A Burning Rose: Book One

Chapter 3: The Year That It All Happened

Ora

The Year That It All Happened

2019



It was a warm day here in New York. It was my final year in high school. I should be happy about it and I plan to enjoy it. I felt happy as I walked towards the cafeteria at Lakeside High. Ever since my parents died, I had something to look forward to. I never gave up on school.

My friend, Taylor, saw me walk and waved at me to sit with them. She was a natural blonde with stunning blue eyes. She was tall too. I made my way over to their table and I took a seat.

“You need to start getting to school earlier,” she said as I placed my satchel beside me on the ground.

“I heard that he sits in the library every Wednesday,” she said to Samantha.

Samantha is a darker complexion, beautiful girl with long black braids. She and Taylor are very close. I just sit and listen to what they have to say.

“Maybe we should see later today. After all, we have a history essay coming up. I saw on the schedule.” Samantha said.

I took an apple from Taylor’s tray and I took a bite. “Oh my gosh! He’s here.” she whisper-shouted. I continued to look at them as they watched him walk inside the cafeteria. I finally peeled my eyes away from them.

It was hard to swallow when he stood at the coffee machine. He looked so good in his black Armani suit, it hugged all of his lean muscles.

“Hey, enough staring.” I forced myself to look away.

“We wouldn’t want to make it obvious that we are staring at him. You make it too obvious, Ora.” Taylor sighed.

Taylor was more of the bossy type of friend but yet I said nothing and I continued to eat my apple. “He’s leaving,” Samantha said.

The bell rang and we head to our first class period…history.

I entered the classroom after Taylor and Samantha as they talk. Everyone is finding their seats. I sat at my desk that is next to Taylor. Samantha sat behind her.

“Class, we have a new lesson for today. We will be talking about The Castle of Good Hope,” Mr. James said. He walked to the front of the classroom. “The castle is South Africa’s oldest structure, constructed between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company. In 1664, tensions between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands arose amid rumors of war.” he stopped in front of the class and he looked straight at me, my heart felt like it just stopped.

He was looking at me, holding my gaze. I was seated against the wall and he looked at me.

After what felt like forever, he peeled his magnetic blue eyes away from me and I could breathe again. “I can’t believe he looked at her.” I could hear Taylor.

“That same year, Commissioner Isbrand Goske directed Commander Zacharias Wagenaar, Jan van Riebeeck’s successor, to construct a stone pentagonal fortress. It was first laid on January 2, 1666.”

The whole class period, I would try to soak in what he was saying, but I was distracted by him. I made sure not to make it obvious. Every time that he would look my way, my heart would stop.

I liked him a lot.

The class was dismissed and I packed up my things. We wrote a test yesterday, but I felt like I didn’t do any good in it. I was nervous every time he would walk down the aisle and he would stop by me, his delicious scent filled my nostrils. I felt his presence beside me and I was just nervous as I knew he was reading my answers.

As I followed Taylor and Samantha, I heard him say, “Ora, can I see you, please?” I stopped in my tracks and my friends gave me a ‘what the hell?’ look. I can’t tell if they felt jealous about it with the way that they spoke about him.

I walked to his desk and he took a booklet and handed it over to me. I was nervous just standing here. I took it from him and he looked up at me. Gosh, it’s like he could see deep inside of my soul. “You need to work more on your history. If there are any distractions at home, please feel free to use the library. I can also give you some lessons when I’m at the library on a Wednesday. I’m helping five students at the moment.” he said with a smile.

That smile was making me weak in the knees. I took a deep breath. “Thank you, sir,” I said, returning his smile.

I turned around and hurried out of there. It was going to be hard to be in class with him being my teacher.

Taylor and Samantha were waiting for me in the hall. “What did he want?” Taylor asked.

“He just gave my test back. I did bad.” I said as I put my test inside of my satchel.

“I wished that he called me, maybe I could fail on purpose,” she said.

“I don’t think that is a good idea, it’s the final year of high school. Next year will be college, our grades need to be good.” Samantha said.

“Hmm. I will see what I can do then. There is always the library.” Taylor shrugged.

The female students would do anything to have Mr. James’ attention. I wouldn’t stoop so low for a man that is much older than me. I am not that desperate.

I don’t even think that I am ready to date anyone. My goal is to focus on my studies and where I would like to be in my life one day.

Mr. James might be a distraction, but perhaps I could take him up on his offer so that I could get my grades up.