I finished and it wasn't even 7pm yet. I threw on some running shorts and a jacket, going for a run would help clear my mind when I started to think about mum, I'd rather run than sit in my room and cry myself into a depression.
I made dad a bowl up of the spaghetti that I cooked and placed it in the fridge with a note that I was out running and not to wait up, he was fine with me doing that, but just as long as I told him what I was doing. I knew the chances of him being here when I returned was slim. So instead I grabbed the bowl back out and decided to take it to him instead, that way I would know he was eating right.
Arriving at the police station and walking through the front office I was greeted by another constable “Mia, how are you?” Jonathan asked, he was Dad’s age with the little kids.
“I'm good thanks, is Dad here?” I asked.
He laughed and nodded, “You take care of your old man well, and he’s in his office. Good to see you and don't be a stranger.”
I nodded, giving him a smile. “Don’t worry. I won’t,” This was the second time I had been in here since mum's death.
I made my way through to the long corridor towards the back and knocked once I got to the wooden door, pushing it open and seeing Dad standing up at the window looking out of it. “Dad,” I spoke quietly.
He spun around and looked shocked to see me here “Mia?”
I held up the dinner. Shyly smiling, “I brought you something to eat.”
He smiled and came over, taking it from my hands and sitting it on the desk. “Thank you sweetheart, its late are you going for a run?”
I nodded, “Yeah just something to do, Umm James asked me to the movie's Thursday night, is that ok if I go with him?” I asked.
He smiled, “Of course it is, I'll leave some money on the counter for you before I head to work, you be safe and don't stay out too late ok,” He warned in his fatherly tone and gave me a kiss and hug before I made my way out of the building and started my run.
Running across the street just down from home after about 20 minutes when a car pulled up just in front of me, my heart rate picking up as I knew who's car it was. It was the same one that parks at our school every day and the same gorgeous driver getting out of it.
“What are you doing?” I asked slowly as he walked towards me more.
“Do you normally run late at night?” He asked wearing a crooked grin, shoving his hands in his pockets and kicking the pavement.
I nodded, “Sometimes, I think I should go back home,” I started to back away when he said something completely outrageous, I would never have thought he'd even say something like that to me, not even in my wildest dreams.
“Come and have a kick with me, it's a good clear night and could be fun?”
“What? Didn't you just come from there?" I asked, a little stunned.
He laughed, leaning on the bonnet of his black Audi. “Mia, I'm flattered that you pay attention when I talk. You’re normally head down and keeping quiet, and yes I just left training.”
I shrugged, “Just because I don't talk a lot, doesn't mean I'm not listening to you,” I answered, feeling a little embarrassed. I swear my cheeks were flaming a pink blush again.
“When was the last time you done something fun and crazy?” He pushed himself off the car and walked to the front passenger door.
I shook my head and mumbled quietly, “I don't go out any more.”
“Well then, come on and let's go have a game of one on one,” He grinned wide at me, his dimples on full show. My heart pounding faster by the second at the thought of being alone with him.
I shook my head quickly, “No, I can’t and plus you'll get in trouble for this with the other teachers.” I backed away a couple steps, trying not to make eye contact with him.
“Come on Mia,” He laughed, looking around the area. “I don't see any other teachers around here and plus I want to know more about the girl who makes the best pies and shakes in town,” He winked as he held the car door open, holding his hand out for me to get in.
I bit my lip nervously, rolling my eyes as I walked forwards slowly, and came closer to him. Closer than I had ever been, my heart pounding so hard and fast as I looked up into his smiling green eyes and found myself giving in. “Fine, just one hour and that's it.”
Chapter Three
I was so nervous.
Here I was, sitting in my teacher’s car while he drove us to the football field, well that's what he told me. He could really be an axe murderer for all I knew.
Ok, I was over exaggerating on that last part.
“Mia, stop worrying.”
“Why are you doing this? You could get in trouble with the school, do you not know my dad is a cop?" I asked in a panicked rush looking over at him, his hazel green eyes looking into mine as he glanced at me before they went back to the road.
He shrugged, letting out a sigh, “You’re lonely, you never talk and you spend all your school time either in the library studying or reading under the tree outside.”
I frowned, “How do you know I'm lonely? I'm not, just because I sit alone doesn't mean I don't have friends, I have friends.”
He scoffed, still managing to flash a cute smirk, “You’re lonely, well apart from hanging out with James, who by the way is in love with you and you’re too busy shooting the guy down to notice"
My eyes widened as I spun in the seat to look at him, “Love? No, we've been friends for years and I agreed to go to the movie's with him Thursday, not that it's any of your business,” I hissed at him while giving his shoulder a slight punch. My eyes widened and realised I had just punched my teacher, “I'm so sorry.”
He laughed loudly, shaking his head, “It didn't hurt, plus I get hit worse than that during a game of footy.”
I ignored him as I turned back around, looking out at the dark sky and trying to calm my erratic heart beating. I was sitting alone in a car with the hottest man I knew and I didn't know how to act. How could I stay calm when he's right beside me? Breathing in the same air, in the small amount of space.
