Linger

S I X T Y - F O U R

I glanced around the empty hallways.

"I'd like to speak to you about one of your answers on the exam," Daniel explained. 

Throwing caution in the wind, I followed him into his classroom. I was probably already in so much trouble anyway after giving such a hard time to Mr. Blakely anyway. 

 But that didn't mean I was still worried for Daniel.

He closed the door behind us, walking over to his desk. 

"Aren't you scared?" I leaned back against one of the desks. 

"Of?" 

I shrugged. "Everything." 

"I actually do have to discuss one of your exam questions with you." He placed my test on his desk, looking up at me. 

"Oh." I pushed myself off the desk and slowly made my way over. 

"Your answer for short answer questions matches word-for-word that of four other students." 

"Yeah." I nodded. "We worked on it together."

His gaze stayed on mine.

"It was open-book . . ." I trailed off. "Sorry. I probably should've asked if it was even okay to work together--"

"No, it's fine." He shook his head, shifting his eyes to the test. "That helps clarify things."

I knitted my eyebrows as I watched him shuffle with papers, putting them away in his briefcase. 

"Thank you, Miss Parker." 

"Yeah . . . no problem." I nodded. 

He looked toward the closed door before turning to me. 

Getting the hint, I gave him a small smile before heading toward the door and walking out of his classroom, the door immediately shutting behind me.

As if my mind hadn't been spinning at top speed this entire time, it was now in a complete whirlwind before. 

What was that?

The question looped in endless circles in my mind the whole way to the frozen yogurt shop. 

"Don't let your frozen yogurt turn into a puddle, Sonnie," Tyler said, snapping me out of my thoughts. 

"What?" I looked up at him. 

He nodded to my bowl of frozen yogurt before taking a bite of his own. 

I glanced down to see my chocolate yogurt slowly starting to melt, mixing the toppings together into some sad looking concoction. "Now it's frozen yogurt soup." I giggled.

"Mmm! My favorite!" Tyler exclaimed, shoving another spoonful into his mouth.

I laughed even more before looking down at my yogurt, stirring it around with my spoon. If Sasha caught onto Daniel and I, did that mean everyone else could? I fiddled with my spoon, looking up at Tyler.  "Do you think any of the teachers have favorites?" I had to know.

"Hmm." He placed his spoon down as he thought for a moment. "Favorite what?"

"Students." 

"Favorite pens? Yes. Favorite whiteboard markers? Yes. Favorite students?" He raised his eyebrows at me before shaking his head. "Maybe a favorite one to hate." 

I let out a laugh. "You're the best." 

He gave me a playful grin. "I know." 

My phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket and I immediately reached for it, hoping to see Daniel's name on the screen.