Chapter 13

Surprise

The bell rang - the class was over so everyone started packing their stuff.

"Alright. That's it for today. Have a nice weekend," Maura dismissed the class, going at her desk.

"Jane Rizzoli, see me after class."

When I heard that, I looked at her, surprised. I packed my stuff and went at her desk after everyone else left the room. I had no idea what she wanted from me but I couldn't leave just like that after she called me. I wasn't in a mood to talk with her or anything else of the sort but I just had to - she was my teacher.

"Jane, would you come home after school? " she asked straightforwardly, making it seem so casual. "I want to see you and talk with you about something."

"You want to see me, Miss Isles? Then why don't you invite another student instead of me? After all I am just one of your students. Right? I could easily be replaced by another one. And I bet you wouldn't even see the difference."

"Jane, don't talk to me like that. I know you're hurt but you're hurting me," she said sullenly, pouting from disappointment of my words.

"Yeah, you're hurt but I am just peachy!"

"I thought that we can have a normal conversation," she said, going closer to me but I stepped back, going away from her. I didn't want to tempt myself by being close to her. I was having a hard time staying away from her and treating her that way but I had no other choice. She was clear the first time - she didn't want to go out with me. She didn't want me. I treated her so badly and I felt like the worst person in the whole world. But I was scorned and I just couldn't help it. Maybe the saying "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" was totally true because after she rejected me I started feeling really angry and hurt. And I just couldn't hold back my anger - that was an impossible task against my power.

"Does this have anything to do with the subject biology? You want to talk about something for school, Miss Isles? Or not?"

"Does it matter?" she asked, shaking her head disapprovingly. She obviously didn't approve of my behavior and the way I treated her but I just couldn't hold back my bitterness.

"Actually, it does." I answered her back.

"Alright. Then it has to do something with school."

"Are you sure?" I asked because she didn't sound convinced. I wasn't buying it. It was so obvious that she said it in spite of me.

"Yes, I am sure," she answered, scratching her neck. It was so obvious that she was lying. Perhaps she was the worst liar in the whole world. Judging from the way she behaved - her nervousness and the constant scratching - I could easily see why she was always so open and sincere. She was a terrible liar!

"Then whatever it is, you can tell me right here right now," I dared her. I liked seeing her so nervous. That was a first so I decided to take advantage of the situation.

"Jane, if you have any feelings left whatsoever, you will come home. You can go now, I don't want you to be late for your next period."

She concluded and started packing her stuff, not paying any further attention to me. I didn't know what to say. I just nodded and then I left the room without saying a word.

I didn't promise Maura anything but after all I decided to stop by at her house before my baseball practice. I had no idea what she wanted to talk about but I was sure about one thing - it had nothing to do with school. And yet there I was, standing before her threshold. I knocked at the door and she opened it really quickly. Judging from her surprised face maybe she didn't expect me to go there after all.

"Jane, you are here." Maura exclaimed, inviting me in her house.

"Nothing escapes you."

She smiled at my joke but I said it more from annoyance than to make her laugh.

"You wanted to talk with me and I am here..." I said, sitting on the couch, "so you can begin. And you'd better be quick because I have a baseball practice."

"Jane, what do you think about flowers and candles?" she began quickly with her question, and then she sat on the couch next to me. "And about romance at all?"

"Flowers are a waste of money and romance is dead. Why?"

Honestly, I was a bit annoyed at her. I still couldn't forgive her for her words. I didn't know what she was aiming for with her questions but I had to go to practice so I was in a hurry. And I wasn't in a mood for whatever she was trying to do with her questions.

"I thought that we will talk about biology or some homework. Something about school. Just like you said. Remember?"

"Alright, I see you're still mad at me," she noted, looking down nervously. "But would you get up from the couch and follow me?"

She said it so impatiently, getting up so quickly from the couch that it got me thinking about what she was up to. I was really curious to find out. She seemed really determined about something.

"Please," she added after she saw my surprised face.

"Why? Are you going to kill me?" I asked, getting up from the couch and I quickly followed her without further questions.

