Chapter 4 - An Unconventional Detention

I'm going to go crazy if I don't calm down soon.

Currently, I'm standing in front of Scarlett's classroom, too afraid to even knock on that door.

Ok Addriane, take a deep breath, and just do it.

Just as my hand went up to knock, the door opened, and Scarlett almost bumped into me. There were confusion and surprise written on her face.

"Addriane, what are you doing here?"

Looks like she isn't informed of having to stay with me on a detention. Well, I'll have to be the one to break the news.

"Umm, Miss Smith, I got a detention with you. The principal sent me, Jake and Lucy all to different teachers. I got you."

I feel so fucking awkward, standing here in front of her, literally telling her that she's stuck after class with me.

She had that blank look on her face, and I can't entirely make out what she's feeling.

"Oh... Oh, yeah, yeah, sure. Come inside."

I followed her inside and sat on a desk in front of her own.

We sat there, in an awkward silence, never once breaking the eye contact, and we spoke at the same time.

"Scarlett-"

"Addriane-"

Eyes wide at our synchronization, we couldn't help but to giggle.

Something's different from before. She is still on the guard, but her walls aren't so high.

She motioned to me with her hand.

"You go first."

She took me by surprise, and I shook my head. I wanted to hear her out before I had a chance to ruin everything with my big mouth.

"No, you go first. Please."

A sigh escaped her mouth, and she looked at me with those big blue eyes of hers.

"Addy, I'm sorry for acting like that earlier. I guess that you could say that I was... A bitch."

Wait. Did she just swear? In front of her student?

A chuckle escaped her beautiful lips, and I found myself enveloped in that sound.

"Yes, Addriane, I just swore. Do you think that teachers don't swear?"

Well, now that I think about it, they have to, right? Like, everyone swears.

And then, the most unexpected thought hit me.

Teachers are human too. Wow...

"What, of course we are. What else could we be?"

I looked at Scarlett in confusion before it dawned on me.

"I said that out loud?"

She suddenly got a fit of laughter, so strong that she almost fell of off her chair.

"Yes. Yes you did, silly."

Scarlett finally calmed down, just enough to be able to form a normal sentence, and continued her speech.

"Like I said, I was awful to you. I'm so sorry. And, I guess that what you want to hear isn't a apology..."

My eyes stayed glued on hers the whole time.

"Yes, Addy, I do know you. I am your Scarlett from eleven years ago. "

My heart skyrocketed at her words, and my palms got all sweaty, and there is this wonderful feeling in my gut that is impossible to describe.

We stood up, and I literally slammed myself into her.

She wrapped her arms around me, and I did the same.

Damn, she is so much taller that me. And high heels only add to that. The top of my head is on her chest.

"Oh, Addriane, you are still so small."

I playfully punched her shoulder.

"Oh, shut up. You are just extremely tall, that's all."

Scarlett released another laugh and placed a kiss on the top of my head.

"Whatever you say, Add."

It's like every feeling hit me at the same time. Love, Happiness, Adoration, like the gates opened upon my heart and soul.

I pulled away to get a good look at her.

Piercing blue eyes bore into mine, and, I saw a reflection of my feelings in them. And for a second, I saw regret. Why? I have no idea.

Gosh, she is beautiful. I think that she just might be the most beautiful woman in the whole world. I don't know why she chose to be a teacher.

"Scar, let's go sit down."

She smiled and shook her head as she settled in her seat.

"I really missed that nickname. I have never allowed anyone but you to call me that."

Oh, Scarlett... My chest got all tingly. I'm special to her.

"Scar, you know that it was all so sudden, and we didn't even have enough time to have a proper goodbye, but, I still feel the same. Time only strengthened my feelings for you. I still love you. Even more than back then. And, I know that you are engaged, but, please, please, don't throw us in the water. It's still not too late."

My voice was filled with desperation, and I begged that my words reach her.

Her eyes filled with sadness and regret, and she spoke the words that broke my heart.

"Addriane... You can't. I'm sure that if you dig deeper, you'll find that it's nothing but an attraction. You were six years old, I was twelve. I don't know what in the world was I thinking, but this is wrong on so many levels. "

Tears picked at the corners of my eyes.

