher who couldn't lecture today. His damn job was to lecture, to teach us about rocks and minerals, volcanoes, and landforms. As for Sergei's attitude, I wasn't going to take it. This wasn't the first time he growled at me, barked at me, or snapped my direction, but I was getting tired of it.

"You know what..." Putting the bag on my shoulder, that pang of hurt hit me a little more than usual. My eyes burned from the water that was filling inside of them and I hated it. I hated when people treated me like I was nothing or joked about the way I was. I was fine being me. "I have no idea what I ever did to you for you to hate me this much, but whatever it was, I am sorry. You're a good teacher and I do like your class. I hope you have a good night."

His cursing grew as I walked to the door. Giving him one last look, I swallowed hard seeing his eyes haunted with so much pain, it twisted my stomach as hard as it could. His shoulders dropped as he pushed off the table. "I will not tell. I apologize for even mentioning it. Go. Have a good night and take care of that horse. He is magnificent."

"He sure is even if he doesn't see it." Swallowing hard, I stepped out letting the door close behind me. The weight came down on my heart more as I glanced back at the room. It was now clear to see him with the couple of weeks I've had in his class. What I saw in the beginning was a mask, just a cover. Something brought it down letting me see what was really hiding. He was broken and never had the chance to heal. I just wish his heart was mended because he was amazing. He was gorgeous and funny and...