Free Tear Down These Walls by Sarah Carter Page B

It’s what I
do.”
    “Fine, whatever,” Trent groans.
    Teagan takes her phone out and holds it up. “Say cheese.
And take off those sunglasses.”
    “No, that is stupid,” Trent puts his hands up.
    “Then smile,” Teagan sighs dramatically.
    “I don’t smile for pictures.”
    “Oh my god,” Teagan exclaims. “Just stand there and look
stoic then!” Trent laughs while he slides his shades to rest atop his hair, and
Teagan takes the picture. “Ha! Got it.”
    Shaking his head, Trent says, “Good job, tricky, but
good job.”
    Teagan bows, “Thank you, thank you, I do what I can.”
    “So,” he starts, crossing his arms and repositioning his
sunglasses, “Are you coming to the classes?”
    “Yeah,” Teagan laughs. “I will bring Victoria. She will
enjoy watching you.”
    “Oh geez, that is not why you are coming.”
    With a grin, Teagan replies, “Well, maybe you shouldn’t
be so good looking. If you were ugly then maybe people wouldn’t gawk.”
    “Gawk?” Trent sounds shocked.  “Do you gawk?”
    She eyes him up and then raises an eyebrow. “Maybe.”
    Trent shakes his head, “You….”
    “What?” The sunshine is warm on her back. She notices a
trace of sweat beading up on his forehead, but it surely isn’t warm enough for that
outside. Unless, she wonders, he is sweating because of her.
    He looks back up at her. “You get me to say the
stupidest shit.”
    “See, this is the real you,” Teagan says. “I knew it!”
    “Just don’t tell anyone at class,” Trent sighs, and
Teagan knows she has won this battle. “I need to keep it professional there.”
    “So, at class you are captain stick up the ass, but
outside of class you can make inappropriate comments about me?” She crosses her
arms, and she squints at him as if he is under interrogation.
    “Who says I am going to see you outside of class?”
    Throwing her hands up, Teagan yells, “Are we on this
again?”
    A smirk creeps across Trent’s face. “I don’t fraternize
with students outside of class.”
    “See when you say fraternize, are you talking about
being friends or raunchy sex?”
    Trent bursts out laughing and bends over. He takes in a
deep breath and then laughs again. “It usually means both.”
    “Well then, I will be your friend. No raunchy sex
though,” Teagan declares. “I will text you harassing sexual messages.”
    “Oh, you think so, huh?” Trent shifts on his feet.
    Teagan smiles, “Yes.”
    Shaking his head, Trent says, “Am I supposed to respond
to them? Who says I even text?”
    “Who doesn’t text?”
    “Me,” Trent replies.
    “What!?  Seriously?” Teagan gasps.
    He shakes his head. “Not really, no one texts me.
Everyone calls.”
    “Well then, I will try to control myself,” Teagan says.
    “Teagan, honestly, this is weird. I don’t talk to my
students,” Trent states seriously. “We do need to keep it somewhat
professional.”
    “I am not a professional kind of person,” Teagan assures
him. “But I understand.”
    Trent nods, “I will say this, I did enjoy your company
today.”
    “I am glad. I did want to show my appreciation. I can’t afford
much, but I am glad that I could at least take you out to lunch.”
    “I am just glad that I was there last night,” Trent
exhales.
    Teagan nods, “Yeah, I don’t know what I would have
done.”
    “Well, you will have a better chance after the classes.”
    She playfully punches him in the arm. “You are going to
teach me how to kick ass.”
    Taking her hand, Trent moves her fingers. “This is how
you should make a fist when you punch.  Then you should swing like this
and always throw it like you are continuing through the person.” He moves her
hand and arm forward.
    “Sweet!” Teagan exclaims. She puts her hands into proper
fists and bounces between her two feet like a prize fighter.
    “Hey, hey, Rocky. At ease. I’m not going to teach you
how to get into a fist fight,” Trent says. “It’s a defense