"Well, I just wanted to apologize," she began saying and opened the door to her bedroom. And in that moment I saw that the curtains covered the window, making the room dimmed. The only light was from the candles that were displayed on the drawer and all around the room. Her bedroom looked so beautiful. I immediately regretted for my words but it was too late.

Maura entered in the bedroom and out of nowhere she was holding a bouquet of flowers. And right after I followed her, getting in there I saw that the bed was covered with red rose petals displayed on the bed, making a heart-shaped object. I was just speechless by the view - it was breathtaking.

"I am so sorry, Jane," she apologized, giving me the flowers. I felt so bad for answering her question without much thinking. I didn't know she was asking me these questions for a reason.

"Wow, Maura! It's so nice in here," I said, looking around the room again. "And the flowers are really beautiful."

I didn't know what else to say. I was so surprised - I have never expected so much from her. No one have ever done such a romantic gesture for me. I felt really flattered and a bit embarrassed for my behavior earlier. It seemed so childish of me when I looked back. That was such a romantic and sweet surprise. The sweetest that one could think of.

"I am really sorry for my words and the way I rejected you, Jane. I didn't want to hurt you," she continued to apologize to me. "Can you forgive me?"

"Maura... I-I just... I don't know what to say. You left me speechless."

"Before you answer me I want you to hear me out first," she said. "We can sit on the bed and talk about it."

"And ruin the beautiful bed!? No. I'd rather stand here."

"Alright. Look, Jane... I think I owe you an explanation... I don't know what to say... and how to say it," she began, making small pauses, thinking for a few moments before she continued. "I was scared. I guess you were right... You just came out to your parents and then you invited me on a date and... everything happened so quickly. I thought you came out to your parents because of me and I just got cold feet. After all I am your teacher and I guess my behavior was inappropriate for a student-teacher relationship. In the moment you asked me out on a date I thought I must have mislead you with my behavior and I just couldn't forgive myself for acting so inappropriately. But you have to understand why I did it... I could lose my job. It seemed so wrong. And out of nowhere..."

Then she explained to me how bad she felt for misleading me, how much she liked me and how she tried to restrain herself because she was the adult and had to act like it. She told me about how insecure she felt and how confused she was during the whole time. She explained everything to me.

It took her a while to say everything she wanted to tell me. She was nervous I could tell - she was talking slowly, making pauses, thinking what to say and how to explain what she felt. I listened to her very carefully without saying anything - I didn't want to interrupt her. But I could understand her. She made me see her point of view, and the way she felt about the whole situation.

"So... I know I shouldn't have done that... but..." she stated in the end, looking a bit worriedly at me.

"Done what?" I asked, looking at her face.

"I shouldn't have fallen in love with you..."

When I heard that I looked at her surprised, thinking about it for a few moments. That confession definitely took me off guards. I didn't know what to do or say - I just stared at her with disbelieve.

"You mean... you... you're in love... in love with me?" I couldn't even make one sentence right.

She nodded her head.

"Does that mean that we are good? And that we are together? Or at least we could be? I mean...Yeah," I asked, dumbfounded by her confession.

"Yes, Jane," she confirmed. "I tried to stay away from you but I failed. You ended up hurt and I hurt myself, too. I understood that it was hopeless after all - I can't escape from my own feelings. And I don't have to do that."

"Oh, Maura. I am so happy," I smiled brightly, not know how to show her my happiness.

"We just have to be careful. You know, about the rumors at school. We have to act like nothing is happening between us."

"Yeah. Of course. I could pretend," I said trying to sound really convinced about it.

"Really?" she asked, getting closer to me. "You could pretend and act nonchalant about it even if I am standing like that?" she asked, standing just one tiny inch apart from me, making her point. I got nervous but I breathed out, trying to look cool. I really wanted to convince her that I could manage to do everything no matter what.

"Yep. Not a problem... " I said, trying hard not to blush after she leaned closer, scrutinizing my face as she was about to paint it. "At all..." I added, looking at her eyes.

"I see..." she nodded her head, smirking at me. "You're blushing."

"It's just hot in here... That's all," I justified myself, touching my burning cheeks.

"Do you need some water?" she asked me, staring at me intently. I just couldn't take my eyes off her beautiful face and that smirk on her mouth.

