Seducing Sora

by C L Walker

  Mikey laughed again and kicked the couch before Jake pulled him away and headed for the door.

  Sora’s hand fell away, and he gave me space since Amber was approaching me.

  She gave me a quick hug. “I’m going to go with them to make sure Jake is okay. I am so, so sorry. I’ve seen him act like an idiot but never like this I swear.”

  I hugged her in return, kissed her cheek and said, “Don’t worry babe it’s not your fault, besides it’s over now.”

  She smiled and turned away after she squeezed my hand.

  “But no more double dates,” I yelled, and she laughed.

  “Deal,” she said, as she ushered Jake out who was pulling Mikey behind him by the arm.

  Mikey was still trying to taunt Sora who of course stood there unaffected with his arms folded across his chest while he glared back at Mikey.

  Once the noise died down, I apologized to everyone sitting around the stage, but they all seemed to enjoy the drama, so I didn’t feel too bad.

  I didn’t know why I stayed, maybe because I wanted to make sure Mikey was really gone because while I wasn’t easily scared, there was something about those kinds of guys that made me nervous.

  He had lashed out at me harshly for such a small thing, and the things he had said… I didn’t know who told him I was pretty much a slut and that bothered me.

  He obviously knew people from my school because he was in their band and used to live in town, but I didn’t know who would say those kinds of things about me.

  But it didn’t matter, people could say what they wanted because it didn’t make it true and those who mattered to me would never believe I was that way.

  I sat by myself for the remainder of the show and I successfully paid no attention to Sora while I watched even though I had become increasingly aware of his presence as the minutes ticked by.

  When I got up to leave, they were standing by the door and there was no way to pass them without notice, so I had to say something.

  I stopped in front of them and it dawned on me finally that Sora was out with a beautiful girl who was most likely his girlfriend.

  I couldn’t even bring myself to be salty about it because she seemed cool.

  I would have to complain about it later in the privacy of my own bedroom where I was free to act like a child.

  “Thank you, Mr. Tanaka, I know it’s your job and all, but I appreciate you sticking up for me.” I smiled up at him and then at the girl who was peering at me with interest.

  “It’s not my job,” he said.

  Okay…?

  I couldn’t gage what was on his mind and it left me feeling uncomfortable but thankfully after a moment of awkwardness, the girl stepped forward with her hand extended.

  “Hi, I’m Ridley but my friends call me Red,” she said.

  Cute, I could dig it.

  I grabbed her hand in mine and gave it a shake as I was genuinely pleased to meet her. “Hey, I’m Kyla, I loved your poem.”

  “Thank you, though I feel bad all that drama started and over my poem no less.” She laughed shyly and tucked her hair behind her ears.

  She was kind of dorky in a cute way and it made me like her even more.

  “Oh no, that was just the cherry on top.” I looked up to Sora who hadn’t stopped staring at me with a look of concern on his face since I had walked up.

  It was hard not to squirm under his scrutiny.

  “He had been driving me nuts for a few hours prior to even coming here.” And when I got a questioning look, I said, “It was a blind date.”

  “Ah,” she said, as she nodded her head like that explained everything. “So, you are a student then, of Sora’s?”

  “Yeah. I’m taking his creative writing class.” I couldn’t stand the weirdness anymore, so I turned to him once more and said, “Thanks again, I have to go call my mom for a ride now.”

  He nodded his head and I waved goodbye to Red before I walked outside to lean against the side of the building and wait.

  I had just dialed my mom when they came outside, and Sora called me.

  “Hey,” he said, and I looked up as the call went to voicemail. “I can give you a ride.”

  “Oh no, that’s okay I don’t want to intrude,” I said.

  Three is not company.

  I looked past him to see Red walking away behind him, she got in a green Camry and started it up.

  “My plans changed, get in the car Kyla.” He turned away from me and I hung up my phone.

  I looked around and weighed my options, it was just a ride nothing more to it.

  So, I followed him to his car and watched him wave to Red again before she pulled away.

  I got inside, put on my seatbelt, and tried to calm my nerves that were taking me on a roller coaster ride.

  His car smelt fresh like his cologne; it was a lovely smell that reminded me of how clean it smelled after it rained. I inhaled deeply and froze when he looked over at me.

  Idiot.

  “What are you doing?” he asked with a laugh in his voice.

  I already committed the crime, so I figured it was best I fessed up. “It smells good in here, or you smell good, I don’t know.” I shrugged my shoulders as if I were making a casual observation that had no bearing on whether I wanted to bury my face into his neck, as I imagined the smell would be so much more enticing on his skin.

  I sighed beside myself with useless lust for my teacher.

  He cleared his throat and otherwise ignored my statement.

  I smiled deviously as I looked out the window and watched the buildings as we passed.

  “It seems you’re in a good mood once again, dare I ask what changed?” I asked.

  The more I thought about it the sillier it seemed that he was mad in the first place. We only had a few bumps in the road, so he had no reason to act so salty.

  He cleared his throat and glanced over at me quickly. “I wasn’t in a bad mood just because I got frustrated with you a few times. I know we are neighbors, and we are a bit more friendly with each other because of that but how are you expecting me to act at school?”

