AN: First time writing a high school story; haven't wanted to do it because there are so many "school" genre. However, I will do my best to try to write another good story for the readers; at least a unique one that stands out. Enjoy. (0_0)/ Itachi Black

MAKE ME SAY I LOVE YOU

CHAPTER 1: Ten Dollars and Fifty Cents

By: Itachi Black

The lighting was dark inside the bar which added a touch of elegance and mystique in the local bar. Soft music playing in the background allowed some of the few remaining guests to talk quietly without struggle. Ding. The clock stroke 11:00 PM sharp at that moment. Most people did not notice the insignificant sound as the adults continued to enjoy themselves leisurely.

Then a man, around the age of mid-thirties, came out of the kitchen while wearing a dirty white apron over his round, full belly. He had beads of sweat dripping from his broad forehead which he quickly wiped with the front of his apron. He looked over at the young man, who was wiping the counters, and shouted, "Jack! We are closing up soon and you have school tomorrow, don't you? It is going to be your first day. Get ready to pack."

The young man, a youthful age of eighteen, looked over his shoulders and smiled at his friendly boss. He said, "Of course, boss!"

Despite his broad grin, Jack felt exhausted as he worked since 4 PM. However, he would never utter a complaint because he needed this job as a bartender and a young chef along with his other jobs for financial reasons. He had all the remaining glasses and plates washed, dried, and then replaced to their original spots on the wooden shelf behind the black counter.

As he continued to clean up after the guests, he noticed a beige wallet and an IPhone at the edge of the counter. He looked around to see if anyone would claim it and then opened the wallet to search for an ID. He pulled out a driving license and took a look at the photo. There was a young woman, fair skinned and blond, with her hair tied up into a bun and her face lightly masked with make-up. She had a neutral expression in the photo, but even so she looked very beautiful. Once again, he looked around himself, if there was such a pretty young woman in the bar, he could easily find her.

He glanced at the driving license again. Her name was Elsa Agtharsdotter and if his calculation was correct, she was twenty five years old. From his observation, it was clear that she was no longer at the bar. He would keep it with him until the bar closed. So he continued cleaning up the rest of the restaurant. He mopped the floors quickly, took care of the customers, and then counted the revenue they successfully made today.

Once everything was taken care of, it was 12:15 AM. The boss set the security on and then locked up the place before he bid Jack a quick: "Goodnight Jack. Take care of yourself, you hear?"

Then Jack would respond, "Of course, sir."

He walked into the dark parking-lot and searched for his keys from his pocket. He frowned as he pulled out the wallet and the IPhone. He groaned loudly in the parking lot.

Damn, I forgot to lock it up in the lost-and-found. Fuck.

Then his stomach began to growl loudly and Jack looked at his stomach. He hadn't eaten anything except a small convenience store sandwich during lunch time. Across the road, at the corner, there was a 711, a small convenience store franchise, which was still open. Perhaps he could grab a small snack from there. He quickly shook his head. His rent fee for his apartment flat was due soon. Eight hundred and fifty dollars per month. He currently had approximately seven hundred dollars in his bank account and once he was paid from his jobs, he would be able to pay his fee. Then a week after the apartment rent payment was made, the bills for hydro, electro, and his phone bill would rush in one by one.

He couldn't buy a snack, at least not tonight. Then he pulled out the wallet that he found earlier and took another peak into its content. It had three twenty-dollar bills. Then his stomach grumbled angrily again and he looked at the brightly lit convenience store across the road. It wasn't his money, of course, but he did find it and he wanted to return it to its rightful owner... but, his stomach growled for the third time as he thought of food.

I did find it and I will return it. It wouldn't be so wrong to be recompensed for the deed, right? Yeah. Just a small snack.

Jack buttoned his jackets and crossed the street towards the 711 store. The door alarm dinged as he entered the convenience store and there was a middle-aged Indian lady standing by the counter, who was too busy finishing her crossword puzzle. So he went towards the back aisle where the drinks were located in the cold freezers. He pulled out a blue Monster energy drink and then loitered around looking for something to eat. Doritos? Pringles? Reese? Cornflake cereal?

At the front there were hot, ready-to-go sausages, chicken wings, meatball kabobs, and different types of pizza slices. He walked towards those and looked at them through the glass window. They all looked delicious. The lady looked up and asked him, "Which one would you like?"

