An alarm was beeping. Max groaned as she instinctively reached for where she put her phone. Finding a smooth table top, Max finally cracked open an eye. Her bag was beeping. She tossed back her blanket before clambering out of bed. Stretching, she felt her back crack wonderfully. Then she strode across the room. Her bag was sitting on her sofa, where she had left it yesterday. She fished out her phone and turned off the alarm. 7:00AM.

That was the best sleep I've had in, like, eons.

Max rubbed her eyes, her hand coming back with makeup on it. For a moment, she was confused. Max never went to sleep with makeup still on. Why had she last night? She thought back and remembered meeting Mr. Jefferson. They had gone up to a cliff for a while, and then… she had fallen asleep in the car.

Then how did I get in bed?

The most obvious answer was that Mr. Jefferson brought her back. But he would have had to carry her from the parking lot, into the dorm, into her room, and tucked her into bed. But wouldn't that have been too dangerous? But then again, Mr. Jefferson had said that they wouldn't be caught. And he had said it with such confidence.

It sounded like he had done it before.

Her blood iced. Immediately, she pushed that thought away. Mr. Jefferson wasn't like that. Grabbing her shower caddy and towel, she headed down the hall. A nice shower would help her clear her head. Stepping out of her room, she looked to see Kate emerging from her room as well. Max smiled, offering a silent wave. The walls were too thin for them to start conversing without others possibly overhearing. Waving back, Kate fell in step with Max as they walked to the bathroom. Max walked in first, heading to her preferred shower as Kate stationed herself at the closest sink.

As Max turned on the shower, Kate asked, "Hey, Max? I found this little tea shop in Arcadia Bay. I was wondering if maybe you would like to go there after school?" She didn't look at Max after asking.

The invitation seemed so sudden that it was actually startling. Balking, Max remembered herself. She smiled sweetly. It was so nice for Kate to think of her. And on a day like today, she could really use the distraction. "Yeah, Kate, that sounds like fun. And I love tea "

"I have some classroom assistant duties today, but I should be done by 4:30 latest. Let's meet by the fountain. We can take the bus into town," Kate replied, visibly perking up.

"I'll see you there!"

With that, Max jumped into the shower. Kate was so sweet to think of her. It gave her something to look forward to today. Something to take her mind off the adventures last night. Adventures that resurfaced in her mind the moment her thoughts whispered over them. She could remember the way that Mr. Jefferson's face was cast in shadows. How low and calm his voice was. How his hands felt in her hair… on her own hands. For the first time, she was grateful that it was Friday. It was the only day of the week where she didn't have Mr. Jefferson's class. She felt that she would be too awkward around him otherwise. And she would have too many questions as well. Questions that she couldn't ask, not in a school setting. After all, she didn't want to get Mr. Jefferson in trouble. And it was clear he wouldn't have tried anything with her.

You really need to stop thinking.

Max found that that was easier to think than do. All day, her mind drifted back to Mr. Jefferson. It was worse than ever before. Not an hour passed without her thinking about him in some way, shape, or form. Classes were almost impossible for her to focus upon. Luckily, most of her teachers either didn't notice or didn't call her out on it. She purposefully avoided his classroom, not wanting to even see him. She didn't need to add any fuel to the fire.

The day finally came to a close, and Max sat down on the fountain. She supposed she could go back to her room for the time being, but she didn't feel like it. Being inside would simply allow her to think more, which is the opposite of what she wanted. Then she saw the last person she wanted to meet. Mr. Jefferson emerged from the school with Kate next to him. Flustered, Max searched for something - anything - else to do. Her camera became incredibly interesting at that moment, and she fumbled about with it to keep her eyes low. However, she could still see them approaching her in her peripheral. Quietly, she begged for them to stop or turn or not notice he there. But all of these prayers were ignored.

"Hey, Max!" Kate called out.

Sheepishly, Max looked up. "Hey, Kate. I thought you were going to be busy."

"Mr. Jefferson gave me today off when he found out we were going to have tea together," Kate responded.

Mr. Jefferson offered his usual dashing smile. "There was nothing that couldn't wait until Monday in any case. Besides, the weekends are meant to be enjoyed."

"We should get going then," Max said, standing up. Her mind churned with all of the questions she wanted to ask. Her curiosity wouldn't stagnate. But Kate was right there, and Max needed to act natural.

Nodding, Kate said, "Yeah, we should. Thanks, Mr. Jefferson."

"You girls have fun. But don't forget to get some sleep," Mr. Jefferson stated, looking purposefully at Max for the last sentence.

"Bye, Mr. Jefferson," Max managed meekly. She then started towards the bus stop with Kate following close behind. After a moment, she realized that her actions might have been a bit strange. She searched for a topic to distract Kate. "It was nice of him to let you go early like that."

"Yeah." Kate smiled, although it was bittersweet in nature.

Concerned, Max pressed, "Is everything alright?"

