“Wait. He’s still married?” The donut I just ate burns in my stomach, and bitterness pools in my mouth.

“Uh, technically yes. Word on the street is that she cheated on him with one of his friends.”

I keep staring at the photo while my pulse drums in my ears, drowning out all the other sounds. A huge sense of betrayal makes my cheeks turn hot. Alistair didn’t make any sort of commitment to me. Still, I hate the fact that while he was screwing me in Italy, he had a wife back home.

“When did that happen?” I ask after a moment.

“Around eight months ago. He was a mess. Stopped shaving regularly, got grumpier than ever, and took a leave of absence. I was surprised to see him back at school. I thought he was going to be away longer. It’s not like he needs his teaching salary to survive.”

“And he’s still married to her? Why?”

Robbie watches me through narrowed eyes. “Look who’s interested in the teacher all of a sudden.”

“What? It’s good gossip.” The lie is weak, and I think Robbie can totally see through my bullshit.

“I don’t know why they haven’t divorced yet. My guess is that she wants more money than is due to her. I met her once at a school function. She’s a snobby bitch. I don’t know what Alistair ever saw in her.”

“She’s gorgeous,” I say with a pitiful tone, knowing I can’t compete.

“Nah, she’s not that pretty in person. Trust me. You’re way hotter than her.”

I lean back, crossing my arms. “Why would it matter if I’m hotter than her or not?”

Robbie smiles knowingly at me. “Maybe because you’re hot for teacher?”

“You’re crazy. I’m not into Mr. Walsh. At all.”

A bigger lie has never been told.

18

Chiara

Without knowing it, Robbie shoved me into hours of obsessive and destructive behavior. I spent the weekend stalking Alistair online, even though it hurt like a mother learning how he met his wife and seeing pictures of them together. I read a bit about his friend too, but I was more interested in his relationship with his wife.

Glutton for punishment that I was, the more I read about his whirlwind romance with the Mexican actress Nadine Perez, the bigger the hole in my chest grew. Last night, I had to force myself away from the computer, but sleep eluded me. I kept seeing them together whenever I closed my eyes.

Lack of rest adds to my irritation today. Following my lessons in the morning is murder, and not even Robbie can help me with his humorous antics. To fight tiredness, I drink too many cups of nasty cafeteria coffee, and when I arrive in Alistair’s class, I’m jittery as hell and ready to unleash the nasty bitch.

I’m ten minutes early, but I’m not the first student there. I consider for a brief moment sitting next to someone new, forcing myself out of my comfort zone and making more friends, but I don’t think it’s a good idea today. Maybe next time.

I take the same seat as before, deciding to kill time by checking my emails on my laptop. The top message in my inbox is from my mother, and I’m tempted to delete it without reading it. I skip her email for now because I really don’t need to add her viciousness to my sour mood.

The next email is from Max, and it’s a picture of him and his latest conquest. I swear to God he has a new girlfriend every other week. This one is an Asian beauty he met at a photo shoot in Thailand.

I click on the Reply button, but my fingers hover over the keyboard and no words come. For the first time, I don’t know what to say to my cousin. I haven’t told Max yet that Alistair is one of my teachers, and it feels wrong to write anything to him without revealing that bit of gossip. I’m not ready to spill the beans, mostly because Max is a shithead and he’ll tease me to no end. Maybe I can wait to tell him in person when he visits at the end of the month.

“Good morning,” Josh greets me as he takes the seat next to mine.

“Hey, good morning.”

I close my laptop with a jerky movement, not knowing why. It’s not like I was doing anything wrong. Josh doesn’t seem to notice my fidgety reaction though.

“I uploaded our assignment last night,” he says.

“Cool, thanks. When do you think we’ll be graded?”

“Knowing Mr. Walsh’s reputation, I’d say we’ve already been graded. I haven’t checked the portal yet.”

As if he was summoned by the mere mention of his name, Alistair walks in, looking sexier than ever. His button-down shirt stretches across his wide chest and clings to his biceps, making my mouth go dry. He seems well rested and relaxed, and here I am feeling like shit for losing sleep over him. The sense of longing hits me hard, but so does the anger that had been simmering low in my guts.

Remember, Chiara, he’s still married.

“Good morning, everyone.” His voice booms, commanding our attention.

He throws a cursory glance over the room but gives no indication he sees me.

“As of ten minutes ago, your first assignment grades have been posted. I wish I could say you all did well, but unfortunately, it seems not everyone here is taking this class seriously.”

His gaze finally lingers on Josh and me as if he’s implying we were some of the students who did poorly. That’s impossible. Our essay kicked ass.

I quickly log into the portal via my phone and search for our grades. Josh must have gotten to it first based on the low curse that escapes his mouth.

The page finally loads on my phone, and I have to blink a couple of times to believe my eyes.

We got an F?What the hell?

I glance in Josh’s direction.

“Is this for real?”

“I don’t understand.” He looks as confused as I feel. “I thought we nailed that assignment.”

“If you have questions about your grades, please wait until the class is over to discuss it. Now, let’s move on with today’s lecture.”

I’m so pissed that I can’t see straight. I curl my hands into fists over my lap and grind my teeth. I’ve never received an F in anything in my life. I’m an A student through and through. That’s why my father didn’t even bat an eye when I asked to study in California. He knows I’m serious about my education. Who the fuck does Alistair think he is to fail me?

I’ll show him.

I channel my frustration into paying extra attention to class, and for once I’m able to ignore how my heart hurts from being in his presence. I’m so in tune with the lecture that when Alistair asks me a question, I’m able to answer without hesitation. The arching of his eyebrows tells me he wasn’t expecting me to be so assertive.

Jerk. I’m blonde, but I’m not dumb.

So it wasn’t enough to give me an F, but he also wants to humiliate me in class?

Let’s see who’s going to have the last laugh.

As soon as the class is over, Josh makes a beeline to Alistair’s desk. I follow him but let my classmate do all the talking, mostly because I’m afraid of what will come out of my mouth.