He gulped as he watched the food rotate round and round. Then he pointed at the food he wanted to eat and then went to the cashier to purchase the food. With the energy drink and the two slices of cheese pizza, the lady responded, "Ten dollars and fifty cents."

Jack rummaged through his pocket and quickly pulled out a twenty dollar bill before he felt guilty for his action. The lady returned the change of eight dollars and fifty cents which he put back into the wallet. Then he stepped out of the store and pulled out the energy drink, popped it open, and guzzled it down. Then he took a bite into the hot pizza. It tasted so good, especially because he had been starving for hours.

When he returned to the parking lot, he noticed two women standing in front of the bar. Though it was dark and empty, the two of them were peering through the glass window. As he drew closer to where his vehicle, a black motorcycle, was parked, he realized that he recognized one of the women. She was fairly tall with her high heels and she had her golden hair flowing down her back. The other young woman, presumably her friend, was nearly the same in height. However, she had wavy black hair running down her back.

He approached them and politely said, "Excuse me, are you looking for your belongings?"

The two of them whirled around and Jack held his breath. They were both attractive, but the blond woman was extremely gorgeous, more so than her ID card photo. She had a voluptuous body. Her clothes were not necessarily crude or too revealing, but her black skirt made her legs longer like a models and her white blouse hugged the curves that every women should have. In addition, Jack noted that she didn't use too much make-up on her face; she had a natural pretty face.

Nevertheless, they looked surprised and Jack smiled to them. He said, "I work there as the bartender and I picked up your wallet and your cellphone."

The blacked hair women grinned back and exclaimed, "Wow! My goodness, how thoughtful of you! We have been looking all over for it. We were out celebrating my friend's success. She's starting her new job tomorrow."

He replied, "Yeah, it was on the counter."

He would have gone back to his motorcycle after giving the lady her belongings, but her friend brought her friend closer and said, "Hey, Elsa! You should thank the man! Hurry up and thank him!"

Elsa quickly stepped forward and slightly nodded her head as she said, "Thank you very much."

Jack replied, "Oh, no worries. It's nothing. I could tell it was you because you have a really pretty face..."

Shit, what am I saying, right now?

Perhaps, the lady was slightly drunk because a small blush appeared on her face. It was simply his assumption. Embarrassed, he quickly said, "I should get going now.."

To his surprise, the other woman grabbed his hand and flirtatiously said, "You can't leave yet! We should thank you by getting something to drink."

Jack could feel his temperature rising slightly by this woman's straightforwardness. It was a very unexpected move. So instead, he lowered his gaze onto the ground, but the friend continued, "Maybe with some wine or something. My name is Beth by the way."

Then he scratched the back of his head and replied, "Um... I actually can't. I am a student and school is starting tomorrow."

Beth cocked her head to the side and said, "University?"

Jack replied, "High school. I am underage."

He felt slightly bad as he watched the woman named Elsa covered her face with her hand in embarrassment while the woman named Beth looked absolutely shocked by the revelation. Beth stammered, "How old are you?"

He answered, "Eighteen."

So he turned his back and started to abandon the awkward situation until he heard a voice commandingly said, "Stop right there."

Fuck my life. I just got caught, didn't I?

A cold sweat went down his back and his heart thumped harder due to the intonation. Beth asked, "What is it, Elsa?"

Elsa said, "Ten dollars and fifty cents are missing. I had sixty dollars in my wallet. Now I only have forty-nine dollars and fifty cents."

Yup. I got caught... damn. Still...

Jack bowed his head and nearly shouted, "I am very sorry! I didn't realize that I would find the owner so quickly and I was really short on money and then I got really hungry. So I ended up using your money. I am very sorry!"

Beth smiled gently at the sight of the young man apologizing so earnestly and said, "So admirably honest... Elsa, let it go. He must have been really hungry and he found the things for you anyways."

Elsa crossed her arms and said, "No way."

Jack could feel his spirit sinking lower and lower as he listened to her say, "You could have asked for a reward, but what you did today was a crime. That isn't something a student should not be doing."

Crime...

Beth argued, "C-crime? It was only ten dollars and fifty cents! You could live without it."

Then a piece of paper was thrust into his sight. He raised his head and hesitantly said, "Ma'am?"

