Teach Me To Love - Chapter 10 Part 1

The rest of her day was pretty much shot. Even her students noticed that her mind was not there, yet all were patient with her. The principal paid her a visit to ask how things were going with her students and her project at the end of her day. He had even brought the schedule book for the auditorium. She was touched that he had thought about her.

Austin Trent was a good principal and although he was young at thirty-two, many thought he was well qualified to become a principal.

“How’s everything going with your classes?” he questioned.

“It’s fine. The students have been really great. They’ve been very receptive to the idea about the dramatic performance. Almost borderline excited,” she answered with enthusiasm.

Austin chuckled. “I wasn’t referring to your classes here, Rachel. I was speaking about your courses.” He took the seat next to her behind her desk.

Crinkling her nose, not use to being asked about her own well being, she said, “I’m almost done.”

“I know that. I also know that the last part is very difficult. How are you holding up?”

“Good as far as I can tell considering the stress. I think if I just stay focused, I can make it.”

Austin wished her well. He was a good looking man and for whatever reason he wasn’t married. He had not only been the youngest principal at Davenport High School, but he was first black principal. Since his administration, test scores in the school had risen and senseless crime was down inside the school due to his new security measures to ensure the safety of the teachers and students.

“Dwayne came to me the other day and spoke to me about you,” Austin mentioned.

She stiffened. “What did he say?” This was one thing she wasn’t sure about – if Austin was part of a good ole boy network with Davish and she wasn’t sure if she could trust Austin like that.

“He was rather evasive, but he said that he felt you’ve been siding with students about critical issues such as grades, citizenship and attendance.”

“I haven’t done that!” she exclaimed.

Austin stayed calm. This was his nature and she had never seen him get excited about anything even though she had known him for a short time. “I’m not here to find out who did what. My bottom line is my students, Rachel. Coming in second place is the well being of my teachers. Is there something I should know before I start looking through things?”

Rachel knew she could tell him about Laura and Dwayne, but that would be just evil to even mention something like that. Instead she said, “He and I differ on Derrick James.”

“Is that why I have a school board member calling me up?” He frowned perturbed. “That
boy is more trouble than it was worth agreeing with the parole board to take him.”

“Well, I think that people have made assumptions about Derrick that aren’t true,” she said. “In no way am I siding with him, but as his teacher I should be the one to protest the loudest if what was said is true. Have you seen his grades? Have you seen his test scores? He isn’t the trouble Davish thinks he is. Matter of fact, I have started the process of trying to get him to get his diploma early. He’s not challenged enough and I think even college courses instead of just vocational training should be instated in his learning. The assignments he turned in are worthy of college material. He’s way ahead of the class and I’ve had to come up with extra assignments just to keep him busy.” She pulled the file out Davish had gave back to her and
handed this to Austin. “Davish is wrong about Derrick.”
“Is this why he says you side with the students?”

Angry Davish had gone to Austin before she had even thought about getting to the principal to tell the truth, Rachel had to tamp down her urge for revenge against that salacious bastard. Still, she decided to speak her mind, but she didn’t want it to seem as if she were trying to downgrade Dwayne. “To be honest and not to speak bad about Davish, he’s never liked me since I’ve been here. I’ve heard him often say to others that I’m too young to do my job. I don’t teach my class like traditional teachers, but I get the job done. Just because I refuse to be stuck behind my desk and that I like to walk around doesn’t mean I don’t do my job well.”

He chuckled in agreement. “I used to hear the same thing from my peers, Rachel.” Placing a hand on her thigh, he said with comfort, “I want you to know if at any time you feel you can’t do your job well, please let me know. I’ll objectively look over the books, but I will understand everything that comes across my desk about you.”

Placing her hand over his, she said, “Thank you, Austin.”

Her classroom door opened and Laura came in looking very suspicious.

“Yes Laura?” Austin asked standing up.

“The counselor’s wanted to know was the staff meeting still set for tomorrow?”

He frowned. “Was it important enough for you to come track me down? That’s something I could have addressed when I came back down to the office.”

“I didn’t know it was so important for you to be alone with Mrs. Herlong,” Laura said, raising an inquisitive brow.

Austin stood up and adjusted his coat. “Laura, you’ll do well to mind your business and not others all the time. It might actually help you keep your job.” Looking back at Rachel, he gave her a friendly wink. “I’ll speak with you again at a later time, Rachel.”

She watched Austin leave out and Laura stayed in the room.

“Yes, Laura?” Rachel questioned.

“I just wanted to know what was going on with the Derrick James situation? I know you couldn’t talk all the way earlier because he was in the room. Did you really get something positive?”

Rachel gathered her things to get ready to leave. “I’ve gotten something done, but I figured I won’t get an answer for everything until February. With all the holidays and breaks the school is scheduled for in the upcoming months, it’s going to be hard to accomplish anything, but it looks favorable.”

“Have you mentioned anything to him, yet?”

“I wanted to say something to him today, but things got in the way.” Like his lips, his body... Flustered, she caught her breath, stopping her thoughts before she got out of hand and started daydreaming again.

“Maybe you should just wait until you are proof positive that I can work. Like you said, you wouldn’t want to raise his hopes up, right?”

In a way, Rachel felt Laura was right, but she was still leery about the gossiping slut’s concern about this whole thing. Derrick needed a chance, but if Rachel failed in her task, she didn’t want to disappoint him. “Yeah, Laura. I guess you’re right.” Putting on her coat, she added, “Are you going to tell me the real reason why you’re helping me out on this?”

“I told you the truth last time.” Laura practically skipped out the room.

Rachel made note to find out more about Laura and why Austin had a certain animosity for her. Leaving the school, she made her way to her car and saw that there was an envelope on her windshield. Getting inside of the car, opening the envelope, she saw there was just a small charm wit ha car attached.

“Remember this day as a special occasion.”

Immediately, she recognized Derrick’s writing and rolled her eyes exasperated. What mess had she started and how could she turn away from it when it was something she wanted? Every time she decided to get herself out of it, she ended up getting deeper involved.

Christmas break was coming up very soon and she would try to reevaluate everything over the long holiday at home. She would be able to come up with something that could alleviate the stress at school. There had to be or she would drive herself crazy and end up losing her job in the process. Being involved with a student – her student – was a major thing.

Her professor kept her after her class that night to confirm that she would be graduating in July, but she would be finished with her classes right after the Christmas Holiday top in the class. He promised to notify the school board of her completion and asked if she could attend a graduation teacher’s brunch to deliver a speech. She was honored by the invitation and, of course, accepted.

The news had brightened her day immensely, but once she got home and wasn’t able to share that news with anyone, it put a damper on that. When she was at home, she spoke to the twins as if they could understand her. Jessica was the patient one while of course Justin could care less and gurgled constantly while Mommy talked.

Despite everything, she did love her children and she wanted the best for them. Derrick James wouldn’t understand that. He was too young to understand that. He had his whole life ahead of him and getting involved with an older woman may be every man’s dreams, but she wasn’t going to be the woman derrick would become involved with. From now on, she would make sure she wasn’t alone with Derrick James. This would ease the tension and ensure that nothing else happened between them.

Once the twins were asleep, she went over to her jewelry box and picked up the pendant. It would probably make sense if she gave the pendant back. Lovingly, she ran her hand over the beautiful design. She had never had an opportunity to pay attention to the little details of the design, but as she stared at the Italicize design in greater detail, she realized that the lines weren’t lines. They were words.

Going into the utility drawer in the kitchen, she pulled out a magnifying glass. Tightening her eyes she saw that the lines in the complex infinite design read, “Love so deep all the black holes in the universe can’t hold what I feel or you.” On the outer crust of the pendant that she thought was just the border really was in inscription of Derrick’s name in Calligraphy and at the bottom was her name with the words, “And” above it.

Sitting back in her chair from the strain she had just put her eyes through, she couldn’t believe how detailed he had managed to get this piece in so short of time. It was worth more than what she thought.

Giving it back wouldn’t be a good idea and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. A knock on her front door surprised her. Putting the pendant in the pocket of her robe, she looked out the peephole to see Tonya standing there looking a bit nervous.

Opening the door, she asked, “How did you know where I lived?”

“It’s a long story, Mrs. Herlong, but we need to talk.” Tonya pushed passed Rachel to come in.
Joining her in the front room, she offered the girl something to drink, but Tonya briskly refused.

“So what is it we need to speak about, Tonya?”

“Derrick James.”

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 10 Part 1 (c) 2005 Sylvia Hubbard

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 9 part 2

Reveling in the feel of her hot cotton covered womanhood pressed against his jean covered bulge, Derrick damned clothing knowing it had to be the work of the devil getting in the way of heaven. With a flick of his wrist, he managed to get the first three buttons of her blouse open.

Breaking the kiss, he moved his mouth to her neck, keeping her senses busy with his hands and the gyration of his hips against her most sensitive spot, but she wasted no time and passionately attacked his ear. He found her hotspot right behind her lobe and relished how her back arched and her nails dug into his shoulders. With reckless abandon, he attacked her neck deliciously nothing that her skin was just a sweet as he had imagined. He moved his kissed down to suckle her chest clearly nibbling a passion mark at the perfect curve of her full bosom.

The sting of the mark must have brought her back to reality because she started to push away fighting back for control. He moved back to envelope her mouth as his hips deliberately maneuvered to arouse her body. She lost her resistance again and allowed him to take her to the land of pleasure.

“D-Derrick, w-w-hat are...are y-you doing to me?” she sobbed fervently, but not stopping as she moved against him. Her body began to quiver and her breathing was coming in short lustful pants.

He could feel strong pulsing coming from her womanhood and he fought for power as he brought her to ecstasy loving how her body vibrated all over like a blissful massage. Damn clothing!
Damn! Damn! Damn!

Her body collapsed against his as she struggled to breathe and he languished in her release. Derrick was still very much aroused by this whole episode, but he enjoyed watching her too much to really care about his own needs.

“We shouldn’t...” she murmured in his neck. “...have.”

“Damn them,” he growled softly, rubbing her back for comfort taking pleasure in her closeness and how her whole body seemed to rely on his strength.

A chuckle escaped her lips and she covered her mouth as if that was wrong to do. Moving away slightly to look at him, she said, “You and I both know this can’t happen again.”

