When Summer Ends (21 page)

“Twitching thing?” I was a little thrown by his comment; my
eyes didn’t twitch before I cried.

He nodded, shrugging. “Yeah it always happens right before you
start to cry.”

“How do you know that?” I asked, feeling stupid and willing
my eyes not to twitch and give me away.

“Sad movies.”
Wow, he really paid a lot of attention to
me when we were going out if he noticed something small like that.
He
smiled. I felt my anger melting away so I fought hard to hold onto it. I
refused to forget this. He’d hurt me, and I wasn’t going to pretend like him
moving on so quickly wasn’t ripping my heart out.

“Well I’m fine, nothing’s wrong. Just tired,” I muttered,
gazing longingly up the hallway towards the gym, eager to make my escape to my
first class.

“You didn’t sleep very well?” He flicked his head to get his
hair away from his eyes.
Jeez, I love it so much when he does that! Maybe I
should ask him to cut his hair a little shorter so he’ll stop doing that in
front of me.

I opened my mouth to answer, but the bell rang loudly from
above my head.
Oh thank you, God!
“Got to go.” I smiled and turned to
leave. He didn’t stop me this time, and I was grateful. His touch just had an
effect on my body and I refused to let him have a hold over me any longer.
Stupid,
arrogant, cocky, player teacher!

The rest of the morning passed slowly. I tried really hard not
to think about him. I threw myself into my classes, and every time I thought
about him and Miss Teller, I mentally slapped myself and focused harder on what
the teachers were saying. I even managed to make it through another gym class
without hurting myself which I was amazed about. Maybe it was just mind over
matter.

At lunchtime I sat with my group of friends listening to
them arrange for us to all go and see a movie on Saturday night. I was
definitely up for that. I hadn’t really done anything much since Will and I
broke up. Apart from the night out with Sam on Friday, I’d just sat around and
wallowed.

Oliver plopped down next to me, smiling nervously. “Hey,
Olly, good weekend?” I asked, finished the last of my juice.

“Yeah it was good. Yours?” he asked, offering me some of his
chips.

I took a couple and shrugged. “Didn’t really do much,
studying and shopping. Nothing exciting.”

“Right, that’s good… I mean, not good that you didn’t do
anything exciting, just good that it was uneventful and…” he trailed off,
frowning. He shook his head and looked back at me again. “I was wondering if
you wanted to go and do something on Friday night?” he asked, looking really
uncomfortable.

Oh no! He’s asking me out again? Is this why he was staring
at me for the whole of first period? Because he wanted to ask me out again?
I gulped when I realised the whole table had gone quiet and were now listening
to him ask me out.
Wow, talk about uncomfortable! How can I let him down
gently?
I wracked my brain quickly for an excuse before I thought of one. “I
can’t, I have plans already, sorry.” I relaxed. That wasn’t a total lie, Sam had
suggested we do something Friday, but we had no definite plans. I’d rejected
Oliver twice now so he shouldn’t ask me out again which would be a lot easier.

“Oh right, okay yeah. That’s fine.” He frowned, seeming to
look anywhere but me.

Suddenly I felt awful. The whole table had just seen him
crash and burn. “Maybe you could come to the movies with us on Saturday? We
were just arranging something,” I suggested, hoping that including him in our
planned outing would make him feel a little better somehow.

His whole face lit up and he smiled broadly. “Yeah? I’d like
that.”

Oh crud, does he think this is a date or something? He
does know that I meant it as friends, doesn’t he?
“There’s like eight of us
going I think,” I added quickly so he would know I meant it in a friendly way.

He nodded still smiling. “Sounds good.”

The bell rang so we all made our way to our respective
classes; Amy looped her arm through mine and practically skipped along at my
side. “Yay, you’re going on a date with Olly!” she chirped.

I frowned. It wasn’t a date. “Amy, we’re all going, it’s not
a date.”

She shrugged. “Seems like a date to me. Maybe you should get
him to pick you up then if you have a good time you’ll get to be alone with him
at the end of the night.” She waggled her eyebrows. I rolled my eyes but didn’t
bother to answer.