My mind travelled back to James, he didn't like me. He was one of those guys that dated all the hot girls, the pretty cheerleader types and I wasn't that type of girl. Plus he liked to sleep around and I didn't want a guy like that. I wanted someone who didn't need to get laid each weekend to have a good time.
“Come on, let’s go have some fun,” I looked out the window when the car came to a stop and noticed we were at the football ground. The lights lit up the dark green playing field and Mr Wade was already starting to walk towards the oval with a red football, he can't be serious!
I jogged to catch up to him as he was almost at the middle of the oval, I couldn't believe he didn't wait for me. “Thanks for waiting,” I muttered slowing down.
He laughed a laughed that had me insides squirming, “Mia, You’re a big girl. You don't need your hand held,” He paused, tilting his head back a little. “Unless you want it held?” He winked, holding his hand out to me.
“No!” I slapped his hand away and ignored the shoot of electricity that ran through my veins from just a simple touch, the fact that he held it out had I more than embarrassed, he just laughed and dropped the ball and kicked it far across the field.
“Go get it,” He spoke casually.
I looked at him confused, “Why, you’re the one who wants to play.”
“Mia, if you didn't want to be here you would have told me to get lost but instead you didn't, you got in the car which tells me you want to be in the company of me,” he winked.
I rolled my eyes, “You’re so full of yourself.” I then took off to the other side of the field to get the ball. I’d give in and play with him a little.
We had spent a good time kicking ball back and forth, just talking about random things. He was more or less playing 20 questions, but this was beyond 20, we were up to 30. I had told him everything he asked and he did the same. I found out he's an only child. He lives alone, spends weekends playing and th
en usually goes out and has drinks with his friends afterwards, win or lose.
“So you cook then?” He spoke and I frowned in confusion as I kicked the ball back to him, He chuckled and caught it, “I mean you bake things at the bakery.”
I shrugged, “Yeah, I do and as you can see you’re still alive so my cooking isn't that bad.”
“You’re teasing me?” He walked towards me, grinning which caused my heart rate to quicken again for what felt like the millionth time as he stopped and stood directly in front of me.
Shaking my head at him and he cocked his head to the side and smiled wide, “I'm not teasing you, I was stating a fact.”
“Mia,” he paused, stepping a little closer. Toe to toe in fact as he continued, “Do I make you nervous?” He spoke a little quieter, his eyes directly to mine.
“Yes,” I said instantly, then shook my head, “No!”
He laughed, handing me the football. “Come on little baker girl, let’s get you home before your father has me arrested and locked up."
The drive back home was slow, it was like he was taking the long way back to my house even though I told him I was fine to walk. What was more weird was when he dropped me off he walked me to the front door and looked at me as if to say 'well aren't you inviting me in.'
“Umm, thanks for the eventful evening,” I bit my lip nervously, looking around to avoid eye contact. Dad wasn't home yet and I figured it was going to be another late night for him. This happened often if he wasn't back by 9pm.
“Ok Mia, I'll see you in class tomorrow,” He handed me back the ball and I frowned.
“This is your ball, I don't need it,” I said, holding it back out to him.
He shook his head, moving a few steps backwards, “Keep it, we'll play again Friday, but this time meet me there at 8.”
“What?” I raised my brows. He was wanting to hang out with me again?
He didn't answer me, he just gave a slight wave and turned, walking back to his car and taking off. I was left standing there completely confused, I didn't know what just happened but a part of me actually had fun. As weird as it was.
I went to my room and then went to have a shower, having an extra-long one and washing the dirt off my legs, running around chasing a ball was a pain in the ass, especially when a ton of athletes had to run around in a pair of footy boots and tore up the grass, my awesome pink sketchers were now muddy and soaking in a bucket of hot water.
I fell asleep reading, it was more so reading to make my mind stop thinking about Mr Wade, he was in my thoughts more than he should be. I was fine to crush on him in a distance. To not speak to him unless I really needed to, but now that we had spent the evening together I was crushing a little harder than this morning. Which was just perfect.
The next morning I was feeling sick with nerves, it was like a weird giddy excitement to see Mr Wade, but I was still anxious. I just wanted to act like nothing had happened, I wanted to forget and pretend last night didn't happen, I’m pretty sure he would do that.
Dad came in the kitchen dressed in his uniform, his eyes narrowing on mine and I gulped, god did he know about what happened after I left the station. Was he going to lock me up as well?
“Mia, how has school been?” He asked, looking at me a little too serious.
My first reaction was, He knew.
“Umm fine,” I responded, trying to make my voice sound normal and not so jumpy.
Dad looked at me, taking a seat, “You know,” he started, “just because your mum isn't here, doesn't mean you can’t talk to me about,” Dad cleared his throat, letting out a nervous cough as he finished, “Boys and stuff.”
I wanted to take his gun from his belt and clock myself around the head with it, “Dad I know about boys,” I muttered, feeling more than embarrassed.
“So care to tell me about the young man you were with last night? I know you’re a very pretty girl Mia and I just don't want men to take advantage of you, you better not be going parking down deserted roads because if I catch you at those or a lookout in the back seat of some losers car there will be trouble,” He warned, I was beginning to feel as if I was under interrogation.