“I can’t accept that, Rachel,” he said. “I won’t deny anymore that I want you.”

“Derrick!” she cried and pushed off of him, but suddenly forgot her current upset as she stared down at her blouse at the huge mark on her bosom.

He didn’t look the least bit guilty. Matter of fact, he smiled and leaned back in the chair like he had conquered Mount Everest with his eyes closed and his hands tied behind his back.

“Never! I can’t believe myself.” This was said more to herself out loud than to him.

“I can.” Derrick stood up and took a step towards her.

She backed away as if he were the Anti-Christ. “No! No! No! I won’t you seduce me, Derrick.”

“It wasn’t my intentions. As a matter of fact, I had planned to never come near you again because I thought...” He didn’t want to admit what he was doing in order to gain advantage, but he did say, “I wanted for us to become closer as friends Rachel, so that you can understand...what I did...what happened.” Lying was so hard to do when honesty wanted to burst forth out of him. “I thought if we became friends we could be even better lovers, but I’m not going to deny I want you.”

Rachel covered her ears. “Shut up! You don’t know what you want, Derrick. You’re only sixteen.”

“Seventeen in two weeks,” Derrick corrected her again.

She huffed in frustration. “Derrick, I refuse to speak about this any further.”

“But-“

Cutting him off this time, she said, “You swear to me now, Derrick, you’ll keep your hands...and lips to yourself.”

He had to bite his lip to prevent from laughing at the hysterical nature of this promise, but he said with tight control, “I promise not to physically provoke.”

She blushed profusely and finished fixing her rest of her clothes and hair. He watched in fascination, as she became Mrs. Herlong, the teacher and not the wild temptress he had just been fondling. Her composure was amazing and he could watch her all day given the chance.

“Stop it,” she said, feeling his eyes on her even though her back was partially to him.

It was his turn to flush because no woman had ever made him feel embarrassed by his desire, but he had never desired a woman like this before in his life, which only confirmed that this was different from anything he had ever experienced despite his age as she wanted to continue throwing in his face. Sure there were pretty nice teachers he had seen. There were drop dead gorgeous girls his own age throwing themselves at him all the time, but no woman could ever come to the longing and desire he had for Rachel.

Rachel went over to a desk and grabbed a sheet of paper and pen, while he picked her school keys up off the floor where they had dropped. He also put up the first aid items, while she wrote out an excuse for his second and third hour teachers.

Handing it to him, she said, “Give this to your teachers tomorrow and if they have any questions, tell them to contact me.”

Derrick only nodded, but as she was leaving out the room, he called her name. That exasperated look came on her face, but she waited for him to speak. “What’s your maiden name?”

“Smith. No one knew who my birth parents were, but the social service worker at the hospital felt Jane Doe would be too horrible of a name to give to a child, so I was named Rachel, after the nurse that found me and Smith because it’s a general last name.”

“James ain’t so bad either, you know,” he teased.

“You’re pushing your luck, Derrick,” she warned.

“I don’t rely on luck to get by or get through, Rachel.” He walked up to her and pushed back the hair that had come down like a cowlick in front of her face. “I’ll keep my promise,” he assured her. “As long as you understand that what’s to come won’t be what it seems.”

The confusion in her eyes was very evident, but he couldn’t really explain all the questions she had behind that look.

“Just trust that what happened today was true and from my heart.” He kissed her cheek before walking past her and out the room. He ducked into the nearest door knowing the third floor hallway that was under construction.

Derrick headed down to the school’s locker room to take a long cold shower. He didn’t think he could stand going through the rest of the day without one. Looking at the pass, he noticed Rachel had given him an extra hour to collect himself. Did she do that out of consideration of his need?
Or was she just being nice as a teacher?

He knew it had to be the first. She wasn’t all that innocent and his arousal had been quite evident on the back of her thigh when she was sitting on his lap. Kissing the pass, he tucked it on the inside of his jacket.

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 9 Part 2 ( c) 2005 sylvia Hubbard

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 9 Part 1

Derrick kept his eyes reverted to the desk. Just being here was hard enough and now she was going to subject him to being this close to him. Did she know he couldn’t control himself? Did she know how much he wanted her? How many times had he actually fantasized about having her on this very desk he sat on? Too many to name, but not as many s the ones he had of having her on her desk.

“Derrick, you can’t do that to me,” she said angrily.

“Do what?” he mumbled, slumping down in the chair trying to hide the bulge between his legs.
She took his actions as defiance, but derrick would rather have her pissed off at him than anything else. He could deal with her upset rather than knowing he could have her acquiesce at any moment.

“Where were you?”

“Is that the million dollar question of the day, Rachel?”

Huffing, she sat down in front of him. “Don’t call me that, Derrick.” Calming herself, she said, “I know you’re going through some things, Derrick, that has nothing to do with me, but I want you to know that despite everything, I do care about you, but only as a student.”

He looked at her and immediately noticed she had taken off the pendant. “Oh really? Is that why you took off my necklace?”

“I realized after yesterday, I shouldn’t have encouraged you in any way, Derrick. The present was sweet, but I should have returned it immediately considering its value.” She relaxed herself and rolled her eyes heavenwards, when he looked away from her. “Please look at me, Derrick.”

His soft red cinnamon eyes met hers and he felt the mass between his legs grow. If he could just get through all this with her, he could do his best not to touch her like he really wanted to.

“I did a lot of thinking, Derrick, and maybe I was cruel in my intentions to help you understand that your infatuation with me can never be anything other than a passing fancy in your life.
What prompted you to take action even after what I said, I can’t understand, but I want you to know I won’t press charges against you.”

Insulted, he snorted, “That wasn’t why I was absent.”

“Derrick that could be the only reason-“

Instead of cutting her off like he usually did, he took the opportunity to gently press a finger in the middle of her lips to stop her knowing fully well what she was assuming. “Going to jail for kissing my homeroom teacher was the last thing of my worries, Rachel.” Before she could protest again about the name he called her, he pressed a little harder on her lips to hush her up. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat and I know you’d allow me to do it again.” He leaned in close to her and liked how she seemed transfixed upon his lips, but he made no effort to kiss her like he really wanted to. “I needed to clear my hear. Consider what you said. Re-evaluate our situations.” Moving his finger away, but stealing a caress of her soft cheek, he added, “And of course assess the damage I had done to our relationship.”

It took a moment to gather her thoughts, but she finally said in a breathless voice, “That’s the problem, Derrick. There is no us. No matter what you try to strategize or analyze, there can never be an us.”

“I doubt that,” he said in a very confident voice.

“You’re young,” she said with more determination. “You can hope and dream.”

“And you’re to old to do that anymore?”

“My circumstances in life are decided. Can’t you see that? Can’t you understand that?”

“Rachel, I understand every word that you say to me, but like you said, I’m young, I can hope and dream and I will do this, but I will promise not to allow it to overflow into your horrible reality again.” He sounded as if he was accepting, yet with extreme sarcasm in his voice.

She looked at him suspiciously not really sure how to address his last state and not believing one word he was saying.

He could have told her some other malarkey, but decided to let her hear what she wanted to hear in order to accomplish his mission. This seemed the only way to get to what he wanted and that was Rachel Herlong’s legs wrapped around his waist...

With feigned acceptance, tamping down the hardness in his groin, Derrick asked, “So we’re friends again?”

She nodded hesitantly with apprehension all over her face.

He stood up and outstretched his hand as if to shake on it would erase all he had done up until now.

Rachel smiled her trusting brilliant smile and he had to concentrate off her face in order to keep his lust for her under control as she outstretched her hand to seal their agreement.

As they shook hands, she said, “I do have a surprise-“

The door to her classroom opened and they both looked in the direction of the open door to see that Laura was standing there clearly showing jealously all over her face.

Rachel quickly snatched her hand out of his and walked to her desk. “Is there something you wanted?” she asked Laura.

This was the last person Derrick wanted to speak to and was glad Rachel was buffering for him.

“On no, I just thought to check to see if you were okay and about the that tip that I gave you.” Laura tore the hungry gaze off of Derrick and forced herself to look at Rachel.

“That tip went fine. More than fine,” Rachel said and looked at Derrick, motioning him to come to her desk as she wrote out a pass to his next hour.

Derrick took the pass she handed him, but pretended to make a mistake and touch her fingers as he took it.

Their eyes met and a wave of electric seemed to shoot through her system. “See you tomorrow, Derrick,” she said stiffly.

He only grunted before he left out the room. Laura ended the conversation with Rachel quickly and caught up with Derrick in the hallway coming in front of him at the top of the third floor steps to stop his quickened pace. Davish wasn’t in his office because of lunchroom duty so they wouldn’t be heard unless Rachel came out her room.

Deliberately keeping his voice low, he said through gritted teeth, “What the hell do you want?”

Ignoring his annoyance with her, she smiled wickedly up at him. “You, of course,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing herself against him.

“Not here, Laura,” he said moving away from her.

“Really? I thought here would be perfect.”

“No,” he said adamantly. “Not now.”

“How about next Friday after Thanksgiving. The school will be open to the staff, but no ones
required to attend that day. It will be perfect.”

“No!” He started to walk the other way.

“Then you can forget about those records being found or your chances to get out this school until the twelfth grade, Derrick James,” she said in an evil melodious voice.

He glared at her over his shoulders. “You devious bitch,” he sneered coming back to her.

Reaching her hands between his legs to cup his member in her palm, Laura chuckled triumphantly, “Next Friday, Derrick. Use the custodian entrance to sneak your ass up here where we can be alone.”

He didn’t move as she walked away from him. After he heard Laura go down the stairwell, he hit the wall as hard as he could in his anger. The tile from the ceiling fell down and a rack appeared in the wall as he moved his hand away. The pain of the impact did nothing to stop the pain in his soul. When this was all over there would be several people who would pay, he swore that to himself, as he looked down at the side of his palm to see there was a small cut to his flesh.

The smell of sweet strawberries interrupted his anger and he knew who was coming down the hallway even before seeing who it was. Rachel came around the corner to the stairwell.

“What’s going on, Derrick?” she asked worriedly. “Why are you still up here and not in class?”

