~Once and Again Series~
Now and Then
Chapter 5// Behind the shields
Grace waited as Mr. Dimitri gave his closing remarks for the day. He dismissed the class and Grace slowly put her books away. Once again, she waited until the room had cleared before standing up and going to him. He had his stuff all packed up and looked impatient. Grace could sense he just wanted to go sailing out the door, but he knew she wouldn't accept that. He knew Grace was going to make him talk to her one way or another.
"Grace?" Dimitri questioned. His fingers made a nice little tap- taptap-tap on his briefcase.
"Hi," Grace said uneasily, trying to at least sound confident.
Tap-taptap-tap. "Was there something I could help you with?"
"Don't act like that," Grace said sharply.
Tap-taptap-tap. "Like what?" His eyes were challenging her, daring her to bring it up, daring her to bring the past to the present. But, Grace didn't need to be dared, she was already all too eager to get him to talk about their past.
"Like nothing ever happened," Grace spat out at him.
Dimitri flinched slightly from the verbal spitball. He turned his head to the left, looking out the window at the clear blue sky and then to the right, looking out the doorway to the hallway. Then he turned back to Grace, "Grace.."
Grace nodded, finally she could hear some recognition of their past in his voice.
"I don't think this is the place, or the time," Mr. Dimitri said softly. His fingers went to make that tapping sound again and Grace sighed.
"Come on," Grace looked persistently at him, "I'm not a child anymore. You can talk to me.. WE can talk."
"Grace, you were never a child," Dimitri almost whispered. He looked down at his fidgeting hands and let out a soft laugh. They stood like that in silence for a few moments, and then he looked up again. There was a flicker of something Grace couldn't place in those chilling blue eyes. Grace knew there was probably a flicker of her own in her eyes.. a flicker of hope.
"So, can we just talk?" Grace asked.
Mr. Dimitri let out a heavy breath. "I really can't, Grace. I have a class to teach in another room a few minutes."
Grace nodded. So this was how it was going to be. "Fine. Fine."
"Grace, no," Dimitri paused, "We will talk, sometime. Okay?"
"Yeah, sure," Grace agreed, although the faint hope she had was quickly vanishing. She was nothing to this man. What they had obviously meant more to her than to him. Otherwise, why would he be acting so distant? Grace felt hurt, and it must have shown on her face, because soon Dimitri's face was clouded by guilt.
"Grace, I.. things are.." Mr. Dimitri tried to explain, but found he didn't know how.
"No, I get it," Grace said, although she didn't get it at all.
"We will talk, okay?" Dimitri pleaded, looking intently at her. Grace sighed and looked away. "Okay?" He moved closer to her when she didn't answer and put a hand lightly on her shoulder.
Grace felt the weight of his hand rest on her shoulder, but she continued looking the other way. She didn't want him to see the tears in her eyes. God knows he has seen her cry enough in the past. But she could still sense him so near her. His cologne (still the same one he wore two years ago) wafted up to her nose. It was a pleasant, comforting smell. Sweet and musky.. she had always liked the scent of it. The warmth of his hand seeped through her thin cotton shirt and warmed the skin underneath. Finally Grace turned back and looked at him. She had caught him off-guard, he hadn't expected her to turn so quickly, and she saw the look on his face before he had a chance to put up his shields.
Dimitri uncomfortably moved away and to the desk again. His eyes peeked at Grace, they were the guiltily-pleased eyes of a child who found delight in a stolen cookie from the cookie jar. But he quickly shut down that look again and replaced it with his distant teacher look. "I'll see you on Monday."
Grace smiled, delighted in the discovery she had made. Dimitri still had feelings for her. It was all in the look she had caught as he had his hand on her shoulder. "Weren't we going to talk?" Grace asked, before Dimitri could make his escape.
"Uh, yeah," Dimitri smiled uneasily, "Sometime. I'm very busy now with all new students and classes to teach. But, uh, sometime."
Grace watched him go and in the silence that he had left her with, Grace let out a delighted little giggle and then giggled at herself for giggling. Things were going good.
* * *
"Ready?"
"Yeah," Jessie shrugged and Grace heard the nervousness in her voice.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine." Grace handed Jessie the keys.
"Are you sure you want me to drive your car?" Jessie questioned. "I'm sure Lily or my dad would let me drive their car."
"My car is the smallest. Smaller cars are easier to handle when backing up," Grace said reassuringly. "Come on, you can do it. Quit stalling."
Jessie smiled and started up Grace's Honda. They were in the high school's empty parking lot. Everyone was gone for the day. Grace called out instructions as Jessie began maneuvering unsurely around the parking lot. Jessie wasn't as bad as she claimed to be, and after twenty minutes Jessie was driving much better.
"Okay," Grace said as Jessie pulled the car into a parking spot and parked. "You did good."
"I did, didn't I?" Jessie agreed. She clapped her hands together excitedly, "I just might get my license someday!"
