Page 21 of The Teacher

Huh, so this is what I’ve been missing out on whilst studying Elizabethan playwrights?

I search through the living room, recognizing faces from school and family friends. This place is bigger and even busier than I’d initially thought it’d be. I wander around, twisting my neck looking for the gorgeous face of my boyfriend. I try looking for his smile, his smile that can melt me in a heartbeat. I can’t find him anywhere. There are so many people about. I walk into the center of the room, aka the makeshift dance floor, to get a better view. Still no sign of Skipper anywhere. Maybe he’s left already?

“Hey, you.” The voice is familiar. Someone pats me on the back. It’s Cliff, my cousin. “Fancy seeing you here!”

“I thought I’d make the effort for once,” I say to him, blushing at my dress.

“You look beautiful, Sandy,” my cousin says. He has a trail of friends behind him. He’s clearly the alpha of the group. He’s athletic and tall, just like my younger brother Cove. Don’t want to brag but good genes run in our family. “Do you want a beer?”

He offers me a plastic cup full of dark liquid and I shake my head. Beer’s not really my thing, I prefer white wine. “No, thanks.”

“I guess you’re looking for Skipper?”

My eyes widen. “Yes, have you seen him?”

Cliff nods. “Yeah, but ages ago and only in passing. He went upstairs, I think. I didn’t get much of a chance to speak to him.”

“Thanks,” I say, scurrying off. Cliff starts yelling at one of his friends behind me. I think he’s calling for some shots. I laugh to myself. Cliff’s always been the leader. He’s always up to do a round of shots.

He’s one bad boy, Cliff. A real heartbreaker. A playboy. All he wants to do is get out of town and see the world - well, more like he wants to get out of town and see some international pussy.

It’ll take a girl with balls of steel to nail down that bastard.

I head up the massive staircase to the next floor. This is where the bedrooms and bathrooms are. There are fewer partygoers up here, maybe Skipper is having a deep conversation with a friend? Maybe that’s why he’s up here?

I pass the queue to the toilet and into the hallway leading into the bedrooms.

“Skipper?” I call out down the hallway, hoping to hear an answer. Nothing.

I head down the hallway and listen at each door.

Fuck it.

Cliff did say he saw Skipper head up here.

I open up the first bedroom. A group of stoners are gathered around a bong, all sitting on the big king-sized bed. As I enter, they all turn and look at me, their eyes red from smoking a bit too much on the good stuff.

“Oops, sorry,” I mutter and hastily close the door on them.

I continue down the hallway to the next bedroom. I know what I’m doing is a bit bad, but it is a party and I know that Skipper is here somewhere. Maybe he’s smoking some weed? I wouldn’t mind if he was, I just want to see him. I want him to see how sexy I look in this dress.

I open this door to the next bedroom.

“Skipper?”

It takes me a moment to understand what’s going on, and when I do, my whole world comes crashing down.

No.

Skipper, my boyfriend, is in the bed with Nicole, my best friend.

They’re both naked.

And they’re fucking.

They both turn to me, irritated that a partygoer has broken into their room. But then they both recognize it’s me and they freeze.

“Sandy?” Skipper asks, his face reddening. “What are you doing here? I thought you’re at home?”