“Nothing,” he mumbled. “Nothing that you can do anything about.” Despite his upset, he couldn’t help but feel good that she was there looking very concerned up at him and then her eyes went down to his hand.

Gasping at the small trickle of blood come from his knuckle, she ordered, “Come to Mr. Davish’s office with me.”

He followed her watching her every move as she went to the first aid cabinet and found some alcohol and bandage. She instructed him to sit in a chair across from her where they could be eye to eye and she could apply first aid to the small cut on his hand that wasn’t bleeding as bad now, but the dust from the wall was making it burn a little.

“I should call your mother immediately,” she said.

“That’s okay,” he replied casually. “My shots are all caught up and it’s really just a scratch. Plus, it’s no ones fault, but mine and she won’t even notice it.”

Languishing in the divine scent of her, Derrick had a chance to study her face up close nothing the cute nose, sultry thick lips and the angelic erotic shape of her eyes graced with long lashes defining her face. He figured given the chance he could plant a million kisses on her face in so many different places. His eyes traveled down her long slender neck and he had to wonder would she be sensitive right behind her ear, or was her neck a playground of nerves that could be aroused with his mouth. He found himself longing to nibble at her soft skin that reminded him of dark caramel from a Snickers bar and he wondered if it tasted just as sweet.

“How did you do that?” she asked as she cleaned the dust off the cut with an alcohol swab.

“It doesn’t pay to have a quick temper, Rachel.”

The exasperated look in her eyes clearly told him the upset over the controversy she was having with him over her name.

Reading her mind, he assured her, “You don’t have to worry about anything. In the right situation, I will call you Mrs. Herlong, but I’ll let you know now, I won’t like it since you aren’t married to me.”

More exasperation appeared on her face because she had really thought this was a dead subject.
“It’s not right, Derrick.”

She applied too much pressure on him and he pretended that it hurt more than usual.

Quickly apologizing, she said, “Why can’t you just call me the name like other students.”

“I would if I considered myself an equal to them. I don’t and won’t. I’ll call you what I deem is comfortable for me and I like calling your name, Rachel,” he said in his most seductive voice.

She noted his well spoken words and knew this was not a child sitting in front of her. Derrick James was a man who knew how more than what he showed to others.

He continued, “Like a Shakespearean poem, when I say your name I feel renewed with strength and love.”

She was falling under his spell again. Her eyes had begun to dance and there was certainly interest although she was trying to fight it. “You don’t talk like a sixteen year old, Derrick.”

“Seventeen in two weeks, Rachel, and I don’t act like one either.”

As if she was trying to justify it, she said, “You’re more mature than any man I’ve ever known. I can see why you are confused about your feelings for me. You are wise beyond your years. It must be difficult to be you when you’re so opposed by so many people who want to treat you like a child” Pity was in her eyes. “Do you ever feel trapped with a mind of man and a body of boy?”

Raising an inquisitive dark coffee brow, he said, “I assure you this is no body of a boy, Rachel, because I know I’m man enough to give you pleasure.”Looking up at him as if she wanted to say something of great importance, derrick waited for her to say anything, but whatever was on the tip of her lips wouldn’t come, so he leaned in close to her to partake of the sweet breath from her lips. Dipping his head to the right, he didn’t apply too much pressure at first and knew she would be hesitant, but as she parted her lips to allow his tongue to easily dip into the moisture of her mouth, he took the chance of wrapping his arms around her and gathering the tight bottom to easily slid her in his lap as her skirt slid up her thighs and bunched around her waist. Derrick could smell her arousal and the thought of her wetness tantalized all the senses in his body. He kissed her with desperation wanting to arouse her own senses beyond control so that her will was his.

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 9 Part 1 (c) 2005 Sylvia Hubbard

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 8

This chapter was really difficult to write. Maybe because I was getting back from the long break and my procrastination hormornes had kicked up and kept saying wait wait, wait...


Sorry for the delay. I'm goign to be ready for you tomorrow with chapters 9 and 10

Enjoy...


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Rachel didn’t know how long she trembled after she got home. Her mind was a million miles from earth. Mrs. White noticed her upset, but didn’t make comments on it, but Robert took no notice of her as usual and went about his own ritual of getting a beer and sitting in front of the television until he fell asleep.

When the hall clock struck midnight and she found herself still awake, Rachel went into the bathroom and threw some cold water on her face. Staring into the mirror at the puffy dark circles around her eye, she thought about her moment of abandonment. “What if...” Closing her eyes, she forced herself not to think about that when she had told Derrick not to do that. There were no what ifs. There was never going to be a chance to make anything happen with anyone. She might as well accept her lot in life.

Yet, she told herself that before Derrick her lot in life had been all right. So why couldn’t it be all right again? What awakening had Derrick made her experience?

Taking off the pendant reluctantly, Rachel knew she had to give Derrick the message that there would never be an “us.” Going back in her room, she put the pendant inside of her old jewelry box.

Arriving at the school, the next morning, she checked her voicemail and was surprised to hear that Ramsey McPherson had returned her call. He was a big force in Davenport’s politics and that he had given a personal recommendation in Derrick’s file meant something.

He had said in his message for her to call him back anytime between seven until five giving his personal cell phone number. She had arrived early for school and took this opportunity to give him a callback before her homeroom class arrived.

“Hello, Mr. McPherson,” she said when he answered the phone. “Like I said in my message, I’m Derrick James’ English teacher and I’m having a problem submitting some grades for him to the board.”

“Have you spoken to his father?” Ramsey questioned.

“No, sir. I didn’t want to blow things out of proportion, because the problem isn’t with Derrick, but the people in my administration that doesn’t wish for this young man to succeed. He’s getting well over above average grades, but there won’t be a chance in hell for him to make anything of himself if he has to contend with people who don’t want him to get anywhere,” she said.

“You aren’t suggesting I try to remove these people, are you, Mrs. Herlong?”

“I’m asking for your assistance in making sure Derrick has a chance. I didn’t know who else to call without making a big thing out of it.”

Ramsey chuckled on the other line. “I’m the prosecuting attorney for Sawyer County, Mrs. Herlong, and anything on my desk becomes a big issue.” Pausing for a moment to think, he said, “I’ll see what I can do, but I’m a busy man so I make no promises.”

“I understand.”

“Derrick’s father did a lot for me in college and I owe him big time and I know that smart ass boy of his will definitely be just as intelligent as his father. I’ll call you back with a school board contact in about three hours, who’s going to help me out. I’ll leave the message on your voicemail. Is that fine?”

“That’s more than fine, Mr. McPherson. Thank you so much for all your help.”

“I like that you care about Derrick enough to do something like this, Mrs. Herlong. He’s lucky to have you on his side.”

She flushed from his praise. “Well, like you said he is very intelligent and I think he deserves a fair chance at succeeding despite what he did in the past.”

“Have a good day, Mrs. Herlong.”

Disconnecting, Rachel smiled to herself proudly and went to her classroom. She decided to tell Derrick that day of what she had accomplished to make amends for what happened yesterday. If he could just get over his infatuation with her, then she was positive they could be great friends and have a wonderful teacher/student relationship.

He didn’t come to his first hour class with her, nor did she see him in the third hour that she taught. Worriedly, she stopped Arwin at her desk on his way out and inquired about Derrick.

“He wasn’t at home last night,” Arwin admitted. “After he left the café yesterday, I haven’t seen him.”

By the end of the day, Ramsey kept his word and gave her the name of a school board member to contact tomorrow and wished her luck in helping Derrick again.

Blowing off Derrick’s absence thinking that he was most likely embarrassed about the whole incident from the coffee house and just didn’t want to face her the very next day. She was positive that he was very aware if he had too many unexcused absences that he could be sent back to the detention home. Derrick was stupid enough to risk that over embarrassment.

Yet, Rachel found herself biting her lip restlessly the rest of the day and went down before leaving the school to see if derrick showed up for football practice. The team was going to play for the state championship next week and the coach was making the players train almost everyday despite midterms coming up as well in three weeks.

The following day, Derrick still didn’t show up for school. She contacted the school board member who knew what she was speaking about as soon as she got on the phone with him. Ramsey McPherson wasn’t kidding when he said things on his desk become a big deal. The school board member assured her he would request the records from the detention center and get back with her after the Christmas Holiday to request official copies of Derrick’s school records because he would also be looking for the progress reports Derrick’s probation officer was given as well, which he hoped the school made copies of or the probation officer should have on file.

Again she checked at football practice, but there was no Derrick and even the coach was getting worried because Arwin couldn’t tell anyone where Derrick had run off.

“He’s my best damn defensive lineman and I can’t win in state without him!” the coach snarled.

When first hour began the next day, she started off on attendance and just as she was about to say Derrick’s name, Dwayne Davish showed up at the doorway with a coffee cup in hand looking a little bit jovial, leaving a bad taste in Rachel’s mouth.

She looked over at Arwin, who only shrugged his shoulders as if he had no idea what was going on.

As a delay tactic, she stopped attendance to see what Dwayne wanted knowing fully well what he was so happy about. Beside Dwayne appeared a young looking cocky man, with a bald head and bright pink lips, who had to be a little older than Rachel with broad shoulders and a lean waist. The wide nose served as a distraction to what could be good looks if he also got rid of the pissed off and dissatisfied look he wore on his face with that beard.

“How can I help you, Mr. Davish?” she questioned as if she was honored to have him in her class.

“Derrick James has been missing for the past two days?” Dwayne questioned.

“James? Derrick James?” she asked, pretending to really have to think about it. “Let me check my books. You know I’m still new to this job and can’t remember every student. “ They actually had the nerve to follow her over to her attendance records as if she was going to lie about it, when she know full well her attendance records were turned into Dwayne every day. She still continued to play the flighty role though to stall. “Well, look it here!” she said as if amazed by her discovery. “He has two unexcused absences. Was I supposed to make some kind of special notification, Mr. Davish? I know you have so many criteria’s when it comes to Mr. James. It’s so hard to keep up with them from one day to another.” Leaning in close to make it seem like it was a big secret, she said in a very low tone, “I assumed you wanted Mr. James to come back to a school environment that would treat him like any normal child, but with all the stipulations, it’s become quite difficult to even remember everything I’m suppose to do for the other students. I mean I don’t mind the progress reports, but all that recalculations on grades and –“

Her rambling was getting on both of their nerves, and it was the other man who interrupted her. “Mrs. Herlong in no way do we want to make your job difficult. And no you don’t have to notify anyone. We pay very close attention to all of Mr. James actions.”

