"Calm down now!" I yelled.
It went quiet as they fumbled with their books. The Ice Queen had made her point.
By the end of the day I had got back into the swing of teaching. It was only when I stood looking at the box of apples on my car bonnet my heart jumped. I picked up the note and read Pete's dare for me. Tomorrow after school he was coming to my house for a piece of apple pie! I had the choice to ask him to confirm the dare or tell him no.
The next day at school I was nervous. I was going to tell him 'no' honestly I was. He hung back behind as the rest of the class went to morning break.
"Well Miss, do you want me to confirm the dare?"
My mouth opened and I began talking in some lost forgotten dialect. Well that was how it sounded. I just looked at his blue eyes. I was being drawn into them and I had no will to fight. I clasped my hands behind my back. This was me admitting to wanting more than apple pie, but did he sense that? I had visions of him kissing my neck like he did that day. It would take me years to count the goose bumps that had sprouted on my neck!
Finally I shook my head. That was when I saw a hint of disappointment on his face.
"Do you want to back out of the game Miss? Or do you want to lose one of your 3 lives?"
I put my fingers to my temples. This was so stupid I wasn't going to let a school pupil dictate to me!
"You have until this time tomorrow or you lose a life Miss."
OK this was so stupid and silly. But then again the way I had acted since Pete cut his leg open, was hardly the way a school teacher would act. My thoughts were constantly about him. So much so that when I saw him later that day talking to Della I felt jealous! Della was pretty maybe a little over weight but not by much. But I couldn't compete with her could I? So why did I tell her to hurry back to class?
"Confirm the dare?" I heard myself ask.
"I dare you to let me come to your house for some apple pie?"
That was it, he just walked away leaving me feeling stupid.
I made the apple pie. I knew he wouldn't come I hadn't given him my address! Still I had the man coming to fix the boiler; maybe he would like some homemade pie?
I opened the door and there he stood, Pete I mean. He just walked in giving me a smile. Before I could think of anything I had shut the door.
Now I was shocked as I'm sure you can imagine, but I thought what the hell! He could have some pie and then leave. I followed him into the kitchen and he sat at the table.
"So where's my pie Miss?"
I just smiled at his cheeky grin.
"It is in the oven, it'll take awhile yet," I answered.
The doorbell went again.
"That'll be the boiler man you'll have to go, quick!" I snapped in shock.
"Why Miss we aren't doing anything wrong?"
"That's not the point," I moaned in disbelief.
"We can do a blind dare. Do you want me to do a blind dare?"
I looked at the front door from the kitchen.
"You get 3 dares on the bounce if you do a blind dare Miss."
"Just coming," I shouted, as the bell went for a second time.
"All you have to do is follow my lead."
"Pete this is silly, I, I, oh OK."
I answered the door and let him in. My mind was in turmoil as I showed the man where the boiler was.
"How long will the pie be mum?"
My mouth dropped open, I couldn't answer to that! I was right on the spot now the boiler man was looking into the cupboard, and behind him was me and sat a few feet away was my son!
"How long will the pie take mum?"
I quickly checked the boiler man wasn't looking and then glared at Pete, "not long dear."
I could only just hide the anger in my voice.
"You'll have to move your things out love, so I can get a better look."
I smiled at him and then realised I hadn't moved my underwear from the cupboard. I could feel my face going red as I plucked panties, tights, and bras off the rail.
"Here mum I'll take those you sort my pie out."
I just stared into Pete's face as he reached out and left me holding thin air. I held my breath in shock as he now held my underwear in his arms! All my personal items were now in his hands, things that he shouldn't see, things that he should just guess at. But now he was stood holding them! It felt like he had now touched the parts of me that my underwear had touched.
"Thank you Peter," I mumbled in a strangled voice.
Maybe I was overreacting to it, but watching him disappear up the stairs with my panties, tights, and bras had my head spinning. Shit he was going upstairs!
I smiled at the boiler man, and as soon as his head went back into the cupboard I ran on my little bare feet to the hall. Pete was stood in my room still with my bundle of clothing in his arms.
"Just put my things on the bed please?" I asked quietly.
"Why are you so upset I thought it went well?"
His grinning face dropped, as he came to terms with the slap I had landed on his cheek. Slowly he looked down at my underwear that he was holding. Then it seemed to dawn on him.
"Christ I'm sorry Miss. I did it without thinking. I don't usually worry about it when I get the washing in at home."
So had I overreacted?
"Sorry Miss but I could see how embarrassed you were about him seeing your knickers; I only did it to help."
He looked so genuine I felt ashamed of myself for slapping him.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have hit you, you won't tell anyone, will you Pete?"
