Julian

IV. April, Ch. 42

     Okay, don't panic. Just fake your death, run away to Canada, and change your name.

     That was the only good idea Shelley's teenage mind could come up with.

     She could already picture the angry look on her father's face, the chance to graduate early disappearing, and the scholarships that would no longer be hers.

     Missing today's rehearsals was the least of her worries. What mattered now was running away, as fast as she could, until she was at least two galaxies away from the high school teacher she just kissed.

     Shelley turned the corner at the end of the block. Luckily, she arrived too early to run into anyone from Julian.

     The sight of a verde green Lamborghini finishing the last of its parallel parking stopped her dead in her tracks.

     No, no. I don't need this right now.

     Bruce got out of his car. He noticed Shelley and gave her a weak salute. "'Morning, Hepburn."

     Shelley didn't want to be near him or anyone else who would nag her for answers, or in Bruce's case, berate her for acting so foolishly.

     She ignored his greeting, turned the other way, and walked as briskly as she could towards the bus stop.

     When she realized she left her belongings inside the theater, she cursed at herself.

     She heard Bruce's deep voice behind her. "Hey, where are you going?"

     She walked faster.

     "Wait. Stop."

     Run.

     Shelley looked over her shoulder. Bruce was closer than she expected. How did he catch up so fast?

     No, go away. She ran faster.

     She didn't get far before she felt a grip around her elbow.

     That feeling of flesh on flesh set off her panic mode. Shelley yanked her arm off his hand. "Leave me be, will you?"

     Bruce remained calm and composed. He grabbed her arm again. "It's me, alright? What's wrong?"

     His concern was like an invitation for her emotions to manifest themselves. As much as she told herself not to cry, his kindness only made her want to let loose.

     Shelley's eyes gathered tears. Her cheek became magnetic to his chest, the only part of his body her face could reach.

     Bruce wrapped both arms around her. He brought his chin to the top of her head, enveloping her in a warm embrace.

     She only wished Bruce wasn't so comforting. That way, she'd stop her sobbing and actually talk to him about what happened. She didn't know who else to turn to, because she wasn't going to tell the girls.

     "Talk to me, kid," said Bruce.

     Shelley wiped her runny nose on her forearm. "I'm going to get expelled."

     He chuckled. "No, you won't. Whatever it is you did, you won't get expelled."

     Shelley's heart, once again, melted with his kindness. She didn't want him to be kind this time, however. She needed to deal with the truth. "Yes, I will. I was so stupid."

     Bruce held her small face in his hands. "It couldn't have been that bad."

     She covered her weeping mouth with her hand. "I-I kissed him."