"No. Thank you," I answered her nervously as she gently moved a lock of hair behind my ear, lightly touching it. She wanted to kill me!

"Are you sure?" She titled her head and looked at me questionably. It was so obvious what she was trying to do. She was teasing me but I wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Yess..." I didn't mean to say it like that but my voice came out so raspy and needy.

"Since you're so absolutely sure about it... then okay." She said in such a casual tone but I couldn't miss the slight note of sarcasm in her voice.

"You wanna ruin the bed now?" she asked as she winked at me. She have never talked like that - she seemed so happy and playful. I have never seen her looking so giddy before but I really liked it.

"Is this a test?" I asked, nervously biting my lip.

"No, Jane. This is not a test," she answered me. "I am done with the teasing... I mean with testing. I was testing you, not teasing you."

"Yes. Of course," I said sarcastically, making her see how much I doubted her words.

She sat on the bed with a playful smirk, looking at me expectantly like she was waiting for something.

"I won't ask you twice, Jane" she warned me and I quickly went in bed with her.

"The bed is so beautiful!" I said, taking some rose petals in my hand, looking at them.

"And it's not just the bed," she added.

We were lying next to each other face to face, getting even closer after her compliment. She kissed me gently on the mouth, slowly and a bit tentatively, just testing the waters. And since she seemed to like it, she deepened the kiss, parting my lips with her tongue, invading my mouth. She reached out to caress my face, placing kisses all over my mouth. It was just a tease - a few light and quick kisses but I wanted more. So much more... I moved on top of her, straddling her as I leaned to kiss her. My kisses were more persistent and needy. I needed more of her. Now it was my time to tease her just like she did earlier. I kissed her lips passionately, going down her chin, kissing her neck. My kisses became more urgent more intense, I was kissing her neck with furious passion. I just couldn't restarting myself - she unleashed something in me with all the teasing and now I couldn't stop it. It felt so nice.

"Ohhh, Jane," she moaned and I felt the vibration between us too. Then it got me.

"Uhmm, I think that's my cell phone," I stated awkwardly and got up from the bed. Of course it was my mother. She knows how to ruin the moment!

"Jane, where are you? Are you still on practice?" My mother's voice was harsh and worried, sounding a bit nervous.

Shit! I totally forgot about my baseball practice. I missed it completely. I looked at the clock on my phone - it was too late.

"Yeah, Ma. But I am coming home soon," I quickly lied, staring to panic a little.

How could I forget?! I scolded myself for forgetting something so important. I quickly hang up on my mother and made an excuse but I just had to leave really quickly.

"You told me when you got here, Jane but I totally forgot. I am sorry that you missed your practice because of me," she apologized, standing at the door to show me out.

"Oh, don't worry, Maura. I will think of something," I told her, making sure that she wouldn't blame herself for my own mistake."I gotta go now," I said to Maura, waving goodbye and I quickly left her.

On my way to my house I called my baseball coach and told him that I was sick so I couldn't be on practice that day. I coughed a few times, making it more believable. I didn't want him to call my parents and ask them why I didn't go so I made up a reason, hoping that he wouldn't suspect anything and believe me.

After I got home my mother was waiting for me at the door.

"Jane, what happened? Why are you late?"

"I am just a few minutes late and you almost put out an APB for me."

"I was worried. Do you blame me?" she answered back. "You're late and yet you seem really happy about it... for some reason."

"Oh, I was on fire!" I said, still very excited that Maura and I were finally together. "Uhmm... I... I played really well so I am happy about it," I added, quickly thinking for a perfect reason. "That's what I mean."

"You're glowing," my mother noted, looking at me with such a curiosity. It was true - I was beaming.

"What can I tell you, I just love baseball."

"I am glad for you. Lately you seemed gloom and now you seem so happy. I was starting to worry about it but you look better now."

"Don't you worry. Be happy. Just like me - I am happy!" I said, smiling. I couldn't stop myself - it was impossible. All I could think about was Maura. I was in seventh heaven after her love confession.

AN:I didn't get much feedback on the previous chapter - I hope you're still interested in my story. Please let me know what you think about this one.