The woman didn't have a frown nor a frown, but then she said, "Repay me until tomorrow."

Despite her pretty face, she can be quite strict and stubborn...

He meekly replied, "Yes ma'am... um. I, uh, will be going home now."

As he treaded towards his motorcycle, he heard her also say, "I will consider it a loan." Then his shoulders slumped lower.

Beth watched him leave quickly on his motorcycle and then she turned to her friend, "Oh my God, and he found your stuff too. That might have been too harsh over ten dollars and fifty cents."

Despite of her friend's disapproval, she wouldn't budge on the issue. She crossed her arms and repeated, "The ten dollars and fifty cents are not the issue. Even five dollars is wrong a student. Students must be taught to be upright and honest."

Beth sighed and shook her head. She kept her eyes fixed on the shrinking figure of the man on his motorcycle. She smiled and said, "But that kid. Wasn't he kind of cute?"

Dumbfounded by her friend's remark, Elsa could only frown and demand, "Excuse me? How?"

Beth shrugged and sighed, "If he wasn't a high schooler, he would be perfect."

Elsa also sighed, stupefied, as her drunken friend continued, her cheeks still rosy, "His eyes were so full of love! And how he found the wallet, there aren't boys like that nowadays."

She could only snort and say, "You mean the furtive eyes of a guilty thief caught red-handed?"

Beth frowned and said, "I give it up. I can't believe we are friends sometimes." She watched Elsa stare at her blankly while she, herself, thought: anyhow, woman... that mouth of yours... it's a lot like a machine gun.

[PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL- STARTING DAY]

"Yoooo! Jack! We're in the same class again!" shouted a muscular blond boy.

Jack got up from his seat with a big grin on his face as he watched his best mate rush into class. "Hey, Kristoff!"

Then he got rid of his smile and sighed, "Same class again? I am so sick of seeing your face again this year."

Kristoff laughed loudly and said, "I wanna say the same thing dude."

They sat down next to each other and Jack murmured, "Seriously, since grade seven, for six consecutive years... we've been together in the same class."

Kristoff sighed dramatically and said, "Haha! You damn bastard. You should be grateful that someone as smart, caring, strong, and elite as I would hang around an average nobody like you."

He snorted by his friends comment and leaned back against the wall. Then the two guys heard a female voice excitedly say, "Hey, if it isn't Jack and Kristoff!"

They simultaneously said, "Anna? You too? Same class?"

Anna winked her eye and said, "Since the start to the end of high school."

Jack said, "It's been a while. Been well?"

She replied, "More or less. I've been busy. I have to avoid all the boys.

He shrugged and Kristoff laughed once more. Then Anna glowered at the two as she said, "Both of you may have been busy and popular, but seriously. How can you ignore me for the past three months? You guys are so inconsiderate."

Jack snorted this time.

Anna continued to flare, "Jack, you nobody, why are you so mean?!"

Jack smirked and said, "If you keep trying to hang out with us, you are never going to grow up and date a guy."

Then his cheeks felt enflamed as Anna hit him across the face as she argued, "You wanna mess with me, Jack?"

Jack rubbed his cheeks and said, "N-no. Just speaking my mind."

Then Kristoff stood from his seat and said, "Anna, you will just have to understand him."

She turned her head to see him as he continued, "Next to him for six years has been me. He has barely changed from the day I've met him. He just doesn't understand your womanly charm."

Jack frowned and muttered, "That is so wrong man," as Anna drew closer to him.

Kristoff huffed and shouted, "No, you idiots! Don't you know when I am joking around!"

He watched his best friend, Jack, and muttered, "Jack, for some reason, you are the biggest fool I know, but you have the most unusual luck with women."

Jack's brows furrowed and tilted his head as he stared blankly at his friend. "What the hell are you saying?"

Kristoff nodded his head and said, "Yup. I am absolutely right."

Then Anna butted in as she firmly said, "Girls in the same class, because they are in the same class are friends. And friends are friends, no matter what. Get it now?"

Jack sighed and said, "My friends are idiots too."

Then he got smacked in the head again as he then groaned and clutched the back of his head. Anna closed her eyes and remarked, "Well, don't get carried away with the girls. Make sure you draw the line."

