"We're glad you came out with us, Dye." Bailey said, picking food off James' plate.
"Greedy bastard." James muttered, then looked up at me. "Yeah you haven't been around much."
I nodded. "I know, I've had a lot of tutoring to catch up with." I admitted, poking at my pasta.
They laughed anyway, but Austin's expression remained the same. "Where have you really been," He asked in disbelief.
I looked at him and sighed. "I told you." I was in tutoring, what was so hard to believe about that?
"Austin, just leave her alone." James said. "She'll tell us when she's ready."
I groaned and they looked at me in confusion. "Why don't you guys believe me?"
"Because... You're top one percent of the school, you don't need tutoring."
"In math I do." I said back in honesty. "My grade is a ninety-seven, do you want to hear why?"
"Why." The four of them asked simutaniously.
I chuckled at them. "Because I stay in tutoring to stay on top of things."
Bailey shrugged. "It makes sense to me."
"But where did you go the other night?" Chris asked.
"When?"
"The night Austin yelled at you?"
Austin shoved him in his seat and Chris shoved him back. I had no idea what he meant at first, but then I remembered I had gone out to dinner with Andy that night. "I went to a friend's house."
Suddenly they all glared at me in disbelief, even James. "What?" I asked in confusion. If anything they'd believe that. I usually went over to Erin's house, that's the only reason why I'd be gone anyway.
"Tell us the truth." Bailey said, suddenly completely serious.
"Why would I lie-"
"We know." Austin dragged out miserably as if it was the most painful thing.
I remained the same expression until James spoke. "Tyler, Cole's brother, told us."
I waited for him to continue, then Austin began. "Cole said that you and Andy Carl..." He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Are- uh-uh-"
"That you two are a thing and you've slept together." James cut in with a roll of his eyes.
I stopped mid-sip with my water and put my hand to my mouth, squeezing my eyes shut in panic. Oh my god, why would Cole tell them?
"So it's true." James observed.
"Oh god it's true." Chris moaned loudly, dropping his fork on his plate loudly and causing a few heads in the restraunt to turn.
I breathed out and looked up at the ceiling. "Yes, it's true."
Austin and Bailey both dropped their forks the same way Chris had and buried their head in their hands. "Oh, you guys are over-exaggerating." I said.
"No we're not." Chris said.
When Austin looked up at me, he narrowed his eyes. "Alright, Diana." He began. "You're grounded."
I bit my lip, but couldn't contain the sudden laughter that came over me. "Grounded? Are you serious?" I laughed more and they only looked shocked. I never really laughed with them, I never really talked and had a real conversation with them. The last time I ever did that was a while ago. Most of all Austin was angry.
"I am serious."
"Austin," I sobered up. "You can't ground me. First of all," I counted on my finger. "I'm eighteen. Second, you don't even live with me, so I'm my own guardian, meaning you can't ground me."
"Diana, we forbid you from seeing him. He's a rich business man, has it ever occured to you he's using you?"
I said nothing, and didn't deny it because I didn't want to seem naïve, when in reality I knew he wasn't. And even if he was... It didn't really matter because, "Guys calm down, we're not even together."
That made them even more mad. "So you're just screwing around with some rich man because daddy isn't coming back?" Austin shot.
Color drained from my face and I felt the cold slap on my cheek from his words. He knew it too, that's why he didn't get mad when James punched his leg and Bailey gave him a look that said, why would you say that?
I shook my head, recovering the best I could and stood up, rushing out of the restraunt and into my car, driving to anywhere but the house.
Is that what they believed? That that was why I was with Andy in the first place?
Is it true?
I groaned as the hunger kicked in and I stepped on the gas, letting some tears fall on my way to the place with many memories of me and father. And Erin, as well.
It's not true. I know I truly like Andy from the way my heart beats when I'm around him.
The beach was three hours away, so by the time I got there it was around ten o'clock and dark and cold.
I pulled out my large emergency box from out of my car and searched for the wallet that had fifty emergency dollars.
I walked along until I got to the small carts that sold corndogs and got two and scarfed them down when I walked back to my car.
In the back seat was a large comforter that I layed down on the sand, and got another blanket I layed on top and I stripped in the corner down to my sliders and tanktop.
I had water in my backseat and turned off my jeep. My alarm on my phone was set to two-o'clock so I could leave and be back for school at the right time.
Thoughts of Erin and I came to mind when I stared at the water and watched as the waves kissed the land desperately. We both loved the beach, I hated swimming, but she usually would hangout in the water all day while I seemed like a mom, sitting back in a lawn chair and being shaded from the sun. We went down there every summer, just the two of us, and we'd stay around there and she'd be able to convince me to flirt back with guys that stopped us and asked for our numbers. She always told me to give them the wrong number, so I did. She was a jokingly bad influence, but her parents were never around either. I couldn't blame her.
