A Lesson in Romantics

Today would’ve been like any other day but somehow, it was different. As Mr. Ashers was taking roll call, I stared off into oblivion; in a world where it was just him and I.

I sat face to face with Mr. Ashers, his crystal blue eyes pierced through me. I felt like he was reading my thoughts and soul. He smiled big, showing off two rows of perfectly, whitened teeth.

“So how was your weekend, Josie?” he asked, sitting down on his desk, smirking seductively. My breath hitched and no sound would come out to answer his question. I managed to find my voice and spoke: “Oh, you know, I hung out with friends. Typical teenager.”

Mr. Ashers stood up and started to unbutton his shirt. I coughed, nervous and shocked from his unexpected actions. “What did you do,” I asked, eyes glued on his shirt and eager.

“I went to the beach. It was amazing. Blazing hot sun.” My heart started to race. I watched carefully and closely as he continued to unbutton his shirt. I licked my lips and looked into his eyes.

“You want to know the best thing about it,” he asked, his voice so seductive. I nodded my head violently. Do tell, Nathan.

His whole shirt was unbuttoned and he began to take it off, exposing hard-chiseled abs. I started to hear my heart beat loud, then louder as he started to unzip his pants…

“No tan lines.”

Josie. Josie. Jocelyn! I snapped from my daydream to face Mr. Ashers. His eyes were elusive and face so beautiful and expressionless while illuminated from the sunlight. “Glad you could join us.” He smiled a bit before continuing with roll call. I gasped for air from that daydream. How erotic it was. If only it were real. Mr. Ashers interrupted me from my thoughts:

“We’ll be learning about Shakespearean language today. Anyone care to enlighten us on the subject,” he asked, eyes wandering around the room, expecting at least some one to raise their hand. No one did.

“I didn’t think so. Shakespeare’s language is one every hard to decipher. Many of famous quotes from his plays are a bit hard to understand since they are in the Shakespearean language. For example: But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.” He was looking at me while he recited the quote. It was like he was the handsome Romeo himself, expressing his love to the lovely Juliet. I flushed tomato red.

“Josie, perhaps you can recite a quote from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet,” he suggested, smirking mischievously.

I hesitated but recited one of my favorite quotes from the play, verbatim: “What's in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet.” Mr. Ashers clapped and everyone else followed suit. I saw the admiration in his eyes and right there I knew, that to him, I was as marvelous as the quote. I smiled helplessly at him and shifted my attention elsewhere while I continued to observe him.

~

The rest of the day went by so quickly. It was the end of the day and I walked down the same hall where Mr. Asher’s class was in. He stood by his doorway and somehow spotted me in the large, noisy crowd of adolescents. He gestured me over and I pushed by way through everyone just to get to him.

“Josie, you got a minute?” I nodded and entered his room, taking a seat in front of his desk. He closed the door behind him as he stepped in and the daydream this morning replayed in my head. Oh god. Is this it? Is that daydream about to come true? I waited.

“I was pleased by your little performance today. You a fan of Shakespeare, Miss Sanrio,” he smiled, eyes warm and friendly. I was disappointed that he wasn’t going to take off his shirt but this was still good. Just to spend a little bit of time with him alone was still good.

“I really am. I’ve read Romeo and Juliet at least a hundred times before. The quote stood out and stuck to me ever since.” I shifted in the seat a bit and clasped my hands together, resting them on the desk. Mr. Ashers was intrigued and couldn’t hold back a big smile.

“Well that’s awesome. I find it amazing how you’re into this kind of stuff. I thought girls your age would be more interested in boys, clothes, and…sex,” he emphasized the last part and I gulped nervously. He winked and turned around, his attention shifting to the mess on his desk.

He hesitated before asking: “Would you mind helping me organize? I’m a bit of a hot mess,” he couldn’t help but smile at his little “joke”. I got up from the seat and rushed over to his desk.

Ungraded tests, reports, and folders were piled high on his desk as I tried to figure out where to start. Mr. Ashers was comfortable in his chair and logged into his computer. I was the nosey type and checked the computer screen. As his wallpaper, there was a picture of him, cuddling with a…black cat.

Awesome.