Sensing my inner turmoil, she slowly put her hand on my arm to calm me. “Hey, it’s ok. You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.”

“I do. I just, it’s difficult.” This was embarrassing I could feel myself getting emotional and I didn’t want to lose it at school, in front of the hottest woman known to man.

“Look, you don’t have to talk to me here and now. But here, take this.” She leans back, grabs a pen and paper off her desk, and scribbles something down. “This is my email, if you ever want someone to talk to, but don’t feel you can actually talk use it. I will always listen, and I promise, if I can, I will try to help.”

Nodding, I shakily take the piece of paper. “Thanks.”

“I mean it, anytime.”

Nodding I backed out of the classroom. “Thanks”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As I left the building, I noticed Eric leaning against my car.  Rolling my eyes and hoping to keep this short I headed towards the car.

“Hey, babe!”

“Hey.”

“Where you been? I’ve been here ages.”

Shrugging I left his question unanswered and opened my car door.

“Hey, what’s the rush?” he asked placing his hand on the door and shutting it back up. “I feel like I don’t see you anymore.”

“First, I’m slow, now I’m rushing. Just can’t please you.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” He said leering at me.

Unable to hide the repulsion on my face I tried to get in the car again. “Can you move, I have to get home.”

“What’s up with you, you won’t touch me anymore.”

“Because I don’t want to Eric, now move.”

Shoving him aside I jumped in the car and left.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Soooo, change of plans for the weekend”

“What?”

“You wanna actually sit down and join us, Al?” Dana mumbled spraying bits of her lunch over the table.

“Gross Dana.” Alice responded, finally joining us at the table. Dana merely rolled her eyes and got back to eating.