Chapter Five | Talia

The cafeteria isn't as crowded today. With the rain finally easing up last night, I guess most people were trying to take advantage of the sun today.

I follow behind Simone who heads straight for the pizza line and together we both pick a tray of food, pay, then head for the tables.

"What did Mr. Cross want with you?" Simone asks, slamming her backpack in front of her on the table. At my raised eyebrow she adds, "On Friday when he asked you to hang back?"

She must've been dying to ask me that all weekend.

"Oh," I shrug. "He saw a bruise on my cheek and wanted to know what happened." I explain like it's no big deal.

"Can I ask what happened or.." Simone wonders as she begins to peel the skin off her orange.

Shrug. "My mom's boyfriend just got a little angry with me because I wouldn't let him feel me up."

A look of pity crosses her face and it's the exact reason why I don't like telling people my business. "Please don't look at me like that. I'm fine."

"Sorry. I just didn't think anyone else here was like me." Simone says, causing me again to raise my brow at her. She looks around the cafeteria making sure that no one is paying attention to her before she scoots back in her seat enough for me to see when she lifts up her shirt high enough for me to see a red bruise on her ivory skin.

"I-I had no idea." I tell her, stunned. I was positive I was the only one at this school with any real problems. Simone never gave anything away.

Well, neither do I guess...

"Of course you didn't. It's not like I go around telling around my business." Simone says as she pops an orange wedge into her mouth. "Step-brother gets his rocks off seeing me hurt." She explains.

"Why are you telling me this?" I wonder. We've only known each other for a week.

"I feel like I can trust you. You're not like everyone else here; you know there's life outside these hallways and sometimes that shit ain't all roses."

"You can say that again." I agree, before finally picking up my chicken sandwich to take a bite.

There's some catcalling followed by some laughter and when I turn my head toward the sound, I see Nick as he strolls past the table of girls whose eyes follow him as he walks further and further into the room.

He doesn't pay them any attention as he walks towards the salad line.

I still find it hard to believe that he would rather eat high school cafeteria food than go out and buy some gourmet meals. It can't be because he's trying to save money since it's obvious he has a lot of it... and his sister.

I smile as I think about how yesterday ended. Otis had a couple of his friends over that morning and they all expected my mom and me to serve them food and beer as if my house was some kind of bar. When I told Otis to serve himself he shoved me against a wall while his friends laughed and my mom looked on and said nothing.

I had to get out of there. I didn't care that I was dressed in sweats or that the clouds looked cloudy. I couldn't stay there. So I left. I grabbed my phone and small clutch before heading out. Thankfully no one tried to stop me.

When I got on the bus I didn't really know where I was going nor did I care. All I cared about was putting as much distance as possible between me and that place I call home. I didn't get up until I realized I was in Easton and passed my new school. Once I got off the bus the rain went from a little drizzle to a downpour. Without an umbrella and three strangers huddled together under the only protection from the rain already, my only choice was to lower my head and pray that the rain would stop soon.

The last thing I expected to happen was for Mr. Cross to pull up in front of the bus stop demanding I get into his car. It was raining and if he somehow ended up being a serial killer outside of work.... Well, I guess it was my time to go.

I also wasn't expecting how good he looked. All week I've seen him wearing a three piece suit or dress shirt, including the first time I met him at the diner, but yesterday was the first time I'd seen him in something as casual as the dark jeans, white tee, and black jacket he wore.

Looking at him now, dressed in a pair of black slacks and a white dress shirt with the sleeves pushed to the elbow, it's obvious why all my classmates literally drool over him. I bet they'd go crazy if they knew he was this attractive and good with kids.

I can't help but think of how great he was with his niece yesterday. From the moment he saw her his face lit up with the biggest smile I've ever seen on him and all throughout breakfast he talked so easily and joked with her. It was the cutest thing I've seen in a long time.

"Did I speak too soon or are you going to be like all the girls here and have a crush on Mr.Cross?"

Simone says when she catches me staring in his direction.

"He's a little too old for me don't you think?" I reply instead, dropping my gaze to my tray.

"Doesn't seem to stop everyone else here." Simone replies.

"What do you know about him anyways?" I ask, looking at her.

Simone shrugs. "Just what everyone else knows about him, which isn't much. He's extremely private. But what I do know is this: he's thirty, the eldest and only son of Victor and Ruth Cross, as in the head of the Cross family who built and own everything in this town. He spent his college years and early twenties pissing off his inheritance until three years ago when he became a teacher here. Oh and he's single but everyone thinks he has something going on with Mrs. Carver."

"Mrs. Carver?"

I knew they looked a little too friendly on my first day here.

"Yeah. It's so obvious she wants his dick." Simone nudges her head in Nick's direction and I turn my head to see him and Mrs. Carver together talking. I haven't gotten any weird vibes from her since my first day which I'm glad, but as I look at them now a weird tingling sensation prickles my fingers and my pulse quickens.

