Shaded Beauty

It was the same as always; he was seated in the driver’s seat, a rainy and night-covered road in front of him. It was completely silent, but he knew the radio was at full volume, drowning out the sound of the wipers and falling water. He looked over and watched as the beautiful women next to him sang along then threw her head back. He couldn’t hear the beautiful melodies, but he didn’t need to; her laughter was imprinted into his memory.

She undid her seatbelt-he yearned to stop her but knew he couldn’t-and reached behind her to grab a bag hidden the seat. She pulled out a t-shirt and admired it before her eyes met his. Something was said, although he couldn’t remember what, and she threw her head back once more, her blonde hair glimmering as it caught the moonlight. Time seemed to stop for a moment, and he was overwhelmed with the feeling that he loved her.

In an instant, everything changed. He watched as her expression changed from utter bliss to terror. For the first time, a sound pierced his ears; a high pitched and guttural scream.

He turned back to the road and was blinded by light. He felt the motion as he slammed on the brakes, as the car behind them failed to do the same. He remained helpless as the window shattered and she was thrown through it, her beautiful yet dead eyes staring back at him as she lay on the road-

Colton woke up gasping for air, his face hot and covered in sweat. He ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the darkness. Fuck...not again. It was the first time he’d had the dream-well, nightmare-in two weeks, but it was just as fresh and vivid as the last thousand times. And he knew why it was happening; thinking about her at school, she wouldn’t leave his mind.

He lay back against his pillows and relaxed, taking a few more deep breaths. His eyes drifted over to the sleeping pills that were resting on his nightstand. They were the only thing he knew that would guarantee to keep the nightmares at bay. The only problem was they made him sleep like a dead man, and when he needed two alarms to wake him up for class they presented a problem. Now they were saved for the weekend, when he had no one in the world to answer too.

It wasn’t until his breathing had returned to normal and his mind was centered back in reality that he heard the clamor happening elsewhere in the house. A dog barked, and someone muttered a muffled ‘shh’ before the sound of clanking bottles was heard. For the first time Colton looked at the clock and saw that it was one-thirty in the morning. You have got to be kidding me right now.

Sure enough, as soon as he entered the kitchen he saw a figure in dark jeans hunched over and peering into the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. “Weis, what are you doing in my apartment at this ungodly hour?”

A blonde mess of hair glanced up for a moment before returning to his scavenger hunt, “Well, I just got off work, I’m hungry, and I know I don’t have any food at my place.” He closed the door and continued his search in the cupboards above.

Colton sat at the island and rubbed his temples. This is not what I was planning for my evening. “So why are you here and not at your girlfriend’s place?”

“Because…” He finally settled on a bag of chips and turned to give his friend a grin, “She’s not stupid enough to give me a key, and she has to work in the morning.”

Colton glared, “One, I haven’t given you a key, Ashton, you just haven’t given it back from when you lived here, and two, did you forget I have to work in the morning as well?”

“Oh right. How is that teaching thing going?”

Colton wasn’t sure how to respond. “It’s…going.”

“Uh-oh. I hear aggravation.”

“It’s not bad; I’m just not exactly tuned in to the ways of teenagers these days. The majority of them are just so arrogant or out of touch with reality.”

Ashton didn’t seem to care about his friend’s career problems. “Have you had to give a detention yet?” He asked eagerly.

Colton snorted. “Yeah, twice. Same student.”

“Really? What did the little troublemaker do?”

“Nothing, just tardiness.” The annoyance in his voice subsided as he thought about the detention he had that afternoon.

“What are you smiling about?” Colton hadn’t realized he was smiling until it was too late.

“Nothing,” He tried to ward his friend off, “It’s just that she-“

“She?” Ashton grew excited. “Colton Rylander, do you have a thing for one of your students?”

“No, I don’t.” His voice was harsh and bold. “She’s just…she’s smart, gives me hope for the next generation.”

The room was silent for a few moments. “Sorry,” Ashton apologized, “I just…I don’t know, I get excited when I think you might be moving on. Then again,” He stood up and grabbed a glass for water, “I should have known better when I heard you flailing around in your bed minutes ago.”

Colton looked up in astonishment, “You heard that and decided not to wake me up?”

The other man put his hands up, “Hey, last time I tried to wake you out of it you socked me square in the jaw.”

Oh right. Colton remembered that incident. It happened shortly after Ashton moved in with him a few months after the accident. He was in the middle of reliving it when he was thrown awake by a string of loud curses. Apparently, as the story had been retold to him, Ashton ha come home from work, heard him screaming in his room, and when he tried to wake him Colton reached out in defense, his fist colliding with the other man’s face. After that, Ashton never woke him up again.

“I didn’t realize you were still having that dream.” He was drawn out of his reminiscence.

Colton lightly shrugged his shoulders, “Every now and then,” He lied. If he knew just how often I’m having them, this speech I’m about to get would end up being a lot longer.

“Come on, Cole, it’s been three years. You just need to get back out into the real world. I told you, Anna works with this girl-“

“No offense, Ashton, but I think I’ll pass.”

Thankfully, he dropped the subject as he dug his hand father into the snack bag, “Suit yourself.”

“Well,” Colton announced as he got out of his seat and picked up the small dog that had nestled itself in front of his feet, “this has been fun, Weis, but I’m going back to bed.”

“What? But we just started talking!”

“And we’d have more time to talk if you stopped by before midnight like a normal person.”

Ashton gave a cheeky grin, “You know normal’s not my style.”

Colton rolled his eyes and turned to walk away. “Please don’t forget to lock the door when you leave.”

