Bad Teacher(71)

I need to make things right.

So the minute I get outside, I take out my phone and start searching through her photos on Facebook until I find a picture of her mom and a tag. I click on her mom’s profile and scroll down her timeline until I find what I’m looking for. A picture of the boyfriend. His hand is on her neck, like she’s more of a dog than a human being, and behind them is a blue car with a scratched license plate, but I can still make out the numbers.

Gotcha.

Irrational thoughts float through my head as I make my way to the parking lot and search each and every car for the matching numbers. I don’t give a damn that it looks suspicious and that people might think I’m nuts. They can stare all they want; I’m not stopping until I find the son of a bitch who dared to hurt the mother of the girl I love.

Yes.

Love.

Because that’s what it fucking is, even if I’m afraid to tell her.

Damn, I’m even afraid to admit it to myself, but I’ll be damned if I let this slip. I didn’t know it until it was too late, but I love her, and I’m not going to let her go.

Just like I’m not going to let that motherfucker get away.

I don’t care if it takes me hours or days to find him, but I will find him.

After strolling around the parking lot for a good half hour, I finally come across a license plate that matches the exact numbers on the picture. I grin as I have a closer look and inspect his car, peering through the window. No one is inside, but I see some trash—particularly, a few bags and papers from a fast food restaurant and some french fries on the passenger seat.

Right as I turn around, a man’s right up in my face.

“What the fuck are you doing near my car?”

It’s him. I recognize him from the pictures. “Well, hello …”

“Do I know you?”

“Yes. Wait. No, we haven’t actually met, but …”

“But what? What are you doing here?” he growls, a despicable look on his face.

“Looking for you.” I grin as I look around and notice a few bystanders watching us. “You should’ve run when you had the chance.”

“What?” He makes a face, confused. “Get outta my fucking face.”

“Well,” I say, smiling like an idiot. “I would, but your fat ass is in the way.”

His eyes narrow. “What did you say?”

“Oh, I think you heard me right …”

“You wanna start a fight?”

“Oh no, I just want to laugh at your poor intellect,” I muse, chuckling a little.

“Say it again. I dare you.” He balls his fist.

“What? The part where you’re fat or stupid?”

A fist suddenly lands on my face.

I stagger, grabbing my face as I hold onto the car for support.

He actually fucking hit me.

Great.

Exactly as planned.

“Hmrr …” I groan, getting back up again.

“There’s more where that came from, so unless you want to brawl, I’d suggest you get your ugly ass outta here.”

I shrug and rub my jawline. “Yeah, well, see, I’d love to but … I have something to do.”

“What?”

“Well, I have this thing for a girl. You wouldn’t believe it if I told you, but just know that I’m not doing this because I’m an asshole. Well, okay, I am an asshole, but that’s beside the point.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” he says, squinting.

“The point is … I don’t like fighting, but since you hit me first, that gives me the freedom to defend myself. So thanks …”

I immediately follow up that statement with a punch to his gut.

I don’t know why he didn’t see it coming because I saw his punch coming from a mile away. I wanted him to hit me, so I let him. It gave me an excuse to pound him.

Another punch to the face and a kick in the gut has him lying on the asphalt, blood dripping from his nose.

“What the fuck, man?” he yells.

“That’s for hitting a woman,” I spit, and then I kick him in the balls. “And that’s for hurting my girl.”

“Your girl?”

I lean over him and grab him by the collar, “Hailey,” I growl. “Remember that girl you punished for just being alive? Yeah, I know how you treated her like shit. It’s going to end today. Because you know what’s going to happen? You’re going to disappear from their lives forever. You’re never going to speak to them, and you’re not ever going to try to come close to them again. You hear me?”

He nods profusely as I threaten him with another fist. “I promise.”

“Really?” I raise a brow.

He growls and his eyes narrow again. “Fuck, no.”