Chapter 1: THE BAR
Rey had had a hard day. Her students were exhausting! The first week of school is always exhausting. This new batch of 5th graders were going to be quite a crew. She could just tell. She figured since she was in her 3rd year of teaching, it would get easier. Boy, was she wrong. Some years you got hit hard, this was her year for a heavy group! She needed to grab a drink and unwind. Her and her coworker Rose decided to hit up The Resistance, a bar just out of their town. They'd hate to run into parents while drinking.
"This year might be one for the books," sighed Rey.
"Tell me about it. My class was banasa today," replied Rose. They both looked up as they heard the dinging bell on the door. This was a quiet bar, always relatively intimate, so when someone walked in, everybody looked.
"OH MY GOD, check it out!" squealed Rose. Rey looked up in shock.
"This is the only thing worse than running into a parent!" Rey said back, exhaustion in her voice. It was their principal, Ms. Organa. "What do we do? Do we say hi? Who is she with?" Rey asked rapid fire.
"I don't know! I don't know! I don't know!" answered Rose in rapid succession. Ms. Organa did not notice them yet and so they decided they would pretend they didn't notice her either. However, they did notice the man she entered the bar with. He was tall and brooding. His dark long hair was slightly curly and flowed perfectly framing his face. He had a mysterious scar that ran the length on his face on the right side. He wore all black. Rey was stunned by him. She tried to keep her focus on Rose, but had a difficult time.
"Rey? Reeey? REY?" she heard Rose bring her back down to earth. "Do you think it could be her boyfriend?"
"No way, he must be 32, 33. She's like 60. It CAN'T be her boyfriend. No way," stammered Rey in reply.
"Who are you trying to convince, Rey," Rose said with a smirk.
"Ha, ha. Let's get another drink and then try to sneak out quietly. I'll get this round," Rey said as she walked to the bar. "I'll take a house white and a whisky on the rocks," she said to the bartender. She dug through her purse to find some cash, placed it on the bar and turned to walk back to Rose. However, as she turned around, not paying much attention, she turned directly into whomever was behind her at the bar, spilling both of her drinks on this unfortunate patron. "SHIT! I'm so sorry!" was all she could manage to yell.
After a LONG pause and a gasp from the culprit, she looked up to see the mysterious man that accompanied Ms. Organa into the bar. At this point, everyone in the bar was staring at her, including her principal and Rose, with disbelief on her face. "I'm so so so so sorry!" she said again, grabbing napkins from the bar to help dry him off. She started to pat him with the napkins but he recoiled at her touch. She was surprised that this offended her.
"I can do it," she heard a deep voice say. She was enamored by the depth of his voice and how much it turned her on. He wasn't smiling, but he also didn't seem mad. He took the napkins from her and she went to grab more.
"I'll totally pay for your dry cleaning or whatever you need!" she said again, this time simply handing him the napkins so he wouldn't recoil again.
"No really, I'm fine," she heard the sexy voice say. That was the moment that Ms. Organa approached the situation.
"Ben, dear, are you ok? Rey. Is that you?" she heard the woman say. Rey wanted to crawl into a corner and never come out.
"Yes, it is, Ms. Organa I'm so sorry I spilled my drinks all over your..your..your.." she stammered, not knowing how to finish the sentence.
"My son. Benjamin, are you ok? He's fine I'm sure," replied Ms. Organa.
"Your son," Rey replied, relief in her voice.
"Mom, I can handle this, I'm fine," said Ben, looking at his mother with conflict in his eyes. The conversation came to an uncomfortable silence. Rey finally broke it.
"Well I better get going. I'm so sorry Ms. Organa, Ben," and she grabbed Rose and hustled out the door.