  “I don’t know, I guess I expect you to not look annoyed by everything I do.”

  “I try not to be, but you were a pain this week and you give me unnecessary attitude,” he said.

  I considered his words and decided not to argue because he was my teacher at school, and I needed to show him the respect his position deserved.

  “I apologize, I really don’t mean to be a pain,” I said.

  A look of disbelief fell over his face. “Somehow I can't bring myself to believe that. I think sometimes you are intentionally obstinate.”

  I gasped in mock outrage and in my best British accent said, “Sir you wound me so, I am nothing if not agreeable.”

  He laughed, and the sound was refreshing to my ears. “You’re a little hellion and you know it.”

  “Give it time and you’ll see my good side,” I said.

  Here I go again practically screaming ‘notice me senpai!’

  “I’m afraid to,” he said in a joking tone, but his eyes suggested that tone was a coverup, so I took it seriously.

  For some reason he wanted to keep me at a distance, and I understood that from his professional standpoint but was that the only reason?

  I wanted him to elaborate but I couldn't bring myself to ask because I didn’t want to piss him off again, so I let it hang there between us.

  A few minutes passed in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

  “Does that kid go to our school?” he asked as we came to a stop at a red light.

  He glanced over at me and I could see his face reflected in the window, he was wearing a frown that suggested he wasn’t thrilled over the thought of Mikey roaming the halls.

  “Nope he goes to a community college in the next town over, he’s in a band with my best friends’ boyfriend.” Thinking about Mikey again made me want to kick something, his arrogance disgusted me. “My best
friend apparently doesn’t know me very well when it comes to my taste in men. I like them a bit nicer, selfless even, and all around more human with less spawn of Satan.”

  “You don’t say. So, what the hell is he doing hanging out with high school girls anyways?” he asked.

  I wasn’t sure if he expected me to know the answer to that question.

  All the girls at Mikey’s school probably learned quickly that he was a giant prick, so he had to search elsewhere.

  “He’s only a year older, he graduated last year so it’s not really a big deal if you look at it age wise,” I said.

  Kind of like how five years is a perfectly normal age gap between lovers, hint hint. I almost winked at him to be silly but then reframed, recalling his previous attitude that I wasn’t yet ready to deal with again.

  “Hmm I suppose it’s alright then, but you’d think he’d try to go for more mature girls now that he is out of high school himself,” he said.

  I turned to glare at him for basically implying I wasn’t mature, but he pretended not to notice with a sly smirk on his face.

  “I think you put too much stock on the maturing process that happens over the summer after senior year ends before freshman year of college begins.”

  Especially with men, don’t they mature slower than women in general? Even if there’s no science behind it I’m sticking to it.

  He was a smart man, so I didn’t understand why he was acting like age really mattered especially when we were all young. I had met thirteen-year old’s with more intellectual capabilities than Mikey, age truly was just a number in some regard.

  We pulled into his driveway and he pulled the key out of the ignition and turned to me. “I’ve only known you for a few weeks and I feel like you’ve taught me more things than I have you. We have this backwards,” he said, then laughed as he ran his fingers through his hair, and I noticed again, as if I hadn’t several times before, that his forearms were thick, and strong. “You always have me thinking Kyla.”

  Thinking…about me?

  “I somehow find that hard to believe, I haven’t taught you anything. I’m simply reminding you of the things you have forgotten in the few years since you were a child yourself.” I had to throw that in as another reminder that we weren’t so far apart.

  His face fell flat as he stared into my eyes and I felt certain in that moment that he saw a little more in me then some teenage girl.

  “You’re a smart girl Kyla,” he said.

  He smiled then and it was a different kind of smile, it was a half-smile with a wicked tilt, and it spoke of things that had me holding my breath in anticipation.

  But nothing followed, and as he unbuckled his seatbelt his smile faltered.

  “Too smart,” he mumbled, before he opened his door and stepped out.

  I jumped out quickly and ran around his car, as he walked straight up his stairs and unlocked his door.

  He said goodnight over his shoulder and walked inside.

  I barely got out my thanks for the ride before he slammed the door shut, and I was left staring in disbelief because his sudden change in moods were difficult for me to keep up with.

  I guess I have that effect on people, welp.

  I desperately wished he would talk to me like I was anything more than a student as I was never going to get a peek inside if he remained so closed off.

  Chapter 9

  Kyla

  “Hello, my darling little one,” my mom said, from where she sat on the couch.

  I shut the door behind me and kicked off my shoes angrily and one shoe went flying upwards making me flinch and cover my face as it came back down.

  The lights were out in our living room and our flat screen was flashing on the wall above our lit fireplace that was bathing the room in an orange glow.

  “Yo,” I replied, as I threw myself on the couch beside her and nearly bumped a bowl out of her hands, but she didn’t say anything as she was so engrossed in the tv.

  My dad was passed out on the other end of our black leather sectional and my mom was watching The Matrix with such interest you’d think she hadn’t seen it before.

  I looked at the screen without absorbing what was happening as I said, “I should have stayed home because watching Dad drool would have made for a better evening.”

