The thin second hand crept around the clock face until its snail-like progress caused the minute hand to finally snap into the position over the 12.
"Okay, that's it for today," Mrs. Chandler announced.
Tossing her book bag over a shoulder Danielle Lawrence joined her three detention fellows into the hall. Outside they each went their separate ways, a couple climbing into cars. But not Danielle. She hadn't told her mother about the detention, she'd lied and said she was going over to a friend's house after school. Being 18 meant she didn't require a parent's signature on her detention slip so she could avoid the inevitable lecture if her mother had learned of her misconduct.
The thick soles of her black shoes smacked the sidewalk as she strolled to Judy Grant's house. Rising up out of those shoes her white socks covered the majority of her calves. And above those socks her tan thighs eventually disappeared beneath the hem of her school uniform's skirt. Inches higher the garment hugged her delicate hips. Tucked into its waistband her white blouse flowed up to snuggle the curvature of her 36C breasts. The blouse's top buttons were open and above the resulting vee her fresh face soaked in the bright sunshine, her long, thick brunette hair pulled back in a sporty ponytail.
Prancing up the steps to Judy's door she rang the bell. It was answered by a nice looking man in his late 30s wearing dark khakis, a dress shirt with cuffed sleeves and a white t-shirt beneath its open front. It was easy to see that he liked to keep in shape, but wasn't fanatical about it.
"Hey Danielle," Judy's father wore a surprised smile as he greeted her.
"Um... Hey Mr. Grant," she half-stuttered. "Is Judy here?"
He hesitated for a moment, giving her uniform a quizzical look. "No, she... uh went for a quick shopping trip with her mother."
"Oh. Um...," Damn, she thought, I forgot to remind her about today.
"I doubt she'll be too long," Mr. Grant offered. "You wanna come in and wait?"
"Um, yea sure," she nodded. She knew she couldn't go home just yet. If she did her mother would wonder why she hadn't spent longer at her friend's and might become suspicious.
Moments later she was sitting on the couch with a soda, absently watching a television news program. Her host sat at the other end of the couch, his legs kicked out so that his bare feet rested under the coffee table. The news program didn't exactly interest Danielle and her mind wandered.
"So how's school going?" Mr. Grant's question brought her back to the present.
Blinking, she realized the TV was showing a commercial.
"About the same as that question . . . Boring," she smirked.
"Ok. Ok." He held up a hand in mock surrender as he turned toward her slightly. "I'll try to refrain from asking boring questions."
In the ensuing silence Danielle found it difficult to meet his gaze. She'd had a crush on her friend's father ever since meeting him, and her nerves were tingling as he stared at her.
"So... um, Mrs. Grant took Judy shopping?" she asked, trying to calm herself.
"Yeap," he nodded.
Another silence unfolded and she wished the commercials would end and the news, as boring as it was, would return.
"You have to stay late at school?" He asked.
"Um . . . Yea," she kind of whispered. She didn't want to tell him about her detention either and she was suddenly afraid he'd ask. "What . . . Um, What happened between you two?"
"Huh?"
"Between you and Judy's mom. What happened? Why'd you guys split-up?" While she was asking the question as a way to change the subject, it was something she'd actually been curious about for some time.
"Oh. We just kind of grew apart," he shrugged.
She made a scoffing sound.
"What?" He asked.
"That's what all divorced parents say," she challenged. "Unless they actually admit to someone having an affair . . . Or one of them just takes off."
"Oh yea, Judy told me about your dad. How old were you?"
"Eight," her temporary bravado faded away to another near whisper.
"That had to suck."
Over the years plenty of adults had expressed this same general sentiment, only they'd all used softer phrases such as "that must have been rough" or "that must have hurt." So Mr. Grant's choice of words surprised her.
"Yea . . . it did," she nodded, lifting her eyes to look at him. When she did she thought she caught him admiring the way her shirt flowed over her breasts and she felt her cheeks warm.
"So what about you and Mrs. Grant?" She pressed, absently turning slightly toward him.
"Like I said, we grew apart," he shrugged again.
"Come on," she sighed. "What happened? Did you get caught?"
"Oh, because I'm the man, I must be the one that had an affair?" He mocked indignation.
"No. That's not..." her voice trailed off to keep her from expressing her thoughts.
"Yes?" He pressed after a moment.
"That's not what I meant," she stared at the floor.
"So what did you mean?"
She remained silent.
"Danielle, do you think I had an affair?"
"I don't know," she whispered. "But that whole 'we grew apart' line just sounds so phony. And it does usually mean someone messed around." She paused then, considering how much more she dared say.
"Ok, I can understand that," he shrugged. "But why would I have to be the guilty one? Certainly women are just as prone to cheating."
She tried to lift her gaze and look at him, but couldn't.