“And you are?” she questioned.

“Michael Montgomery.” His piercing almond eyes swept over her from head to toe lasciviously. “I’m Derrick James’ probation officer. I was notified the first day of his unexcused absence. And I’m here today to get the detailed paperwork out the way before we send him back.”

Rachel felt like she had been improperly licked like a stamp from the look in his eyes and the overly long handshake he gave her. Michael Montgomery gave her the creeps.

“Why don’t you just finalize all this, Mrs. Herlong,” he said trying to sound charming. “By calling his name for attendance, marking the sheet, so we can be on our way in getting Derrick James out of this school as soon as possible and back where he belongs in the county detention center,” Dwayne ordered.

They needed her to sign the attendance log that would give them the proof they need in order to send Derrick back. She was very aware of this and Dwayne was not about to just order her to do it in front of the entire class where there would be too many witnesses to say she had been forced to sign the log.

She did her best a fluttering and said, “Well, I forgot where I stopped off at. I should start all over to make sure I got everyone, knowing you’re so concerned over the student’s attendance, Mr. Davish.” Sitting back at her desk, she began to read the names again real slow.
The students looked a bit baffled at what she was doing, but the whispers throughout the room brought the class to an understanding and they started to assist her delaying efforts by answering just as slowly.

“Henderson... Alexander,” Rachel called off.

“...Here,” came in muffled reply at the back of the room.

“Taking her time marking the last student name that answered, she heard an impatient huff come from Dwayne. “...Huckle...Lisa,” she said.

“What was that?” Tonya asked at the back of the room. “I didn’t hear you, Mrs. Herlong.”

Rachel smirked. “”Huckle...Lisa Huckle?”

The class was quiet for a moment.

“Did you say Hankle?” Arwin asked.

Angrily, Michael snapped, “She said Huckle! Lisa Huckle!”

The girl in question, who was sitting right in front of the teacher’s desk, said, “Here.”

Rachel nervously licked her lips. “James...” She paused and then said again.
“James...Derrick?” There was no answer as all the students looked around the room as if derrick was going to pop up at any second in the midst of them. “Derrick James?” she asked one last time in almost a desperate tone.

A complete moment of silence came again and her shoulders slumped as she looked over at Arwin, who looked helpless and confused too.

Dwayne smiled with Michael and ordered, “Go ahead and mark him absent, Mrs. Herlong.” He looked around the room once more. “Clearly you can see he’s not-“

“Here,” Derrick said quietly, standing at the doorway of the classroom.

She wanted to run to him and throw her arms around his neck, but at the same time shake him for putting her through a moment of hell. ‘Where the hell had he been?!’ her thoughts screamed to ask him that question, but she kept her demeanor calm. “Oh yes, Derrick. Please have a seat,” she said as if this was usual.

Michael immediately blocked Derrick’s path to his seat. “Outside Mr. James,” he ordered sternly.

Derrick turned around and walked outside the door with Michael and Dwayne following him. Rachel immediately got up and started to leave the room. The whole class wanted to know what was going on as well, but she ordered them to read chapters seven through nine and answer the questions at the end of every chapter. The class groaned, but she knew they were going to be on their best behavior if they wanted her to find out what was going on.

Soon as she stepped out there, she heard Dwayne snarl at Derrick, “Do you have a tardy excuse, Mr. James?”

Derrick reached in his jacket’s inside pocket and pulled out a pass from the football coach. “He needed to see me about next week’s game.”

Dwayne handed the note to Rachel. She noted how Derrick avoided looking at her and in a way her feeling were hurt.

“Where have you been for the past two days, Mr. James,” Michael demanded to know.
“Your mother said you hadn’t been there since the other day and you certainly were not at school.”

“I had business,” he mumbled. “The deal was no more than three right? I won’t miss today if you’d move the hell out my way.”

Michael looked actually mad enough to strike Derrick, but he wasn’t crazy and Rachel could see that the man had a little fear inside for Derrick. Not just because of Derrick’s size, but by the way the young man carried himself and stood up to Michael.

She still couldn’t get over how much he could change given the situation. Derrick was a man way before his time and knew how to weld his own inner strength in different situations. She found her attraction for him growing more and forced herself to stop her illicit thoughts.

Breaking up the tension, she said, “I do have a class to teach, gentlemen.”

“Get your ass in your seat and you better not miss another day of school,” Michael ordered. “You’ve used up all your get out of jail for free cards, asswipe, and I’m going to have you back where you belong very soon.

“We’ll see about that,” Derrick sneered arrogantly, before walking past Michael going into the classroom.

Rachel started to go into the classroom, but Michael called her while Dwayne closed the door to her classroom.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but whatever you’re doing, it won’t work,” Michael warned her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she lied.

He leaned in close to her narrowing his eyes to slits. “You’re not as stupid as these other teachers of his. You know the game and I play it very well and very dirty. Don’t think you can stop me from my attempts to put Derrick James back in the center.”

“Derrick’s a good kid.”

“You sure that’s not your pussy talking,” he snarled disgustedly.

She slapped him open handed to the face starling even herself at her actions, but she recovered quickly and derided, “You better be glad I’m a lady or you would have gotten worse than that, Mr. Montgomery.” Flipping her nose in the air, she stormed into her classroom and sat down at her desk. She forgot there was a room full of students in front of her as she put her hands over her face to gather her equilibrium. It took just a moment, but once she removed her hands, she shot a venomous look in Derrick’s direction. He had his head down in a book. He was the only student that did so and she wanted to scream at him.

“You alright, Mrs. Herlong?” Arwin asked.

“Yes, Arwin, I’ll be fine. Complete your reading assignments,” she ordered and picked up her attendance sheet to quickly complete that portion of her ritual.

When the bell rung, she ordered sternly for Derrick to stay after class. He didn’t bother to get up and since her next hour was going to an assembly in the auditorium with another teacher and his next hour was study, Rachel knew they would have time to talk. When everyone had filed out the classroom, she closed the door to give them some privacy and went over to his desk folding her arms over her chest and standing with her legs akimbo.

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 8 (c) 2005 Sylvia Hubbard

Teach Me To Love - Author Interuption

With the holidays when I thought I would be unbusy, I became extremely busy all of a sudden with family and other authors who then found the time to call me back on things I've been waiting to speak to them about.

I will be on bright and early Monday morning and bamn! Hit you with the story again. Worked on it offline (my computer at home when blinkity blank and now I'm not only in search of car, but a new computer!)

Lord, I need help!

I hope that all of you had a very happy Thanksgiving and was thankful for another year come and gone, just as I was.

Your Author,

Sylvia Hubbard

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 7

A couple of days later, Rachel found herself leafing through Derrick’s file one more time looking for something that would give her the edge on her mission for him. She had been thinking a lot in the past few days about Derrick. Every time she looked at the pendant, she thought of him and knew in order to get rid of the threat of doing something very unmoral and stupid, she could just get him out of her class, her life and eventually her mind. She was not trying to get her grove back with a student!

“You can stare at that until you’re blue in the face,” Laura said, coming to the desk while Rachel was on her break. “But you won’t find a thing. Does he know what you’re trying to do?”

“No. I didn’t want to say anything to get his hopes up too high.”

“I think it’s honorable how much you care about your students, Rachel, despite what Dwayne says of your qualifications.” That had been the nicest thing Laura had ever said to her. “You should be done with your teaching degree this semester, right?”

Rachel nodded very wary of Laura’s sudden ‘niceness.’ “I should be if exhaustion doesn’t kill me.”

“That’s great, Rachel. I mean you’ve worked really hard to get what you wanted. I hope things go well for you.”

“I hope so too, Laura.” She didn’t trust this cow one bit and just felt Laura had a hidden agenda that Rachel was too tired right now to mentally figure out.

Pointing to the name in the file, Laura said, “Call him. He should be able to get in touch with someone who can get Davish off your back long enough for you to submit the grades for Derrick.”

“Are you helping me out or are you helping Derrick out?” Rachel asked suspiciously.

“Let’s just say this student means a lot to me as well.” Laura left out the room.

Rachel copied down the name Laura had pointed out and went to the main office to make some phone calls. If this could help Derrick, she would certainly try it.


* * *

Derrick stopped at her desk the following week as all the other students filed out. Arwin made Tonya go with him out the classroom because he was helping Derrick distract the girl so Derrick could speak to Rachel privately.

“So what do you plan to do tomorrow?” he asked when all the students were out the room.

“What do you mean?” she asked becoming defensive.

“You and I were supposed to meet. You had an extra day, remember?”

“There is no you and I, Derrick.”

He placed a card on her desk. “Tomorrow at four. I’ll see you there.” Without another word, he walked out.

‘The arrogant prick,’ she said to herself. Picking up the card, Rachel placed it in her pocket and didn’t think about it again until she was at home that night after school. She thoughtfully picked up the card and saw it was for a coffee shop that was pretty far away from school, but quaint enough to be deemed as nice.

Why did he need her to meet him privately? What was he up to? Derrick could be really thinking that he could have a serious sexual relationship with his teacher?

Why was she even considering going?

All day long she thought deeply about not going, but at three-fifteen she found herself getting into the newly acquired used vehicle and driving over to the coffee shop, parking in the lot across the street and watching who came in and out. There was a shopping mall nearby adjacent to the café and realized that Arwin worked there as an after school job.

At four, she stepped into the coffee shop and Arwin noticed her immediately.

“Hey, Mrs. Herlong. Follow me. Your booth’s been reserved in the back.”

“My booth?” she questioned warily.

“Yeah.” He guided her to a back corner where there was a partition, as if this was a private back room with different secluded booths.

“What is this?” she asked.

“A coffee shop,” Arwin said obviously. “But often used for private deals and so forth. The owner has big contacts. Some people like to drink coffee in private.” He placed an empty cup in front of her. “Anything you’d like?”

