Page 70 of The Cheerleader is Off Limits

The room isn’t dark, but none of the lights are on, and only the sunlight is streaming through the windows in the back of the class. “When?”

“Detention starts at three,” he tells me. Realization dawns on me that I might be the only person in detention today buthow?

“So it’s just me here?”

“Just you,” he says before gesturing toward a desk and chair.

I take a seat at one of the ones in the front, before setting my bag on the floor. “How long is detention?”

“Till four.”

“Why am I here?” He shrugs and I roll my eyes. “I assume you have to tell them something if it were to be questioned.”

“Being disruptive in class. Being late. Being a fucking tease.” He lists the reasons off on his fingers. “Your choice.”

“I’m a tease?”

“Yes, especially in that cheer uniform.” He gestures to what I’m currently wearing. “That skirt is so short…” He clears his throat before taking a sip from a bottle of water.

“I’m wearing shorts underneath.” I stand and flip the skirt up, showing him the white bloomers beneath before sitting back down.

A hungry look crosses his face. “Yeah, well, I still feel like my heart stops every time you move in them, thinking you’re about to flash me and whoever else.”

“Well, don’t worry. I’m covered.” I cross my arms in front of my chest.

The room is silent for a few moments before he breaks it. “I’m sorry I was so tough on you before.”

I lean forward on my elbows. “You definitely have a reason to be.”

“Have you kept this to yourself?”

“Kept what? Nothing has happened?”

“All of it. What happened before… our conversation this past weekend? What’s happening now?”

“Of course. Who would I tell?”

“Your cousin.”

“I haven’t. I won’t,” I tell him, shaking my head. “And nothing has happened now.”

“You called me… we’ve talked, and we shouldn’t have. I shouldn’t have even done this.” He rubs his forehead.

“Why did you?”

He’s quiet, and the silence stretches between us. He lowered his gaze to his hands before looking up at me.“Because I want to destroy my life, obviously.”

I run my fingers through my hair and pull it over to one side. “You’re so dramatic, you know that?”

I look around the room, grateful that we are here alone so we can talk. This room looks almost identical to our biology classroom, and I wonder if River teaches in it as well.

“Were you ever going to tell me?” he asks me, breaking me from my thoughts. “If this didn’t end up happening, and I didn’t end up being your teacher, were you going to tell me? Or just go on letting me think you were in college?”

I shift nervously in my seat and look away from his eyes. “I don’t know. A part of me knew you’d never be okay with it once I told you, and… I wasn’t ready for it to be over yet. I know we didn’t know each other that well yet… I wasn’t prepared to let you go. I wanted more time.” I finally meet his eyes.

“So did I.”

“Is our time up?” I ask, cautiously. He seemed less angry, but I didn’t think all was forgiven.