Amore Mio ✓

IX. Broken Heart

Current Age
Neilson: 23 years old
Alice: 15 years old

Alice's POV:

He stretches out his hand and moves his finger inward. Shamefully, I placed my phone in his palm, and he glanced at the message Neilson sent me. "So," he said.

"Sorry?" I said, but it came out as a question.

"No, I meant what's your answer," he asks.

Everyone's eyes were on me while I stared at Mr.Franklin. "Yes," I reply slowly.

He nodded and replied to the message. Mr.Franklin throws the phone on top of his desk, and I jolt when I hear it buzzing. My eyes went towards Mr.Franklin, who smirks at me, and I know he did it on purpose.

The phone keeps buzzing the whole period, and I continuously shake my leg, eyes staring at the clock that feels agonizingly slow.

When the bell rang, I jumped out of my seat and flashed towards him, placing my palm out. He rolls his eyes, mumbling something about impatient teenagers, and drops the phone on my palms.

Quickly, I scroll through my phone, eyes widening. "Mr.Franklin, I said yes!" I whined and stomped my foot.

He glances at me, cocking a brow. "Teach you to text during my class."

I scroll through my messages, feeling thoroughly dejected. Neilson had been messaging me, asking if I'm sure since I never turn down free food. Now, it's too late to respond since my phone was withdrawn from me for the whole hour.

"Alice, why don't you take a seat," Mr.Franklin said.

I take a step back, "Whatever it was, I didn't do it."

He scrunches his brows together. "You're not in trouble," he said. Since I'm not in trouble, I sat back down. "Alice, remember when we took that test a month ago?"

"That random bullshit test that didn't matter to my grade that you called practicing for the SAT? Yes." I reply.

He rolls his eyes, "Well, the result came in."

"How bad did I do?" I whisper.

Mr.Franklin furrows his brows together and shakes his head. "Quite the opposite, you score in the top .01% in the states," he replies, handing me the result. "The only thing you got deducted points in was your argument regarding the current school system."

"Oh yes, how its fucking sucks," I reply.

"That's where you got deducted points. You can't use vulgar words in the essay."

My mouth gape open. "Fuck is a real word."

"Yes, but it's a vulgar slang word," he explains.

I shrug my shoulders, "So?"

He rolls his eyes once more, and one day, I believe it will be stuck in the back of his head." So, I showed your report to a friend of mine at Princeton and-"

"Teachers have friends?!"

"Alice!" He warns me.

I gave him a sheepish smile.

Mr.Franklin cleared his throat. "After I showed my friend, he was impressed and wanted to speak with you."

"About what?"

"Alice, have you considered taking a Certificate of Proficiency from the State Board of Education and graduate school early?"

"Mr.Franklin I-"