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I stared wide eyed with my mouth slightly open as the class was told the lecture was cancelled... Again.

I heard endless speculations from the crowd of students as they walked out. The main ones being:

"Is he sick?"

"Has he quit?"

"Has he left the country?"

"Is he dead?"

I stood up slowly still curious and wary of why Mr. Reeves wasn't here again.
It had been a week since the small crash. I'd managed to keep my mind occupied with a few assignments and studying thank god otherwise my brain would be mush. During the nights, however, that's how my brain felt. I still asked myself what that thing was that ran out in front of me causing me to crash... And of course I still ask myself what would have happened if I didn't tell Mr. Reeves to stop.

There were so many outcomes to that last one I'd imagined them numerous of times. The two love bites on my neck were starting to disappear. I wore a scarf around campus for the first few days. I didn't want anyone staring at me thinking... Well, you know.

"Why do you think he isn't here again?" Kate asked as we walked through the halls to the cafeteria.

Laura shrugged. "Who knows? Nobody has seen him around campus either. He hasn't attended any of his lectures this week I've heard."

"Really?" I asked quietly. 

She nodded. "I asked my friend about it this morning and she said he wasn't there for her Monday class."

Damien sat beside me while Kate and Laura sat opposite. 
Why wasn't he here? I know for a fact it had nothing to do with what happened between us last week because I can see that he's better than that. And that would be a childish reason to miss half a week of lectures.

"You alright there, Evie?"

I looked toward Damien and nodded. "Oh. Yes, I'm fine."

"You just seemed a bit dazed." 

I bit my bottom lip briefly. "I was just thinking."

He frowned but turned back to the girls to talk about the hockey game next Friday night. I was aimlessly looking around when a familiar man walked around the corner entering the cafeteria.

Would I be nuts walking up to him? He knew about what happened last week because every time he looked at me it was filled with sympathy and curiosity. But there was a soft look in his green eyes too. I hadn't gone up to him to ask if he knew about what happened between Mr. Reeves and me or if he just knew about the crash. I briefly remember Mr. Reeves speaking with him over the phone but I wasn't sure if it was him because he'd said Jonathon.

If anyone knew where Mr. Reeves was, he would. 

Coach Harris rounded a corner and started down a long hall leading to the staff room.
I suddenly found myself standing up from my chair, ignoring the calls from the girls and Damien and following him.

"Harris," I called.

He turned around and smiled at me. "Hello, Evie. How're you?"

I stopped near him and leant back until my shoulders lightly hit the wall.

"I'm fine thanks."

"Better than last week, I presume?"

I tilted my head to the side. "It was you on the phone then."

His brows knitted together but he didn't confirm nor deny it. I found myself unconsciously feeling the stretched line of skin underneath my fringe. I didn't expect the wound to heal so quickly but damn did it.

To break the silence I answered his question. "Yes, better than last week."

"That's good to hear." He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for me to obviously ask whatever I came here to say.

So I put my hands in my jeans pockets and pushed off the wall. "A lot of people are wondering where Mr. Reeves is."

His face didn't change expression but his body language told me he was slightly defensive. Why, I wasn't sure.

"He's sick." Was his reply.

I narrowed my eyes but didn't argue. What a lie, I thought. "Oh, okay. Thanks for clearing that up." I said with as little sarcasm as I could muster.

But he saw right through it. "He isn't feeling too well, Evie what else can I say."

"You can tell me the truth, eh Jonathan?" I teased. He scowled. It was half playful half serious. Coach Harris couldn't be serious for too long. He was too playful for that. 

And by me saying the name Jonathon and by his reaction he confirmed my suspicion of him being on the phone.

"Don't start with me, Miss O'Shea." He smiled a bright flirty smile and turned me around by the shoulders. "Now go back to your friends before they have a hissy fit." He nudged me to go and I rolled my eyes.

"I can take a hint, Coach Harris." I mumbled but he heard me because he laughed.

I walked back out and to the table like I'd never left but they all looked at me waiting for me to explain where I went. "I asked Coach Harris where Mr. Reeves is."

"Since when were you and Harris all buddy-buddy." Damien asked.

Laura and I exchanged a look only we understood. We hadn't told anyone what happened in the forest because one: I wasn't entirely sure if Laura remembered that the scar on her wrist is a bite mark not a cut, and two: we weren't really keen on telling people that we stayed at a teacher's house. There were questions about where we'd been but we'd managed to avoid them.
So she answered, "We ran into him a few weeks ago at the store and talked for ages." 

