Free Tear Down These Walls by Sarah Carter Page A

now?”
    Teagan pulls her hand off of the small silver handle and
shakes her head. “No, I don’t want to take classes from someone who changes on
the drop of a dime. I like the other you. The other you I can respect.”
    “You want me to make inappropriate comments about you
while I’m teaching you how not get strangled?” Trent asks. He raises his
eyebrows at her, waiting for her response; a smirk turns up the corners of his
mouth.
    “No, outside of class,” Teagan replies, smiling. “I
don’t think we should limit our friendship to only classes. You saved me from
what could have possibly been a tragic situation. I think that calls for at
least a round of drinks or something.”
    “I don’t fraternize with students outside of class,”
Trent states again. His thick eyebrows knit tightly across his forehead as he
turns back to face outside the windshield. Teagan rests her head on the glass
of her window; she knows she needs to say something, but she needs to make sure
it doesn’t sound as bitchy as she’s feeling.
    She turns back to him and catches him looking at her.
Curtly nodding, Teagan replies, “You did say that.  Well, I will think
about the classes.”
    “Teagan, you need to do this,” Trent strongly
emphasizes, reaching his hand out to touch her arm. Her skin got warm under his
touch, and she wasn’t sure, but she thinks she feels him squeeze a bit.
    “I will think about it. Thanks for saving me, and I hope
you have a nice day.” She opens the door and gets out.  When she shuts it,
Teagan feels somewhat disappointed. But she knows enough not to turn back. She
knows if she looks him in the eyes again, he may convince her to change her
mind.
     “Teagan!  Wait!”  She turns around.
Trent comes up to her. He pulls something out of his pocket. “Here these are
all my numbers: home, cell, and work.  If you change your mind, please
call me.”
    “I didn’t think you fraternized with students.” She puts
her left hand on her hip while gripping the card in between her first two
fingers on her right hand. Raising her eyebrows a bit, she smirks knowingly.
    “I really want you to come to these classes,” Trent
replies, folding his arms again across his chest. He squints in the sunlight,
and she notices that dimple again as he almost smiles.
    “So, you give me your numbers? I thought you weren’t
going to give me your number because I told you I would put it under love
muffin,” Teagan notes, trying not to smile.
    Trent pauses. “Are you really going to put them under
that name?”
    She grins broadly, “Maybe.”
    “Will it get you to my classes?” Trent asks,
exasperated.
    “Yes,” Teagan retorts, smiling even wider.
    “Then love muffin it is,” he groans.
    Giggling, Teagan claps her hands.  “Score!”
    “Oh geez,” Trent exhales, rolling his eyes.
    Teagan playfully punches him in the shoulder. “You
secretly love it, don’t lie.”
    “Why can’t it be something better than that?” Trent
inquires in annoyance.
    “Like what, sex kitten?” Teagan quips. Trent glares at her.
“Hot piece of ass?” She continues. He raises his eyebrows. Finally, she says,
“How about my super hero?”
    Trent grins, “I can deal with that.”
    “A specific super hero?” Teagan asks with excitement.
She has to stop herself from clapping her hands.
    “Hands down, Batman,” Trent replies.
    “Ooooo, good choice,” she giggles. “So, Batman it is.”
    Laughing, he says, “You are seriously putting it under
that?”
    “Sure, I think sex kitten was better, but Batman will
work.”
    “I think I actually like that,” Trent declares with a
smirk.
    “Okay, I will do this, if I can have a picture,” Teagan
proposes.
    His eyebrows rise, and he says, “You are bargaining?”
    “I have a picture of every person in my phone for their
ID. I can’t have one blank entry.”
    “Why would you need a picture of me?” Trent asks, trying
not to smile.
    She shrugs her shoulders, “I don’t know.