Part 10 (2/2)

I picked up. ”h.e.l.lo.”

”Mr. Downs. I need to see you today. Can you meet me?”

”Yes, sir.”

”Now.”

I hung up the phone and ran my fingers over my face. It was time to clean up the mess I'd made.

Sarah The spot next to me on the bed was cold when I woke up. Liam had been up for a while. He wasn't in the house when I walked around and my stomach dropped. Layla was pus.h.i.+ng her food bowl around the floor, so I filled it up.

I bit my nail and paced before I realized I probably needed to get ready for the day. The door was unlocked when I came in and my heart thudded an extra beat. Zeus was hiding underneath the futon, and I could hear rummaging in my bedroom. I tiptoed into the hallway and barely peeked through the crack in my door.

Matt was throwing things around, rummaging through my stuff. ”What the f.u.c.k!” I yelled.

He turned around. His eyes had bags underneath them and it looked as if he hadn't had any sleep. ”Sarah,” he mumbled, stumbling forward.

Was he drunk? It was ten in the morning?

”What are you doing here?” I asked, looking around at the mess in my room. ”What are you doing to my room?”

He let out a shaky breath and held up the Post-It note Liam had left on my pillow. ”How long have you been sleeping with him? Since he got here?”

”It's none of your business.”

”Yes, the f.u.c.k it is!” He threw his hands in the air. He was wearing sweats, and a wrinkled t-s.h.i.+rt. He looked like s.h.i.+t. Exactly how I felt.

”No, it's not. You're not my boyfriend anymore, Matt. You f.u.c.ked up. We don't even love each other. We didn't connect.”

”Well,” he let out a shaky laugh, ”I guess you're not going to be connecting with Liam either. I called the chancellor today. Liam is gone to meet him now.” He smiled like a Ches.h.i.+re cat.

That's where Liam had gone. A sick feeling erupted in my stomach. He was going to lose his job because of me. Because of me. Tears p.r.i.c.ked at my eyes, and I swallowed the lump in my throat.

”Okay. But, it doesn't make a difference with you or me. You're not in my life anymore. I want you out of my room and my sight! Get out!”

”Baby,” he whispered, stepping forward.

”Matt. I forgive you for what you done, but I don't want you back. I don't want to feel comfortable. I want to be with someone who makes me feel. Makes me want him, makes me feel special. You're not him.”

Matt's eyes turned dark and he threw the lamp closet to him. ”You f.u.c.king b.i.t.c.h.”

I pointed to the door, not sure how I was even keeping a straight face. He scared the s.h.i.+t out of me. He stormed from the apartment, and slammed the door. I fell to the ground. It was over.

My phone rang a few minutes later. It was the chancellor. He wanted me there. I buried back the tears and got dressed to meet them.

Chapter Sixteen.

Liam Sarah was pale. She knew. I could only imagine when she got that call how she felt. The chancellor sat behind his desk, fingers intertwined and looking at us. We didn't dare look at each other. There wasn't any reason to torture ourselves. I wanted to hold her to my chest and tell her it was going to be okay, but I didn't. I kept my hands in my lap.

”I'm not going to fire you, Liam,” he finally said after a few minutes. ”I'm not. You're new here, it's your first time teaching and your young. But, I am giving you a warning.” I sighed. Thank, G.o.d. ”As for the situation. I'm going to have Sarah transferred from your cla.s.s, and into another. I'm also forbidding you two to have any contact. If I hear or see you two together again, Sarah you will be expelled and Liam you fired. You're about to graduate Sarah, don't ruin your chances, okay?”

Sarah color hadn't returned. She nodded and smiled at him. ”Thank you, sir.”

”Okay, you are both dismissed. You can talk it out, but if I see you together after today, it's over.”

I stood up first, my heart thumping against my ribs. ”Than you, sir.” I left the room, feeling sick to my stomach. It was the first f.u.c.king week of school and I'd already f.u.c.ked up.

I waited by Sarah's car, and she finally came out. She was staring straight forward. ”So,” I said, trying to grab her hand, but she pulled it away.

”I'm sorry, Liam. I'm sorry I ruined this for you. It's all my fault. I knew it was wrong.”

I tried to hug her but she stepped aside. ”It's both of our faults. I am...I was your teacher and I knew the consequences.”

She nodded. ”Well, I guess I need to go now, huh?” She glanced up at me with green eyes.

”Sarah,” I asked. ”We could see each other at home. It will be the same--,”

”No!” she yelled. ”We've already been caught. It's over. I can't jeopardize your job anymore than I already have. I'm sorry, Liam. I have to go.”

I didn't stop her. She got into her Jeep and sped away. My stomach hurt from rejection, and her leaving me with nothing. I'd only known the girl a week and I knew I should let go, but I didn't want to. I was selfish and greedy. And I didn't give a flying f.u.c.k what anyone else thought. But she did, and I would respect her wishes. For now.

Three Weeks Later Sarah My stomach growled when I walked into my apartment. Cody must have gotten off early, because I smelled cooking from the kitchen. I placed my bags on the futon and took off my shoes. I hadn't talked to Liam since that day. I was transferred into another cla.s.s, and I never came out of my apartment except for school. Cody tried to get me to go out, but I couldn't make myself go.

Liam hadn't tried to talk to me and that was worse. I couldn't even take a shower without thinking about the things we'd done in there. I groaned and walked into the kitchen.

”Something smells good...” I stopped in my tracks. Matt was standing in my kitchen, no s.h.i.+rt cooking. I hadn't spoken to him since his outburst in my room. He smiled over at me.

”Spaghetti your favorite. Thought you'd be hungry.”

I stood there for a minute trying to get my mind straight. I'd seen Matt around campus, and Jamie was behind him. She hadn't even looked at me since then, and it hurt. She'd been my best friend. Now she was nothing. ”What are you doing here, Matt?”

His smile never faltered. ”Fixing dinner.”

”Why?”

”Because, I miss you.”

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