Page 45 of Jain

“Do you want it to be like this forever, Jain? Hidden fucks, stolen kisses in the school corridor, and secret meetings in the car?”

He was angry, the veins in his neck bulging as I slid off him, walking to the bathroom to compose myself.

He loved me?

I knew, deep down, that I felt the same. I knew I should be in there telling him, but instead, I was running the shower, stepping in to wash the evidence away before returning home. I waited for him to come in and join me in the shower, but he didn’t.

I washed up, wrapping a towel around me as I walked out. He was still sat in the same position, his face set in stone anger.

“I feel so much for you. I just didn’t realise you’d want to go public so soon—” I began, as he cut me off with a bitter laugh.

“Well, why don’t you just call me when you need a good fuck, Jain? Because as you said, we can’t make love. Because we aren’tinit.”

I flinched at his words as I dressed, tears filling my eyes.

“Why are you being nasty?” I whispered, walking over to the bed to put my earrings back in, aware his eyes were on me.

“Because I would beproudto call you my girl. Plus, I love you, you know...” he muttered as I stopped, climbing onto the bed to meet his glare.

“This is too soon. I’ve been seeing you for a few months... there are still things I don’t know.”

“Like what, Jain?” Evan exhaled, holding his arms out to me. “I hidenothingfrom you. I don’t care if you are eighteen or my student. I just know that I love you, and I thinkyou love me too, but you’re too damn scared of what other people will think to admit it.”

“But it matters, doesn’t it?! I’m not a naive schoolgirl, Evan. I don’t want you to lose your job or destroy your reputation to be with me.”

He cupped my face, his forehead against mine as he spoke quietly.

“Iknowyou’re not like anyone else, Jain. Because I’ve never felt like this about anyone else in my life.”

My heart soared at his words, wondering why this heavenly man had chosenme.

I was just...Jain.

“I don’t know what to say,” I whispered, tears falling from my eyes as he sank back onto the bed. “I think I better go.”

“I’ll take you home.”

He threw back the covers, and I stared at the indentation he had left behind in the bed.

I knew we had to take it slower, much slower than this.

He was myteacher.He would never get a job again.

My mother would press charges—his life would be ruined. I got off the bed, wondering why it wasn’t him thinking this way. He was reckless.

Twenty minutes later, we were in his car as he drove carefully through the icy roads.

“Are you falling out with me?” I whispered as his knuckles tightened on the steering wheel.

“I just declared how in love with you I am, Jain. I’ll walk into that house now and tell your mother the same thing. I don’t fear society.”

“Just wait until I’ve left school, please.” I pleaded with him as he sighed.

“Okay.” He nodded before allowing me to kiss hischeek before I walked out of the car in the direction of my road.

Somehow, I didn’t buy his response as he sped off past me. He was pissed off. I just hope he didn’t do anything stupid to prove a point or raise a reaction from me.

Chapter Nineteen