Slammed

waiting for some sort of explanation when it dawns on me. He's here to see his girlfriend ! The girlfriend that he failed to mention. I snatch my backpack up and immediately start to walk away when his arm reaches out and pulls me to a stop.
     
    "Where are you going?" he demands.
     
    I roll my eyes and let out a short sigh. "I get it Will. I get it. I'll leave you alone before your girlfriend sees us." I'm trying to hold back tears at this point, so I step out of his grasp and turn away from him.
     
    "Girlfr-no. No, Lake. I don't think you do get it." he says.
     
    The faint sound of footsteps slowly becomes louder as they round the corner to Hall D. I turn to see another student barreling toward us.
     
    "Oh man, I thought I was late," the student says as he spots us in the hallway. He comes to a stop in front of the classroom.
     
    "You are late, Javier," Will replies, opening the door behind him, motioning for Javier to enter. "Javi, I'll be there in a few minutes. Let the class know they have five minutes to review before the exam."
     
    Will closes the door behind him, and we are once again alone in the hallway.
     
    The air is all but gone from my lungs. I feel pressure building in my chest as this new realization sinks in. This can't be happening. This can't be possible. How is this possible?
     
    "Will," I whisper, not able to get a full breath out. "Please don't tell me-"
     
    His face is red and he has a disdained look in his eyes as he bites his lower lip. He leans his head back and looks up at the ceiling, rubbing his palms on his face as he paces the length of the hallway between the lockers and the classroom door. With each step he takes, I catch a glimpse of his faculty badge as it sways back and forth from his neck. He flattens his palms against the lockers, repeatedly tapping his forehead against the metal.
     
    "How did I not see this?" he says as he drops his hands and turns toward me. "You’re still in high school ?”
     

4.
     
    "I am sick of wanting
    And it's evil how it's got me
    And every day is worse
    Than the one before."
    -The Avett Brothers, Ill With Want
     

Chapter Four
     
     
     
    Will turns and leans with his back against the lockers. His legs are crossed at the feet and his arms are folded across his chest as he stares at the floor. The events unfolding have caught me so off guard, I can barely stand. I go to the wall opposite him and lean against it for support.
     
    “ Me?" I reply. "How did the fact that you’re a teacher not come up? How are you a teacher? You’re only twenty-one.”
     
    “ Layken, listen,” he says as he ignores my questions.
     
    He didn’t call me ‘Lake.’
     
    “ There has apparently been a huge misunderstanding between the two of us." He doesn't make eye contact with me as he speaks. “We need to talk about this, but now is definitely not the right time.”
     
    “ I agree,” I say. I want to say more, but I can’t. I’m afraid I’ll cry.
     
    The door to Will’s classroom opens and Eddie emerges. I selfishly pray that she, too, is lost. This cannot be my elective.
     
    “ Layken, I was just coming to look for you,” she smiles. “I saved you a seat.” She looks at Will, then back at me and realizes she's interrupted a conversation. “Oh, sorry Mr. Cooper. I didn’t know you were out here.”
     
    “ It’s fine Eddie. I was just going over Layken’s schedule with her.” He says this as he walks toward the classroom and holds the door for both of us.
     
    I reluctantly follow Eddie through the door, around Will, and to the only empty seat in the room; directly in front of the teachers’ desk. I don’t know how I am expected to successfully sit through an entire hour in this classroom. The walls won’t stop dancing when I try to focus, so I close my eyes. I need water.
     
    “ Who’s the hottie?” asks the boy I now know as Javier .
     
    “ Shut it, Javi!” Will snaps as he walks toward his desk, picking up a stack of papers. Several students let out a small gasp at this reaction. I guess Will isn’t his usual self right now, either.
     
    “ Chill out, Mr. Cooper! I was paying her a compliment. She’s hot! Look at her!” Javi says this as he leans back in his chair, watching me.
     
    “ Javi, get out!” Will says as he points to the classroom door.
     
    “ Mr. Cooper! Jeez! What’s with the temp? Like I said, I was just…”
     
    “ Like I said, get out! You will not disrespect women in my