Is this what jealousy feels like?

I shut it down quickly. I can't be jealous. He's not mine and he never will be.

As if he can feel me staring at him, Nick turns his head and his eyes automatically find me in the crowd.

It's brief, but whatever he sees on my face causes him to take a step back and put some distance between him and Ms. Carver.

That shouldn't have made me as happy as it did.

"They're cute together." I lied, before dropping my face towards my tray so Simone wouldn't see me smiling.

Lunch is over quickly after that and Simone and I say our goodbyes before going off in different directions for class.

I head to my locker at the end of the day with my mind made up to go to the library to finish my homework and start a study sheet for an upcoming history test I have on Friday.

The hallways are fairly empty, everyone rushes out of here once the final bell rings as if the place is on fire or something. I don't blame them though. I'd rush out of here too if home was remotely close to somewhere I wanted to be.

I open my locker, ready to reach for my history textbook when a piece of paper floats to the ground. Curious, I bend down and snatch up the folded up piece of paper off the floor.

Who the hell sticks notes in lockers these days?

Regardless of how strange it seemed, I unfold it so I can read.

Meet me up on the roof after school. - N.C

It takes me about two seconds for me to realize who N.C is and I smile despite myself, before shoving the note inside my backpack and slamming my locker shut.

It takes me a few minutes to find my way to the roof but when I get there I see Nick leaning against the railing.

It's beautiful up here. This must be where the Gardening club have their classes because the roof is covered with pots of different kinds of flowers and budding fruits and plants, but if I'm being honest, Nick is the only thing that matters.

"Maybe next time you should draw a map to the roof." I say.

Nick turns around with a smile on his ridiculously handsome face. "I'll keep that in mind next time."

"So you plan on leaving more notes in my locker?" I tease.

"Maybe." Nick chuckles.

"So this is your secret hideout?" I ask.

"One of them." He admits.

"It's so beautiful up here." I smile as I look around.

"You can thank the Garden club for that." Nick tells me.

"You pretty much have all the girls here drooling over you." I tell him. "Seems to me like you're a hot commodity on campus." I say, thinking about those girls' reactions at lunch.

"Trust me, they're only after my last name." Nick replies.

"I'm sure it must be hard with people expecting you to live up to your father's reputation." I say.

"I'm a disappointment to him, that's for sure. I'd be helping him run the family business with Caitlin if it was up to him."

"How can you be a disappointment if you're just paving a path for yourself?" I wonder. It didn't make sense to me that his parents would be disappointed in him for wanting to be independent and make something out of himself without them. If anything, they should be proud of him.

"I ask myself that question every day." Nick confesses before pushing off the railing and walking over to sit on the bench. "Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if my last name wasn't Cross."

"We would've never met if you didn't step in and say something when you did," I remind him. "Does your parents know that man?" I ask, taking up a seat beside him on the bench.

"To them, I'm the rebellious son who is squandering his life as a teacher." Nick tells me.

"You know, at my old school I was the stuck-up black girl and even my mom tells me she thinks she came home with the wrong baby because we're nothing alike." I tell him. "It's not our job to fulfill someone's expectation of us. The only thing we can do is be ourselves."

"Are you sure you're only eighteen? You sounded at least thirty just now." Nick jokes, making me giggle.

"You're a special man Nick.. but not because of who your family is." I tell him. Nick gazes upon my face with such intensity that if he was any other guy and I'd challenge him to make a move, but I can't. We can't. He's forbidden fruit. But just like Eve I feel myself drawn to the one thing I can't have.

A phone rings, popping whatever bubble formed around Nick and I during our time here. I blink, drop my gaze to my lap, realizing it's my phone that's ringing. I pull my cellphone out of the pocket of my jacket and begrudgingly answer when I see that it's my mom.

"Where the hell are you?" My mother's voice boom across the line before I even get a chance to say hello. "And before you think of lying to me I know you're not at work because I called and your boss told me you're not there."

"I'm at school." I tell her, scooting over a little so that Nick couldn't hear my conversation, though I'm pretty sure it's pointless because I'm sure the whole school can hear my mom on the phone when she yells.

"Bring your ass home. This dinner ain't gonna cook it self."

"I'll be there in an hour." I say and clip the call before she get another word in. And just like that I remember why I can't entertain feelings for Nick.

They're the obvious reasons: he's my teacher and he's older, but the one I didn't like to admit was that he was too good for me. He'll leave here and go home to a mansion of a home or probably pick up some woman at a bar or he could wake up tomorrow morning and decide to spend his family's money after all and live a life of luxury day in and day out. Me? I was going home to a mother who didn't see me and her boyfriend who I wish didn't see me. The only way I was getting out of this town was by hard work and sweat and I couldn't let anyone, especially Nick Cross keep me from accomplishing that.

