My French Teacher Claims I'm His Mate

Ch3: First Detention with Mr. D

As Maria was about to enter the classroom, she noticed that Mr Donnovan wasn't alone. Sandra was there as well.

What the hell was she doing there?

'Don't tell me he gave her a detention too?' She mused, horrified, "Oh god! Someone help me!"

Maria just closed the door quietly, and stood there watching her argue with him.

"But sir, I was being rude in your classroom too. It would only be fair that I get a detention along with her."

Yep, there she was talking about Maria like she was some garbage she couldn't stand.

'Damn it, I wonder what I've ever done to her,' Maria thought on a sigh.

Mr. Donnovan frowned, then putting a blank face, he said in a rather stern voice, "Stop talking about Maria like she isn't here."

Maria's eyes widened at that, and she then turned to look at Sandra just to see her reaction...

'Oh s**t, she is glaring at me, her gaze says fury on the way,' Maria mentally grimaced.

The blonde kept the staring for a moment, and then stormed off.

Maria sighed, frustrated. She knew that look all too well. She could only wonder what she was going to tell her sister this time.

A moment later, she snapped out of her thoughts, and took the seat next to the window. Then looking at the floor, she asked calmly, "So, what should I do?"

She didn't get an answer, so she looked up, only to see him standing right in front of her.

'Damn! I didn't hear a thing. When did he move?' She thought, startled.

Her French teacher's features were kind of grim. He sighed, and then looking out of the window, he asked, sounding genuinely curious, "Is she always like this?"

Maria smiled, then told him jokingly, "No. She usually tries to get free of detentions."

The comment made him smile, but it didn't reach his eyes ... his beautiful smoldering green eyes that were now looking at her.

Oh god, she could get lost in those eyes.

'Stop it already!' She inwardly reprimanded herself. 'You are being stupid, Maria.'

She averted her gaze, then asked again about what she had to do. He answered her, smirking evilly, "Well, there are some boxes that you could help me with."

She stood up and followed him to the supply room. There were about 6 boxes.

She bent down, picked up one, then put it on the desk, all the while feeling her every move watched by her extremely hot teacher, who was leaning against the wall.

She opened the box, then pulled out some books and started organizing them on the shelves. While she was accomplishing the chore, they were having quite an interesting conversation –though a little bit unusual for a student to have with the teacher.

"So, did you live in France before?" He asked first.

"Yes, I did until I was fifteen actually ..." she trailed off, not wanting to give details that would most certainly just bore the s**t out of him.

"I really love it there. Europeans are more open-minded. And why did you leave?" He was actually interested.

Well, that made her feel kind of warm inside.

"It's just that I came to live here with my father after my mom... passed away." She really couldn't bring herself to say the word died... she just couldn't.

"Oh, not the best reasons to move from home. I can only guess you've had some tough days."

Was his tone really concerned?

'I think I'm imagining things... Yes, definitely,' she mentally reasoned, trying to dismiss the thought that he might be interested in her the way she was in him.

Maria was glad he didn't say "oh, I'm so sorry" or something along the lines. She despised that sentence with passion. It's just that coming from persons who barely knew her, and didn't know her mom, it was way too hypocritical to her.

She sighed but said nonetheless, "Yes, I had quite a difficult time adapting here."

"I understand that," he told her simply, before adding in a joking tone, "Especially with people like Sandra and co, huh ?"

Maria couldn't suppress the giggle that escaped her mouth. She then turned around and said, "Yes, I totally agree with that, Mr Donnovan."

She had to add that –Mr Donnovan, that is– because she began to think she was getting a little too familiar with her teacher. And it didn't help her in getting rid of this attraction she had for him. Not in the slightest.

He grinned, then frowned.

'Oh, no,' she thought, frozen to the spot, 'I think he doesn't like my attitude. But it's way too easy to talk to him.'

He said in a serious tone, "My father isn't here, young lady. So, you are not to call me anything but Blake."

Maria's eyes widened at that. For a moment, it was quiet, then he burst off laughing and she soon joined him though still confused.

'What is it with the formal English?' She thought, half-amused, half-perplexed. 'And does he really want me to call him by his first name? Is he... No! don't go there, Maria! He is probably this cool with everyone. He just wants you to be at ease or something. Don't think too much of it.'

"Mr Donnovan, it makes me feel old," he explained, a smile tugging at his mouth, "When out of school hours, call me Blake please."

Maria returned the smile, then took one of his desk accessories to busy herself. Not looking at him, said in a timid voice "Ok."

"I think she is just jealous of you or something," he said after a moment of silence.

"A beautiful blonde like her should definitely be jealous of a plain brunette like me... Yeah, right!!" She answered him, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, you get the attention without as much efforts as her, I'm sure of that." He supplied in a flat tone.

"Naaah, I don't get attention at all," Maria waved the thought away with a flick of her hand, "if it wasn't for my accent that is stuck with me." She added jokingly.

She turned around to pick another box, but came face to face with her teacher who said in a low husky voice "But I love your accent."

And that was her cue to start blushing like crazy at only one feet from him.

How embarrassing!

She then tried to look as collected as she could muster when she said, "Well, I think the opinion is not shared."

But since she was still recovering from that sentence – which she was sure, he didn't mean anything by it – her voice came out low, almost a murmur, and her breathing was ragged.

