Free Lessons of the Heart by Jodie Larson

distracting.”
    I release my lip from my teeth. “Sorry.”
    “For now, we’re just going to have to push aside the attraction. Do you think we can do that this time?”
    I nod. “I just don’t want it to be weird between us because I find you very smart and funny and I do enjoy talking to you.”
    “And I enjoy it too. So we’re agreed then.” He sticks his hand out to me and I take it while ignoring the shock that flows between us.
    “Agreed. Friends.”
    He pulls me to him and presses his lips against my temple.
    “Friends don’t do that,” I mumble into his shoulder.
    I can feel his lips curl into a smile against my head. “Starting now.”
    He releases me and I instantly miss the contact. I move towards the end of the hallway before holding my hand up to him.
    “You better wait a minute before leaving otherwise it’ll look like we were doing something back here.”
    He laughs. “We were.”
    I roll my eyes at him. “But Chase doesn’t need to know that. God, he’s the last person who needs to know that.”
    At the mention of his name, James’s stance instantly changes. Tension rolls off him and his jaw twitches with a restrained anger.
    “No. We definitely don’t need him finding anything out.” He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “You better go before I forget our agreement again. Are we still on for Saturday?”
    I shake my head. “No. Saturday would be a bad idea. But I’ll help you during the fourth period if you still need it with the computer program. I’m almost caught up with Mrs. Davis’s work so it should be fine.”
    He nods and moves closer to me. “I’ll look for you then.” He opens his mouth but then shuts quickly. It takes all my strength to turn around and walk back to the booth, knowing that I’m leaving behind the one person who has made me smile all night.
    “Stomach problems? You were gone for quite a while,” Chase says, withholding a laugh.
    “Funny. There was an issue with the toilet. Had to find someone to fix it. But thanks for thinking the other thing. That doesn’t make me feel gross at all.”
    This time he laughs loudly, causing a few eyes to turn in our direction.
    I slam my books shut and gather them together. “I need to get going. We have school tomorrow and it’s getting late.”
    Chase looks at his watch and nods. “Shit. Yeah, I was supposed to call Drake fifteen minutes ago.”
    We walk toward the door and I can’t help myself from looking over my shoulder to James. Chase looks over his shoulder too and waves slightly.
    “Hey, Mr. Dumont,” he says.
    James waves back. “Hi, Mr. Woodward, Ms. Fosse. Have a good evening.”
    “We will,” Chase replies, pressing his palm into the small of my back.
    “You okay?” Chase asks in my ear. He must have felt my muscles tense up. I didn’t exactly do a very good job at hiding my discomfort.
    “Yeah, I'm all right. Just got a chill is all.”
    We exchange goodbyes at our cars and I let out a sigh of relief. As Chase drives away, I see James out of the corner of my eye walking out the restaurant door. He glances my way. A wry smile plays upon his lips as he climbs into his truck, leaving me standing in my open door dumbstruck and wanton. He pulls out of the spot and heads down the road in a thunderous roar.
    Images flash through my head of things we could do in that truck, places he would take me, and secrets we would discover about each other. I shake my head and climb into the seat, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
    “Fuck.”
    I drive home feeling frustrated and confused, yet giddy and euphoric as I remember the feel of his lips against mine. My whole body ignites again with longing for his lips and I wonder just how this new arrangement of ours is going to work. Until then, I’ll have to occupy myself somehow.
    Tonight sounds like a good night to try to go blind.

“S O, HOMECOMING QUEEN NOMINEE, WHO are you going to the dance with?” Penny asks me. She’s at her usual perch