Kate glanced around, causing Max to do the same. Only the skaters were close enough to overhear anything, and they were too engaged with their skateboards to care. "Honestly, I think he did it more for you than he did for me. I think he's trying to make up for the incident yesterday."

"Incident yesterday?" Max echoed, slightly panicked. What exactly had Mr. Jefferson told Kate?

Kate nodded. "Yeah. I think he felt guilty for what happened with Victoria yesterday."

Max shrugged in an effort to seem nonchalant. "I see," was all she managed to say.

Smooth, Max Bond.

"You should have seen Victoria's face when he refused her entry, though," Kate continued, her voice just as quiet as before.

Interest now piqued, Max belatedly recalled that she wasn't supposed to know as much. She innocently queried, "He refused her entry?"

"Yeah. He told her that if that entry won, it would basically invalidate her winning at all because she used the judge as her everyday hero," Kate explained. Her eyes flickered, and Max turned to find the bus was just a block away from them now. "I'll tell you more in a minute."

The bus stopped for them, and Max filed on with Kate. The buses in Arcadia Bay were never packed, but they ran consistently thanks to the support of the town and academy. There were two passengers already on this bus. One was a little old black lady, knitting in her lap and yarn pooling at her side. A younger woman with fiery red hair dressed in business casual attire sat not too far away from her. Immediately, Max walked to the back of the bus, making sure to shy away from the other passengers.

Once Kate sat down next to her, Max pressed, "So then what?"

"Victoria was furious but pretended to be understanding in front of Mr. Jefferson. But she basically told anyone who would listen that she was sure your 'melodramatic' reaction to her photo was what disqualified it," Kate said. Max frowned. "Her words, Max. Not mine. It is not my place to judge you or your reactions to the accident."

Max quickly clarified, "I'm not upset with you. Yesterday just… wasn't a good day for me."

"Or for Mr. Jefferson," Kate added softly, almost as if she was speaking to herself.

"What do you mean?" Max asked. Kate shuffled a bit uncomfortably, and Max averted her eyes, hoping it would make Kate feel a bit calmer. "Kate, you know me. I won't tell anybody."

"Mr. Jefferson acted pretty weird after you left," Kate finally said. Her voice was hesitant, as if her words were glass that would break if used too roughly. "It was like he couldn't concentrate on the class. He kept looking at the door... like he was waiting for you to come back."

Max felt a sting of guilt. Of course, Mr. Jefferson couldn't have known that she went straight back to her room. He wasn't aware that she wasn't coming back. He had been waiting for her. And it sounded like the class somewhat suffered for it.

I wonder if that's why he was working so late, too.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Max. Mr. Jefferson's just a really caring guy. I'm sure seeing you were alright today was enough," Kate comforted, clearly misunderstanding Max's silence. She then straightened up. "We're the next stop."

"Ever been to this place before?" Max inquired. She wanted to change the subject as quickly as possible before Kate started to catch onto her feelings.

Shaking her head, Kate replied, "I wanted to go with someone. You were the first person who came to mind."

"I'm so glad you thought of me. I love tea," Max confessed as the bus stopped. There had been plenty of tea shops in Seattle, and Max had become a regular at quite a few of them with her friends. One place was her favorite, though, a little tea shop that imported from London, England. Max loved the kitsch atmosphere.

Rising, Kate and Max meandered their way off the bus. The tea shop Kate had found was new by Arcadia Bay standards. It was a small, wooden building that only had one room to it. Max and Kate wandered in. Immediately, Max was in love. The shop itself was decorated with a Boston Tea Party theme, nautical items and ships adorning the walls. Immediately, she was overwhelmed by the calming smells that only a tea shop could contain. It was wonderful, though, to be engulfed in the aroma.

"What do you want?" Kate inquired, motioning towards the chalk boards that listed out the teas available. "It's on me."

"You don't have to-" Max started to object.

"I want to, Max," Kate stated with a startling certainty.

Max glanced through the teas before settling on a familiar one. "Then I will take a cup of the Fifth of November," she answered. "I'll snag us a table."

"Sounds good!"

With that, Max looked over to find most of the tables were in direct line of sight of the front windows. There was one, though, tucked away where Max and Kate could sit in peace. Max pretended that she wasn't worried about Chloe seeing her. However, Max knew she was lying to herself. Chloe was a constant nagging thought at the back of her mind.

I will call her tomorrow.

Suddenly, Kate set down a tray. Two cups, some cream, and sugar sat upon it. Kate set Max's cup in front of her before taking up the seat across from her. "I have a question." Her eyes were averted, focused on the teacup.

"What is it?"

"I want to start an abstinence campaign at Blackwell. I have a couple of study groups who are supportive of it, but I wanted your thoughts," Kate replied. She then looked up at Max, her eyes eager. This was clearly something she was passionate about. That wasn't surprising, though, given her religious nature.

