A Teacher's Love Story

Chapter 10 - Jealous

When Emma entered the teacher's lounge, she saw Bradley sitting in the corner with his novel, who glanced upwards and nodded his head as greeting, only to indulge himself back into his novel. Then she met gaze with Dylan, who was seated with a few other colleagues she hadn't met yet, and once he nodded his head as well before returning to the conversation spoken at that table.

Emma eyed the entire room before she headed towards Kara, who was seated with a few other people she hadn't met either. Once she sat down, Kara pointed to her, "This is Emma, new Biology teacher. That's Will, English. Sophie, French. Melanie, Organic Chemistry and Eva, philosophy."

"Hi everyone," Emma waved, opening the lunchbox she had prepared. She had made pasta the night before, and she needed to reheat it, so as the conversation continued, she stood and headed towards the microwave. Dylan, who noticed this, stood as well with his plate of food and headed for that area. The garbage was right next to it, and even though he wanted to eat the last bits of food on his plate, talking to Emma was a better deal.

Once he approached the garbage, Emma noticing he was beside her, he said quietly, "Were you also approached by a screaming Kara on this fine morning?"

She laughed, "Yes, she said we went on a date."

"Did you not consider it that way?"

"Do you want to consider it that way?"

"Well," he slowly shoved the food into the garbage can, and Emma added a few numbers to the microwave timer, "by the way Bradley has been eyeing you, and from the way I heard your name being involved in a few conversation between the male teachers," he turned to face her, "yes, it was a date."

Emma giggled, "Then sure, it's a date."

"This isn't me being jealous by the way."

"For sure."

"Why d'you say it like that?"

"Like what?"

"As if you don't agree with me?"

"Because it's jealousy."

"No it isn't."

"Yes it is."

"Fine then, consider it whatever you want."

Emma furrowed her brows, "That's what I'm doing."

"Whatever," he scoffed, "let me know when you're done because I want to walk you to your classroom."

"Maybe I didn't want you to, that's pretty bold of you to just tell me to—"

"Then I won't," he grumbled, starting to head back towards his seat.

But she reached for his wrist just when the microwave beeped, "I said maybe, that doesn't mean I didn't want you to, I was just saying that—"

"Yes or no?"

They finally met gaze, and he had his eyebrows raise, standing a bit too close that a few started realizing they had been standing there for quite some time. Even Bradley, who was now entirely focused on them too, examined their lips in attempt to know what they were talking about.

Emma sighed, mumbling, "Yes I would love that."

***

Once Emma was done with her food, there were still a few people left in the teacher's lounge. Kara had left a few minutes ago, leaving her with the few people she had met today. She eventually stood to her feet, grabbed her lunchbox and waved dismissively towards them.

However, she realized Dylan was in an entire conversation, seriously indulged into it and unconsciously using that smart voice he had used when he explained his research to her. And it wasn't just to anybody; they're whole table had gone and it was only him with another teacher.

A female teacher.

He did not even realize Emma had stepped towards the door, his attention completely focused as he ranted about his passion, and Emma was way too shy to tap him on the shoulder or interrupt their conversation, so she left. But there was a stinging that happened in her chest that ruined her mood, but she shook her head; she shouldn't have read into anything. Even though Dylan was giving her lots of attention at times, she shouldn't have expected anything from him.

Even with these thoughts, Emma was still silly, walking to class on her own. It was only when she reached her classroom that she heard her name being called from down the hallway, and Dylan stood there, out-of-breath and his face with a few strands of sweat. Emma stopped in front of her door, waiting for him to reach her.

"Why d'you leave without telling me? You said you wanted me to walk you to class," he said, his hands on his hips.

Emma shrugged her shoulders, "You were talking to someone and seemed really into it."

Dylan froze for a moment, furrowing his brows as he attempting to recollect who he had been talking to. Once he started ranting about his research, he forgot there were actually people listening, and often even forgot who it had been that listened. Until he remember who it was, and burst out into hysterical laughter.

Emma frowned, folding her arms, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing..." he murmured, his stomach tightened.

She again asked, "No, what's so funny?"

"So you were jealous?"

Instantly, her face beamed red. "What—no! That's not what—"

"Jealous," he sang as he started walking away from her door towards the end of the hallway.

She stepped towards him and shouted, "I was not jealous."

"You like me," he winked, facing her as he walked backwards the opposite direction.

"Well you like me too since you were jealous earlier—"

"I'm not the one who's scared to admit it, Emma." Then, he turned the corner and disappeared behind the wall.