How to Discipline Your Vampire(35)

CHAPTER EIGHT

            Cerise

            Today I was at a local private school and I gritted my teeth as I watched the students interact. I desperately wanted to intervene. I knew what he was doing; I knew his type. I knew he was toying with her, just as my ex, Nick, had toyed with me all those years before.

            But we were not supposed to interfere when it came to students’ personal lives.

            To me, it was all too personal.

            Two juniors, Hannah and Scott, were talking. I didn’t like the direction of the conversation. I was grading tests during a study period, and they were sitting in the front row. I couldn’t help but overhear.

            “You have such bad self-esteem,” Scott crooned at her. “Why do you think I’m not being serious?”

            Hannah was in defense mode, arms wrapped around herself, as though she were cold.

            It was May.

            “Because you don’t know me. Why would you be asking me out? You were my lab partner for a year and never said a word to me other than to ask for answers.” She was a smart kid, Hannah. Very plain and mousey, and definitely not Scott’s type—and she knew it. She smelled a rat. Good for her.

            I wish I had the same kind of self-awareness as Hannah when I was her age.

            “Just give me a chance,” Scott said, as a chorus of boys snickered in the back. “Can I take you to a movie this weekend? Just out for coffee?”

            She looked at him skeptically. “You drink coffee?” she asked dryly, pushing the long strawberry-blond hair off her shoulder. “Since when?”

            He leaned toward her. “Since I noticed that every day you bring in a large Dunkin’ Donuts hazelnut—cream, two Splenda.”

            Her head cocked to the side. Shit. She was falling for it. I almost wanted to hop up and pull the fire alarm just to get her out of this situation.

            “You noticed that?” she asked quietly. Hannah—no!

            Scott smiled sweetly, the fucker. “I notice a lot of things.” Five kids at the back couldn’t hold back their snorting laughter, and I frowned at them and glared.

            “I guess we could have coffee,” she said, pretending not to care. Only she did. Maybe Hannah wasn’t smarter than I was after all.

            “I’ll bring you coffee this week in the morning, then this weekend we’ll go to the movies,” he negotiated.

            Her resolve broke down like a stale cafeteria cookie. The Otis Spunkmeyer kind. The most absurd brand name in history. “Okay.”

            I had nearly bit through my lip with frustration. This kid was just another Nick, and Hannah was just another stupid girl, falling for the oldest trick in the book.

            “Silent study—too much chatting,” I said, intervening as minimally as I could. The kids groaned, but assented.

            “If anyone needs help, just come on up,” I offered, softening the blow.

            I logged on to the computer and sat in silence, jaw clenched angrily.

            Thank God an e-mail from William was there to distract me from my painful memories. It looked as if he was off and running with today’s prompt: soldier and nurse. Because he had used his free day on the vampire scenario, I came up with today’s roles.

            From: William Gentry

            Subject: Report from the field

            Date: May 5, 2012

            To: Cerise Norrel