I smiled at her as Damien accepted the lie. "Fair enough."

In my head, I was still trying to figure out whether I wanted Laura to know that the man from my laundry room escapade was Mr. Reeves. It'd been just over a month since that happened and I still haven't told a soul. I'm still wondering whether I should or not...

"Should we go back to the house? We have nothing better to do today?" Damien suggested. "I feel like... doing nothing today." His voice went all misty as if it were a world away.

"I might go and see Lucas. I think he has a longer hockey practice today." Kate said. "Evie! Why don't you come with me while Laura and Damien go back to the house?" She jerked a brow and winked discreetly.

Katherine knew Laura had obvious feelings for Damien. And even if she denied it, every time he walked into a room she melted. To be honest, I couldn't blame her. Damien was handsome with his ashy blond hair, cute with his hazel brown eyes, and rugged which gave off that, come-near-me-and-I'll-destroy-you vibe. He had it all. Except, he didn't give me a bubbly feeling like Mr-

"Evie?"

I blinked. "What?"

Kate smirked. Sometimes, I felt extremely exposed around her; like she could read my every movement, thought and emotion with just a glance. "Are you coming?"

I glanced at Laura to see her pleading me not to leave her. "Yep."

Laura smiled tightly. "I could come-?"

Kate held up her hand immediately silencing her. "You should keep Damien company. Lucas isn't finished until four." She said with emphasise. "So you have two hours." Kate stood up and rounded the table to pull me up. "Have fun. We'll be back later."

I snatched my bag as Kate pulled me toward the exit to the cafeteria. I glanced back at the table in time to see a wide grin spread across Laura's face and watched her laugh.

"If she says she only wants to use him for his body, she's fooling herself big time," Kate said with a laugh.

I laughed with her. "Agreed,"


**


"Its effing freezing."

I smiled. "You are the one that wanted to come here. I only came because you practically dragged me."

She poked her finger into the dent of my cheek. "Listen Dimples, unless you'd rather be back at the house with those two I suggest you be quiet."

At the mention of that nickname, my cheeks reddened. The cold was part of my red cheeks and I'm hoping Kate doesn't notice. With Mr. Reeves, the nickname Dimples is like a weird term of endearment. I hated my dimples. 

"Cold?" Kate interrupted my thoughts.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah. Which one is Lucas again?" I asked changing the subject.

Kate pointed to the number 25. At that moment he turned around and waved at us. And then he got body checked into the glass. I flinched for him. "That must have hurt."

"Of course it did!" Kate laughed and stood up to press her nose up against the glass. "Lucas's eyebrow is bleeding!"

I frowned. I have watched this sport on TV a few times when my dad watched it but I always thought it was a bit brutal. Full contact game seemed mad in my book. I did, however enjoy the game in some form. It was fast paced and you couldn't turn around without missing something.

"Are you enjoying his pain, Katherine?"

We both looked up and watched as Coach Harris took the seat next to me. Kate smirked at him and turned her attention back to practice. "It's not his pain I'm enjoying. I like the game."

"Right." He laughed.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"After this the coach and I are going to get a beer, if it's any of your business."

"I was curious." How many damn cats have I got left? I've been too curious for my own good lately. Stupid motto.

I shrugged and turned my attention back to the boys skating laps. The coach blew the whistle and all of them skated off the rink, past the bench and through the gate leading to the locker rooms.

"Be right back. I'm in the mood for some Reese's Pieces. Don't judge me." Kate turned left and walked up the steps until she got to the exit.

Harris turned to me and smiled. "Damien tells me you're seeing a hockey game next Friday?"

I nodded. "I don't really watch sports and they basically decided that I needed to see one when we all met. Lucas's cousin plays for the Canucks."

"Ah, yes Damien mentioned that too."

"Thought as much."

The whole rink went silent. The only noise we could hear was the very distant voices from the locker rooms. I started chewing on my bottom lip and turned my attention to the man coming onto the ice on one of those Zamboni's.

"I know." He said suddenly.

I looked up at him. "Know what?" 

He glanced down at me and sighed. "I know about last week, Evie."

My eyes widened and I opened my mouth to deny whatever accusations he made but he chuckled.

"Don't worry about it. I'm not looking to get either of you in trouble. Michael's a good friend of mine I could never do that to him. And in truth, nothing happened... really." He shrugged.

The heat rose to my cheeks once again. I can't believe he told him. I'm absolutely mortified. When he gets back I am going to have a few words with him.

