The Forbidden Fruit

When I got home, I parked in my spot, wiping the last tears away from my eyes. I grabbed the keys from the ignition and popped my trunk, grabbing my school items and closed it gently. I sighed deeply, feeling a lot better after the 15 minute cry, and walked into my house.

“Mom?” I asked, hearing nothing.

I shrugged and put my things up in my room. Jogging back down and rounding the corner into my kitchen, I grabbed a bowl and an Easy Mac packet, mixing the macaroni and water together. I popped it into the microwave and leaned back onto the counter. I heard a knock on my door and walked to it, opening it up fully.

“Maria.”

“Derrick.” I sighed, defeated, “I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

“Just hear me out, please?” He asked, slamming his hand onto the door, stopping me from closing it.

“Fine.” I sighed, rolling my eyes and walked back into the kitchen, retrieving my food.

I jumped up on the counter and dug into my Easy Mac, waiting for him to start.

“Okay. Look.” He sighed, falling back onto the wall behind him, “I like you. I really do. I mean you’re funny and hot and everything!”

I shrugged and ate some more of my Easy Mac.

“You’re super good with Troy and you don’t care that I have a baby. You’re just like.. This dream girl to me.”

I raised an eyebrow and stuffed more macaroni into my mouth.

“But I can’t do this, Maria.”

“And why not?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

“Um, I’m your teacher?” He asked, pushing himself off of the wall, “And I’m 10 years older than you.”

“So? Who cares if you’re 10 years older than me?”

“Ugh. Fine. But you’re still my student and I can’t have a physical relationship with you.”

I set my empty bowl into the sink and walked up to him, stopping dangerously close. I surveyed his facial expression and looked into his eyes, squinting a bit. I stepped back a bit.

“You don’t mean that.”

“Yes, Maria, I do.”

“Fine, whatever.” I said, walking past him and up the stairs.

Stopping on the 3rd step, I turned around to look at him. He was at the base of the stairs, his hand on the railing. I smiled a bit and raised my eyebrow.

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well then, if you have no more business here, you can let yourself out.” I turned back around and walked to my room.

I laid down on my bed and heard my front door shut. I sighed and closed my eyes, thinking of the homework that I had to do. Pulling myself up and reached over for my backpack, I got all of my homework and a pencil out. I pulled my History book on top of my lap, opening the book up to chapter 14’s questions. I got out a piece of paper and began writing.

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“I would like you to turn to page 13 in your books.” Derrick turned to me, “Glad you could make it today, Maria.”

I merely nodded and slid into my seat, opening up my book to page 13.

“Read that chapter and do these questions on the board.” Mr. Ward pointed to the whiteboard with about six questions on it, “And Maria, can I see you up front?”

I rolled my eyes, conveniently hidden behind my eyes, and got up, walking to his desk.

“I don’t appreciate you coming in late, Maria.” His voice was low so the other students couldn’t hear.

“Yes.” I said, reading over the questions.

“What’s your excuse this time?”

I shrugged, “I was just running late.”

“Okay. Don’t forget you have detention all this month.” He smiled cheekily at me.

“Right-o.” I said, walking back to my desk and copying the questions down onto a sheet of paper.

I felt Derrick’s eyes on me all class period.

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“Good. You’re not late.” Derrick said dryly.

“I’m not copying down some stupid sentence.” I said, shaking my head, standing in the door way.

“I wasn’t going to make you.” He smiled, “For the next month, you’re going to be cleaning this classroom.”

I groaned and set my stuff down on top of Derrick’s desk, pissing him off.

“You’ll start by cleaning the windows.” He handed me some Windex and paper towels.

“Lovely.” I rolled my eyes, spraying too much Windex on the first window and smearing it around.

“They have to be spotless.” Derrick reminded me.

I sucked in a breath and cleaned the windows more thoroughly. This detention was going to suck.