Spring had finally arrived in Upstate New York, the smells of new life and new beginnings filled the air. It was a long, hard, cold winter, and I had packed on some pounds, weight I was now trying to lose as I walked through the park. My music was playing loudly, so I couldn't hear the remarks some made. I smiled several ties, acknowledging the other walkers and the familiar faces of neighbors.
It was after noon, the lunch crowd was making their way back to work, as I spotted her. Her, my son's technology teacher, was sitting at one of the picnic tables the park personnel had returned, her lunch spread out. She saw me, signaling for me to join her. I respectfully turned off my music as I walked towards her.
"Hello Mr. De Roche," she said as she stood, offering a hug.
"Please, call me Joe," I said as I gave her a tight squeeze. She held on a little longer than she had when we embraced in school. I felt her lips brush gently against my cheek as she backed away and sat.
"Then call me Anne," she returned as I sat, opening my water bottle. "Care to have some fries?"
"No thanks, I just ate." It was a lie, and I did want some food, but it could wait. I wanted to talk with her, not eat her food.
"So, what brings you up here?" she asked before putting a dainty handful of fries into her mouth.
"I walk now, everyday. I need to lose the winter weight." She swallowed and smiled. "I gained too much this winter," I added.
"And it looks good on you," she said, her smile broader. There was something in her eyes, a twinkle, that made me blush. I looked away, but she placed her hand on my shoulder.
"It does look good on you," she repeated, her eyes looking deeply into mine. For a moment, we were both speechless. I was unable to think straight, unable to comprehend what she had meant. Many ideas then flashed into my head. Does she mean she likes me better? Does she mean she wants me?
"Thank you," I answered weakly, breaking the seemingly long silence. She, too, came back. She turned away and went back to lunch. She took a big bite of her sandwich.
"I never knew you had lunch up here," I said in an effort to make some conversation. "I've seen other teachers up here for lunch and for walks."
"Yes, some have commented on that. That's why I'm here." That comment made me blush. She had to have noticed, for her smile, always warm and inviting, turned into something naughty. She reached for her drink and seductively took the straw into her mouth.
I looked at my watch, trying to avoid staring at that action. It was, to me, as if she was trying to make me blush, see how uncomfortable I could be around her. Again, she smiled and the twinkle had returned.
"Do you have to be anywhere?" she asked as I looked at my watch again.
"No," I answered, my voice cracking. Her wicked smile told me she knew she had me. I tried to look away, tried not to give away that she was exciting me. But, my body was telling another story. Her eyes gazed down, and as she smirked, she squirmed slightly.
"My, oh my," she softly whispered as she turned away, her sandwich in her hand. I turned away, looking out onto the pond, and thought of ways to calmly and politely excuse myself from this conversation. I didn't want to, really, but I felt that it would be best. She was my son's teacher after all.
"How much do you walk?" she asked, sensing that we needed a definite topic change. I welcomed it greatly.
"Most days, I walk about two miles, maybe three. It all depends on how much I'm motivated, and how much time I've spent on the computer." As soon as I said the latter information, I knew I had opened another can of worms.
"Computer, huh?" she asked, an eyebrow raised. A little smirk came to her face as she took a sip from the straw.
"Yes, I play a lot of games on the computer, on the free games sites on the web." This was a safe answer.
"Anything else?" she smiled. "I dabble in some short stories," I let out. Anne smiled and sat straight; I had her full attention.
"What genres are your stories in?"
"Mostly action/adventure, some are in romance, some are for kids." I began to smile as she looked intently into my eyes again, deeply, as if she was searching for something in my soul. Perhaps she was looking to see if I was lying about my writing, trying to find a tell; I knew she'd find none.
"Are you published?" She looked away after asking, as if she didn't want to know the total truth, or would take me at face value.
"Not since I was in college." It was true: I hadn't been published in a magazine since my freshman year in college. Then again, I haven't submitted anything since then.
"Do you have a website where I could sample some of your stories?"
"Yes," I said as I pulled out my ever-present small notebook and pen. I quickly wrote it down and handed it to her. Anne looked and smiled.