Laying back and staring at the suddenly-clear sky, I fell asleep to the breeze of the ocean, laughing memories, and the crash of the waves.
...
At two o'clock I hopped in my car quickly and sped all the way back home, making the drive only two-in a half hours.
No one was home and I got home much earlier than I expected and took a long bath.
When I got ready I had sand on my clothes, since I was stupid enough to throw my sandied blanket on my outfit. I was too lazy to care anyway and stuck with my t-shirt and Miss Me's.
I drove to the crappy coffee shop and bought crappy coffee because I definetly needed to stay up. "You look tired," The cashier observed.
"I am tired." I said, trying to chuckle but it came out as a short pant.
"I won't charge you for an extra shot." She leaned in and whispered.
"Oh thank you." I said like I was speaking to an angel.
Yeah I was tired, but I did it to myself. It was worth the long cry on the beach and getting sand in my hair. The dark and cold sand was worth me probably being scolded by Mr. Grant today.
It was relaxing, and it was all worth it.
"Cole." I said carefully when seeing him standing outside of the school and talking to Erin and Connor.
His eyes widened. "Oh shit..." He muttered and stepped toward me desperately. "Diana, I'm sorry, I didn't think Tyler was gonna tell-"
"How did you not realize that?" I sighed and he stepped closer. "They were so pissed. Even James was."
He cringed, obviously seeing how bad he made things and embraced me. "I'm sorry. Where were you last night? The guys came over and bugged us and said you weren't home."
I shook my head. "No where, don't worry about it." I told him, pulling away.
"I really am sorry!" He said as I walked into the school.
"Forgiven." I said to him, trying to make him feel better by giving him a smile, which he returned.
...
Surprisingly I payed attention very well through out all my classes. I was so alert, I noticed how many times this quiet girl, Lucy, raised her hand to talk.
During lunch, I really didn't want to go to the cafeteria because my head was killing me and it was too damn loud. I walked to my locker to get my carkeys, which I don't usually leave them in there, and noticed Mr. Grant wasn't in his classroom and the lights were off.
I stood in front of my locker and contemplated, wondering whether I should leave and go out to eat or go home or go to the library.
With my alertness I heard in B-hall when his shiny shoes walked down and to his classroom door. "Are you trying to figure out if you should leave the school?" He asked knowingly.
But how the hell did he know that?
"Yes."
"Well don't." He said. "You're not allowed."
"As if people don't do it anyway." I said, shutting my locker and crossing my arms, leaning against it.
Mr. Grant did the same, leaning against his door frame after unlocking it and he narrowed his eyes at me. "Come here." He said.
My face heated up the slightest and it left me wondering why I got so embarrassed when he said that. I listened anyway and stood in front of him.
He leaned down and brushed my cheek. "Why do you have sand on your face?"
I touched my face and felt the tiny sands fall. I tugged on my shirt and sand flew down and I brushed it off my jeans. I ignored his question and he gave me a large sigh.
"Answer me."
"I went to the beach last night." I admitted.
His eyebrows furrowed and he tilted his head, obviously not noticing how adorable it was but I laughed lightly anyway. "What?" I asked.
"Why?" He asked back.
I turned around and looked down the hallway. "This is my lunch period." I told him.
"Why aren't you in the cafeteria?"
"It's too loud, I have a headache from driving back so early in the morning."
"Why were you even at the beach?"
"I really don't wanna waste my lunch period, so I'm gonna go pick something up."
I said and turned around to walk out.
"Diana, you know I can't allow you to do that."
I groaned. "I don't have any food with me."
"I do." He said and I turned around and looked at him funny. "Come on, it's not loud in here."
So I walked into his class room and sat in a desk chair, picking at the sand from underneath my shirt. "What do you want?" He asked, opening the freezer part of his fridge.
"What do you have?"
"I have frozen italian food-"
"Ooh italian." I whispered.
"I'm guessing you like italian?"
I nodded. "Actually, do you have anything light, like..."
"A salad?"
"Uh no, not a salad." I said calmly. "Like..."
"I have peanut butter and jelly."
"Yeah, I'll have that."
He looked at me funny. "I could eat those everyday if I had to." I admitted.
When he tossed me the sandwhich I stared at his food cabinet. "Why do you have so much food?"
"I eat a lot." He said. "So why were you at the beach?"
"I wanted to go to the beach."
"Why?"
"Why does it matter?" I groaned.
He shrugged, pressing in buttons on his microwave as he set food in there. "I just think it's unsafe. Weren't your parents worried?"
I shook my head.
"Did they know?"
I shook my head again.
"How didn't they know?" He asked in disbelief.
I turned around in the desk and ate, reaching into my bag to gulp down my water. My phone rang loudly and it was who I expected it to be, my brothers.