“Coffee makes me jumpy, Arwin,” Rachel said being difficult on purpose. “I never drink caffeine.”

“Decaf? Hot chocolate? An iced tea?”

“I’ll take a water,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck feeling nervous and awkward.

He nodded and left, but came back in a few minutes with her water.

“Do you know why I’m here?”

“Let’s just say no one else knows, Mrs. Herlong. No one will ever know.” He gave her a secret wink and left again this time closing the curtains.

She rubbed her neck more and checked her watch to see it was ten minutes afterwards. What was she really doing here? Were her intentions really out of curiosity or lust?

The place was so quiet from back there and she felt alone. Sipping at her water, she touched the pendant on her neck. What was her problem? This was her student! This was a little boy who had an infatuation with his teacher and thought he could actually do something about it, when in truth he couldn’t. Rachel knew right then and there she had to put a stop to this before things became worse.

“You’re only drinking water?” Derrick asked, coming into the curtains and sitting down across from her. His presence seemed so commanding and overwhelming. It was too easy to forget he was her student. Too easy.

“Yes,” she answered him with her brows in a deep crinkle. “Derrick, before this goes any further, I think I should say some things to you.”

“What goes any further?” he asked innocently.

“I don’t want you to get the idea that there could be something between us. I’m your teacher. I can even be your friend, but I won’t be anything else to you. There’s a six year age difference.”

“Five,” he corrected coolly. “You don’t think I haven’t thought of all that, Rachel.”

Huffing in annoyance, she said sternly, “Don’t call me that.”

“Why? When I feel I’m just as equal as you are?”

“You haven’t thought this thing through, Derrick.”

“Yes, I have.” He took her hand in his.

“Oh really?” she asked, becoming upset and snatching her hand away. “So you’ve thought of the fact that I’m married and you’re proposing what? Adultery? You want me to cheat on my husband, or are you willing to wait for me to divorce him?” She snorted. “That will never happen just for you, Derrick. And another thing, I have two children or did you forget? Even if I did leave my husband and you stay around, what are you going to do? Help me out? Pay for my bills with your daddy’s money or some minimum wage job? McDonald’s will just barely pay my insurance. You haven’t thought this through, Derrick. You’re only thinking with what’s between your legs, but that’s expected because you are still a child and too young to know about the real responsibilities of life. Any interest in me is purely an infatuation that you won’t even remember once you get older.” She could see that her words had hurt his feelings and he was trying not to show it. “I don’t want to destroy something that’s wonderful inside of you and being with me... You can’t be what you’re destined to become if you’re with me, Derrick.”

“You think that Robert lost his potential because of you?” he asked.

He had hit too close to home and Rachel wanted to end this conversation and run away. “I think that this has nothing to do with Robert.”

“And if I was older? What if I wasn’t your student? What if I was able to take care of you without my dad’s money?”

“What if will always be there. I’ll still be married to Robert. I’ll still have the twins. I’ll still be a teacher. My life will not change.”

“But you aren’t happy. Not with him,” Derrick disputed upset.

Rachel took a deep breath. “We’re not going to dwell on my happiness, Derrick. It’s you that’s more important to me.”

“But what if my happiness depends on your happiness?”

“It shouldn’t. Please don’t let it.” She took his hand in hers this time tenderly really needing him to understand and connect with him at that moment. “You’re going to find a wonderful girl who will worship the group you walk on, who will give you her heart, and who will be able to grow with you and have fun with you instead of being at home tending the kids and worried about responsibilities. You’ll find her and you’ll be happy together. I know you will.”

It looked as if he was giving into her idea and Rachel knew this was her time to leave. Getting up out of the booth, she put her purse over her shoulders after putting her coat back on and took one more look at him.

Gleaming with renewed strength, Derrick looked as if he had been the one to triumph and she was mesmerized by the beam in his reddish brown eyes while he stood up in front of her and moved his arms around her waist pulling her to him.

“Why should I want another woman, when you’re all I’ll ever need, Rachel?” he asked in a deep low voice. “I can give you anything you’ve ever dreamed of and needed.”

His words sounded so good to her soul, but she knew... Oh Lord, his body felt so hard and his touch...

Breathless, she said, “We can’t... I can’t.”

That was juts before his lips met hers and she felt her body quake with expectation. Rachel allowed herself to give into him, meeting his passion with her bottled up own desires and wanting him without any thought to what the consequences could be. He did taste as good as she had imagined and she wanted more of him. His arms tightened around her waist sculpting her body against his and even though she wore a coat she could feel his own thick hardened arousal against her belly.

A glass shattered somewhere breaking their kiss abruptly. Pushing away from him, she covered her mouth ashamed of her immoral behavior. “You won’t do this to me, Derrick! You won’t make me forget...” She was lost for words because her mouth still wanted to taste him and couldn’t form the words she needed to resist him. To make it worse, she was more angry at herself for enjoying his kiss so much.

He started to touch her again, but she jumped away as if he were trying to hurt her.
“Stay the hell away from me!” she hissed and stormed away.

Derrick called her name, but she continued to rush out the coffee shop to get into her car.

Cranking it up, she drove away burning rubber. If she didn’t get Derrick James away from her, she was very doubtful if she would be able to resist him much longer.

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 7 (c) 2005 Sylvia Hubbard

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 6

When Rachel had a moment to think to herself that night, she fondly touched the pendant as she stared at herself in the kitchen’s mirror while she fixed the twins’ bottles for the next day and thought about the day’s event and...

She closed her eyes and thanked the heavens for her strength. It really hadn’t been the thought of being adulterous with Derrick. It had been more to the point that she didn’t want to lose her job. She could maintain her integrity despite the temptation and Derrick James was a temptation of his own. Rachel was well aware that this young man was physically attractive, charming and highly intelligent. She had heard how the young ladies went on and on about how cute Derrick James was, but he had made himself untouchable and as far as Rachel knew no young lady at the school had ever caught his eyes. Not to say the school didn’t have its share of beautiful young ladies, so why had Derrick set his sights on his teacher? He had to be aware that these girls would give up their virginity to have a taste of him.

A door loudly closed bringing Rachel out of her thoughtful ponderings and she could smell the stench a bar that Robert ha been at before her husband even reached her.

Without turning to face him, while he got a beer out the refrigerator, she noted, “You’re home early.”

“You should glad to see me,” he sneered being sarcastic.

“I’m not trying to nag you, Robert.”

Snorting, he said, “Then shut the fuck up.”

Rachel pushed away the hurt when he said hurtful things like that to her. Facing him, she asked,
“Did you call the man back about the job at the lab?”

He mumbled something and guzzled the rest of the beer down.

“What Robert?”

“I said I don’t’ want to work at no stupid lab, is that so hard for you to understand?”

“Yes, it is when the welfare of our children are at stake. The bills won’t pay for themselves and I can’t work any extra hours than what I’m already doing and take care of the children. It isn’t as if you’re giving me any help at home, Robert.”

“Would you shut your fucking nagging, woman and leave me the hell alone.” He opened the beer spilling some of the liquid on the floor and walked out the room without cleaning up the mess he had made.

She took a sponge and wiped up the mess from the floor. Afterwards she took a shower and laid down knowing Robert was going to spend another night in front of the television in the front room. She wondered if life would ever go in her favor?


* * *

Early the next morning, as soon as she opened her eyes and looked at the table by the bed where she kept her purse, she was very aware that Robert had gone through her purse and taken all the money in there and her car keys – again. Getting up out of bed, she ran out the apartment, not caring that she was just in her pajamas and barefoot in the chilly morning.

All Rachel could do was gasp as she saw her car in the driveway, but at first she wasn’t sure if it was her car. The front end looked as if it had been crushed into a brick wall and the left side looked as if the hand of God had picked it up and tried to hammer it into the ground.

Totaled!

The car was completely totaled. The keys were still in the ignition, although they were useless now.

Rachel didn’t know whether to cry or scream. This was the family’s only mode of transportation. Robert knew that and he definitely couldn’t afford to get a new car. Plus, they had only no-fault on this car.

Mrs. White came out her door, just as Rachel stepped back in the apartments hallway.

“He left a few minutes ago,” Mrs. White informed her. “He said he lost control.”

“When did this happen?” Rachel asked holding back the sob.

“I’m not sure. I heard the tow truck dropping the car off and came out to see what was going on. Your husband came home in another car long enough to dump the car and leave.” She then added knowingly, “You know the landlord’s not going to let you leave it there in the driveway like that.”

Rachel only nodded and promised to deliver the twins soon to Mrs. White. A migraine had started to make her eye twitch.

First thing she did was called the main office at the school and let them know she would need the day off. Her migraine intensified as Laura seemed only too happy to take the day off request. “Guess I’ll have to sub for you then,” she said.

“There’s an important personal matter that I have to take car of today,” Rachel said evasively. “My lesson plans are in the first drawer of my desk and Mr. Davish has keys to that drawer.”

She dressed the twins and took them to Mrs. White and then paged Robert. He didn’t call her back, but an hour after the page he came through the door with two buddies she barely paid scant attention to except one of them seemed rather too young to be hanging with Robert, but she didn’t even take more note on this too upset by the car. By the time Robert had come, Rachel found a company to take the totaled car away. The company even gave her $100 for parts. She was not telling Robert about the money because he’d only steal that away from her or demand she give it to him.

“Can I have a word with you, Robert?” she asked stiffly, trying not to show her anger at him in front of his friends.

Robert’s dark brown beady eyes cut at her as if she better watch whom she was speaking to. No longer the handsome young man of his early college days, in the few short years since college Robert had turned into an overweight down trodden unwept slush pile of a human being. The muscles he had worked so hard to build in college had turned to fat and the beer drinking had further escalated his state of being.

His image that used to turn her on and make her heart swoon now only sickened her.

Rachel followed him alone into the kitchen. “What happened to the car?” she demanded to know.

He spoke like he was discussing the weather and it was no big deal. “I lost control hit the back of some little shit’s BMW and smashed into the side of the wall on the freeway. Fucker shouldn’t be breaking so damn hard.”

The more he spoke, the angrier she became. Rachel wanted the scream some more, but clutched the back of the kitchen chair digging her nails in the cheap plastic.

