Island Rush Read Free Page B

His eyes asked for understanding but… understanding for what?  How could he know that I was going to be asking for a raise today?  “How did you know—?”
    I abruptly stood, realizing why his stares started to feel more intense lately.  Why his whole expression when he looked at me would change. Yesterday, it really intensified when I came to grab my phone after school. He appeared shaken up from that point to now.
    He knew. He read my texts. They were all there.
    I acted without even thinking. I took a step towards where he was sitting and slapped his beautiful face.  He looked at me with lips slightly parted, shocked that I did that.
    “You read my messages?!  Do you have any idea what you have done to me?” I hissed in a hard breath, completely forgetting this was my teacher.  Instead, I remembered all those terrible threats my dad made if anybody were to find out my secret.
    How could he have done this? How did I deserve this? Could Mr. Rush even legally do that?  And why the hell would he read my text messages to begin with? I didn’t think I bothered him that much.
    It was not my lucky day today.  On cue, my phone buzzed in my pocket, and it made my eyes snap at attention to my teacher. I didn’t know if he went to the cops yet. If he did, I could literally be dead.
    His hard gaze found my pocket then looked back up to my eyes.  With persistence and a goal in that gaze too. I knew he wanted to know more answers.  I knew he also wanted to see my phone at that exact second. It didn’t help that my heart was pounding. After all, I just slapped the dude.
    “I can imagine that’s your father, isn’t it?” he asked in a hard voice, eyes narrowing on mine. All I wanted to do was run and make the door my destination.  I might have done it too if I didn’t just step out of line and smack him in the face.  Even more so, I might have ran if I knew he wouldn’t go to the police.
    “Yeah,” I said, and I could feel my entire body tense up.
    He nodded curtly, staring up at me from where he was sitting.  He had no more tolerance.  “Sit down,” he said with a stern voice.  A voice so on edge.  It turned him into someone with dreams and opinions. Feelings.  I never heard him speak like that before. Seeing me sit down now, I could tell he felt much more at ease and in control. To be honest, though, I was more surprised he didn’t do more after I slapped him. 
    “Listen, I know that if I took this to the cops, you would be in trouble—” he started.
    “No, asshole! Killed. I would be killed,” I gaped.
    His eyes closed tightly and he flinched.  He didn’t look surprised, though.  Because that’s right, he already knew that little fact.  “I don’t appreciate the language, Janice.”
    “I don’t care! Shit, damn, bitch. I’m not a child and should not be treated like one. You read the texts, you know.”
    “Yes, and that is why the cops should know about this. I would have already gone to the police if I didn’t know that it wouldn’t help,” he shook his head.  From that… it sounded like he had a good idea what I was going through.
    “What do you know?”
    “I know your father is a sick human being.  He hurts you and is very abusive.  I know he has done other awful things, but I don’t know what.” When he said that, he paused, getting a hold of himself.  Another strange and surreal sight… him actually appearing like he was going to lose his cool.  He continued after a deep breath.  ”I know your brother is in jail, and your father is forcing you to help get the money to bail him out. If you don’t help, he will hurt you. He’s threatened to kill you.” His breath picked up, and he had to look away. “I read about his friends and connections, which is the only reason I haven’t gone to the police,” he said, almost whispering. He was clearly conflicted over that.
    When he didn’t continue like I expected him to, I felt relief wash over me.  Well, he didn’t