"Scarlett, what I feel for you is the most real thing that I have ever felt. I know that this is love. I know that I love you. I have from the moment I saw you back then. And I will forever. And, if you don't remember, you said that you loved me too. Was it all a lie?"

She sighed deep and reached for my hand which I pulled away as soon as it made contact with hers.

"Addriane, please, try to understand me. Ok, I trust you. And, I still lo-"

Love me?

She gulped before continuing.

"Care about you, a lot. And, even if I could be with you now, I wouldn't. There are some things that I just don't want to drag you into. Losing you in that way would cripple me. Please, Addy, can we just settle on being friends?"

What in the world did you get yourself into, Scarlett? My heart is breaking again, but worry for her is stronger than that.

"What things Scarlett? What's going on? I'm worried about you."

Her gaze softened, and she released a breath of air.

"Addy, please, I don't even want to talk about it with you. I'm not really actually."

I guess that I should just let it go for now. But, when she is ready, I'll make sure to get her out of the shit that she got herself into.

"Alright Scar. Let's talk about something else. Something a little bit less... Heartbreaking."

Corners of her mouth curved into an adorable smile, and again, my brain made up that that is a smile that's exclusively for me.

"How's Charlotte doing? I haven't seen her for a long time neither. Oh, and, tell me what happened with your parents."

"Well, Charlotte is the same as usual. She kind of has hots for Lucy. Yes, Lucy Hale, the one in your class."

Scarlett gasped at the new found information.

"What? But, she is like, what, ten years older?"

Then she muttered something under her breath like 'But I'm not the person to speak of that.', but I can't really be sure.

"Hahah, yeah, and for my parents... Well, you see, after we arrived here, we found out that mommy and daddy dearest were fucking billionaires, while we struggled to meet the ends. And, not only that, but they had terminal cancer."

Scarlett reached for my hand once again, and this time I let her. I don't know why she thinks that it's hard for me to talk about that. I was hurt in the begging, but it faded with time. I have only good memories remaining.

"When Char asked them why they left us, they said that at the time they weren't ready to take responsibility for the children. They wanted to live their life to the fullest. And, in a way, I even understand them, but they should have at least left us somewhere safe, with some knowledge of them."

I paused a little to catch my breath.

"And, so, it turns out that they actually worked their asses off, and they literally built an empire. So, they had less than an year left, and they begged me and Char to spend it with them. And, I swear to God, I only have good memories from that time."

A warm smile played on her lips, and I wanted to kiss her. Right here and now.

But I somehow restrained myself from doing that. I don't want to ruin the moment, and if she wants to be just friends... Well, I'll take what I can get.

"And, of course, I have missed you a lot."

Her cheeks turned rosy color and she withdrew her hand from mine.

"I missed you too."

I don't understand her. I half expected her to lash out at me for bringing my feelings in again, but instead, she did the same.

Women.

"Addriane, you should be going, your detention time is over."

I stood up, and, a noticed that the storm began outside. How?! It was sunny like, five seconds ago!

"Want me to drop you off?"

Scarlett offered. I have no choice. Charlotte isn't home anyways. And, I'd spend more time with her.

"Sure."

She took her things, and I took mine, and we got out of the building.

We ran to her car, laughing like two lunatics as the rain drenched us.

When we settled inside, she turned on the heating, since her car was like a freezer.

She started the engine, and I gave her my address.

"Add, you never told me why you got the detention in the first place. The principal was red from anger."

I explained everything while she drove, and by the time I was finished, she had to stop her car somewhere, to hold her stomach from the laughter.

"Oh my God!"

Tears ran down her cheeks from all the laughing.

I started laughing from her laugh myself. It's contagious.

"I would have done the same. But, I never expected you to be a delinquent Addy."

She mocked me.

"Your favorite delinquent."

Scarlett smiled at me again as she got back on the road.

"Always."

Soon, we arrived in front of my house.

I so don't wanna part from her.

Then, an idea popped to my mind.

"Hey, Scar. Wanna come in? We can make hot chocolate and order pizza."

"You got me on that pizza part. Let's go in."