A couple of hours later, and it was time for Will’s class
again.
Please let Tricia be in today, please, please, please.
I repeated
it over and over in my head as I made my way to his class, I even crossed my
fingers and shoved my hands in my pockets so no one would see them. I didn’t
want to have to work with him again today, not after this morning; I certainly
wouldn’t be able to be civil with him today knowing that he had plans with Miss
Teller.

“Hey, Chloe,” Olly called as Amy and I walked into the
classroom. I smiled and he waved us over to his bench where Jessica, Amy’s
partner, was already sitting.
Oh great, another uncomfortable hour!
Amy
sat down next to Jess so I sat the other side of Olly and his partner, leaving
an empty seat for Tricia if she had decided to grace us with her presence today.

“Hey, do you know if Tricia’s in today?” I asked, looking at
her empty seat longingly.

“Yeah I saw her this morning,” Olly replied. I felt like a
weight had been lifted off of my shoulders because I wouldn’t have to work with
Will today.

I smiled broadly as Tricia walked in and I resisted the urge
to jump out of my chair and hug the life out of her. I waved her over to me
excitedly. “Hey, you got stuck with me as a partner, sorry.” I patted the empty
desk next to me happily.

“I did, what for?” she asked, smiling, looking a little
confused as she sat down next to me.

“Stupid calculus slash science project that has no bearing
on our lives outside of these walls whatsoever,” I replied, shrugging.

She laughed, still seeming bewildered. “Sounds awesome.”

Will walked over and smiled at Tricia. “Hi, you’re back.
Miss Henderson should be able to fill you in on what you missed yesterday but
if you two struggle or anything then let me know.” He smiled kindly, and Tricia
actually looked like she melted into a puddle at his feet as she stared at him
dreamily. He put a few sheets of paper down in front of me. “You left your
notes here last night, Miss Henderson.” Without waiting for an answer, he
turned and walked off.

Left my notes. What did that mean? I didn’t leave my notes;
they’re in my bag, probably making all of my books smell like vinegar because I
didn’t bother to copy them onto fresh paper.
I glanced down at the pages
that he’d put on my desk to see they were in his writing. I frowned and flicked
through them quickly. He’d rewritten everything we did yesterday for me.
Aww,
that’s so freaking adorable!
I sighed and pushed the notes towards Tricia,
deciding that I needed to fill her in about the stupid rocket.

The class was uneventful. Our rocket was half made because
of Will yesterday so we didn’t need to do much, just work out the amounts of
substance that would generate the pressure we needed. We worked on it all class
and were pretty much done by the end, mostly thanks to Will’s notes that he’d
written for me. When he walked past to check on how we were all getting on I
smiled at him gratefully. He winked at me and carried on walking past as if
nothing had happened. My heart fluttered in my chest. Stupid traitorous heart.

There was about five minutes left until the end of class so Tricia
and I were pretending to look busy. We’d done everything we were required to
do, so for the rest of the week all we needed to do was work on the
presentation which wouldn’t be very hard because of Will’s detailed notes he’d
given me.

Someone knocked on the classroom door and walked in. I
groaned internally when I spotted her blonde head. Not one hair was out of
place and she looked impeccable and classy even though it was the end of the
day. Miss Teller.

Every boy in the class stopped what they were doing to look
at her with lustful expressions. She smiled at Will and headed over to him,
swaying her hips as she walked.
Jeez, does she do that on purpose or does
sexy just come naturally to her?
I felt my jealousy rise again as he smiled
at her.

“Hey, you’re early,” he greeted, nodding at the clock on the
wall.

“Yeah I had a free period; I just wanted to let you know
that I have to speak to the textile teacher about costumes for the play. I
won’t be long, but I might be a couple of minutes late. Is that okay?” she
asked, pouting, obviously going for vulnerable and needy.
Go away, stupid
woman!
I felt my leg twitch, but I forced myself to stay in my seat. What I
really wanted to do was go over to her and do the little vinegar explosion
thing in her face. That would wipe the seductive smile off of her pretty face…

“Sure, I wouldn’t leave without you, don’t worry.” He
smirked at her making her giggle.
Oh my goodness, she actually just giggled!
Does this woman have no shame? She’s flirting with the teacher, right in front
of his class.