I should have known that he would know where I were last night. He was the head honcho cop, of course he had the constables keeping eyes on me. I wondered if I should come clean but then I didn't want to get Mr Wade into any trouble. I stayed silent.
“Mia, I know who he is. Now, I want you to tell me the truth, why were you with your teacher last night?” He was serious, his tone was a tone I knew not to push or argue with. It was the same tone he had when he used to drink and wake up, angry because I had tipped his bottles of alcohol down the sink.
The only thing to snap him out of that drunken state was, me telling him I wanted my Dad back as crying on the kitchen floor.
“We were just kicking the football, talking. It wasn't anything bad I promise Dad,” I said feeling my eyes watering slightly as I looked up at him.
He let out a sigh and stood up, walking closer towards me and placing his hard hand over my shoulder. Giving it a gentle squeeze, “Look, I can't stop you from hanging out with boys, it's bound to happen and I thought it may have been with that James kid, but I don't want you getting into something that you can’t get out of, if he's a gentleman then I would like you to invite him for dinner this weekend, I'd like to see for myself what type of man he is.”
My eyes blinked about a million times, “What?”
Did he think that I was in some kind of relationship with Mr Wade? He couldn't be serious could he? But more importantly, why the hell wasn't he charging out the door, speeding with the sirens blaring and cuffing him. Why on earth did he think we were together when we definitely wasn't.
“Invite the guy over, or would you rather me pull his records and interrogate him at the station?” He gave me a slight smile, then kissed the top of my head. “I'll be home tonight around 9, text me if you’re going out so I don't worry about you?”
I walked to school more than confused and in a slight daze, what the heck had happened with my Dad, he was being so strange. Maybe all that drinking had messed with his brain cells and was now not realising right from wrong.
I got to school and spotted James with Emily across the hall. She looked up and they both gave me a wave, so I waved back to be polite. I didn't get jealous that they were together or whatever, him and I were only friends and there was no way he was in love with me, both my Dad and Mr Wade were crazy to think that.
I walked into home room and took my seat. I was early so I pulled out my maths book and looked over it, drawing hearts in the back was something to keep me distracted, and I loved to just draw them in all different ways.
My eyes looked up when the door opened again, my throat became dry. He was looking cuter than yesterday, hair messily done and wearing the usual hot trendy clothing, he was always dressed well and in latest brands.
“Mia, don't forget 8pm tomorrow night,” He spoke simply as soon as the door closed.
“Wait! you’re serious?” I asked completely shocked to the core that he hadn't forgotten about what he said, maybe I was too distracted by the events this morning to take in tonight seriously.
“Course I am, you need to learn how to kick a bit straighter, I'll have you getting goals in no time,” He put his bag on his desk and I felt my stomach churn.
“So my Dad had one of his officers spy on me last night, now he wants you to come over Saturday for dinner, but say no because he kind of thinks there's more to us and I know that is crazy, you’re my teacher and well I'm just me,” I was blabbering, trying to talk him into not coming over.
I almost didn’t hear his answer, “Alright.”
“Wait, what?” I looked up at him, very confused and shocked. He just agreed?
He chuckled and shook his head, “You’re funny, I want to hang out again and plus you’re the smartest girl in my maths class, I want to know how the heck you know so much. Your Dad doesn't scare me
, well not yet so why not meet him if he's invited me over, it'd be rude to say no.”
“I'm just a clever girl and ok, but you don't have to, I'm embarrassed as it is,” I shrugged looking down at my feet, feeling my cheeks flame. Luckily my hair was covering that up as I closed my book and sat back in the seat.
He laughed and I heard his footsteps, noticing the black vans under my gaze and then a finger being planted on my chin, tilting my head back as his other hand lifted up, brushing the locks from my face. My heart was pounding so fast I swear it was going to send me into a heart attack, the softness from his touch only made what I was feeling worse, a good worse and that scared the living daylights out of me, especially with what he spoke next.
“Don't hide Mia, you’re too pretty to hide away, well from me anyway.”
Chapter Four
I was so embarrassed right now, what did he mean by that. Don't hide from him.
I couldn't even concentrate as I realised my face was inches away from his crotch, and what was more embarrassing was that he noticed. I blushing and looking wide eyed at him. “Umm.”
“Mia, it's rude to stare,” His smirking voice spoke as my head tilted up on its own accord to look him in the eyes.
I knew I was blushing harder as his hand let my face go, “I wasn't staring!” I mumbled, pushing him away.
“You know, you really love to touch me and this isn't the first time you've hit me. You’re a violent person Mia,” He chuckled walking back to his desk.
I grumbled, “No you’re just annoying, and in my space.”
“You don't seem to mind that, if you did then you wouldn't have invited me for dinner this weekend,” Mr Wade winked.
“That was my Dad’s doing,” I corrected, just as the class bell rang. I could hear his laughter over the top of it and tried to ignore him as the people started to pile in. James walked in and flashed me a grin as he took his seat beside me.
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