When I Kissed the Teacher

CHAPTER TWO: WALKS IN THE PARK

• Chapter Two •

IT was finally the end of the day and my feet were killing me. I laid on my bed, my back against my headboard and my eyes closed as I tried to enjoy the silence that I had.

My house was empty, my parents away on a business trip down in New York. Since my dad was mayor and all, they had to go away a lot. I never really got to see them, which I don't really mind because I like to be by myself as depressing as it sounds.

My black Labrador Retriever sat at the foot of my bed, his head laying on top of his paws as he stared at the floor with sad eyes. I moved my foot from underneath him and gave his head a pat before walking over to my computer desk.

I logged onto f*******: on my MacBook, scrolling through my feed.

Audrey Brown: Am I only the only one who thinks Mr. Giordano is hot af?

I rolled my eyes as I read Audrey's post. It already had eighty-two likes and comments. Each of them from girls agreeing with Audrey.

Are they honestly serious?

Why would you post about a hot teacher on your f*******: where not only can other students see, but your own family members?

I don't know about Audrey, but I know that I wouldn't want to be at a family reunion and having my family ask about one of my teachers that I posted about because I thought he was attractive.

A little f*******: message popped up from Toni and our friend Jason, making me smile and instantly open it.

Toni: Did you guys see what Audrey posted? Who knew the nerd would fall in love with someone other than a fictional character!

Jason: Oh stop you commented on it too so don't go off being a hypocrite Toni.

I roll my eyes at my two friends and looked over at Buster who was still in his laying position with his sad eyes trained on me.

Me: I don't see what the big deal is. He's just a teacher.

Toni: A hot Italian teacher ;)

Italian?

Since when was Mr. Giordano Italian?

I shook my head and logged out of my f*******: and shut my laptop closed before turning in my chair to face my dog.

His head was lifted a bit tilting to the side as he watched me carefully. I grabbed his leash from my dresser and put a smile on my face.

"You want to go for a walk boy!"

Buster jumps off my bed, his tail wagging in excitement as he jumps on me licking my face making me laugh.

"Okay, calm down boy. Sit."

Buster sits down his tail lightly hitting the floor with thuds as I hook the leash to his collar. Before we even walked out the door, I peeked my head out my balcony door and sighed a happy sigh when I saw the dark clouds above.

There was just something so pretty about thunderstorms and rain. The sound and the smell was the only thing that I preferred to listen to besides music.

I grabbed my phone off the charger and a Pink hoodie that I got from Victoria's Secret Pink, which I worked at and walked outside.

The mid-September breeze blew my brown hair into my face making me frown as I tuck it behind my ear. I tug the leash putting Buster in front of me as we walk down to the little park in my neighborhood.

I put my music on my phone, Hot in Herre by Nelly begins to play through the speakers and I can't help but sing along. Badly might I add.

"It's getting hot in here, so let's take off all our clothes." I mutter walking in the gates of the park.

I unhook the leash allowing Buster to run around freely. Luckily my dad was smart enough to train Buster when he was a puppy to not run away when we were outside or else my ass would be walking the streets for three hours taping LOST DOG signs all over the town until I find him.

As Buster runs over to the flock of birds on the grass near one of the trees I take my chance to go and sit down in the only available bench that is left. The cold metal freezes my butt as I sit making me flinch before I actually get used to the cold metal. My eyestrain on Buster as another Golden Labrador Retriever walks over to him sniffing his ass in the process. Buster's trail falls trying to cover his butthole as he turns around trying to get away from the dog.

I laugh crossing my arms over my chest as I lean against the bench. I feel a presence take a seat next to me, making me scoot to the side so that I could make some space between us. The smell of Obsession by Calvin Klein fills my nose as a gush of wind hits my face causing me to suck in a breath.

I know that smell. That smell only belongs to one person in this town.

"Mr. Giordano." I say turning in my seat to face him better as another set of wind hits my face.

"Hello Ariana, what are you doing alone in the park?" Mr. Giordano asks giving me a smile as he holds a red leash in his left hand.

"I could ask you the same thing." I said shrugging my shoulders earning a laugh from him.

"Fair enough. I decided to take my dog out for a walk." He said gesturing to the Golden Labrador Retriever that Buster was playing with. "I take it that is your dog?"

I nod my head. "How'd you know?" I ask giving him a weird look.

Was this guy stalking me? I wouldn't surprise me he has that look towards him.

"You're holding a blue leash and there are only two dogs in the park." He chuckles.

I instantly felt stupid. Of course, this guy wasn't stalking me. He's a teacher for Christ sakes. He probably has better things to do like grading papers instead of stalking random students of his.