“Great, I’ll meet you here then when I’m done.” She turned
and flicked her hair over her shoulder as she swayed out of the door, leaving
all of the boys watching her with their mouths and eyes open wide.

The bell rang. I looked up at Will. He wasn’t bothered at
all that he’d just done that right in front of me.
It probably hasn’t even
entered his head that I would be upset over this. How can he go from so
thoughtful and adorable one minute; to a complete jerk in the next?

Olly smiled at me. I decided then that I could use him for a
little payback.
Let’s see how Will likes having it shoved in his face. It
probably wouldn’t bother him; he’d already told me that he didn’t have feelings
for me anyway. Jerk.

I grabbed the rocket that Tricia and I had on our desk and
followed Olly over to the side where we were storing them. Will was standing
there moving them all around to make room for them all on the side.

I waited until I was close enough for him to hear before
turning to Olly. “Hey, so I was wondering if you’d pick me up on Saturday for
the movie?” I asked, smiling sweetly. I felt a little guilty flirting with Olly
when he obviously liked me but to be honest he might be able to help me move on
just like Amy suggested.

He grinned. “Yeah sure.”

“Great. Maybe we could grab something to eat before we meet
up with everyone else, what do you think?” I suggested, leaning in slightly as
I spoke.

His smile got even broader. “I’d like that. Maybe we could
go to that Mexican restaurant that just opened.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Nah, a Mexican restaurant
isn’t a good first date.” I shrugged, knowing that Will was listening from where
he was. His shoulders were stiff, and he’d moved the same rocket four times
already. He had his back to me and I kind of wished I could see his face to see
what he thought about it.

“Maybe we could go there another time then,” Olly replied,
grinning boyishly.

I laughed and rolled my eyes. “And who said I’d want to go
out with you again? Maybe your date will suck,” I teased.

“I hope she does.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

I suppressed a groan.
Is he kidding me right now? Sexual
flirting like that just doesn’t work at all.

I opened my mouth about to make some witty remark about him
counting his chickens or something, but Will span around with a face like
thunder and almost snatched the rocket from my hands. He glared at me angrily.
“Maybe you could finish this little discussion outside of my classroom.”

I faked shock. “Oh my gosh, I didn’t even realise you were
there, Mr Morris,” I lied, looking at him with wide eyes.

His frown grew more pronounced. “Obviously, otherwise you
would have left this little innuendo conversation in the hallway, right?” he
retorted sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

Wow, pissed off definitely suits him. All that brooding
and frowning makes him look super sexy.
I desperately tried not to imagine
pressing my body against his and running my tongue down the side of his neck,
biting on the edge of his jaw just the way he liked so I could hear him moan my
name. 
Focus, Chloe! Oops, spaced out for a second there!
“Absolutely.
I’m sorry, Mr Morris.” I looked at him apologetically and tried not to smile at
the way his body was tense and alert. He really didn’t like to hear me flirting
by the looks of it.
Oh well, he started it.
Olly was just smiling
sheepishly so I slapped his arm playfully. “You got us in trouble,” I scolded,
smiling as I glanced towards the desk where Amy was standing there waiting for
me with a grin on her face.

Olly grinned. “Sorry, my bad.”

I rolled my eyes teasingly, throwing one last smirk in
Will’s direction as I walked off to pack up my bag. Olly grabbed his bag and
headed out of the room with one of his friends, winking at me as he walked past
my desk.

Amy giggled as soon as he was out of the room. “I hope my
date sucks?” She laughed, shaking her head. “He is so bad at flirting.”

I laughed and shoved my books in my bag. “I know, tell me
about it. But that was super sexy. Really got to me and made me want to be with
him,” I joked, rolling my eyes.

She giggled. “I know, who says that to a girl? Epic fail on
his part.”

“Maybe he’s never spoken to a girl before.” I shouldered my
bag and followed Amy towards the door.

“Miss Henderson, a word please,” Will called just as I was
about to make my escape.

I sighed and turned back to Will. He was still standing over
by the rockets; his easy cocky attitude was totally gone now. He actually
looked a little hurt, and I started to feel stupid for doing that and making
him feel bad. I turned back to Amy. “I’ll meet you by your car.”