Chapter 04

Adrian was beyond shocked to know Jordan was his student. The mental note he had made to himself to keep a distance from her was down the drain. How could he even ignore her while she is his student! He will have to see for the most part of the week.

His emotions ranged from slight happiness to extremely uncomfortable. Uncomfortable because she was hardly 18 and she was also his student. The idea of getting drawn to her again was not the one he fancied. He started thinking of ways not to get close to her or not to let her anywhere too close to him. If only he could control things that happen in life!

When Adrian returns to the staffroom after his third hour, he noticed Matthew coming out. They shared a smile.

“Coffee?” Matthew asked and received a nod from Adrian.

By the time Adrian settled his books on his desk and came back, Matthew was at the front desk, flirting with Linda. Well, he is single and that is what is expected of him. When Adrian reached the front desk, Matthew smirked at him. They both know what it meant.

Soon, they left for coffee.

“How are you finding the new school?” Matthew asked.

“Not bad so far. Takes more to know,” Adrian replied.

Matthew nods in understanding and asked, “Wanna grab some welcome drinks later?”

“Maybe tomorrow. I have 2yr old at home. It’s his first day with his nanny. So…” Adrian trailed off.

Matthew understood him and they agreed to have some guys time tomorrow evening. Adrian was glad to find a drinking buddy. Matthew felt no less than Adrian. They had the same feeling, they could get along well both as colleagues and as friends.

Later in the night Adrian laid on his bed and recapped his first working day in the new place. Aaron was well behaved with his nanny. They seemed to get along very well. He was happy about his son getting loads of love and care from everyone they have met in the new city so far.

His interaction with Jordan didn’t go unnoticed. Her eyes, her smile, everything about her daunted him. He felt hypnotized around her. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want to fall for a girl now. She was a lot younger than him and she was his student. It’s forbidden. He shouldn’t feel linked to her except for her studies in his subject. He didn’t intend to think about her. He just couldn’t control himself from thinking about her. If only his heart could listen to his head.

Strangely he anticipated for the morning. The last thing he remembered before he dozed off to sleep was Jordan’s smile.

Morning came around pretty quickly, Adrian’s alarm was snoozed twice already. He felt a pat on his face and he opened his eyes only to see Aaron showing off his teeth and smiling at him. Adrian returns the smile and pulls his son onto the bed to have some cuddles. Aaron giggled as his father snuggled close to his body and tickled him.

Aaron was fed before his nanny’s arrival and Adrian was ready to leave for work. Adrian had had some pep talk to his son. When Beatrice came, he leaves for work. The school was, as usual, filled with students in and around the entrance. Group talks, playing basketball, couples, and nerds buried inside books as if exams were tomorrow.

Adrian looked around trying to spot Jordan unintentionally, but couldn’t find her anywhere. He left out a sigh, whose meaning was unclear. He walked towards the staffroom.

There, in the corridor, he saw Jordan with Mr. Whitaker, along with another girl. The girl looked pissed off at Whitaker as she shot daggers at him. But Jordan was leaning onto the wall and smiling at them. The girl shouted at Whitaker when he poked her waist, “Stop it, Michael Whitaker. I swear I’ll kill you!”

“Woah! Woah! Calm down,” he tried to calm her.

“You should stop boiling her Italian blood,” Jordan said to Michael.

Michael winks at the girl. “Stronzo!” she said and walked towards the classroom.

“What did she say?” he asked Jordan.

“Asshole!” she whispered to him and walked from there. He followed her frowning. Adrian looked at them all this while, smiling sheepishly.

They all had first-hour maths. Adrian wasted no time in going to the classroom and begin the day.

Students were active in the morning class and he gave a chance for them to solve the problems. He looked into the register and called out names to solve the problems. Adrian was sure he will know everyone’s name by the end of the month. Michael Whitaker, he called out. Surprisingly Michael solved it with ease.