Grace laughed, "Yup. When it gets close to your test date, I'll take you driving down the roads the DMV usually makes you drive. There are some tricky spots that you have to watch out for."
"Like what?"
"Uncontrolled intersections - if there aren't any stops or yield signs, than you still have to yield. And they make you go past the elementary school and there you have to drive 15mph. Stuff like that."
Jessie's nervous look was coming back. Grace laughed, "Don't worry about it! By the time of your test, you'll be a pro."
Jessie shrugged, "I guess. But thanks for doing this for me, Grace."
Grace nodded, "Anytime."
* * *
"How did it go?" Lily asked as they entered the house again.
"Good," Grace provided when Jessie didn't answer. Grace looked to Jessie, "Tell her."
Jessie lifted her head and smiled and held up Grace's keys, "I drove all the way home."
Lily raised her eyebrows, "Really?"
Jessie handed Grace her keys, "Yup. Grace says I'm a good driver."
"She is," Grace confirmed, taking a seat at the island stools. "Without Rick yelling at her out of his own nervousness.." Grace trailed off as Rick entered the room.
"I do that?" Rick teased. He gave his wife a kiss on the cheek and turned to Jessie. "How did it go?"
"Good!" Jessie said and told her father about driving all the way home from the parking lot. Eventually the conversation drifting from driving to school. Jessie talked about her classes and when Lily began asking Grace about her classes, Grace didn't stop to think about what she was saying.
"What's your English class like? English has always been your best subject," Her mother said proudly.
"It's good. Mr. Dimitri is having us write a lot, and read a lot, but.." Grace stopped as a look of bewilderment came over her mother's face. A similar look was on Rick's face and a dulled down version on Jessie's. "What?"
"It sounded like you said 'Mr. Dimitri'?" Lily asked in confusion.
"Oh," Grace realized her mistake. She silently cursed herself for forgetting and letting his name slip out.
"It can't be the same Mr. Dimitri that.. that teached at the high school?" Her mother phrased the question carefully. Grace knew she was biting her lip to keep from saying the Mr. Dimitri that tried to seduce you or something like that.
"Uh," Grace's inner demon was telling her to lie, to say it was a different Mr. Dimitri, but Grace found herself unable to make the lie come out of her mouth. "Yeah, it actually is." The looks of bewilderment turned to outright shock. "Funny, huh?" Grace said without a trace of humor in her voice. More silent curses to herself in her head.
"Grace.." Her mother began and Grace knew she was in for it.
* * *
Now and Then
Chapter 5// Behind the shields
Grace waited as Mr. Dimitri gave his closing remarks for the day. He dismissed the class and Grace slowly put her books away. Once again, she waited until the room had cleared before standing up and going to him. He had his stuff all packed up and looked impatient. Grace could sense he just wanted to go sailing out the door, but he knew she wouldn't accept that. He knew Grace was going to make him talk to her one way or another.
"Grace?" Dimitri questioned. His fingers made a nice little tap- taptap-tap on his briefcase.
"Hi," Grace said uneasily, trying to at least sound confident.
Tap-taptap-tap. "Was there something I could help you with?"
"Don't act like that," Grace said sharply.
Tap-taptap-tap. "Like what?" His eyes were challenging her, daring her to bring it up, daring her to bring the past to the present. But, Grace didn't need to be dared, she was already all too eager to get him to talk about their past.
"Like nothing ever happened," Grace spat out at him.
Dimitri flinched slightly from the verbal spitball. He turned his head to the left, looking out the window at the clear blue sky and then to the right, looking out the doorway to the hallway. Then he turned back to Grace, "Grace.."
Grace nodded, finally she could hear some recognition of their past in his voice.
"I don't think this is the place, or the time," Mr. Dimitri said softly. His fingers went to make that tapping sound again and Grace sighed.
"Come on," Grace looked persistently at him, "I'm not a child anymore. You can talk to me.. WE can talk."
"Grace, you were never a child," Dimitri almost whispered. He looked down at his fidgeting hands and let out a soft laugh. They stood like that in silence for a few moments, and then he looked up again. There was a flicker of something Grace couldn't place in those chilling blue eyes. Grace knew there was probably a flicker of her own in her eyes.. a flicker of hope.
"So, can we just talk?" Grace asked.
Mr. Dimitri let out a heavy breath. "I really can't, Grace. I have a class to teach in another room a few minutes."
Grace nodded. So this was how it was going to be. "Fine. Fine."
"Grace, no," Dimitri paused, "We will talk, sometime. Okay?"
"Yeah, sure," Grace agreed, although the faint hope she had was quickly vanishing. She was nothing to this man. What they had obviously meant more to her than to him. Otherwise, why would he be acting so distant? Grace felt hurt, and it must have shown on her face, because soon Dimitri's face was clouded by guilt.
"Grace, I.. things are.." Mr. Dimitri tried to explain, but found he didn't know how.