He took off my glasses and I felt him wipe a tear away from my eye. I felt so frightened at that moment, and so vulnerable, if he told anyone I had slapped his face I would lose my job. Also I wouldn't be able to see him again, and that meant more to me now than my stupid job. Like it or not I was falling in love with him. Silly or sick call it what you want, but hurting him was far worse than anything else I could imagine. Whether he could see it in my eyes as I looked up to him I wasn't sure. But his hands went round my quaking shoulders and he pulled me into a hug.
I just stood there sobbing quietly into his shirt. Then I felt his lips kiss the top of my head. Slowly I looked up to him, my quivering lips moved upwards to his. I could see he was parting his mouth slightly. He was going to respond.
"I've started the boiler lady!"
I pushed away from Pete. Was I thankful he had shouted up the stairs? No not really but it stopped me from making a big mistake didn't it?
I rushed out onto the landing hoping he wouldn't notice my red face.
"Leave the bill please," I said, trying to keep calm.
I went into the kitchen to check the pie. When I turned round Pete was sat at the table. I brushed my hair behind my ears and cut him a slice. I could see his eyes watching me. I felt nervous and just hoped he would say nothing. I put the pie down in front of him and smoothed my sweaty hands down over my skirt. I waited for him to respond hoping he liked it.
"Very good Miss," he said with a grin.
I breathed a sigh of relief and let myself smile, although it was a little nervous. I put a glass of orange down for him. Did apple pie and orange juice go together?
"I'd better go Miss."
I felt my heart sink a little. I wanted him to stay despite what had happened.
"Would you like to take some home, I mean I'm not going to eat all of that?"
I felt foolish even asking him. What would he tell his mother? I remembered that I was his teacher; I wasn't anything more even though deep in my heart I wanted to be.
The house felt empty when he went. Just the ticking of my mothers old clock reminded me of how desperately lonely I was. I went into my bedroom and looked at the pile of underwear on my bed, underwear that he had held, and not particularly sexy at that. Underwear that would probably amuse him more than turn him on, underwear that was functional if underwear can be? I started putting it in my drawers, next to the nightdresses that were designed to keep me warm at night. Nothing that I could slip into that anyone would find sexy. I didn't dress like someone in her 20s nor her 30s or 40s, if someone opened this drawer they would probably guess I was 50!
Saturday night I went out with Diane and a few of the girls. Yes I did go out but I was always the first to go home. 4 glasses of cheap wine and that was my limit. I knew they laughed at me a little, still I wouldn't end up with a hangover, or a man come to that!
Sunday I went to the park that backed onto my house. I sat reading a book under my favourite tree. Yes a romance novel, it was the closest I'd get to a relationship that didn't put me off men, or leave me feeling embarrassed.
"Hi Miss."
There he was looking down at me. I ran my fingers through my hair in some stupid hope I didn't look a fright.
"Hello Pete, what are you doing here?"
I didn't want to sound anxious but I knew I did. He sat down beside me and took a sip of my orange.
"I was out for a walk and I thought I'd come and see you. I remembered you told the class about this tree. You said everyone needed a special place to think and unwind."
I watched him pull his shirt off. There was that perfect chest again. With a strange formation of four moles, almost the same size and distance apart, in a sort of diamond shape. Before I knew it he had taken my book from me.
"A friend lent it to me, it's not really my sort of thing," I mumbled, trying to make excuses that just seemed to bury me in more embarrassment.
There we were looking into each other eyes again. He moved forward quickly, and then he stopped. I knew he was waiting for me to protest. I didn't I just sat there and felt my stomach turn up side down. My bottom lip had that uncontrollable quiver again. I just looked even deeper into his eyes. Then down to his cute nose, yes he had a cute nose, he had a cute everything.
I closed my eyes and whimpered. I was submitting to him, I was letting go. I just hoped he wasn't going to start laughing, or call all his mates out from hiding to mock me.
I whimpered again as his lips brushed mine. My hand was raised as a worthless token gesture that he shouldn't touch me. Every single inch of my body became a trembling, goose bump filled pile of mush! My hand slowly went onto his shoulder. I was frightened of touching him in case I made him jump and recoil. Then I heard him groan, a satisfied groan like he was enjoying kissing me!
I didn't want this kiss to end; it was slow and unhurried like the kiss in the stupid book I had been reading. I felt his tongue lightly brush my lips. I opened my mouth a little hoping this was what he wanted. I had kept my eyes closed all the time. Some say it is a sign of true love; I was just so scared I didn't want him to see my eyes. His hand was cradling my neck, just lightly pressing my soft auburn curls to my head. Every sense that I had was working overtime so as not to miss a single thing.