"Hey, it's nothing to be embarrassed about." He chuckled. "Just out of curiosity, have you been with a teacher before or is this a first?" His eyes were filled with amusement and his lips were trying not to curl up into a smile.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "No, if it's any of your business." I said repeating his words from earlier. "And I'm not with or have been with Mr. Reeves. We didn't do anything."

"Mmhmm... I'm sure." He suddenly turned serious. "Don't take this the wrong way but... are you..."

"What?" I pressed. "What else do you want to ask me now? Are you going to make fun of me some more? Go ahead."

He raised a brow. "Temper, temper."

"Hurry up." I mumbled after taking a deep breath.

"Are you looking to get involved with Michael?"

"No." I said a little bit too quickly. "I'm not."

I wasn't. I'm not. I just find him attractive. It's a physical attraction.

Harris stayed silent for a moment. "I don't think you should, you know, get involved with-"

The Zamboni stopped and the man jumped off. "Are you speaking for him, John?" I asked.

He laughed. It was a deep robust laugh that made me jump a little. "Hell no am I speaking for him."

"Then why do you care? I'm that bad? Am I bad for him or something?"

His eyes turned soft as his shoulders slumped slightly. "Its not you that's bad for him. It's him that's bad for you."

I frowned and opened my mouth to comment but was interrupted when Lucas and Kate's voices echoed through the rink. I heard their footsteps before they both stopped by us. "Hello Coach Harris. And hey, Evie."

I stood up. "Thanks for the advice. I'll keep it in mind the next time I decide to eat something bad for me." I jerked an eyebrow.

He chuckled quietly. "Alright."

I grabbed their arms and led them out of the exit just as the Zamboni started up again. I let out a relieved sigh as we made it out into the fresh air. So many damn questions. What does he mean he's bad for me? What the hell could that possibly mean? And why come to me about it anyway, it's none of his business and why Mr. Reeves even told him was beyond reason.

I wanted to shoot Mr. Reeves for telling him and I wanted to pin Harris down for not explaining himself enough. I just needed to forget about it... for now.

"Are we going back to the house?" Luke asked breaking into my thoughts.

I looked up at him and smiled despite my mood. "You're bleeding."

He scowled and wiped at his eyebrow. "I thought it stopped, dammit."

I slipped my arm around his waist and squeezed. "Aww, bless your cute little heart---"

"Hey, missy. I'm a hockey player. I'm far from being cute." He slung his arm over my shoulders. "Kate, you told me it stopped."

She shrugged. "When you asked me, it had."

He shoved her with his other arm and she shoved back making him bump into me.

What's wrong with me? Why can't I like someone like Lucas? I couldn't actually like Luke though he's more of a brother than anything. Why not someone like him? Lucas has a great personality and there are probably guys all over campus that resembled it.

Why did I have to like someone like Michael Reeves?

We made it back to the house in no time. It was almost sundown now. We told Lucas that we left Laura and Damien together at the house. He then went on to tell us that Damien does like Laura but they're both as oblivious as each other. Katherine split to go back to her house and promised to be over in the morning.

We walked into the house quietly and were happy to find them on the couch together. Laura was actually asleep. Damien grinned at us and held a finger to his lips.

Lucas gave him the thumbs up and I smiled as we walked up the stairs to my room. Luke excused himself to shower but came back half hour later. I'd changed into my pyjama pants and a plain white t-shirt. He'd put on a pair of shorts and a Family Guy t-shirt.

Lucas sat on my bed scrolling through my iPod while I finished off a paper.

At the corner of my eye I saw him stand up and walk to my side. "Well, hello! What do we have here? A man's t-shirt?"

I spun around on my chair and froze. Luke picked up the white t-shirt Michael let me keep from the side of my table. I forgot I had that.

"What is that smell? Smells like flowers." He chuckled. "Did this guy like perfume?"

"It's mine." I said. "It's my perfume." I snatched it out of his hand and threw it in my wash basket.

Luke laughed and collapsed back onto my bed. "Whatever you say."

I glanced at the material popping out of the basket and scowled at it.

I need to burn that damn t-shirt.

But you know you don't want to, a part of me said. I mentally slapped myself. I needed to keep my mind off hi. I needed to distract myself from him. But first, I need to yell at him for telling John. I know girls are prone to gossip but come on! They were grown ass men for crying out loud.

I just needed to keep my mind of him for a while. At least until I talked to him next week.

My eyes strayed over to the t-shirt and I frowned.

This is going to be a long week.

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