Page 16 of Christmas Criminal

But something about the way Noelle spoke about her family inspired this understanding of her. Like Igether a little bit now.

This town gave her a hard time. Her dad gave her a hard time.

And now, her sister is her safe space. And she will do anything to protect her.

Including turning herself into a criminal.

That fierce defensiveness was something I didn't necessarily expect from her. I knew her dad must have wronged her in some way for her to so vehemently insist that she didn't regret a thing, but to hear that it wasn't a wrong against her, but someone she loved, and she still didn't regret it one bit?

I like her. More than I should.

And I have to somehow squash that, because it's inappropriate for me to be having feelings for someone whose timecard I'm signing.

Even if the whole thing is pretty much a sham.

I don't know how I'm going to do it. She has a good forty hours left, and if I'm reading her correctly, she's into me too.

How the hell am I supposed to spend another forty hours alone with Noelle without completely derailing my boundaries?

I consider asking Hank to chaperone, though I have a feeling that any explanation I give him would encourage him to deny me. He'd probably find the whole thing entertaining, and I don't doubt for a moment that he would relish the opportunity to make fun of me for crushing on the criminal.

I could plan activities for us that are public only. Maybe clean stuff up in the town square, not that it's particularly dirty, or maybe hand out fliers for the Christmas parade or the concert.

But considering the look on her face when she heard the kids would be taking over the school next weekend, I'm not sure she would lovethateither.

A boisterous laugh fills the room as one of my favorite and least favorite students enters. One of my troublemakers who has a heart of gold but a difficult family life. He acts out because it's the only thing that gets him attention, unfortunately both at home and at school, and considering I have twenty other kids to teach at the same time, I can't give him the individual attention he's craving.

He's overweight and gets bullied because of it, and I can see the way he shrinks into himself when he thinks no one is looking. He sits in the back of the class whenever he has a chance, and although he plays along with the bullies, making fun of himself, I see the way his shoulders drop when they finally turn their attention elsewhere.

He's on another level today. Laughing the loudest, snickering even when the others have stopped. He stands at the front of the room, a bottle of Coke in his hand.

"Hey, hey, want to see what I learned in science class today?" he asks his friends, holding the bottle out in front of him.

"Robbie," I bark. He turns his attention to me. "Sit down."

"I'm showing them a trick," he says, his eyes wide like he thinks he's going to get one past me.

I stand from my chair.I don't fucking need this today."Robbie. I know the trick, and you're not doing it here. Sit down."

And then he takes a mentos from his pocket and swiftly drops it in the soda.

Coke sprays all over my classroom, soaking me, the kids in the front row, and Robbie.

It's like a faucet.

Kids are screaming, Robbie is laughing, and all I can really do is take the bottle from him and try my hardest to screw the cap on top.

When I finally do, I struggle to control my breath.

My eyes dip to the floor beneath us, now completely covered in soda. To the girls who were sitting in the front row who are now completely doused and screaming. To the kids in back who are only snickering, wide-eyed.

I am surrounded by chaos, and the only thing I can do is point to the door. "Hallway. Now."

As I follow Robbie out, I can already feel the sugar on my skin. My clothes are soaked, as are Robbie's, and in the few steps it takes to leave the room, my shoes start squelching with the stickiness.

Fucking Robbie.

Mrs. Harper next door pokes her head out of her room as we step into the hallway, eyebrows raised. "Everything okay?"

---