Page 12 of Student Seduction
3
Aiden
Her clothes were too small.
That’s what I kept noticing about Emersyn. Not in a seductive way, like she was trying to be sexy. More like she’d outgrown them.
Today she wore black cutoff shorts and a gray V-neck T- shirt. Her full cleavage was visible and if she leaned over too far, me and every other man lusting after her would get a full shot of her ass. Thankfully, during first period, Drew handed her a black and white checkered flannel to wrap around her waist.
I made a mental note to figure out how to take her shopping or anonymously buy her some clothes that fit.
I sure as hell couldn’t mention that to her at school. My classroom was already becoming a jungle, testosterone and female pheromones running rampant. A few of the girls had taken to constantly vying for my attention. It was only a matter of time before they noticed where my eyes always seemed to be.
At the end of the week, I almost blew my cover while filling in for an art teacher on my off period.
Lisa Cope had a parent meeting so I ended up with her second period class. There was this one sculpture at the front of the room, an intricate conch shell whose insides resembled female genitalia. Not in an overt way, in a soft, alluring way that seemed familiar somehow. I checked, but there was no label with anyone’s name on it.
When Lisa returned, I point to the shell.
“Is that yours? It’s beautiful.”
She sighed. “Sadly, no. I’m more of an oil painter. The eucalyptus painting on the wall is mine. But Emersyn is extremely talented. She’s a senior this year and she’s a candidate for an internship at the Southeastern Museum of Modern Art.”
I should’ve known. And I should’ve stopped there. But I was an addict, thirsty for more knowledge. Like a dehydrated man finally getting a drop of water on his tongue.
“I think she’s in my first period,” I lied easily. “Since when do high school students have time for internships?”
“She’d have to check out early on the days she had to be at the museum. For most seniors, the last two periods are typically elective courses anyways.”
“Ah.” I made a mental note to check her schedule. Why, I have no fucking clue. Glutton for punishment I guess.
Going weeks without being about to find her made me nuts. Now I was desperate to know as much as I could.
“I couldn’t help but notice she seems a bit…overwhelmed already,” I added, while my mind screamed at me to shut my fucking mouth.
Lisa nodded. “I’m new this year too, but yes, I noticed she’s got a lot on her plate.” She moved past Emersyn’s sculpture. “The truth is, with seniors, most of them do. Many of them have jobs and I have one student who’s already a mother and another who’s expecting in the spring.”
Reminded me of what Emersyn said about how certain decisions could change the course of your life forever.
I sighed. “Seems like it wasn’t that long ago I was seventeen myself. And at the same time, it was a lifetime ago.”
Lisa grinned. “Right? I’m twenty-seven and I feel ancient next to them, but I can still remember painting my first still life in middle school. It was a bowl of grapes.”
“I bet it was lovely.”
She laughed. “Hardly. It was a sad, one-dimensional blob. But when my teacher showed me how to add white to the violet paint in swirls and give it texture and dimension, I fell in love with art and never let it go.”
I can’t help but recall Emersyn painting with condiments on pavement in the middle of the night. She was so focused, so passionate and intense.
A heavy weight settled on my chest. I didn’t feel that way about history or teaching or even coaching. The only two things that truly consumed me were Emersyn Tyler and playing hockey. Emersyn was completely off-limits and hockey was almost over.
“You okay?”
I forced a grin. “Yeah. I probably need to get to my class before the bell rings.”
“Um, Mr. Singleton?”
“Aiden, please,” I responded.