“Sure thing.” There was a pause. “Have a good day at school tomorrow! Don’t let the other boys pick on you too much!”

“Goodnight, Weis,” He called out, throwing an arm in the air in a wavelike fashion. The last thing he heard was a chuckle before he closed his bedroom door.

*****

The rest of the week went by effortlessly for Shaya. She went to school, paid attention in class, and did her homework as always. The only thing that had changed was she now thoroughly looked forward to English class every morning. She hadn’t showed up late again; twice in one week was bad enough, a third time and she had a feeling both Kat and Mr. Rylander would realize something was up.

She never thought she’d say it, but Shaya missed her detentions. The conversations she had with Mr. Rylander were easy and interesting, and she desperately wanted to know more about him. Now that she was back to being a proper student, the only time she had with him was the fifty minute class period, and she couldn’t exactly ask him about his past in the middle of a chapter dissection.

It seemed that Mr. Rylander had taken their time together to heart as well. When she walked in the next day, he gave her a small nod and told her he was glad she could make it on time. He also took her advice and slowly started calling everyone by their first names during casual discussions. The whole class was surprised at first; no one was really sure how to respond to the stern teacher who had suddenly gone soft. Only Shaya understood his change and every time he called out her name it made her smile.

Katrina, however, was quick to notice the difference in bother their teacher and her friend. “What happened in detention?” She asked Shaya Thursday after class.

“I told you already, nothing,” Shaya lied. Once again, she had decided to keep the more intimate interactions between her and her teacher to herself. She knew no one would understand, especially Katrina, and Shaya simply didn’t want to bring attention to a subject that wasn’t worth it. I’m just overreacting anyway she tried to tell herself. He’s gorgeous and I understand him better than anyone else in this school. It’s just some schoolgirl crush. Still, her secrecy in her feelings made Shaya wonder if she was also lying to herself.

Thankfully she didn’t have much of a chance to daydream about detentions with Mr. Rylander, because Lucas was trying very, very hard to make up for making her late on Tuesday. He followed her around like a puppy dog, doing everything he could to help her out from carrying her books to letting her do her homework in peace. It was only as the week ended that he let up on his constant servitude and returned to his old ways.

"Are you coming to the football game tomorrow night?"

It was after Physics class Friday afternoon, and Lucas had followed Shaya to her locker after trying to talk to her the entire period.

"I don't think so Lucas," she gave him an apologetic glance.

"Why not?" he pouted, "It's the last game of the season. You won't even come to see me?"

"You mean the small figure you are on a field with a bunch of other dudes? How will we ever find the time to talk?"

"Don't act like that, you know you love football."

"I do, but the games two hours away and I can't exactly hitch a ride in the cheerleader's bus. "

"Kat's not going?" she understood his confusion. Katrina was an avid fan of football and made it a point to go to nearly every game, home or away. Shaya had once told her to join the cheer leading squad just to go to them all, but the other girl had refused, saying that she’d have to worry about cheering and not watching the games.

Shaya shook her head, "No, she's got a dance thing."

Lucas looked upset, "Can we hang out tonight then?" He suddenly got very close as he leaned into her, his arm holding balance on the locker next to her. "No homework. We can watch a movie or do other things..."

Oh, how he can flip a conversation in a matter of seconds. “Lucas-“

“Oh, no, I’ll have none of that. I haven’t had any time with you all week. Please, Shaya?”

Colton was walking through the hall determinately. He had a free period, and the principle had requested a check-up with him to make sure everything was going well his first week. I thought being a teacher meant I was done being sent to the principal’s office. The students left in the hallway watched him as he passed, and Colton returned the stares, ensuring his authority.

Something caught his eye, and he looked over to see two teens standing far to close in front of the lockers. Jesus, can’t these kids wait two hours until school is over? As he got closer, he recognized the boy as Lucas, and his irritation grew tenfold. First my classroom and now the hallway; does he ever show any decency?

“Watch the PDA, Mr. Green,” He called out, and a smirk crossed his face as he watched the boy abruptly back up. The expression quickly dissolved, however, when he recognized the other participant as a very embarrassed Shaya. It took everything in him to not stop in place and stare, but he quickly moved passed them. You’ve got to be kidding me. She said she was friends with him, but dating?

Colton nearly stopped again, shocked at the surge in emotions and thoughts the sight had caused in him. Why do I even care? He tried to rationalize the situation. Because you know she’s a smart girl, and he hasn’t given you any evidence to disprove the fact that he’s a prick. Still, there was something else that made him uneasy.

Shaya blushed feverously as she watched Mr. Rylander walk by. Seriously, can I not make a good impression with this guy?

“Dick,” She heard Lucas mutter as he glared at the teachers backside, and she lightly smacked him in the chest in an attempt to tell him to behave. “Don’t give me that, did you see his face? He acts like he’s never seen anyone get intimate before.”

“We were not intimate, Lucas,” She replied as she pushed him away from her, “and he’s just doing his job.”

“Doesn’t make me hate him any less.”

“Will you let it go if I agree to come over tonight?” His mood instantly reversed as he watched her excitedly. “But, we will only be watching a movie, nothing else.” Her eyes narrowed, but there was still a smile on her face. As irritating as his obvious advances were, she liked spending time with him.

“You say now,” He replied, and she once again pushed him away, this time, however, he returned to her side and put his arm around her shoulder. “Let’s get you to class before I’m back in the doghouse.”

“You were never in the doghouse, Lucas, you just thought you were,” She admitted, and he gave her a mock stare of anger before pulling her closer as they laughed.