Page 50 of The Teacher

“Alright,” Skipper starts, clearing his throat exaggeratedly. “There are these two families, right, who are basically gangs. They hate each other. There’s a lot of fights and violence between them all. One of these gangs has a daughter, the other one has a son, and they meet at a party and instantly fall in love.”

“Instantly? Like you and Miss Finn?”

Skipper chuckles. “Yeah, James, kind of.”

James? The other boy was Tom?

Wait.

Skipper is talking about Romeo and Juliet to Tom and James? Together? He’s teaching Shakespeare to the two naughtiest boys in my class who want to kill each other?

No freaking way.

How did he even get them in a room together without fisticuffs? How has he managed to get them to sit in a classroom together?

How has he got them to be calm?

“So, let’s go back to the story.”

I stand here, in the empty school hallway, overhearing Skipper chat endlessly about Romeo and Juliet in great depth to the two boys who couldn’t sit still for a single moment in my class. He goes through everything in the play, and he’s funny about it. Real funny. He makes them laugh along with him, even me. I can’t help but giggle when he breaks down the plot as if it’s a modern-day gangster romance.

It’s kinda cute. He’s kinda cute, and gorgeous, in the way he’s chatting about the play. One thing’s for sure, he’s got their entire attention as he speeds through the plot outline, something I’ve not managed to do at all. Not with these boys.

I would never have thought in a million years you could get these boys to learn Shakespeare, or even get them in the same room together.

Skipper’s a natural teacher.

My heart goes crazy peeking at him teaching James and Tom. He’s very adorable in his teacher mode, all gestures and imitating funny accents.

My mind wanders to that kiss yesterday. That strange, strange kiss I can’t think straight about. It did feel so natural, but I’m still so angry about his cheating past. But, then again, he’s so beautiful talking to these two boys about Romeo and Juliet.

I just don’t know what to think. My heart doesn’t know what to think.

And, just as he reaches the end of describing the play, I decide I’ve heard enough.

I’m going in.

I take a step inside my classroom and announce myself to the three males.

“What’s going on here?”

Tom and James are shocked at my entrance. Their mouths hang open like they’ve been caught in the act.

Two little troublemakers for sure.

But, instead of being surprised by my sudden entrance like I’d wanted him to be, Skipper merely slowly turns around and flashes me his trademark cocky smile. Like he knew I’d turn up.

Like he’s expecting me.

God, he’s so infuriating.

And so handsome.

“Oh, I’m just teaching the boys some Shakespeare. It’s fun, isn’t it, boys?”

They laugh.

That’s his reply?