If I ignored their call it would be immature. And they knew I was at lunch, so of course they went out of their way at work just to call. I suddenly felt bad, but then angry and embarrassed again.
I ignored it anyway.
And I never usually did that.
"Are you going to answer me?" He asked from behind his desk.
I shook my head for the third time.
"Why did you want to go to the beach?"
"I wanted to be-" I immediately stopped myself before I said the word, alone. I was already alone, so it just wouldn't make sense. I wanted to pretend for a second like I didn't have to have responsibilities, or bills to pay at home. Or wait for a letter that I felt would never come, I didn't want to have to do any of that. I didn't want to be reminded of that.
"Alone?" He asked, his deep voice pulling me out.
"Yeah, alone." I said, trying not to get quieter because we were now equals. We always were, but he was allowing me to be.
"If I ask why, are you going to tell me?"
"It was just an arguement I had with my brothers, that's all."
He was quiet for a while, then said, "And your parents weren't worried?"
I laughed quietly, hating how suddenly sad I sounded. "You're still hung up on that?"
"Well, yeah. What kind of parent doesn't realize their child is gone?"
The kind that are gone themselves
I couldn't give him any hint that I didn't even have a mom. I already did before, but he obviously forgot about that.
I finally turned around to face him. "Thank you." I suddenly said and he froze while bringing his fork to his mouth.
He set it down. "Uh, for what?" He questioned lowly.
"For letting me eat in here." I said, realizing it was better than the library or the loud cafeteria.
He cleared his throat awkwardly, almost in embarrassment. "Uh, you're welcome."
I smiled quietly at him and continued to eat, reading the text message Bailey sent me.
Tyler said Cole told him you were at school and safe, text back if you are. I'm sorry we hurt your feelings, Austin is an ass. Love you D (:
I was happy that Bailey made things better. He always did. I texted him back and told him I was fine and that I wasn't upset anymore, and that I loved all of them.
We never tell eachother we love eachother, and that was proof that they must've felt really bad.
"What did you do at the beach?" He asked.
"I layed down and took a nap."
He looked up at me. "You could've been murdered, or kidnapped."
I shrugged. "Well I wasn't." Then looking up at him curiously. "Mr. Grant, do you care about me?" I asked with a fake-shocked surprised tone.
He didn't look at me and stuffed his mouth, turning away from me so he had an excuse not to talk or say anything.
I laughed at him and shook my head. "You don't have to answer that." I told him quietly.
I was comfortable in that room with him, even though the previous day he touched my leg, and months before he acted like he hated me. I was comfortable around him even though he accused me of sleeping around with rich men like Austin did.
We didn't talk much the rest of the lunch period and when the bell rang I swung my legs off the desk chair and picked my bag up. "See you later, Charlie." I said with a smirk.
"Don't call me that." He grumbled from behind me and I left his room laughing.
...
"So everything's okay...?" Erin asked standing beside me at my locker before eigth.
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, after Cole said-"
I shook my head and laughed casually. "That boy can't keep his mouth shut, can he?"
"Dye," She said, grabbed my arm worriedly. "You don't always have to act so strong."
I stared at her for a second and almost willed myself to fall apart on her, but I did that already at the beach. And school was a no when it came to emotions. The trick was to conceal everything inside, which worked perfectly fine for me. So I just looked at my friend normally and threw my english journal in my locker. "I'm fine, I promise."
She looked disappointed I didn't tell her anything, but gave me a smile anyway. "I'm throwing a party tomorrow night." She said before walking away.
"I'll go." I told her with a smile and her face lit up. I never went to her parties. I never went to any parties, but I've been neglecting her as a friend and watching people dance like idiots was the perfect way to make up for that.
"Really?" She asked, walking backwards.
I nodded.
She spun around and whooped loudly, causing me laugh at her back. "I hear you laughing at me!" She shouted, looking ahead of herself.
I just laughed more and shook my head while people watched her playfully flipped me off. I shut my locker and walked across the hall into Mr. Grant's room.
"Erin is loud." Ryan chuckled beside me.
"Yeah, I know." I said back, amusement not yet leaving me. I never thought that a nap on the beach could suddenly make everything feel better.
The beach was my bandaid. "Alright, shut up." Mr. Grant said after the bell rang and he stood up, leaning over his desk and taking certain papers to pass around.
He left me last and when he held the paper out I reached out to grab it from him but he snatched it away before I could. He was teasing me now. "Get your calculators out, these questions have a lot of difficult ones." He said almost sarcastically next to me sounding like a normal teacher.
I tapped my desk as he had the paper hanging in front of me. I counted down in my head and tried to take it again but he swiftly moved it away.
I glared at him and realized no one was paying attention because they were all focused on their work. And I would've been too if I had my paper.
