and waited to be called on.
“ Yes Nina,” he said.
“ I didn’t get a worksheet,” she replied.
His head cocked to one side. “My mistake. Here,” he said as he grabbed a paper from the stack on the podium and began walking back to her. Nina’s hands were lying on the top of her desk as he reached her. Kevin slowly set the paper down and without hesitation let his index finger slide off the page and up into the curve of her thumb before heading to his desk.
Nina’s skin tingled where he touched her so much that she'd yet to move her hand from that place, feeling the energy of his touch. The bell rang, causing her to jump slightly then she peered over at Kevin, leaning back comfortably. Again she made the effort to look as though she was packing up her things until the last student was out the door.
Standing and slinging her bag over her shoulder, Nina stopped in her tracks, overtaken by a huge yawn escaping her lips.
Kevin chuckled. “Let me guess, bad dreams?”
Nina looked at him starkly. “No. Waiting by the phone.”
She smirked before walking out, intentionally glancing over her shoulder at him as she reached the hall.
****
For the first time since seeing her on stage at The Black Jewel, Kevin took in the glorious sight of her legs. Covered in dark blue jeans, the curves didn’t lie and he imagined her creamy white skin underneath. A chill ran up his spine seeing her pass by his door and out of sight. He couldn't believe he’d been so bold. Letting the simplest touch happen between them was electrifying. It could've been an accident and he wondered if she thought it had been.
The mystery of Nina was part of what gave him chills. He wanted to know more about her. He wanted to know how she’d gotten to be the way she was. Mature but still full of youth and seemingly self aware. Seventeen.
Kevin’s second period students were starting to arrive when something caught his eye. Against the royal blue carpeting near the desk he’d come to consider Nina’s, there was a glint of light bouncing off something. He squinted as he neared the tiny object on the floor. Reaching down to pick up the glittering bauble, he smiled realizing who the earring belonged to. His smiled lingered as he thought about seeing her again to return it. It was the gentlemanly thing to do.
Chapter Seventeen
The lunchroom was crowded as Nina made her way to the salad bar, fixing herself a bowl. James was close behind, indulging in the standard rectangle pizza. He slid his tray next to hers on the steel tracks of the buffet and peered at her through her thick wall of dark hair that hung next to her face.
“ Are you smiling to yourself?” James asked, craning his head to get a better look at her. Nina whipped her head around and grinned coyly.
“ Maybe,” she said, letting her eyebrows rise.
She saw James roll his eyes. He knew he wouldn’t get an explanation from her. They made their way to an empty table but when James glanced at Nina again, the same absent smile.
“ I’ve been meaning to ask you something--” James’ voice trailed off as he took his first bite of the plastic looking pizza.
“ Oh my God, this is so good,” he said interrupting himself, joyfully.
Nina laughed. “What do you need to ask me?”
James’ face fell a bit and he took a deep breath. “Don’t get mad, but have you talked to Todd recently? I mean, I know you said you went out with that guy over the summer so I’m assuming you and Todd aren’t really together but, like, what the hell is going on? I can’t believe we haven't talked about this. It’s like we haven’t said more than two words to each other since school started.” James rambled on until Nina put her hands up in effort to stop his monologue.
He was right. Nina’s mind had been so preoccupied with thoughts of Kevin she had little else to talk about. She contemplated telling James the truth so many times but she was still so unsure exactly what it was she and
“ Yes Nina,” he said.
“ I didn’t get a worksheet,” she replied.
His head cocked to one side. “My mistake. Here,” he said as he grabbed a paper from the stack on the podium and began walking back to her. Nina’s hands were lying on the top of her desk as he reached her. Kevin slowly set the paper down and without hesitation let his index finger slide off the page and up into the curve of her thumb before heading to his desk.
Nina’s skin tingled where he touched her so much that she'd yet to move her hand from that place, feeling the energy of his touch. The bell rang, causing her to jump slightly then she peered over at Kevin, leaning back comfortably. Again she made the effort to look as though she was packing up her things until the last student was out the door.
Standing and slinging her bag over her shoulder, Nina stopped in her tracks, overtaken by a huge yawn escaping her lips.
Kevin chuckled. “Let me guess, bad dreams?”
Nina looked at him starkly. “No. Waiting by the phone.”
She smirked before walking out, intentionally glancing over her shoulder at him as she reached the hall.
****
For the first time since seeing her on stage at The Black Jewel, Kevin took in the glorious sight of her legs. Covered in dark blue jeans, the curves didn’t lie and he imagined her creamy white skin underneath. A chill ran up his spine seeing her pass by his door and out of sight. He couldn't believe he’d been so bold. Letting the simplest touch happen between them was electrifying. It could've been an accident and he wondered if she thought it had been.
The mystery of Nina was part of what gave him chills. He wanted to know more about her. He wanted to know how she’d gotten to be the way she was. Mature but still full of youth and seemingly self aware. Seventeen.
Kevin’s second period students were starting to arrive when something caught his eye. Against the royal blue carpeting near the desk he’d come to consider Nina’s, there was a glint of light bouncing off something. He squinted as he neared the tiny object on the floor. Reaching down to pick up the glittering bauble, he smiled realizing who the earring belonged to. His smiled lingered as he thought about seeing her again to return it. It was the gentlemanly thing to do.
Chapter Seventeen
The lunchroom was crowded as Nina made her way to the salad bar, fixing herself a bowl. James was close behind, indulging in the standard rectangle pizza. He slid his tray next to hers on the steel tracks of the buffet and peered at her through her thick wall of dark hair that hung next to her face.
“ Are you smiling to yourself?” James asked, craning his head to get a better look at her. Nina whipped her head around and grinned coyly.
“ Maybe,” she said, letting her eyebrows rise.
She saw James roll his eyes. He knew he wouldn’t get an explanation from her. They made their way to an empty table but when James glanced at Nina again, the same absent smile.
“ I’ve been meaning to ask you something--” James’ voice trailed off as he took his first bite of the plastic looking pizza.
“ Oh my God, this is so good,” he said interrupting himself, joyfully.
Nina laughed. “What do you need to ask me?”
James’ face fell a bit and he took a deep breath. “Don’t get mad, but have you talked to Todd recently? I mean, I know you said you went out with that guy over the summer so I’m assuming you and Todd aren’t really together but, like, what the hell is going on? I can’t believe we haven't talked about this. It’s like we haven’t said more than two words to each other since school started.” James rambled on until Nina put her hands up in effort to stop his monologue.
He was right. Nina’s mind had been so preoccupied with thoughts of Kevin she had little else to talk about. She contemplated telling James the truth so many times but she was still so unsure exactly what it was she and
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