"Emma!" A voice greeted me as I shut the front door.

"Hey!" I answered.

A small figure appeared in the hall upstairs. "Manners Emma!"

"Good afternoon, mother," I sighed.

"How was your day?" I opened my mouth to answer but she continued without waiting for it. "Your lunch is in the oven. Your father is working at the office today and I have work to do here so you will have to have lunch on your own. I'm sorry; I promise tomorrow it will be different."

With that, she disappeared again. I sighed getting into the kitchen. It never was different. Empty promises were all I got from my parents. At first it had been different. They didn't have a job and all their attention would focus on me but after they got it, it was like if I didn't exist. Still, it is the best family I've had. There's no fights, no rapes, no empty alcohol bottles around the house. I'm old enough to leave, I'm 19 after all but where would I go?

I sigh dropping my bag pack in a chair and I take the plate out of the oven. Placing it on the kitchen counter I stare at it. It seems delicious but I'm not hungry. Picking my bag pack again, I decide to go to my room; I have a lot to think of.

With Paramore in my headphones, I think about what happened. How many days have passed since the first day of school? Two? It's crazy. I met Regina two days ago and yet she's almost all the time in my mind. Those curves, those lips… I just want her. But what does that mean?

I sigh leaning back in the rooftop. My parents hate when I come here but they never know; they are too busy to notice. I want her, yes but how? Sex? A relationship? I shake my head at the thought; I don't want a relationship with her, do I? I don't even know her!

Getting inside my room by the window, I see our maid opening the door. "You parents will kill you if they know you were in the rooftop again," she says with a Spanish accent obvious in her voice.

I smile and her and place a finger in my lips, "Hush, they don't have to know." She rolled her eyes and started picking clothes from the floor. "What's wrong?" she asks.

"Why has something to be wrong?" She stops to look at me, "When something is wrong you always go there. Besides, I can tell someone is in your mind these past days. So, boy or girl?"

I stare at her with wide eyes surprised by her effrontery but end up shaking my head. "Does it matter? It's impossible it happens anyways, she's just playing me," I shrug as I pick my bag pack from the wooden floor to place it on my desk.

"So it's a she. Why do you think it's impossible? Everything is possible."

"Believe me, it is," I drop on my bed with a long sigh. "She's older than me."

"That's not a problem. Love doesn't care about ages," she says as she throws a dirty shirt on the basket she had brought with her.

"No! It's not love, it's...," I don't finish the sentence realizing what I am telling her. I feel my face burning; I must be really blushed.

"Oh, that," she nodded and took a seat next to me. "Well, it doesn't matter either. I mean, it's legal and if you both want to…Have some fun!"

Staring at her incredulously I can't help but laugh. "Yeah, right but the thing is more complicated than that." She raises an eyebrow. "She's my teacher. And my Principal."

The maid opened her mouth trying something to say but closes it again. "Uhm, well…That's complicated yeah."

"But not just that!" Now that I started I can't stop myself, "There's more."

"More? Surprise me."

"She kissed me. Today. It's so confusing! In a moment she's staring at me like if she wanted to jump and kiss me and the other she ignores me. And always that smirk in her face…"

"Whoa, wait," she cut me off. "She kissed you? Then she wants you."

"I don't know! She does, doesn't she? See? It's confusing," I throw myself back until my back hit the mattress. "Well, as you're telling me she's completely teasing you," she stood and took the basket. "But I'll tell you one thing, Emma. Playing is fun but don't let her hurt you, okay? Be careful."

I sit back on the bed and smile at her lovingly. This is one of the reasons I am staying. In three years, she has been like a mother I never had; I can't leave her. Standing up, I hug her. "Gracias."

She returns the hug, "No sweat, girl." And with that she left she room leaving me alone with my thoughts.


The two longest lessons of my entire life. English and History were boring as hell. Now it's time for math, finally! The bell rings and 5 minutes pass by. This is weird.

Another 5 minutes and a teacher appeared in the room. "Principal Mills can't teach you today because she is in an important meeting at the moment. She let you have a free hour." The class burst into whistles, claps and cheers. We never have free hours. The old lady had to raise her voice to be heard over the students. "But she says it's only this time, don't get used to it. You can stay in the room or go out but remember to be quiet; other classes are having their lesson."

Almost everyone followed her, leaving the room, myself included. An important meeting? Really? What a timely coincidence. I head to the café as I decide to do some research now that I have time.


"Emma! What are you doing here? It's not the break yet." The voice of the brunette waitress got to my ears as soon as I pulled the glass door open.

I take a seat in the counter in front of where she is standing, "Hey Rubes. I'm good, glad you asked. How about you?"

"Sorry, it's weird to see you here so early. Skipping classes?" she asked as she put a bear claw and a glass of milkshake in front of me.

"I've got a free hour," I answer as I take a sip of the milkshake.

"You? Free hour? You never get free hours." Ruby looked at me suspicious from behind the counter.

"Well, we have a new teacher who happens to be the Principal. She had an important meeting so she let us out sooner."

"New teacher?"

"Yeah, maybe you've seen her. Black, short hair, red lips?" I ask casually.

"Oh! You're talking about Pretty face," she smiles. I can't help but laugh, "'Pretty face'? Really? That's her nickname?"

"What? Are you going to tell me she's not? She is hot!" She crossed her arms defensively.

I shrug while containing a smile. She is hot. "Do you know 'Pretty face' then?"

"Yeah. Busy woman, always the same order: tall skim latte with two pumps of vanilla, no sugar. She's asked about you."

I almost choke with the milkshake, "What?"

She nodded, "The other day, she came here in the evening. She was trying to sound uninterested but I know she actually was."

"What did she want to know?" I try not to look to desperate for her answer so I lean back on the chair.

"She asked how often you come here, what you like to order and what you like to do when you're here."

I can't believe what I'm hearing. "And what did you say?"

"The truth. You come here every break and some evenings too, you like milkshakes and bear claws are your weakness and you like books and playing chess."

I'm jaw dropped. She asked for me. She wanted to know things about me! What the hell? Ruby grins at me, "I've seen how you look at her, how you blushed yesterday. Control your hormones girl! I can see them from miles away."

I open my mouth to reply her but the sound of the door interrupts me. After the sound of the door closing, the distinct click on the floor that made my back stiffen.