  “That bad huh?” My mom nudged the plastic bowl she had in her hands towards me and I looked inside to see that it was filled with movie theater style buttered popcorn.

  “No thank you, I’m going to make a sandwich.” I stood back up, leaned over, and gave her a kiss on the cheek as my stomach growled loud enough to be heard over the tv.

  “I may only be seventeen, but I am already swearing off blind dating, it’s a nightmare.”

  My mom shook her head at me but kept her eyes on the tv. “You have plenty of time to go through countless men until you find the perfect one honey, don’t worry.”

  “You didn’t have to though. I don’t want to waste my time, what a hassle,” I said quietly. My parents found their true loves in high school, so my mom really couldn’t relate at all.

  “Times have changed, and school is the only thing you should be worried about right now. Night baby, love you,” she said, as she finally looked away from the movie to give me a reassuring smile.

  I smiled in return and said, “Night mom, love you.”

  I went in the kitchen and made a bologna sandwich before I went upstairs and put YouTube on while I ate it and decided I had better check in on Amber.

  Me: I want my Friday back. This is what happens almost every time you push me to do something sketchy and for some absurd reason I keep saying yes. Smh.

  Amber: I know! I’m so sorry my dude! I have a track record of bad ideas. But eventually there will be a good one in there and it will make all the others worth it.

  Me: Of course, you are! You are every time! *Glares at the wall in the direction of Amber's house* So how was your trip home?

  Amber: *gets chills, feels like she’s being watched* It was dandy. Mikey hates you, he said you’re a “snobby snatch.”

  Me: Excellent. That has a nice ring to it. But the important question is who told him I was an easy lay?

  Amber: Right! Who knows? He probably made it up just to try and make you feel like shit. It’s not like Jake would ever say that about you but I guess I don’t know about the other guys…

  Me: Ha! As if I would care! Ugh. Boys. You know...BOYS. What more can you say?

  Amber: Boys! *Facepalm* I really am sorry for the drama; he was a complete ass. Jake said he’s never really seen Mikey mad, so he had no idea what a punk he turns into. Band practice is probably going to be awkward for a while.

  Me: Ha! No worries girl, I know. Yeah but it has nothing to do with Jake so I am sure they will get over it quickly.

  Amber: True. Did you call your mum for a ride right away or did you stay longer?

  Me: Nope Mr. Tanaka gave me a ride;)

  Amber: …

  Me: Ugh he smells so delicious

  Amber: What you smell is trouble. Don’t be dumb.

  Me: I know…Well its late and I am tired so…good night!

  Amber: Goodnight *kissy face*

  I threw my phone down in defeat. Things were not going well.

  I wanted my teacher, my moody, unreasonable teacher and that was a lot of negatives even if they were largely exaggerated for my own benefit.

  Why couldn’t I be like normal girls my age and sleep with the quarterback or the skater boy or hell even the class nerd? Nope instead I was the girl sliding off her bed and creeping over to her window where I pulled back the blinds to see if my teacher had closed his yet.

  Even though I had resisted for many nights and swore I wouldn’t invade his privacy again, there I was, because temptation was a cruel mistress.

  We’d only been home for an hour, so I was hopeful, and pleasantly surprised when I saw that right at that moment a light turned on and he walked into his room.

 
; That timing though.

  He shut the door behind him and pulled his shirt over his head, tossed it aside, unbuckled his belt and proceeded to pull his pants down to reveal red boxer briefs underneath.

  I wasn’t sure if he simply pulled his pants off slower than before or if something inside me had changed and I was more tortured than I had been the previous few times I had seen him undress.

  There was a slow burn in my belly that I couldn’t ignore as I watched him like a pervert, but I admit that I had absolutely no shame. I hadn't peeked on him for a while but after that smile in the car, and that irresistible look in his eyes, I simply couldn’t help myself.

  But that didn’t change the fact that I was going to hell in a onesie.

  Because if it had been a man doing the same to me, I’d be screaming peeping Tom and calling the cops, I was a terrible hypocrite, but nothing could stop me.

  Except Sora’s gaze that suddenly sprang to my window!

  He stepped forward hesitantly with a look of confusion on his face as he peered over at me, and then his eyes went wide, and he pulled down his blinds abruptly.

  I let go of the blinds immediately and jumped back, I wasn’t sure if he had seen me or suddenly realized that he could have been seen.

  My blinds were always closed so he probably never worried about being seen but if he noticed my creeping eyes through the small opening, the shows would stop.

  He knows I am a peeper! For shame!

  I crawled into bed and despite my anxiety I passed out within a few minutes and when I woke up the next morning, I felt wonderful until about ten seconds later when I remembered what I had done.

  I spent all of Saturday sulking and doing my homework and I refused to leave my house for fear of running into Sora. It all worked out in my favor until the next day.

  “Mom why? How can you do this to me?” I pleaded, as she shoved me out the front door ignoring my cries of outrage. “Mom, why don’t you do it yourself since you insist on being the mommy of the whole damn neighborhood!”

  I jumped back when she swung the door back open wide, leapt for me and gave me a light smack on my head. The crazy lady sure knew how to listen in when I said a swear word but forget the rest!