Puzzle Pieces

Winter was beautiful. Snow softly graced everything with its cover and made simple things become magical. The cold breeze made people bundle up, not wanting to freeze, yet they still yearned to be outside enjoying the views and playing in the snow.

With frost bitten fingers I clutched my math book and hurried along the path to my first class of the day. Not many students were here yet, but in about an hour it would fill up; at least the parking lot would. A gust of wind blew past me, making me shiver and grasp my jackets edge, pulling it closer to my body. In haste to block out the cold I bumped into a figure trying to escape the cold as well.

Laughing, we picked up the books we had both dropped and I looked at his face. Staring calmly, I recognized his face, but couldn’t recall from where, nor his name. He looked at my face and a shock rested over his face before he smiled cheekily. “Hello,” I mumbled, trying to hide the chattering teeth.

“Hello, sorry about that, I didn’t mean to run into you,” his voice made my knees weak and I was grateful the chilly air made sure I was frozen in place.

I smiled at him and glanced at my watch quickly. I had about ten minutes to get to class, but I could be late, though everyone stared at you when you were late. I opened my mouth to say something but his voice beat me to it. “You’re taking advanced mathematics?”

Glancing down I shrugged, “Well, yes, but doesn’t mean I understand any of it. Every time I figure out something, they are two steps ahead again,” my voice turned quiet and I was pretty sure my ears were tuning red like the rest of my face already was.

“Do you want some tutoring? I could help you out,” he offered.

“How do I know you are any better than me?” I challenged.

He threw his head back and laughed loudly, earning a few stares from people hurrying inside, like we should have been doing. “I guess you don’t, but it is better to have help. Am I correct?”

Smiling, I looked into his eyes and agreed. Whoever he was, I wanted to get to know him again. “I have class in a few minutes. Could we schedule a time?” I asked meekly. Was he offering because I was considered cute? Probably.

“Of course! Actually I have to be to class as well. How about tomorrow at 2? What’s a good place though?” he thought for a moment then smiled widely. “Why don’t we go to my place? And then from there we could use all the math books I have there!”

It felt a little strange being invited to his house, but something made me say yes; like I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. After we exchanged numbers and he gave me his address we separated. When I sat down for math, a few minutes late I might add, I quickly took notes and figured out no matter how fast I wrote the teacher seemed to erase the board faster than I could copy.

Groaning in defeat, I started to doodle when I felt the paper the guy had given me peek out of my jackets pocket. Pulling it out curiously, I opened it and my face burned with embarrassment and shock.

534-764-8907, It was nice seeing you again Miss Kate Greenwood. Tyler Johnson.

Tyler Johnson was my middle school math teacher. The one who made sure I understood everything, even if he had to stay after school. He didn’t offer because I was a cute girl, he offered because he always helped me.



I reasoned with myself that he wasn’t going to treat me like he did back then. He wasn’t going to explain everything slowly and giving one too many examples to make sure I understood. But still, as I stood outside my car door looking at his front door, I grimaced.

My teachers’ house still gave me a weird feeling. It was probably a three bedroom house and it was well taken care of. Slowly I walked up towards his house and softly knocked on the door. Pulling my jacket closer I listened intently before sighing.

So far my Saturday was turning out strange. I never thought I would see my old teacher again, and defiantly not have him teach me again. I leaned against the door frame lightly but jumped back when the door was swung open fast. Gasping for air, I tried to calm my heart from the scare and smiled nervously at Mr. Johnson.

“Good afternoon, Kate. Please come in,” he was polite and I stared at him strangely before adjusting my shoulder bag and walking inside his house.

As I passed him in the doorway, I could smell his spicy cinnamon body odor. Blushing, I walked quickly and stood awkwardly by the doorway to the kitchen. He had all the math books resting on the side of the table and papers he was grading spewed across the rest of the space.

“Excuse the mess, I was grading papers this morning,” he shyly said before clearing a spot on the table for my bag. I sat in the empty chair and scanned the kitchen. It was so clean my mother would have deemed it her own work, or ‘done by a woman’ she would say.

As I relaxed in my chair, I felt claws dig their way into my shin. Screeching loudly, I jumped from the table glaring at the cat underneath acting innocent. I could feel blood trickling out of the punctured holes and whimpered. I hated blood. I watched Mr. Johnson grab the cat and walk down the hall with it. He said a few mumbled words to the cat before I heard a door shut.

Lifting my pant leg up, I saw the blood and felt queasy instantly. Sitting down in the chair, I made my pant leg stay up and stared at the wall. “Sorry about the cat. He doesn’t take well to new people. Oh boy, he got you good. Be right back,” he muttered while walking back down the hallway.

I looked at the ceiling trying to ignore the feeling of blood trailing down my leg by saying it was just water. Yeah right. I felt hands on my leg and looked down seeing Tyler, I mean Mr. Johnson, wiping up the blood and placing a bandage on the tiny holes.

After he threw away the mess and washed his hands he set up my stuff and began explaining everything from where I had left off. Somehow, he taught better than that other woman and I was glad he was helping me. I felt his eyes on me and looked up after finishing up the last problem on my page. Flipping it over as I looked up I saw him smile.

Raising an eyebrow, I went back to working on the next page only asking when I needed help. I bit my lip at the last problem for the seventh chapter and tried looking at the examples before sighing in defeat. “I don’t understand this one,” I looked up and froze.

He was staring with adoring eyes and before I knew it, he was kissing me. Jumping back, I stared at him wildly. Did that just happen? Hurt crossed his eyes, “Sorry, just forget it. I think we should pick this up later.”

“But I still have,” he cut me off by packing up my stuff and shoving it into my bag.

I watched him wordlessly and in mere seconds I was pushed outside and the door was shut behind me. Sighing, I walked to my car and climbed in. Touching my fingers to my lips I smiled sadly. No matter what, I was forever his student in his mind now.