"One of the most divisive and important events in American history, the Civil War, also called the War Between the States, pitted countrymen against countrymen in the new and developing republic of the United States of America."

I sat with my head leaned into the palm of my hand watching Ms. Roberts pace up and down the rows of desks. We were fifteen minutes into class and so far I had had a particularly rough time focusing on anything other than the shape of her soft, pink lips and the way her sundress hugged so perfectly at the curve of her hips. Sick fuckin' puppy.

"Among the many issues at stake were the role of central government, state's rights, slavery, and the fate of the Union itself, which had borne our fledgling nation through the American Revolutionary war and the War of 1812."

"Hey, shithead." Ricky Parker booted my ankle, startling me from my daydream. "You holdin' today?"

"Man, when ya gon' learn that you got a better chance of getting' somethin' outta me when you don't act like a fuckin' asshole?" I narrowed my eyes at him, annoyed.

"When are you gonna learn that I can treat you any way I want as long as I've got money?"

What a fuckin' tool.

"I got $65 in my pocket with your name on it. So...you holdin'?"

I rolled my cerulean blue eyes at him for the hundredth time this semester and sighed with frustration. Much as I hated his privileged ass I sure could use the money. I wanted to pay Jimmy's folks as much as I could afford for bein' good people and lettin' me stay at their place for an indefinite period of time. They hadn't brought it up, but I'd feel like a total loser if I didn't at least give 'em somethin'. Plus, that Tom Petty concert...

"Fine." I breathed. "I'll meet ya in the school parking lot after class."

"Red Mustang. I'll wait. Don't be late."

I snorted. Fuckin' typical.

.::.

I stuffed my textbook into my book-bag and waited a moment for the classroom to empty itself out-my routine for the past couple days.

Ms. Roberts shot me a sultry smile and leaned her bottom against her desk with her arms folded across her stomach.

I inched up on her, adjusting my bag on my shoulder. "I, uh, I can't stay today. Got some stuff I gotta do."

My gaze lowered to her lips for the umpteenth time today but I made sure to maintain focus.

"Better get going then." She replied simply.

She stood still as I closed in on her until we stood only an inch apart. The tension was overwhelming. I could feel it in my veins, my nerves, even in my muscles-how badly I wanted to taste her again.

I watched her struggle with her own self-control, taking deep, heavy breaths until she finally broke eye contact and stared down at her feet.

I chewed my lip as my heart continued to pound in my chest. "I'll see ya, then."

.::.

"Where's the rest of it?" Ricky asked after taking the baggie off the miniature scale.

We were sitting in his car in the very back of the slightly crowded school parking lot. "What ya mean rest of it?" I furrowed my brow. "You gave me $65. I gave you an eighth."

"Yeah, but, I mean, my other guy throws in a little extra."

"I ain't yer other guy. You get what you pay for. Besides, this is one of the best strains in Atlanta. Should'a charged yer ass more if ya wanna get technical."

He looked at me as if I were speaking a different language and I shot him a look of bewilderment. "What?" I barely raised my hands in the air.

"Just get out of my fuckin' car, man. I gotta go pick up my grandma."

I snorted, stifling my laughter, and did just as he asked. I had barely closed the door before he peeled out of the parking lot.

"Dumb sum'bitch. Hope ya get yer ass pulled over." I shook my head.

.::.

It was particularly warm outside this afternoon and I wiped a light layer of sweat from my brow as I made my way out of the parking lot. School was a good twenty minute walk away from Jimmy's, which I didn't really mind. He took the bus, himself, so I always showed up a little earlier than he did and would wait on the porch 'till he got there to unlock the door.

I had been walking for close to ten minutes on a back road when I heard a car slow down next to me. I looked up from my feet and immediately noticed it was Ms. Roberts in her red '94 Mazda Miata.

"Want a ride, Mr. Dixon?"

I smiled. "Uh...yeah, sure." I shrugged my shoulders and made my way around her car, slung my book-bag in the floorboard and hopped in.

I glanced over at her as I fastened my seat-belt and she was smiling back at me. She had taken her hair down since I had seen her half-an-hour ago and it was slightly wind-blown from driving with the windows down.

"Where do you live?"

"Off Pembroke. Not far from you."

She nodded and lightly pressed her foot on the gas pedal. Off we went.

We spent the next few minutes of the drive in total silence, listening to some song by No Doubt on the radio. I pointed at Jimmy's driveway and seconds later I found myself parked near the front door. I looked around to find that no one was home.

She put the car in park and we sat quietly for a moment.

"You ready for that test tomorrow?" She asked.

Shit. I didn't even know there was a test. "Uh...yeah." I tried my best to sound convincing but failed miserably.

She laughed, to my surprise. "Mm-hm. You forgot didn't you?"

I chewed my thumbnail and tried to hide a smile.

"It's a big test, Mr. Dixon. You really should try and study for it."

Without thinking, I leaned into her and cupped her face in the roughness of my palms. "How 'bout you shut the fuck up about school." I whispered before pressing my lips into hers.

I could taste a faint hint of cherry lip balm as I slid my tongue into her mouth. She moaned instantaneously, and it sent shock-waves throughout every vein in my body. I felt like I was on fire.

I struggled to unfasten my seat-belt, never breaking the kiss, until finally I heard the click. I leaned in closer to her, moving my lips from her mouth to that damn tantalizing freckle just above her collarbone.

I heard her whimper with passion and I could feel my jeans tighten almost instantly. She ran the tips of her fingernails through my scalp and I thought I would explode right then and there. I could taste the saltiness of her soft skin and smell the dab of perfume she had sprayed earlier on in the day. My heart was racing.

Suddenly, though, she pushed me away. We were both out of breath, staring pensively at one another. I licked my lips-savoring the taste.

"This is so bad." She sighed, running her small hands through her hair in a desperate attempt to soothe her mind.

"You ain't never done nothin' bad before?" I asked, leaning my arm against the door.

"Not like this."

"Yeah, well that makes two of us."

Suddenly, the screech of a stopping school bus interrupted the awkward silence in the car.

"Shit." She panicked, biting her lip.

"It's alright. Jus my buddy." I rubbed her knuckle in an attempt to ease her but she pulled away very quickly just as Jimmy appeared at the passenger window.

I rolled my window down and he poked his head in, greeting us with a gawky smile. "What's up, guy?"

"Hey, uh, Ms. Roberts just gave me a ride home."

He glanced at her, shooting her a friendly smile even though I could tell his brain was about to explode all over the driveway.

"Hey, Ms. Roberts. You, uh, prolly don't remember me. I helped you pick up some papers once. Jimmy DeScanta."

Her eyes widened along with a smile. "Yeah, I do. How are you?"

"Good." He nodded. "Ready for the weekend."

"You and me both." She replied.

The three of us kept quiet for a few seconds before she breathed a deep sigh. "Well, Dar-Mr. Dixon, I should get home."

Jimmy took this as a cue to wave her goodbye and soon disappeared into the house after fumbling with his key for a brief moment.

I nodded my head and grabbed my book-bag from the floor board. I opened the car door and turned my body to step out, but stopped short. "Listen," I turned to face her once again. "I know this is crazy. I know this don't make sense..." I hesitated, studying the look on her face. Her eyes were doing that thing. Staring at me desperately as if she were begging me to swallow her whole. God knows I fuckin' wanna. "...But I really don't want it to stop."

She bit her lip and I saw the faint hint of a smile, but she said nothing.

"Do you?" I asked.

"No." She whispered.

We stared at each other intently for a brief moment in an honest attempt to soothe each other's minds. It worked, and she flashed me a sweet smile. All is right with the world.

"Don't you dare forget to study."