Daryl and Rick AU

Chapter 15

Rick's POV

The morning of the first day of the week was surprisingly welcoming.

The early suns ray peeked through the gap of the bedroom curtains. It shined brightly onto my face as I woke up.

I didn't feel worried or anxious, I felt as though I needed to face this.

After Sarah had talked me through everything. What she would do if she was in my shoes. She told me to be forward, say what I have to say and don't back away from it. I agreed with her as I always did. She was always the one to give great advice whenever I needed it. She also said to be honest about my feels towards him and try to not expect anything in return.

Daryl not saying anything only told me that I'd have to be ready to be pushed away and for him not feeling anything back, yet at the same time, I couldn't tell if he was going to do that. He didn't say anything to alarm me in any way. To be fairly honest, he looked comfortable. When he laid in my arms before I said anything, he looked like he wanted to stay. Something in the back of his head might have derived him away from those feelings. Maybe family or something else from his past made him do that but I wasn't going to ask him anything knowing that he wouldn't tell me a thing, which of course he wouldn't.

I couldn't shake the sense that he did want to be held that way, gently. It looked like he hadn't had that in sometime and that made my heart ache.

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I closed the door of my car in the school parking lot. Fresh coffee from home and a newspaper placed that was placed in front of my apartment door in my hands, I walk towards the math department hall.

It was empty, well empty as in no students around except the senior staff members sipping their coffees and eating their stale bagels. I've never really been too keen on trying to talk to them so I've ignored them as i wasn't interested in their small talks about classic music and art. Nothing I would ever be caught talking about, myself.

I slip into my home room and write on the chalk board the lessons that would be taught for the day which was the fun subject of "Calculus" After I was done, I eagerly sat down and looked through the newspaper. Turning the pages to the politics section then after to the good ole social media and entertainment pages for fun.

I sat at my desk waiting till 9:30 for class to begin and the loud students to file through the doors and take their seats only waiting for a particular person to come through. 

Daryl.

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"Hey Rick!"

The voice coming from the door startles me from my concentration of the new touch screen watch-like-phone article.

"Technology has gone weird" I say to myself before I look up and close the paper.

I nod to the few students passing through and taking their seats in front of me.

I see their expressions change as they see the writing on the board.

"Yes guys I know this is your favorite-"

I start to say sarcastically but get interrupted by the roar of 'boos' across the room.

"It's in the curriculum, I don't even want to teach you guys this but it's my job"

I shrug my shoulders and stand up as the room started to fill.

I felt myself looking at the door multiple times without being aware of it. I guess I could say that I was getting nervous. My stomach felt like it was in knots, growing tighter each time the minute flew passed.

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It was about 45 minutes in out of the 1 hour and a half class and Daryl still didn't shown. I tried not to get myself distracted by looking at the door but I couldn't help it. I messed up a few times on the formulas and what I had to say, so I assigned a few pages for the class to practice on. 

Now, this was the time I could worry or ponder about what I was going to say to him when I knew that he would be here.

I knew I said that I was going to go forward with what Sarah had advised: be honest about your feelings, but if I did that, it could ruin everything. Not to mention I'm a teacher feeling something for a student isn't highly recommended.

I just couldn't help it.

The way his stormy blue eyes hid behind his brown locks that was mid way at his neck. When he blushingly smiles every time I knew I told a dumb joke in class or the times we met privately. Everything about him made me feel attracted to him more each day we saw each other.

Not only by how he looked - which wasn't bad, not at all - but by who he was. All I wanted was to learn more about him.

As if by some telepathic connection, the door opened and I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Daryl walk through. Of course avoiding eye contact, he found a seat and looked down at his desk.

"It's page 57 for Calculus."

I stuttered to him. It was like he didn't hear so I repeated loudly. He got his book from his backpack and turned to the page, again not connecting eyes. I felt the worst already.

"This isn't going to go well" I pondered to myself.