Robert went to the refrigerator to get beers for him and his buddies. “Don’t worry, Rachel,” he said in that irritating casual tone. “I was alright. Arnie got a few stitches, but he lived.”

“But now I don’t have a car to get back and forth to work.”

He smirked popping open one of the beers. “You’ll figure something out. You always do, Rach.” With that, he left her alone.

Confused, frustrated and miserable, Rachel went to the bedroom. After a moment of just staring at nothing, she burst out crying until she fell to the ground in frustration.

When she couldn’t cry anymore, she realized Robert had left the house again with his
friends. Going to the hallway by the bedroom, she moved the rug from the floor and then used her nail to dig down and remove the floorboards.

Underneath, there was a combination lock cash box. Before removing the boards, Rachel listened carefully to any noises in the apartment. She had found the loose floorboards when they first moved in and decided to make use when Robert kept stealing the cash out of her purse. Removing one thousand dollars in cash from the box, she knew she’d have to come up with a really good story as to how she had obtained another car. Most likely she would lie and say another teacher pitied her and the car was on a personal payment plan or something. Either way, Rachel needed a car or she wouldn’t have a job.

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 6 (c) 2005 Sylvia Hubbard

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 5 Part 2

He only grasped her hand a little tighter as he opened the door and led her through a darkened passage way.

She stayed close to him, but not because being this close made her feel safe – and she hadn’t felt safe in a very long time with someone – but because she really could hardly see where they were going.

Derrick knew his way through this with his eyes closed and he took into her to a dimly lit corner with candles lighting the area. There was a blanket laid out in the middle of the floor and on the blanket two crates had items on it. One was a large piece of watermelon designed to look like square shaped cake with pieces of grapes and strawberries to decorate. The top of the cake read, HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL in a fruity thick cream with one candle in the middle that hadn’t been lit.

On the other crate was a smaller box. He knelt behind the crates and looked up to see the shock on her face.

“W-Who did this?” she asked becoming very emotional.

“I did. I know your birth isn’t until tomorrow. I thought I would plan a day in advance. Arwin’s goes to that cooking tech school and did the cake for me and I knew exactly by yesterday what to give you as a gift.”

Rachel turned away suddenly holding her hands over her eyes.

Worried that he had done something wrong, Derrick went in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “What is it?” he asked.

Shaking her head, Rachel said, “It’s nothing... I don’t think I should have come here with you.”

“Yes, you should have,” he refuted. “You of all people deserve something special, Rachel.”

Looking up at him, she scolded, “Don’t call me that, Derrick. It’s not your duty to do special things like this for me. A card would have sufficed. I will always be your teacher. Nothing can change that.”

“What if I’m no longer your student?” he asked.

She stepped away from him to give them some distance and so she could actually think straight.
“Like I said, I should have come. Take me back to my room,” she ordered.

“Aren’t you even going to see what I’ve given you?” he asked.

Rachel gave him a very stern look as if angry at him for going through the trouble, but after a moment, she stepped forward and knelt down at the crates. He moved on the other side to watch her delicate fingers unwrap the box.

Gasping, as her eyes beheld what was inside, she took the chain out with the pendant at the end.

“H-How did you get this, Derrick?”

“My father keeps a credit card for me handy to use when I choose to. I chose to use it now on this occasion.”

“This must have cost you a fortune.”

He took the necklace from her and moved around behind her. She stayed still as he put the necklace around her and clasped it firmly. Turning around to look at him, she smiled that brilliant smile again.

“You shouldn’t have,” she said, standing up and feeling guilty, but happy at the same time.
Rachel heart sung as she felt the metal rest against her collarbone. This was the most magnificent token anyone had ever given her. Despite the fact that this was her student, Rachel was enthralled that he had bestowed something wonderful to her.

“I did,” he said proudly moving closer to her until he could feel her breath touching his lips.
Derrick wanted more than that to touch his lips and from the look in her eyes, she was wondering what he would taste like.

He leaned in just a little closer and titled his head to the side to give her what she desired, but her hand to his chest stopped him coming any closer.

“I should be getting home, Derrick,” Rachel said.

As much as he wanted it, he didn’t’ press the subject. There would be another time another place. “I’ll wrap your cake up,” he said.

When he moved away, she took a deep breath of relief as if she had passed some great test. He watched her gather herself and fondly touched the pendant, smiling to herself. When he was done putting the cake back into the box it had come in, he blew out all the candles and took her hand again. She held it tightly and stayed close to him as he led her through the darkened passageway. He went slower to feel her touch and proximity a bit longer.

“Are we lost?” she asked, nothing their slowed pace.

He shook her head and continued on until they were back in the hallway again. She took charge of the pace and quickly walked to her room. They quietly gathered their items and left. He carried her bag and her box down to her car with her.

They didn’t say anything to each other, but there was this silent truce as if to speak would mean they would admit something they weren’t suppose to.

To break the growing tension, she asked, “Will your ride come for you soon or do you want me to wait with you?”

He nodded assuredly and repeated her \words back to her. “You should be getting home.”

Before driving off, she looked up at him. “Thank you, Derrick. Thank you for... everything.”

Derrick watched her drive away and pondered just how much he had wanted things to end differently than what they had. Getting Mrs. Rachel to pay attention to him was going to take more than just subtle hints. She needed a wake up call and he fully intended to seduce his teacher.

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 5 Part 2 (c) 2005 Sylvia Hubbard

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 5 Part 1

sorry about missing Monday. I was just getting over the hectic weekend and my brain was completely fried from getting absolutely no rest from last weekend.

I reevaluated the story during this time off and I think I'm going to spice it up a bit cause it is a bit dragging.

So bear with me as some changes are being made and the consistency isn't there, but I assure you in the end, you'll be saying, that was pretty good Sylvia.

Enjoy...

***********


When Rachel entered the office that morning, Laura was there looking cheerful and refreshed.

“Good morning,” she said with a bright smile to Rachel.
Rachel said something, but she wasn’t sure what came out of her lips. She had been in Children’s Hospital with the twins up until six that morning before she could take them home and get ready for work. Robert was up when she walked in the door and looked pissed.

“Why the fuck didn’t you leave a note telling me where the hell you were?!” he yelled as soon as she walked in the door with the sleepy twins still in her arms. He made no effort to assist her in getting them over to the crib.

Keeping her calm, Rachel said, “He had a high fever and I didn’t have time to leave a note, Robert.”

He snatched the keys out her hands and started for the door to leave.

“I’ve got to go to work!” she exclaimed in frustration.

Robert turned to her and took out two dollars. “Catch the bus. I got business.”

She had felt like breaking down and crying, but she didn’t. When Mrs. White came for the children, Rachel had a cab waiting for her and used a secret stash of saved up money to get to work on time.

Trudging to her classroom, she hoped the day would go by quickly. Keeping a cheerful manner would be very difficult today, but she would do her best.

Derrick was the same as always with his friends and acting like a teenager. It was as if he was a different person around them and not the same mature young man she met last night.

She didn’t let this bother her and she didn’t address it at all. Rachel was his teacher and the thoughts she had last night about Derrick James she would keep to herself. Her ethics and morals would never get in the way. She would maintain the strict code of conduct of a teacher because she loved her job so much.

On her last hour, Dwayne Davish entered her room just as all the children were filing out. He was carrying the folder for Derrick James and he placed it on her desk.

“I’ve already graded the paper and I expect you to mark his grade in your books,” he said.

She opened the folder to see that most of the grades given on the assignments were C’s or D’s. Frowning, looking up at him, she said obviously, “But those grades are not worthy of those assignments, Mr. Davish.”

“Are you saying I don’t know how to do my job, Mrs. Herlong?” he challenged.

“I’m saying that I’m his teacher and given the assignments and my grading, those grades are wrong. The student’s know I don’t’ grade on a curve. All my assignments are based on percentages. Percentages that clearly go by what is on the syllabus and any student following the syllabus correctly will receive the grade befitting the assignment.” She took out the research paper. “Mr. James followed the directions and included all the requirements into his page. He went above and beyond the page count and he even exasperated with interest about his subject’s work. I was entertained and informed. That grade of C does not even come close to what he should get.”

“But that’s the grade he will receive, Mrs. Herlong.” He narrowed his eyes. “Or did you forget the March teacher evaluations coming up? You are still on probation.”

Flinching in disgust at his deceit, she put the research paper neatly back in the folder and placed the folder in her drawer. ‘I didn’t forget, Mr. Davish.”

“Good, I’ll be checking your books before you submit them for report cards. You won’t disappointment me will you, Mrs. Herlong?”

She didn’t answer, but he took her quietness as her acquiesce. Mr. Davish walked to the door triumphant. “Dwayne, how’s that wife of yours doing?” she asked casually.

Looking over his shoulder at her this time it was his turn to flinch. “I wouldn’t know, Mrs. Herlong. Maybe she’s out with your husband who never comes home,” he responded coldly.
That was a low blow and she didn’t get into a verbal tear down match with him.

Mr. Davish walked out and she was glad when he was gone. Putting the file for Derrick James in her drawer, Rachel pondered what to do in order to prevent his grades from dropping. The contact at the school board was expecting to receive the grades for Derrick soon and if they were what she had touted them to be, Derrick wouldn’t get the opportunity to get to take the GED like she had planned to arrange for him.


* * *

Derrick moved away from the doorway and looked down at the corridor in the direction of Davish’s office pissed as hell. Tightening up his fist, he bit his lip trying to control what little restraint he had. Taking the steps two at a time, he made it around the large school to the photography lab where Arwin was at.

Tonya was with him working on a project and she followed them into the dark room.

“What’s it going to take to get something on Davish?” Derrick asked.

“What do you mean?” Arwin asked confused.

“I mean something incriminating tha could get rid of his ass,” Derrick said barely containing his anger.

“How good would it have to be?”

“Godd enough to have him gone by the end of the school year.”

Tonya said, “I think we can get something for you, Derrick.”

“Like what?”

She smiled wickedly and looked at Arwin who still looked confused. “Trust me, Arwin and I can have something really good.”


* * *

On Derrick’s way up to Rachel’s classroom after practice the next day, Laura who was blocking his path suddenly stopped him.

“Hello Derrick,” Laura said pressing her body close to his.