"No, I get it," Grace said, although she didn't get it at all.
"We will talk, okay?" Dimitri pleaded, looking intently at her. Grace sighed and looked away. "Okay?" He moved closer to her when she didn't answer and put a hand lightly on her shoulder.
Grace felt the weight of his hand rest on her shoulder, but she continued looking the other way. She didn't want him to see the tears in her eyes. God knows he has seen her cry enough in the past. But she could still sense him so near her. His cologne (still the same one he wore two years ago) wafted up to her nose. It was a pleasant, comforting smell. Sweet and musky.. she had always liked the scent of it. The warmth of his hand seeped through her thin cotton shirt and warmed the skin underneath. Finally Grace turned back and looked at him. She had caught him off-guard, he hadn't expected her to turn so quickly, and she saw the look on his face before he had a chance to put up his shields.
Dimitri uncomfortably moved away and to the desk again. His eyes peeked at Grace, they were the guiltily-pleased eyes of a child who found delight in a stolen cookie from the cookie jar. But he quickly shut down that look again and replaced it with his distant teacher look. "I'll see you on Monday."
Grace smiled, delighted in the discovery she had made. Dimitri still had feelings for her. It was all in the look she had caught as he had his hand on her shoulder. "Weren't we going to talk?" Grace asked, before Dimitri could make his escape.
"Uh, yeah," Dimitri smiled uneasily, "Sometime. I'm very busy now with all new students and classes to teach. But, uh, sometime."
Grace watched him go and in the silence that he had left her with, Grace let out a delighted little giggle and then giggled at herself for giggling. Things were going good.
* * *
"Ready?"
"Yeah," Jessie shrugged and Grace heard the nervousness in her voice.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine." Grace handed Jessie the keys.
"Are you sure you want me to drive your car?" Jessie questioned. "I'm sure Lily or my dad would let me drive their car."
"My car is the smallest. Smaller cars are easier to handle when backing up," Grace said reassuringly. "Come on, you can do it. Quit stalling."
Jessie smiled and started up Grace's Honda. They were in the high school's empty parking lot. Everyone was gone for the day. Grace called out instructions as Jessie began maneuvering unsurely around the parking lot. Jessie wasn't as bad as she claimed to be, and after twenty minutes Jessie was driving much better.
"Okay," Grace said as Jessie pulled the car into a parking spot and parked. "You did good."
"I did, didn't I?" Jessie agreed. She clapped her hands together excitedly, "I just might get my license someday!"
Grace laughed, "Yup. When it gets close to your test date, I'll take you driving down the roads the DMV usually makes you drive. There are some tricky spots that you have to watch out for."
"Like what?"
"Uncontrolled intersections - if there aren't any stops or yield signs, than you still have to yield. And they make you go past the elementary school and there you have to drive 15mph. Stuff like that."
Jessie's nervous look was coming back. Grace laughed, "Don't worry about it! By the time of your test, you'll be a pro."
Jessie shrugged, "I guess. But thanks for doing this for me, Grace."
Grace nodded, "Anytime."
* * *
"How did it go?" Lily asked as they entered the house again.
"Good," Grace provided when Jessie didn't answer. Grace looked to Jessie, "Tell her."
Jessie lifted her head and smiled and held up Grace's keys, "I drove all the way home."
Lily raised her eyebrows, "Really?"
Jessie handed Grace her keys, "Yup. Grace says I'm a good driver."
"She is," Grace confirmed, taking a seat at the island stools. "Without Rick yelling at her out of his own nervousness.." Grace trailed off as Rick entered the room.
"I do that?" Rick teased. He gave his wife a kiss on the cheek and turned to Jessie. "How did it go?"
"Good!" Jessie said and told her father about driving all the way home from the parking lot. Eventually the conversation drifting from driving to school. Jessie talked about her classes and when Lily began asking Grace about her classes, Grace didn't stop to think about what she was saying.
"What's your English class like? English has always been your best subject," Her mother said proudly.
"It's good. Mr. Dimitri is having us write a lot, and read a lot, but.." Grace stopped as a look of bewilderment came over her mother's face. A similar look was on Rick's face and a dulled down version on Jessie's. "What?"
"It sounded like you said 'Mr. Dimitri'?" Lily asked in confusion.
"Oh," Grace realized her mistake. She silently cursed herself for forgetting and letting his name slip out.
"It can't be the same Mr. Dimitri that.. that teached at the high school?" Her mother phrased the question carefully. Grace knew she was biting her lip to keep from saying the Mr. Dimitri that tried to seduce you or something like that.
"Uh," Grace's inner demon was telling her to lie, to say it was a different Mr. Dimitri, but Grace found herself unable to make the lie come out of her mouth. "Yeah, it actually is." The looks of bewilderment turned to outright shock. "Funny, huh?" Grace said without a trace of humor in her voice. More silent curses to herself in her head.
"Grace.." Her mother began and Grace knew she was in for it.
* * *