He was looking at her as if he was not seeing her. He was lost in his thoughts, or so it looked like.

He seemed to snap out of his trance after a minute or so, and Maria fell out of his spell, instantly cursing herself for being so stupid.

She was about to continue her chore when his voice came stopping her, "No, it's enough for today. It's 5 pm already."

Maria couldn't gather the courage to look at him. She therefore just passed by him with her head bent. She picked her backpack from where she had left it on the desk, and went for the door... when suddenly, he blocked her way.

In what sounded like a slightly hurt voice, he asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

She looked up at him, and then, smiling, reassured him, "No, not at all! it's just..."

She couldn't finish her sentence. She was expressing herself way too freely with him. She should pay more attention.

'Yes, I have to keep that in mind,' she told herself.

"It's just...?" He sought for an answer.

Blushing again, Maria just muttered, "I can't... Sorry, sir... I mean Blake. I've got to go."

He moved out of the way, and she slipped out of the classroom, her heart beating too fast for her liking.

'I should try to control my hormones around him. It's going to get me right into troubles, I can see that coming.' She thought while worrying her lower lip on her way to the exit.

********************************

As Maria opened the front door of the hell hole that was supposed to be her home, she heard an all too familiar high-pitched voice.

"I knew it," she muttered under her breath, "I've seen it coming earlier. I wonder what she said about me this time though."

Her stepmother's voice rung in her ear like the worse melody possible, "Maria, you decided to come home eventually?"

Now, what was that supposed to mean?

Maria just put her blank face on, her unreadable gaze, and then entered the living-room.

As expected, next to El Diablo was her dear sister, Sandra.

'Oh god, please let her finish soon. I'm not in the mood to listen to her!' Maria mentally whined.

Eying her warily, she gasped, "Is that what you wore to SCHOOL today?"

"Huh?" To say Maria was confused wouldn't even cover the half of it.

"Your top is way too revealing," her stepmother explained in very serious tone.

"You are kidding, right?" Maria just couldn't put the sarcasm off. El Diablo was pushing it.

Her stepmother just glared at hr, then continued in an angry tone, "It's because of your new English teacher, that's..."

She didn't get to finish as her sister corrected her in a flat tone, "French teacher."

Clara looked lovingly at her younger sister, and told her in a low kind voice, "Thanks, Sandra"

"My pleasure, Clara," was the smug response she got.

Maria could only guess how happy her sworn enemy must feel.

Then, The Diablo faced her again. "So you went late just so you could get a detention, huh?"

"No," she almost yelled, then frowned, inwardly cursing Sandra for being such a b***h, and Clara for being so dumb.

"Just let me tell Mark about that. He won't be happy," she threatened.

'What is she like 4 or something? She's gonna tell my father. Oh I'm scared, big time!' Maria had to hold back a snicker, 'She can really be so dumb. I mean, only a blind wouldn't notice that father and I are like strangers.'

Even Sandra rolled her eyes at that while Maria kept a straight face, jut staring at her like she was crazy.

Sometimes one can express so much more just being silent. Right now felt like one of those moments to Maria.

Clara reddened a little. Then, after some help, with Sandra's whispering, she said smirking, "You are punished for the week. You will not go to Sandra's party Friday."

Maria almost laughed at that. "I wasn't invited to begin with... And I wouldn't go anyway, not that you could keep me from going if I wanted to." She told her stepmother in an exasperated tone.

Maria never went to any of her parties, why should this one matter? Was Sandra getting dumb as well?

She eyed Clara with unprofessed but unshielded disgust, then shook her head at her, and left in the direction of her room.

She used to make her life miserable. Now that she had turned 18, however, she won't have the chance. Maria was no longer under her father's responsibility, which made everything she might do –or not for that matter– none of her business.

It felt good to be free... so good!

'She can't do anything to me now. She'll just have to bear with it until I'm out of here,' she mused, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

Maria was lost in her dreams of a better future, laying on her bed, when her phone went off signaling a message.

It was from Tyler. "Hi, how was detention?" He asked.

"Not too bad," she responded.

"Good. Sandra is throwing a party Fri, u'll go w me, rit?"

What the hell was he talking about? He couldn't be serious, right? He must just be fooling around... yes, he had to be.

"Why should WE go anyway?"

"She's the head cheerleader, and I'm the new quarter-back. I can't miss the party." Was his reply.

Maria rolled her eyes at that. "You don't have to go."

"Oh, come on! For once, be cool."

Now that was unusual, what was wrong with him all of a sudden?

"You know I don't like her. Don't ask me THAT!"

"Whatever babe. Xo c u"

Did he seriously get mad at her? Nevertheless, Maria answered with a text that said "xo c u. tk cr"

So that was why Sandra looked so smug earlier.

'Scratch what I said earlier. She is NOT getting dumb!' She thought bitterly while burying her face into the pillow. 'I could always sneak out and go with him if it's so important. But the thing is, I know it'll only bring more troubles. Besides, I bet the party isn't even worth it.'

Maria was so confused. The right thing to do –as his girlfriend– would be to go with him. But what about her feelings towards Sandra?

Water and oil don't mix, right? Well, the same applied for them. It was that simple.

Maria just sighed, then pulled her phone out of her pocket one more time, and called Kelly. She was the person she could talk to. The only one that would listen.