He started to walk off, making me believe he wasn't going to give it to me, but then he set it on my head and it almost slipped off but I caught it quickly, seeing how casual he looked and ignored it to start with my work.
"Mr. Grant?" A girl on the other side of the class room, Kara, raised her hand and he narrowed his eyes at her.
"What?" He asked with his usual annoyed tone.
This was one brave girl, and everyone thought the same thing, staring at her and watching her say she needed personal help with a few questions.
Ryan looked at me and smirked, the both of us sharing an amused look at the girl who was obviously trying something in Mr. Grant.
It also seemed like everyone was attempting to hold their laughter in, but held back from self-control.
We went back to our work and I finished mine quite quickly and sketched ideas for an art project on the back of the paper.
Mr. Grant looked around from standing at Kara's desk and seemed to look really uncomfortable. I continued looking down at my drawings and felt him stare at me. I looked up and he mouthed to me, asking if I was done. Why did he suddenly look so attractive when he did that?
I narrowed my eyes at him, knowing what he was doing. He looked annoyed and walked over to me, leaving the girl's side and he looked over my paper. "Diana will help you now." Was all he said and walked back to his desk.
I took a long sigh and felt bad for her because she dumbed herself down only to get me to sit by her.
I stood up and walked over to sit by her, pulling up a chair and leaned in. "Sorry about that." I said so only she could hear me.
She shrugged. "It was worth a shot. But I really do need help on the other problems, I just wanted him to talk to me so I could understand the easy ones." She whispered back, laughing while she did.
I laughed too and tried to keep quiet, having everyone hear only our laughing.
"Okay, so show me." I told her and she pointed at the ones she didn't understand.
"You look comfortable." She suddenly said while I explained something to her.
"I am." I said back.
"What the hell, why can't I be comfortable and still look hot?" She groaned quietly and I laughed again, covering my mouth so I wouldn't be so loud.
"Thanks, that was a nice compliment." I told her casually.
"It was the truth. Sorry I got distracted, tell me how to get this one." She pointed to another question and I spent the rest of class helping her out. When the bell rang she thanked me and whispered before she left, "That was so embarrassing I'm never asking him for help again."
I laughed and walked back to my desk and soon it was just me and Mr. Grant. I turned around and he was leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head, his ankle crossed over his knee and he glared at me. "What?" I asked him.
"I asked you to help her not laugh with her." He grumbled.
"You didn't ask." I reminded him.
He shook his head and set his foot down, leaning forward to type things on his computer, looking moody.
I stayed in my seat and checked my message on my phone, one from Austin this time.
I know Bailey already apologized to you, but I wanted to let you know I really am sorry. And not to run away like again because you scared the shit out of us. Love you Dye
I stared at the message, and inside I had complete shock and utter awe. Austin was never one to actually apologize himself. Neither was he ever one to say he loved me. But it made me happy, and I wasn't sure if I should reply or not but I did anyway and said that I was sorry too. And that I loved him too.
"Alright, come here." He said, finishing up his typing and I turned away from him as he looked at me so he wouldn't see me blush. I don't even know why I did because I knew he didn't mean it in anyway... inappropriate. But it was just the fact that he sounded so dominate, that's what made me feel so heated.
He suddenly whistled. "Here, girl."
Looked at him in shock. "Don't talk to me like I'm a dog." I said.
"It seemed to get your attention." he replied, writing on sticky notes and sticking them in files.
When I didn't move he stopped writing and looked up at me. "Are you coming or do I have to force you?"
Or do I have to force you?
I couldn't help it when I blushed again and scoffed to play it off. "Force me, sure." I muttered to myself.
"Don't believe me?" He shot back.
Oh my god what did he mean??
When I said nothing he cleared his throat and I walked over there. "As if you're not already forcing me to be here." I said to him.
"I'm not."
"So I can go?"
"No."
I chuckled lightly and looked at him, waiting for him to say it's time to start our lesson. He just looked back at me. "You think I'm handsome, Diana?" He suddenly asked.
I felt myself blushing again. And he saw it. "You're turning red again."
He caught the other times too?
"Why were you blushing earlier?" He asked and I shook my embarrassed head and looked away. "What did I say? Wait... Why is it everytime I ask you to come to me?"
And the flames rose while he stared at me. There was suddenly something that sparked in his mischievious eyes, a glint of amusement, definetly... But there was more.
"And when I said I'd force you to come to me?"
Oh god is he doing it on purpose?
A smirk slowly showed on his face and I tucked my chin in my hand, looking away from him. I had never seen him smirk before, but he did it in that moment and I grew hotter, feeling more and more attracted to him.
But no.
He was my teacher.
"Diana?" He repeated my name and it added onto the sudden burning sexual attraction I had for him and I looked back at him, fearing he wouldn't mistake the obvious lust in my eyes.
"Yes, I think you're handsome." I responded.