Free Tear Down These Walls by Sarah Carter

have
spoken.”
    “Ugh,” Trent groans, putting his face in his hands. “This is ridiculous.
Miss Murphy, we need to keep our distance and not be so candid with each
other.”
    Crossing her arms, Teagan says, “Wait, now I’m Miss Murphy? Why are you
being like this?” This side of him was not her favorite.
    “Because,” Trent says, pulling his hands away. “You are a student.
There’s a boundary line that we should not cross.”
    “Did I say I wanted to mount you in the back of your truck? No. I have
simply been enjoying your witty personality and nice conversation. There is
nothing wrong with that.”
    With a deep exhale and a shake of his head, Trent says, “No, I have been
too relaxed.  This is not me.”
    “Obviously it is you,” Teagan retorts. “You’re not a pod person.”
    The corner of Trent’s mouth twitches, and then it’s gone. “Miss Murphy,
let’s just eat lunch, and then we can be on our way.”
    “Ouch,” Teagan whispers. “Fine. Whatever you want.” Trent nods, while
Teagan rolls her eyes and looks out the window.

Chapter
3
     
    “So, did you enjoy lunch?” Trent inquires quietly,
turning to face Teagan as he turns his truck off.
    “Until you clammed up, yes,” Teagan smiles. “I liked the
real you.”
    “This is the real me.”
    “Captain stick up your ass?” Teagan asks. “I doubt it.”
    Trent raises his eyebrows. “You are quite frank aren’t
you?”
    “Yeah,” Teagan says, crimson spreading across her
cheeks. She exhales loudly and shakes her head. “This is ridiculous.  You
were fine.  Trent, it’s not like you were totally out of line.”
    “Saying you had nice breasts!” He exclaims, throwing his
hands up in the air.  “Yeah, that is extremely out of line.”
    “Not between two people who are having a fun, sarcastic
conversation. I would have slapped you if it was out of hand.”
    He shakes his head. “No, I need to be professional with
you.”
    “You’re not my body guard,” Teagan groans. Her
frustration with him and the whole “professional” nonsense is apparent.
    “I’m going to be your teacher,” Trent replies. He almost
reaches out his hand to touch her, but he pulls his hands back to the wheel and
grips the leather. “There has to be a line.”
    “Then I won’t take your classes, I will take someone
else’s,” Teagan sighs. She doesn’t look back at him.
    Furrowing his eyebrows, Trent asks, “How are you going
to afford that?”
    “I don’t know,” Teagan answers, finally looking at him.
His concern for her is washed over his face, and she immediately feels a pit in
her stomach. He knows she doesn’t have the money, and so does she. “I will
think of something. They have to have free classes somewhere.”
    “Those classes are useless,” Trent snaps. “I insist you
come to my class.”
    She crosses her arms. Her face is getting red. It’s not
cool that he is acting like this. “Are you going to behave like this? Because I
will take classes from another instructor.”
    With a heavy exhale, Trent mumbles, “You are pushy.”
    “With things that matter, yeah, yeah I am,” Teagan
shoots him a glare.
    “Things that matter?” Trent scoffs, putting his own
hands across his chest. “Why would I matter?”
    Teagan hesitates. “I don’t know, but I can definitely
say that I like the other you way more.”
    “I need to keep it professional.”
    “Well, I guess we are at an impasse,” Teagan says
matter-of-factly. She can’t let him see that he is having an effect on her. She
needs to get out of his truck and on with her day. One more minute with him,
acting like this, and she may explode.“Thank you for saving me.  I do
appreciate it.” She grabs the door handle and turns to exit.
    “So what!?” Trent yells, grabbing her shoulder to keep
her from getting out of the truck.  “What do you mean, ‘Thanks for saving
me’? We aren’t done having this conversation. You aren’t going to take the
classes