"Uh…" Max stalled as she tried to figure out how to formulate her response. She had never done well when addressing a direct conflict of ideas, always trying to be respectful. "Are you sure I'm the best person to ask this?"

Kate fidgeted nervously. "I want an opinion from someone who is on the outside, so to speak. And you're the only one I can ask."

It's a trap!

Now wasn't the time for Star Wars quotes. Kate was asking because she cared. But Max didn't want her first evening out with a friend to end poorly. "I won't lie, Kate. I don't think the campaign is going to go very far. Blackwell is, well, Blackwell. Vortex Parties are the epitome of that attitude."

"Yeah. I just feel like even if it just affects one person, it would be worth it," Kate pointed out.

Max said, "If you feel that strongly about it, you should do it. Just don't be discouraged if it doesn't go as well as you hope."

"I won't, Max. Thanks."

After that, the conversation eased. Max got to know Kate better for the first time. She found out that Kate was very close to her family, in particular her sisters and father. Her father was a preacher, and Kate knew a remarkable amount of Bible verses. More than Max ever thought possible for one person to remember. But that also meant there was a lot of pressure on Kate to live up to every single Christian ideal. Max wondered if Kate ever got to be a teenager or if she was forced into the role of young adult since she turned 13. Honestly, Max felt bad for her. She couldn't imagine living with that kind of pressure. She was already hesitant enough without it.

Kate also had a precious black and white bunny named Alice. She had brought Alice with to Blackwell Academy, not having the heart to leave her at home. Alice also helped calm Kate down with the move. That much, Max could understand. Going from living at home to living in a dorm miles away from her family was a strange and sometimes difficult transition. She tried not to focus on it, but Kate had found a good way to cope. However, Max was most interested in the fact that Kate was passionate about writing children's stories. She pursued photography mainly because she thought that it would help her when visualizing her books. Mr. Jefferson had also been quite a push for her to apply. She hadn't expected to get in, and the acceptance had been a wonderful surprise for her and her family. Before long, Max ensured a promise from Kate to see some of her drafts and sketches sometime.

They rode back on the bus together, small talk filling in the spaces that conversation otherwise couldn't. When they made it back to campus, it was getting dark out. Kate already had plans with some friends, and she invited Max to join. Max declined. Her time with Kate had been fun, but she wasn't exactly a social butterfly. She was planning on heading back to her room and do homework. Max slipped into her dimly lit room and grabbed her laptop from the desk. No sitting for her tonight - she had had enough of that with Kate. Instead, she was going to relax in bed. She flopped down, gently placing her laptop onto her pillow. She noticed her email icon was lit up. Curious, she clicked it.

An email from Mr. Jefferson. She opened it and found an image attached to it along with the message: "As promised. Let me know if you would like me to print it as well. -Mark" Eager, Max quickly downloaded the attachment and opened it. The picture had a higher resolution than her camera could have ever taken. It was also just as beautiful as the actual sight of it.

I could see this in a magazine.

It was hard for her to believe that she took that photo. Then she reminded herself that it was Mr. Jefferson who found the spot. He probably already had a photo even better than what she took. Frowning, she looked at it again. Mr. Jefferson had complimented her view - the way she used nature as a part of the picture. It wasn't as easy to see the different layers of trees in the photo to be certain, but he wouldn't have complimented her for nothing. Right?

Max hit the reply button. Thumbing over the keys, she debated her response. Finally, she landed on: "Thank you so much. I would appreciate it if you could print it for me. My printer wouldn't handle the contrast well. Have a good weekend. -Max"

She hit send. Pulling open her web browser, she was about to check her social media when the icon popped back up. Surprised, she clicked it. It seemed Mr. Jefferson had already replied. "Will do. See you Monday. -Mark"

I must have caught him working.

Max thought this, but she felt a flicker of uncertainty. She wasn't imagining these things. Mr. Jefferson noticed her. He saw her like no one had ever seen her before. Heart fluttering, she thought about that a bit more. Although he might not look it, Mr. Jefferson was 20 years her senior. That alone, Max knew was a huge obstacle between the two of them. Societal norms would not allow them to be without conflict. What's more, he was famous, professional, and mature. He could have any woman in the world.

Although it didn't seem right, Max knew she was infatuated. If given the chance, she would risk it. Obviously, he would have to agree. Max wasn't so selfish to ruin his reputation and career. But she had never felt the same way she did whenever around him. Sometimes, it was awkward and awful. Other times - more often recently - it was calming and safe.

Perhaps she was just misconstruing things. As Kate noted, Mr. Jefferson was a caring person. He took a special interest in all his students. Victoria could probably say a lot of the same things Max could about Mr. Jefferson's attentions. Not only that, but she was pretty, refined, and well-educated for a student. She was also far more aggressive about her interests and still rejected. If Mr. Jefferson wasn't even tempted by her, no way he would be by Max.

Max grabbed her homework, needing the distraction once more. Mr. Jefferson could wait.