He moved away in disgust. “Doesn’t your day end at three-fifteen?” he asked.

“Yes, but sometimes Dwayne has me to stay to help him out. I don’t mind. It’s all a learning
experience.” She moved in close to him again. “You thought about my offer, Derrick?”

“No. There’s nothing to think about,” he said. “I don’t want you like that Laura.” Although he was no stranger to women throwing themselves at him since he was ten years old, he didn’t want to get involved with Laura, but this bitch had been dogging him since he had stepped foot in the main office the first day.

His refusal didn’t phase her one bit. “But it doesn’t matter what you want.” Lustfully, she grabbed his crotch and her eyes twinkled in delight at what she felt. “You’re a big boy, Derrick.
You can see life has dealt you a fucked up hand. Let me make it all better for you. Let me take away the monkey on your back.”

Derrick forced her hand away. “And you can do that?”

“Yes!” Laura relished greedily. “By helping you get that GED early? By making sure the right things get down to the board that will approve you instead of what Davish wants to be sent. You know he’s out to make sure you get back in the juvie home as quick as possible?”

He roughly grabbed the back of her head. “And you’ll help me out if I fuck you?”

She gasped, but she was clearly aroused at the forcible treatment and the wild angry look in his eyes. Gritting her teeth in carnal passion and licking her lips, she whispered desperately, “Yes!
Yes!” Laura’s manicured nails clawed at his shirt as she desperately gyrated her hips against his groin.

Teasing her, Derrick allowed himself to be affected by her wantonness. He leaned his face close to hers, seeing her lips pout filling with arousal, wanting to mesh with his. No matter how he tried to imagine, he couldn’t’ get Rachel out of his thoughts.

Releasing Laura abruptly in disappointment, Derrick stepped away. There were footsteps coming down the steps from the third floor.

Gathering himself, so his emotions wouldn’t show, he said, “I’ll think about it, Laura.”

She was still breathless from the turmoil of arousal he had brought her to with just “Don’t take to long, Derrick,” she said before walking away.

Continuing on to Rachel’s room, he paused before entering. She looked deeply stressed about something and he saw she was looking down at his file again. Should he help her with her stress?
Or should he allow Davish to send him back where Montgomery wanted him?

Coming into the room, she was so deep into the file, she didn’t hear him enter. He was able to make it to the desk and look over her shoulder at what she was exactly so involved into looking at.

Finally hearing him, she jumped a little. “I-I didn’t know you’d come,” Rachel said flustered trying to close the folder.

“If you wanted to know about me, why didn’t you just ask?” he questioned.

Rachel was honest in her words to him. “I didn’t think you would tell me the truth.”

“Why do you want to know about me and what I did in the juvenile center?”

“Because I want to know why is everyone so scared of you? I want to know why on paper you’re a different boy than what I have in my class everyday, but when you’re not around your peers you’re a different person?”

“That last one should be easy to answer, Mrs. Herlong. I have an image to keep up.”

“You want people to believe you should be feared?”

Putting his bag on the desk and sitting next to her, he said, “It keeps the wrong people away and it gives me some peace from the people I don’t’ want to be bothered with. What am I going to say to them? The truth? That I’m some guy that wants to get back the attention his father isn’t giving him so I offered to take a large shipment somewhere? I didn’t do it for the money. And I sure as hell didn’t’ do it because I was pressured. I did it for the attention, but I didn’t think the judge would give me so much time. Bottom line, Mrs. Herlong, I know I didn’t think.”

“So you know it was all wrong to do what you did, but you did it anyways without any regards of what it might do to your relationship with your father.”

“There was no relationship with him until I did this, Mrs. Herlong.”

She got his point and then asked, “So what happened in the center? Why were you in the infirmary for three months? Why are the records missing?”

He stiffened. The incident hadn’t been though of in so long. Derrick had told himself to never think about it. He had convinced himself that it really hadn’t happened. Not to him. He was supposed to be a healthy young boy. No one had picked up on the fact that the records were missing for the three months of his life at the infirmary – not even the judge or the probation board. No one except her!

Had he wanted her to know? Derrick felt compelled to tell her, but he knew he couldn’t. Not when it had been so much work to make sure no one knew the truth.

“They must have gotten lost,” he said unyielding. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never seen my own records and I certainly couldn’t have gotten to them in the center.”

She must have realized this flaw in her accusations and apologized. “I didn’t mean to imply-“

Derrick cut her off because he wanted to stand firm for her not to treat him like a child. “I was struck on the back of the head. It was a revenge thing with some Arian punk and I wasn’t having that. I tried to break off the motherfucker’s dick when he tried to make me his bitch. They jumped me in the shower and tried to shank me in the groin. I went down with a fight taking five of them with me to the infirmary, but I needed a lot of medical attention. I almost bled to death.”

“That must have been hard at thirteen,” she surmised with pity. “It must have been painful.”

He wanted to really drop the whole subject. Speaking about his experience in prison brought a lot of cold feelings over him. “Let’s get to work, Mrs. Herlong.” Derrick opened her laptop and turned it on.

“You are presumptuous, Derrick.” She typed in her password an he secretly watched her long fingers wondering about the feel of them against his bare skin.

“I just want to finish and hurry this up,” he lied.

They proceeded to get to work and he found her creativeness honorable. She had done her homework and could match wits with him toe for toe. He was impressed and an adult had not impressed him in a long time.

When she was able to print out their completed project and he read it over one more time, she sipped on a juice while he waited. Derrick really wasn’t reading it. This just gave him a change to study her out of his peripheral vision.

She happened to catch him staring and just assumed he was finished. “How is it?” she asked. “Do you think they’ll like it?”

“The students or the school?” he questioned.

“Both.”

“Yes,” he assured her, handing the pages back to her. Their hour was almost up, but Derrick didn’t want their time to be up.

Rachel checked her watch. “We finished thirty minutes and two days earlier than I thought, Derrick.”

“Can I ask a favor, Mrs. Herlong?” he said going over to the window to check the teacher’s parking lot. Only Rachel’s car was left in there along with the maintenance staff.

“It depends, Derrick. I’m not changing my mind about that A minus I gave you on the test today.”

Derrick looked back at her and smiled remembering their earlier debate over something he had just barely paid scant attention to – yet it was just another opportunity to engage in conversation with her. His thoughts had been elsewhere while he took the test and as he usually did, he didn’t go back and check his work. “No, it’s not that. It’s about your birthday. Could you come with me?” Holding out his hand, his heart raced to hear her acquiesce.

Warily, she came to him. “What do you have in mind, Derrick?”

“Trust me?”

Without hesitation, Rachel took his hand and allowed him to lead her out the classroom down the hall to a double door. There was a chain on it, but the lock wasn’t closed. Every moral fiber screamed for her to not go with him, but curiosity was killing her. His hand felt so strong and powerful and she could almost see the electrical currents as their palms rubbed together.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked suspiciously.

He only grasped her hand a little tighter as he opened the door and led her through a darkened passage way.

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 5 Part 1 (c) 2005 Sylvia Hubbard

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 5 Part 1

When Rachel entered the office that morning, Laura was there looking cheerful and refreshed.

“Good morning,” she said with a bright smile to Rachel.

Rachel said something, but she wasn’t sure what came out of her lips. She had been in Children’s Hospital with the twins up until six that morning before she could take them home and get ready for work. Robert was up when she walked in the door and looked pissed.

“Why the fuck didn’t you leave a note telling me where the hell you were?!” he yelled as soon as she walked in the door with the sleepy twins still in her arms. He made no effort to assist her in getting them over to the crib.

Keeping her calm, Rachel said, “He had a high fever and I didn’t have time to leave a note, Robert.”

He snatched the keys out her hands and started for the door to leave.

“I’ve got to go to work!” she exclaimed in frustration.

Robert turned to her and took out two dollars. “Catch the bus. I got business.”

She had felt like breaking down and crying, but she didn’t. When Mrs. White came for the children, Rachel had a cab waiting for her and used a secret stash of saved up money to get to work on time.

Trudging to her classroom, she hoped the day would go by quickly. Keeping a cheerful manner would be very difficult today, but she would do her best.

Derrick was the same as always with his friends and acting like a teenager. It was as if he was a different person around them and not the same mature young man she met last night.

She didn’t let this bother her and she didn’t address it at all. Rachel was his teacher and the thoughts she had last night about Derrick James she would keep to herself. Her ethics and morals would never get in the way. She would maintain the strict code of conduct of a teacher because she loved her job so much.

On her last hour, Dwayne Davish entered her room just as all the children were filing out. He was carrying the folder for Derrick James and he placed it on her desk.

“I’ve already graded the paper and I expect you to mark his grade in your books,” he said.

She opened the folder to see that most of the grades given on the assignments were C’s or D’s.
Frowning, looking up at him, she said obviously, “But those grades are not worthy of those
assignments, Mr. Davish.”

“Are you saying I don’t know how to do my job, Mrs. Herlong?” he challenged.

“I’m saying that I’m his teacher and given the assignments and my grading, those grades are wrong. The student’s know I don’t’ grade on a curve. All my assignments are based on percentages. Percentages that clearly go by what is on the syllabus and any student following the syllabus correctly will receive the grade befitting the assignment.” She took out the research paper. “Mr. James followed the directions and included all the requirements into his page. He went above and beyond the page count and he even exasperated with interest about his subject’s work. I was entertained and informed. That grade of C does not even come close to what he should get.”

“But that’s the grade he will receive, Mrs. Herlong.” He narrowed his eyes. “Or did you forget the March teacher evaluations coming up? You are still on probation.”
Flinching in disgust at his deceit, she put the research paper neatly back in the folder and placed the folder in her drawer. ‘I didn’t forget, Mr. Davish.”

“Good, I’ll be checking your books before you submit them for report cards. You won’t disappointment me will you, Mrs. Herlong?”

She didn’t answer, but he took her quietness as her acquiesce. Mr. Davish walked to the door triumphant. “Dwayne, how’s that wife of yours doing?” she asked casually.

Looking over his shoulder at her this time it was his turn to flinch. “I wouldn’t know, Mrs. Herlong. Maybe she’s out with your husband who never comes home,” he responded coldly.

