The Teacher's Pet

Chapter Eighteen.

The photo is of a beach house similar to how I picture Alex's

Thursday......................................................

Belle took extra long getting dressed that morning, she tried every outfit in her closet and still could barely find anything she wanted. She settled on her favorite long sleeved, red shirt and jeans. When she walked into the kitchen her dad and Jade were sitting at the table drinking coffee in silence.

"Belle, don't you look lovely today?" Jade said with a smile.

"What are you all dressed up for?" Her dad asked.

"No reason."

Her dad gave her a glare and she hurried to gather her things, shoving them into her backpack. She kept her gaze on him, feeling unsure of his mood.

"Do you want a ride?" Jade offered.

"No thank you, I can walk."

Belle hurried from the kitchen, wanting to get as far away from her father as she could. She made it to the living room before he grabbed her arm, using it to slam her into the floor to ceiling shelves.

She dropped her backpack as her back connected with a shelf and her head hit one. She winced but didn't move, knew better than to show any reaction. She bit her lip and stayed silent as her dad bent down to pick up her bag, he unzipped and began digging through it's contents. When he was satisfied she didn't have any money he shoved it at her.

"Get to school." He snapped.

She didn't need to be told twice and rushed from the apartment, down the steps and onto the sidewalk. Her back hurt and she had a throbbing in the back of her head but she continued to school, it was still better than being at home.

She reached the school yard, her steps slowing when she reached the sidewalk. She didn't want to go inside so she found a bench and collapsed, her head and back only hurting more from the walk. The last bell rang and still she didn't go inside, suddenly none of it seemed to matter and the world seemed to slow down just for her.

It started to rain a light misty kind of rain, the kind that made your vision blur and your hair frizzy without really soaking you through. She sat on the bench staring out at the parking lot and feeling the water drip down her back.

Alex was in the middle of teaching a class when he glanced out the window and saw the figure sitting on the bench. His heart wasn't really in teaching today and for the most part he'd let his classes read silently. Belle wasn't there and it was like a light had been stolen out of the classroom, he didn't have the energy to care today if they learned anything or not.

The figure was sitting on the bench in the rain, their small framed hunched and their dark hair wet. He knew without seeing the clear porcelain skin, without seeing the piercing brown eyes, without hearing the soft voice that it was Belle.

"Class, keep reading and I'll be right back."

He exited the room without a further explanation, grabbing his coat on his way out the door. He hurried down the wet sidewalk to the bench and where Belle was sitting. Her hands were tucked between her slender knees, shoulders slumped forward.

"Is this a habit of yours? Running around in the rain?" He asked.

She turned her head and blinked up at him through the raindrops dripping off her hair into her eyes. She didn't say anything and he settled is coat around her thin shoulders.