Anna walked away from the boys and said, "Speaking of which, haven't you two heard the news? Our new homeroom teacher is apparently like a queen bee. I even heard the other adults talking about it at the office."

Jack and Kristoff, both interested, sat up more straight. Jack asked, "We have a female homeroom teacher this year?"

Anna answered, "Mhm. I heard she's really pretty. Some say she used to be a model. Our last teacher was too lenient with our grades, so he got kicked out. Now we got a stricter teacher."

Jack asked, "How do you even know if that's true?"

Other students joined in and said, "Yeah, I heard she was an heiress of a big company."

Another girl disagreed, "No, I heard she was a security officer."

Then a guy by the entrance of the classroom shouted, "Guys! The teacher is coming! Hurry sit down!"

Jack pressed himself down against his desk and whispered to himself, "Even being a hostess at a casino would make loads every year. If she's so pretty, why'd she be a teacher?"

Kristoff whispered back, "That's true... Maybe she's not so that pretty."

He replied, "Don't speak nonsense... we are talking hot on teacher terms. If she was really good looking she'd do something with her face and not be a poor teacher."

Then a hush fell over the classroom as all the female students' jaw dropped while the male students' eyes widened. There was even a blush on Kristoff's face and when Jack laid his eyes on her, he could have sworn that his heart stopped beating for a moment. His eyes locked with the new blond teacher's blue eyes.

That woman! She's my homeroom teacher?!

Although she looked attractive last night. Today she looked even better with her professional outfit and her hair tied into a ponytail. She said, "Pay attention now everyone. Starting today, I will be your homeroom teacher. My name is Ms. Agtharsdotter."

No way... it can't be her. Can she? The job her friend was talking about was this!?

He covered his head with his hands. This can't be happening.

Then he looked up and she finished her short introduction with, "I hope you will work hard with me. I plan on doing away with this lazy class atmosphere. I used to teach math at a public school so I will also be teaching math here."

Damn. This is really happening. The two-faced demon lady is my homeroom teacher.

It was finally break time and Jack remained rooted at his desk, his head embraced with his arms, and head low. His two friends approached him and Anna asked, "Are you alright?"

Kristoff noted, "It looks like you've seen a ghost."

Jack groaned a muffled utterance. Kristoff said, "What the hell are you saying dude?"

Jack look up with a very irritated look smeared over his face and he growled, "Our homeroom teacher! She's a psycho-hysterical control freak! Don't let her face fool you!"

Anna repeated, "Hysteria? How do you know?"

Kristoff asked, "Do you know each other man?"

Speaking of which... does she remember me...? She looked straight into my eyes earlier... I feel like bits of my life is getting grated away.

He left the classroom to go eat his lunch alone. He had to think of something about this horrendous twist of fate. He walked out to the courtyard during the lunch break. He brought a small milk carton and a slice of bread for lunch. He sat near the tennis court and sat on the grass as he gulped down his drink and quickly ate the bread.

With nobody around him, he shouted, "Damn it all!"

And here I was planning to pass my senior year peacefully... Why did she even have to come work at our school? Or better yet, why is she my homeroom teacher? This is insanity.

Then he thought about the new teacher... but she really does have a really pretty face.

There was a sudden pain from his stomach. Then it was getting more sharp. He looked at his milk carton and to his own shock, the milk had apparently gone sour several days ago. Next thing he knew, he was bolting towards the nearest washroom he could think of, which was located at the back of the school. He ran faster and faster as his stomach turned more uncomfortable. It was gurgling like an angry volcano.

Bathroom. Bathroom. One more second left to get there.

Then he saw the washroom's open door and rushed into it. He slammed open the cubicle and then he froze as his mind turned white as a sheet. There sat Ms. Elsa Agtharsdotter with her skirt and panties down to her knees. He couldn't stare at the woman's face, but his eyes remained on the underwear which was very lacy and presumably made out of black silk or cotton.

The next thing he noticed was her hands trembling and she called his name, "Jack, please close the door."

His face completely painted red like hers, quickly slammed the door shut and then he heard the lock click. Then it felt as if all of his blood was draining out of his body... JUST WHAT THE HELL DID I SEE?!

If you liked the first chapter, please leave a review and follow along. If it wasn't your cup of tea, well... thanks for reading! I admit that I am also a bit drained from writing this chapter (-/-)... Let's see how I last writing this story. -IB.