That was a low blow and she didn’t get into a verbal tear down match with him.Mr. Davish walked out and she was glad when he was gone. Putting the file for Derrick James in her drawer,
Rachel pondered what to do in order to prevent his grades from dropping. The contact at the school board was expecting to receive the grades for Derrick soon and if they were what she had touted them to be, Derrick wouldn’t get the opportunity to get to take the GED like she had planned to arrange for him.

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 5 Part 1 (c) 2005 Sylvia Hubbard

Teach Me To Love - Author Interuption

Hey y'all.

Okay, its coming, but I thought I should take this time to say thanks for sticking with me.

I also wanted to address the many off loop emails and the recent reply to one post about teacher and student topic.

One comment was flat out, that's just nasty. And then someone said, that's just not my taste.

Well! (trying to sound insulted.) I'm going to be honest. If I found my sweet innocent little boy messing around with his teacher, yeah the B gotta die. I wouldn't give a damn who initiated it.

And with all this mess going on about female teachers actually doing this and coming to the forefront, i wanted to touch on it. I mean who hasn't had a fantasy about that situation. Who wouldn't take moment and dresss up like a teacher and have a younger man just .... (we'll leave the fantasies to the story... LOL).

So for those who are turned off by the prospect of what you think will happen, well, I'm sorry I couldn't excite you to stay, but those of you who know me, know, I got something up my sleeve and my stories never turn out like you think they will. (smiling wickedly).

Patience is a virtue and I ain't throwing out no hints but y'all know how i like to justify the wrong. (bad as I wanna be)

Okay. I'm gonna try to post more excerpts today, cause I got meetings tomorrow and don't know if I'll have time to post any tomorrow.

Thank and as always Enjoy....

Your author

Sylvia Hubbard
http://SylviaHubbard.com

PS: I hope you all haven't forgotten about my car fund. Donations are wonderful and available to do on my site. You know its cold in Detroit and I'm still carless, so help a sistah out. But buying a book would be even better and passing the word to others to buy books too. Especially with Christmas, they make great Christmas gifts. hint hint - big orders needed!!!

Teach Me To Love - Author Interuption

Hey y'all.

Okay, its coming, but I thought I should take this time to say thanks for sticking with me.

I also wanted to address the many off loop emails and the recent reply to one post about teacher and student topic.

One comment was flat out, that's just nasty. And then someone said, that's just not my taste.

Well! (trying to sound insulted.) I'm going to be honest. If I found my sweet innocent little boy messing around with his teacher, yeah the B gotta die. I wouldn't give a damn who initiated it.

And with all this mess going on about female teachers actually doing this and coming to the forefront, i wanted to touch on it. I mean who hasn't had a fantasy about that situation. Who wouldn't take moment and dresss up like a teacher and have a younger man just .... (we'll leave the fantasies to the story... LOL).

So for those who are turned off by the prospect of what you think will happen, well, I'm sorry I couldn't excite you to stay, but those of you who know me, know, I got something up my sleeve and my stories never turn out like you think they will. (smiling wickedly).

Patience is a virtue and I ain't throwing out no hints but y'all know how i like to justify the wrong. (bad as I wanna be)

Okay. I'm gonna try to post more excerpts today, cause I got meetings tomorrow and don't know if I'll have time to post any tomorrow.

Thank and as always Enjoy....

Your author

Sylvia Hubbard
http://SylviaHubbard.com

PS: I hope you all haven't forgotten about my car fund. Donations are wonderful and available to do on my site. You know its cold in Detroit and I'm still carless, so help a sistah out. But buying a book would be even better and passing the word to others to buy books too. Especially with Christmas, they make great Christmas gifts. hint hint - big orders needed!!!

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 4 Part 2

“Yes! Oh yes, Laura,” Dwayne Davish was panting.

Being quiet as a mouse, Rachel cracked the door open a little bit more and peaked inside to see Laura stretched across the desk naked from the waist down and her legs were wide open.
Dwayne Davis was lying between her legs with his pants and underwear down by his ankles.

Laura madly scratched at his back in reckless passion as he drove repeatedly deep inside of her. He rocked her thighs so hard the desk they were using inched back by each hard thrust Dwayne executed.

Covering her mouth, Rachel gasped her disgusted horror knowing Dwayne Davish was a married man of six years who had the wife that always became overly drunk at all Christmas parties, according to the gossipers in the main office – Laura was included in this club – but
Rachel would bet her bottom dollar the gossipers didn’t know what their ring leader was doing at this very moment. Quietly, yet with hurried paces, she rushed down the three flights of stairs and out of the school. Her heartbeat accelerated as she prayed she had not been caught peeping, but on top of that just the very idea of what she had seen had...

Excited her? No...well, yes. Sex had been down to nothing between her husband and Rachel. Sometimes in the middle of the night, Robet would forget in his sleep and roll over and cradle her but once he awoke he was quick to move away. So seeing what she had just seen, had aroused her senses and made her remember how it felt to be a woman and feel like a woman.

The teacher’s parking lot was near the front of the school and she had parked in the very back in her old Honda that miraculously continued to run every day.

It was dark because of the approaching wintertime even though it was just a little after five in the afternoon. Dusk was settling in the clear sky and her vapid breath could be seen coming from her lips.

“You shouldn’t walk out here by yourself, Mrs. Herlong,” a deep voice said startling her from behind.

Turning around, her abrupt stop almost made Derrick bump into her.

“What are you still doing here, Derrick James?” Rachel demanded.

“Waiting for my ride,” he answered coolly.

Calming herracing heart, she apologized for her huffiness. “this day has been rather trying, Derrick. Would you like me to wait with you?” she asked.

“If you want,” he said nonchalantly.

She looked back in the parking lot to see Laura’s and Mr. Danish’s car there. Were they waiting for her to leave or spying on her as she had spied on them?

“I can see my ride from where your car is parked, Mrs. Herlong. So you don’t have to go far when I get picked up,” Derrick said, taking her heavy bag from her and walking with her to her
car.

For some reason, she had a feeling he knew her vehicle already and had been waiting for her to come out. Did Derrick have a crush on her?

“Mrs. Herlong,” he said quietly, helping her put her bags in the back of the car next to the
double car seats. She noticed he took little notice of this as if it didn’t bother him. “If you could ask for anything you wanted for your birthday, what would it be?”

“Anything?” she asked amused.

“Yes, anything.” There was that serious glare in his eyes again.

Rachel decided to take his question sincerely, but it was hard to think of just anything when no one had ever asked her this question in a long time. Robert certainly didn’t care what she wanted and with no other friends and family around she hadn’t felt considered as a person in a while. “I have to be honest with you Derrick and say-“

He cut her off. “It’s none of my business again?”

Chuckling, she said, “No, I wasn’t going to say that. I was going to say, I wouldn’t know what I want. I could shout my needs in a heartbeat, but my wants have always been...insignificant.”

“So even if a Genie swept down to grant you a wish, you couldn’t find anything to ask for? Even if you were young again?”

The conversation was rather pubescent and she almost felt young again. “You mean like a teenager?”

He gave her other suggestions. “What about your parents? Would you want to know about your parents?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think about them, and since I’ve grown up in foster homes, birthdays and receiving gifts for holidays were never something of a big thing with me. I stopped wanting things a long time ago because I felt I would never get what I wanted.” Thoughtfully she pause and finally said, “There was one Christmas though when I was fifteen and the foster lady I stayed with gave us personal Christmas gifts. I was living there with twin sister who were
fostered as well. She gave me a charm bracelet, which I still wear to this day.” She wiggled the bracelet on her right arm with only three charms on it. “I buy a charm for special occasions.”

He took her arm and took a close look at the charm. So close she could feel his warm breath on her wrist. “There haven’t been many special occasions in your life, Mrs. Herlong,” he observed.

Rachel pulled her arm away and continued her story. “The foster mother gave the twins two beautiful pendants with their picture inside.” She touched the front of her collarbone as if an invisible pendant was there. “I always wished for a pendant of my own, but I never said anything at the time, because I didn’t want to be ungrateful for the bracelet.” Looking up at
Derrick, she smiled longingly with a deep breath. “I just never got around to buying me something like that.”

“Why?” he inquired.

“Diapers are more important?” she sarcastically figured. “Plus, a gift like that wouldn’t be special if I bought it for myself.”

A horn honked loudly and rudely in front of the school. Derrick looked very reluctant to leave and hesitated for a moment as if he wanted to say something very important. The horn honked again, this time longer and very drawn out.

“Goodnight, Derrick. See you tomorrow,” she said as if giving permission for the young man to leave.

He only nodded before turning away and running into the darkness toward the car. She heard a car door slam and a muffler in a very much need for repair as the car drove away.

Getting in her car, she drove home for the night. Mrs. White brought the twins home as was their ritual and Rachel finished her nightly routine as early as possible so she could work on the play for the kids.

Lying in bed alone, she looked at her hand where the cheap gold band of her wedding ring was on. She remembered how Robert had reluctantly paid for it. Why had he married her again? She knew the pregnancy was a major factor and she knew that deep down in his heart he had some very deep love for her, but there was so much going on in Robert’s mind, she didn’t know if she should be apart of his life anymore.

The twins meant a lot of him and to take them away could take away his current ambition to make something of himself – what little that was. What would become of Robert if she took the kids away?

Should she really care? He never cared about her? Or at least it seemed.

Trying to go to sleep, she wondered if she were sixteen again would Derrick actually find a girl like her attractive? Would those deep goldenrod eyes of his glitter and dance for her? Would love change a man like Derrick like it had changed Robert?

She didn’t’ want Derrick to change. Despite what others thought of him, Derrick was a fascinating young man who was meant to be something really great. Even if it would be immoral and adulterous to be with him, she was scared a woman like her in his life would limit his potential just like it had done Robert. She never wanted to mess up a man’s life again.

Just as sleep had started to set in, Justin’s screams awakened her. She checked his temperature and knew it had to be one thing - An ear infection. It would be a long night and sleep would not be coming to her. Packing the kids up to go to Children’s Hospital in Downtown Detroit, she knew a dream like having Derrick James was only going to be a fantasy that would never come
true.

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 4 Part 2 (c) 2005 Sylvia Hubbard