We both fell silent. Not really sure what to say to one another. This was our second encounter and both have been extremely embarrassing. The first time was because of Toni and this time it was on my behalf. Maybe it was a sign from God telling me that this new teacher means I'll be embarrassing myself more than I normally do. If Toni was here right now, she'd probably say something embarrassing about me when I was younger.

Toni.

She said that Mr. Giordano was Italian.

"Are you Italian?" I asked breaking the silence. Mr. Giordano turns his attention away from our dogs and raises his eyebrow at me and nods his head slowly.

"Um yeah, I mentioned it in class this morning. Weren't you paying attention?"

I laugh nervously as a blush starts to stain my cheeks. "No, Chemistry is my worst subject so I tend to tune out the lesson."

Mr. Giordano laughs. "Yes, I am Italian. You know you really shouldn't tune out in my lessons Ariana." He says giving me look as he crosses his arms over his chest. "Even if you dislike the subject."

I shake my head. "It isn't because I dislike the class, Mr. Giordano-"

"Alejandro." He cuts me off making me give him a puzzled look.

"What?"

"Alejandro. That's my name. Outside of class, I'd like it if you'd call me Alejandro. Mr. Giodano seems too formal." He says like it was the most common thing to have a student call their teacher by their first name than their last.

"Okay?" I say shaking my head. "Anyway, like I was saying, it isn't because I dislike the class, it's just I suck at chemistry," I say as Mr. Giordano tilts his head to the side furrowing his eyebrows in the process.

"You can't suck at a subject Ariana. You just have to try."

"That's the thing Mr. Gior- I mean Alejandro," I say correcting myself. "I do suck. I was the one who wasn't allowed to touch the flame for a week because I made a laboratory flask explode."

"That was you?" Mr. Giordano asks covering his mouth with his hand as he tries to stifle his laughter.

I roll my eyes nodding my head as I cross my arms over my chest. "I just said that didn't I?" I stated slowly starting to get annoyed that he asked something that I obviously just stated. That's honestly one of my biggest pet peeves when people state something that I just did.

"I'm sorry, some students mentioned something along those lines but I didn't think it would have been you out of all people," He said shaking his head clearing his throat to stop his laughter. "But that was what? Two years ago?"

"A month ago actually." I said making Mr. Giordano lose it and fall back in laughter.

I groan out in embarrassment as Mr. Giordano continued on laughing. He caught the attention of our dogs, making them walk over to us, Buster immediately sniffing Mr. Giordano's leg. I swatted Buster away from him and over to me and grabbed onto his collar so that he wouldn't go over to him again.

Mr. Giordano catches his breath and wipes away the fake tears as I shoot him a glare. "If I knew that you were going to end up laughing at me when you sat down, I would have left." I said stubbornly crossing my arms over my chest.

"No, you wouldn't." Mr. Giordano smirks making me roll my eyes.

I don't know why this guy makes me roll my eyes a lot. It's either people talking about him or just him in plain general that makes my eyes want to see my brain. Maybe Mr. Giordano is a disease and my eyes are being smart by not wanting to deal with him.

"How old are you anyway?" I ask giving him a blank look.

"Why? You want me to ask you out?" He asks wiggling his eyebrows.

"As if." I scoff shaking my head. "I was just wondering because you seem a little too young to be a teacher. Let alone a high school teacher."

"Fair enough." Mr. Giordano said shrugging his shoulders while putting his leash back onto his dog. "I'm twenty-four. I got a job straight out of college. " He said the last part looking at me.

I nod my head not really sure what to say. Should I congratulate him for doing something that most college kids can't do? Nah, it'd probably boost his ego or something and I really don't want to do that.

I feel a drop of water hit my head, making both of us look up as another drop of water hits my nose. I smile and look back at Mr. Giordano who had a look of disbelief on his face. I honestly wanted to laugh at his expression, but it quickly changed to a smile before I ever could.

"I should probably get back home before it starts to pour," I say shaking my head putting my own leash back on Buster who was laying by my feet.

"Well, I'll see in class tomorrow Ariana." He says standing up from the bench, his hand reaching out towards mine.

I stare at his hand for a while, hesitating whether or not if I should allow him to help me up. I mean there isn't any harm to it, it's not like we're holding hands or anything.

I put my hand in his and give him a thankful smile before letting go and wrapping the leash around my wrist. I give one final wave towards Mr. Giordano before walking over to the gates that I entered through, my heart racing as my mind keeps replaying his hot laugh over and over again like an annoying Taylor Swift song.

God, why did he have to be so attractive?