I turn to look at him, his hazel eyes imploring me to tell him what's wrong. He looks at me like he wants to solve all my problems.

"I gotta go." I tell him after ending the call.

"I should probably go too." Nick says but neither of us stand up.

"Thank you for showing me your hideout." I smile before I stand up and head for the stairwell.

✏️✏️✏️

A week passes by before I start to get my footing at Kerrington. I don't feel so much like an outcast like I did when I first started. I've also sorted developed a bit of a routine. I found myself waking up earlier for school; it was the only way to avoid Otis in the morning. Sure, I was at school two hours early but it was worth it. Afterward, I stayed in the library and knocked out all my homework before going home. I waited for my mom to notice I was barely home but she didn't care or comment. And at school, Simone and I have become closer, having lunch together every day and sometimes even hanging out after school if I didn't have work and today was one of those days. Though, I'm not completely sure how we ended up in the parking lot with her friends goofing around and listening to music.

I watch as Simone jumps on Liam's back and giggle as he starts to pretend she's too heavy for him to hold because as the wide receiver of Kerrington's football team, he was more than able to carry Simone's weight.

There's music playing out of somebody's car speaker and snacks that we got from the vending machine before school closed. When I asked if we'd get in trouble for being on the school property this late they told me not to worry because apparently they have connections.

Despite their words, I still find myself a little uneasy at the thought of getting in trouble.

"Dimples."

I turn my head to Jackson, the star quarterback who took it upon himself to give me that nickname after our first meet. He's one the hottest guys on campus with his shaved blonde hair and green eyes and tan skin.

"What?" I shove my hands inside the pockets of my gray jacket.

"You just gonna sit there acting shy all night?" He teases.

"If I want to." I reply. "Is that a problem?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Then come do something about it." I challenge and watch without flinching as Jackson strolls over me with confidence. Seduction oozes out of him as he stands towering over me but instead of becoming complete mush like all the other girls he leashes his charm and sex appeal on, I break out laughing and push him away.

"How many times does Talia have to reject you before you get the hint?" Simone laughs as she comes over to me.

"This isn't rejection. This is playing hard to get." Jackson answers, staring at me.

"Keep telling yourself that." Simone says before pulling my arm. "Let's give these guys a show." She winks at me as the chorus of a new song starts.

I playfully roll my eyes but allow her to drag me to the middle of our little circle of friends before I begin dancing. I'm twisting my hips, shaking my ass, laughing as Jackson comes up and dance behind me, our bodies close enough that I can feel his hard on.

Guess somebody likes my moves.

I don't mind though. He's nice, cute and honestly it's nice to have someone my age show me attention for once.

"What the hell is going on here?" A familiar voice shouts, startling us all.

I blink to see Nick barreling towards us, looking pissed. The last time I ever saw him this upset was when he saw my bruised cheek but honestly he seemed even angrier than that right now.

I straighten my posture immediately but Jackson still keeps his hands on my hips.

"Relax Mr. Cross," Liam speaks up. "We're just having some fun after practice."

"Yeah, well the fun is over. Get going before I give you all detention for being on school property without a good reason."

"Are you serious?" Jackson raises his voice.

Nick turns to look in our direction, his eyes immediately drops to Jackson's hand on my hip before looking back at Jackson.

"Do I look like the kind of person that jokes?" Nick replies.

"Let's just get out of here man. If we get a detention coach is gonna beat our ass." Liam says.

Everyone starts to disperse, gathering their backpacks and tossed around textbooks before climbing into their car.

"You need a ride Talia?" Jackson asked me.

The last thing I need is for anyone here to know where I live. "No thanks, I'm good. I don't live too far from here, I'll just walk." I smile reassuringly.

Jackson nods his head before climbing into his Black Rolls Royce.

I turn and pick up my backpack from the ground and sling it over my shoulder before starting to head for the exit gate.

"Ms. Davis?" Nicks calls out to me.

"Yes Mr. Cross?" I answer as I keep on walking. Everyone is driving away ahead of me, beeping me as they pass by so I can't exactly stop and call him Nick.

"What do you think you were doing?" Nick says through what sounds like gritted teeth.

I wave to Simone who is catching a ride with Liam before turning to Nick. He hasn't spoken a word to me outside of class all week, no more slipped notes in my locker but now he wants to act all possessive?

"It's called dancing," I reply. "I know, it's a lot different then the Cabbage Patch you did in your time."

"Don't be a smart ass." Nick scolds.

"Ooh, he curses." I pretend to gasp.

"Watch it Ms. Davis." He warns me.

"Or what?" I challenge.

I wait for him to take the bait, to erase the distance between us, to admit that he's jealous, something. But instead he shakes his head, obviously going with the safe version of whatever it was that he really wanted to say or do.

"Have a good weekend Ms. Davis." Nick tells me before he turns and heads for his car.