Ignorance is Kind

The rest of the week went pretty much the same way as Monday had. Jessica and I walked to school, ate breakfast, and had class. Then, when we went to our lockers once school was over, I'd open my locker and find another rose and short note.

That pattern of events changed on Thursday night. Jess and Johnny got in a fight and he told their parents what she'd done the previous Friday. Needless to say, they grounded her. So instead of hanging out with her that weekend, I made plans with Jordan. Sure there was a possiblity that it would end up being awkward, but he was still my friend.

I was sitting on the couch in my and Zacky's living room, watching tv while I waited for Jordan to arrive. I was carelessly flipping through channels when there was a loud knockon the door. I jumped up, automatically assuming that it was Jordan, and opened the door.

Only it was not Jordan who was at my door. It just so happened that it was my lovely history teacher. I stared up at him for awhile. My face my have looked calm, but my mind was kind of freaking out.Mr. Sanders Matt was at my house.

"Hi, Mr. S- Matt!" I exclaimed, voice going up almost an octave.

He smiled, dimples popping up out of nowhere. "Hello, Hope. Is your cousin here?"

I turned around and looked at the empty apartment, trying to remember if Zacky was there. The answer to his question came suddenly to my mind. "Ya know," I started. "I don't think he is. He left like, thirty minutes ago to go to the grocery store and get Fruity Pebbles."

His smile turned into a grin. "Wow," he laughed. "Well we were supposed to hang out tonight, but if he's not here I'll just-"

"Oh, no! You can stay if you want. He'll be here soon. I'm waiting for Jordan to get here anyways and I'll be leaving," I half-yelled the first part.

His hazel eyes got big. "Alright, I'll stay."

I laughed nervously. "Sorry. I just think it'd be pointless for you to leave when Zack's going to be here in like, fifteen minutes."

He shrugged. "Nah, you're right. It'd be pretty fuckin' stupid."

I smiled and moved aside so that he could get into the room. He walked by me; his body was so close that I could feel the heat from his skin. He walked over to the couch and sat down. It amazed me how comfortable he seemed to be.

My mind somehow realized that I no longer wanted to stand in the doorway and it told my arms to push the door shut and my legs to carry me over to the open section of the couch. I didn't bother to scoot into the far corner of the seat.

"So why aren't you hanging out with Jessica?" Matt's voice broke the somewhat awkward silence after a few minutes.

My eyes moved from the tv to his waiting face. "She's grounded," I explained.

"And how did that happen?"

"Her and Johnny got into a fight and he told their parents about what happened last weekend."

"Ah," he said, understand coming to his eyes. "That'll do it." After a few seconds, "Do you like living with Zacky?"

I shrugged and smirk found its way to my face. "Lets just say I never get grounded."

A deep laugh erupted from his throat. "Why don't you live with your parents?"

"They died when I was a kid."

"Oh, I'm sorry." I shrugged. "And you're still a kid, ya know." He smiled cheekily.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"I have the authority to give you a detention for that, Hope."

I giggled. "No, you don't. We're not in school." I stuck my tongue out at him.

He gave me a look. "I've seen you stick your tongue out at people many times. One of these days someone's going to bite it off."

"Oh, really?"

He nodded, face as serious as a heart attack.

"And are you going to be the one to do it?"

My smartass remark was met with silence as both my history teacher and I realized the hidden meaning my words held.

"Hey!" I yelled a few moments later, causing Matt to jump.

He stared at me, eyes wide. "Yes?"

"You have really nice skin."

"What?" he laughed.

"Like, it's really soft. I was remembering the first day of school when I basically grabbed your arm to look at your tattoos." I felt my cheeks heat up.

"Oh, yeah! You have nice skin, too," he smirked, eyes bright.

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks."

"Hey, now. None of that."

I smiled brightly and he smiled back. Then, there was a knock on the door for the second time that day.