Free The Low Notes by Kate Roth Page B

weak. She knew the repercussions of a relationship like the one she longed for with him. It meant trouble for both of them but reality was becoming fuzzy in Nina’s mind, her thoughts clouded by her emotions.
    She sat up and slid over to her desk and took a moment to glance over her shoulder and then she was staring at her text message inbox. His name stood out in bold, the way anyone's did when she had an unread message. Her breath caught in her throat as she read his words on the backlit screen.
    Sorry I kept you waiting last night. Is this too weird?
    No. Just the right amount of weird . She tapped 'send' and laughed to herself.
    Nina tried to picture him sitting somewhere with his phone in hand.
    Can I assume by the way your friend looked at me today that he isn't your boyfriend? His next message popped up.
    Nina let out a hearty chuckle. Her hands trembled slightly as she thought out her response before sending it quickly.
    If I said he was, would you be jealous?
    Her heart thudded as the seconds ticked by in slow motion. Too bold, she thought. Whatever was happening between them was confusing and more delicate than she could handle. Nina barely knew anything about dating, let alone whatever this was. The black phone lit up and vibrated in her palm.
    Maybe.
    Nina's heart swelled and her panic subsided. Clearly she hadn't been too bold. She explained who James was and teased Kevin by telling him how good looking James thought he was. It got easier to talk and they were responding to each other quicker each time. It was as easy as the way they talked at Ambrose that August night. She learned that Mrs. Benson was his cousin's wife and got the whole story of how he’d gotten the last minute job at the high school. She told him about her frustrations with her father and how it had been weeks since they'd actually spoken.
    It was two hours later when Nina finally let out a yawn and became conscious of how long they’d been texting.
    It's late. I should go to bed , his message read.
    A second message came immediately after. You better have your poem done for tomorrow, young lady.
    Nina smiled to herself. Oh, it was done. That part was easy. But handing it in might prove to be the challenge. She tapped send with a sigh, not wanting the conversation to end.
    Goodnight Kevin.
    She hopped up and headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face, the house silent aside from her footsteps and the running water. Her body felt relaxed, completely at ease. It was a total difference from the first week of school when anger, fear and regret filled her to the point of agony. Heading back into her bedroom, she flipped off the lights and climbed under the covers with an absent smile on her lips. She reached over to plug her cell phone into its charger when she saw the message across the screen.
    Sweet dreams, Nina.
    They would be.

Chapter Nineteen
     
    “ I'm pretty excited to see what you all have come up with,” Kevin said to his morning class, flapping the stack of papers the students had just handed in.
    “ Friday is the quiz on poetry terms and tools. Don't forget,” he added, hearing them groan at the notion.
    He finished just as the bell blared and the students stood up almost in unison with the exception of one. Kevin let a smile linger on his face and his gaze drift to Nina. It was becoming a habit for the two of them to play out the same scene each day. Nina would wait, pretending to pack up her things or ask him a question. Kevin would pay her no mind until they were alone and then they'd have their moment. Some days Kevin felt like all he wanted was to breathe next to her, that it made him more alive.
    The last student was gone and Nina’s eyes flitted up from her desk and fixed on Kevin at the blackboard. She bit her lip and smiled through it, a look he was beginning to recognize as her signature. He turned to face the board and waited, trying to be patient, as he heard her step behind him and out of the