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"I like her," he whispers, big brown eyes wide. "And she looks really pretty today."
"I'm sure you do, Landon. She's a sweet girl."
He nods, looking like a pint-sized bobblehead.
"That's nice that you like her, but you shouldn't poke your
friends with pencils. Maybe next time you want to get her attention, you can try using your words?"
"But that's not what Daddy does."
My head turns slightly as I regard my student. "What does Daddy do?"
He takes a huge gulp of air. His little body rocking with the force of it. "When Mommy is pretty, she gets the tip. Daddy says so. He doesn't use his words with Mommy all the time either. He just pokes her with his finger and tells her she's gonna get the tip later. I didn't want to hurt Tara, so I just gave her the pencil tip kinda like Daddy."
Oh. My. God. This isn't happening.
"Landon, honey, how about next time Tara looks pretty, you just tell her. Leave all that other stuff to your daddy."
"So tell her she's gonna get the tip?"
"No!" I hold my breath and say a quick prayer for some kind of divine intervention. "Sorry, Landon. I didn't mean to raise my voice. I thought I would fall over." I wobble my balance, my knees still protesting while I keep myself at his level. "Maybe just say 'you look pretty' and leave it at that. No need to bring any tips into it."
I can't believe I just said that.
"Okay." He nods and smiles, but that smile quickly slips. "What happens when I wanna tell her I like her booty?"
Lord, kill me now.
"You know what? How about we color a picture?"
"Ms. Clark, you're really funny."
"Thank you, Landon. If it's okay with you, can I talk to your mom? I bet she would be able to tell you all the sweet things a girl would like to hear from a boy who likes her. I'm afraid I won't be much help, honey."
Please buy it. Please buy it.
"How come you wouldn't be able to help?"
"Well," I say with a smile. "I can't help because I haven't found my prince."
Landon smiles and nods. "I can catch you a big frog then! I'll get my daddy to help, and then you'll have your prince!"
"That's okay, honey. My prince is just waiting to hop his way to me, so we have to let him find his path."
"I guess."
"Thank you for thinking about helping me, though. That was very sweet."
Landon nods again, his shoulders straightening as pride fills his tiny body. I lead him over to a group of kids drawing silently and help get him settled before walking over to my desk. My second graders are the best kids in the school, no doubt, but this whole week, they seem to be possessed by little demons. Landon is the fifth boy to discuss what his daddy does. Carpool line hasn't been the same since. Just yesterday, sweet little Cara-May Jenner asked me what bum fun was, and I honestly didn't think it could get worse than that. Looks like I'm in for another awkward as it gets chat with another parent tonight. I scribble a note to myself in my planner to give Landon's mom a ring later. Thankfully, she's one of the parents I'm closer to, and it will ease a little of the tension, but regardless, it isn't a chat I want to have with any parent.
The rest of the day passes without incident, thankfully. I make quick work of tidying up the room and getting the following week's lessons in order before packing up. After a week of craziness at work, I can't wait for this weekend. Much like my past couple of weekends, I plan on spending time doing a whole lot of nothing. Only this time it's because my students have broken my brain and not because a man broke my body ... deliciously. It was hard enough getting through the Friday after Shane's visit, but it took almost two weeks for me not to shift and feel like he was still touching me. I spent the whole weekend after he had shown up just lying on the couch with a sore body, watching reality television. His touch was as intoxicating as a drink to an alcoholic.
As much as I would love to have another round with Shane, I've had way too much time since that explosive night to think. About him. Just as I had worried, he's deeper under my skin after sleeping together than he had ever been with just a simple lust-filled crush. I would be a big fat liar if I said I didn't want another round with Shane, but is it worth getting hurt in the process? Plus, Shane's been keeping his distance as well, so maybe he wasn't actually interested in playing our little game anyway. Or I was just as bad in bed as Seth had always said.
Unfortunately, that reprieve I had just felt while packing my stuff was short-lived. The second I step out of the back door and into the faculty parking lot, I see him--Seth--leaning against my car with a stupid smile on his stupid face. And of course, he's here. I might as well have just conjured him up. This isn't the first time he's been here. Since I hatched my fake boyfriend plan, he's been annoyingly around--only without said fake boyfriend, he wasn't taking no for an answer.
"What do you want, Seth?" I ask in a dull tone, unlocking my car, popping the trunk, and dropping my schoolbag in before shutting it and crossing my arms, holding his gaze.