“Impressive,” Adrian said to him. Michael nods and gets back to his place. He also called for a few more students to solve. He then walked around the classroom while other students solved in their books. His legs didn’t miss the chance to go near Jordan and peek into her book, she had beautiful handwriting. She looked up at him when she noticed the shadow on her desk and he just smiled at her awkwardly and moved away from there, but he felt like Jordan kept looking at his back. Her friend, the same girl from earlier watched it all too. She seemed to be too much interested. He went and settled near his desk.

Her friend nudged Jordan's arm. “What’s happening?” she asked.

“What what’s happening?” Jordan played dumb.

“Stop playing dumb. I know something is going on,” her friend said.

Jordan shook her head as a no. But her friend was persistent. “Don’t tell me you did something stupid while I was gone.”

“No no. I did nothing,” Jordan replied and got back to solving problems. They continued murmuring. He couldn’t help but notice it. His attention was all on them. His inner resolution of keeping a distance from Jordan was long forgotten. And it seemed like his head and heart were on break.

“You miss, next to Ms. Bright,” he called.

Everyone looked towards Jordan and her friend. Her friend pointed a finger towards herself and gave Adrian a questioning look. He pointed towards the board and said to her to solve the next problem.

After solving and returning to her seat she looked at him and said, “Riley Bianchi.” He nodded at her. Damn, she is quite bold and confident, he thought.

Soon it was lunch break and Jordan, Riley, and Michael sat together along with 2 other boys. Michael kept annoying Riley. And Jordan was having her lunch in silence. The cafeteria was filled with buzzing.

That’s when Jordan noticed Adrian walking towards the parking lot along with Matthew. He noticed her too. They just smiled at each other and he walked towards his car and drove away.

“Spill it!” Riley demanded from Jordan. The boys were distracted by some other talks. Jordan told Riley everything, how she and Harley met Adrian and his son in the supermarket, and also after the class talk.

“I never imagined Mr. Hotie to have a son,” Riley said. That is what she is calling him since she saw him in the class. Mr. Hottie.

“He’s a cutie,” Jordan said.

Riley looks up from her plate. “Hmm, should we stalk him?”

“For what joy?” Jordan asked her. Riley can really do some crazy stuff. Jordan won’t doubt her a bit in stalking Adrian if she says.

“Just, simply, since he’s smiling at you and all,” Riley tried to convince Jordan.

“Shut up!” Jordan hissed.

“Why? He seems to be interested in you,” Riley intoned, picking at her food.

“Stop being delusional. He probably smiled at me because he knew me outside the school first,” Jordan said to her as she dumped the trash.

“Who smiled at whom?” that was Michael.

“Your grandpa,” Riley said to him.

“He’s dead.”

They walked towards the next class.

The bar was half crowded already when Adrian went inside. There were people around doing their own businesses, drinking, dancing, kissing…

Adrian spots Matthew at the bar counter and goes to him and settles down in the next seat.

“You are late!” Matthew said as folded his arms.

Adrian leaves a sigh, “My son!”

“What should we order then?” Matthew asked as he understood Adrian had to make arrangements for his son and come.

Adrian had asked Beatrice to spend a few more hours with Aaron, which she had agreed to. She was fine with spending a few more hours with Aaron on weekdays, but definitely not on weekends, as she had personal things to take care of.

“Whiskey Sour for me,” Adrian said as he leaned onto the seat and Matthew orders their drinks.

“Where are you from?” Matthew asked as he passed his drinks.

“Take a guess,”

“Hmm… I can only say you are from a big city,”

“Very big!”

Matthew raises his eyebrows in questioning, “New York!”

“Woah! Seriously?”

“Yeah!”

“Why?” Matthew asked.

“We just needed a change,” Adrian said as he stared at his empty glass. He only hoped Matthew would stop here at this point. And he actually did.

They had a few more drinks. And talked about Matthew. He was like an open book. He wasn’t hesitant at all about telling Adrian, he broke up with his girlfriend recently. And he was single and ready to mingle. At this moment, he was a known bachelor.

With a few more drinks, they called it a night.