1 1. Just a Typical Morning

Callie rushed through traffic, cursing under her breath. Especially about the god-forsaken, slow as hell driver in front of her. Who cruises around at 5 miles under the speed-limit at 7AM on a Monday?

"Why did I forget to set my alarm last night?" Callie groaned to herself.

The fact was, Callie had fallen asleep grading papers well into the night. Such was the luxurious, exciting life of a spinster high school teacher. The work never stopped and the fun never started.

If Principal Greene found out she was late again...

Just the thought made Callie shiver in fear. Unable to wait any longer, Callie went to speed around the moseying car in front of her on a double yellow line. As she switched lanes, her eyes caught a large silhouette as it came around the corner, a semi speeding just a little too fast around the curve.

Callie only had a split second to switch lanes once more. She jerked the wheel hard, her heart hammering in her throat as the semi laid on his horn.

And passed by her, the driver flipping her off as he went.

Callie's whole body shook from the adrenaline as she clutched the wheel with all her strength. Her mind kept replaying that awful moment over and over.

Shaking her head, Callie forced herself to take a few deep breaths. "I might be able to talk Principal Greene around when it comes to my tardiness, but there's no talking your way out of death by semi!"

Callie patiently waited for a passing zone this time, before finally passing the slow driver in front of her.

By then, she was only a few minutes away from school. She zoomed through the remaining streets, loosely following the speed-limit as best she could get away with without getting a ticket.

As soon as Callie made it to school, she quickly parked her car in her regular spot and jumped out, forgetting her seat belt in her haste. She rebounded backwards into her seat, yelping as she fell back. Callie blushed and scowled down at the offending seatbelt as though it was the source of all her morning woes. Reaching back with a growl, Callie unclipped the buckle as fast as she could. She grabbed her suitcase from the backseat, then booked it inside the school as swiftly as her skinny, short legs could carry her.

Coming through the front door of the school, Callie had to put on her brakes, barely stopping before ploughing into Clark Kivet. She huffed in annoyance, glancing up to meet the eyes of the school's most troublesome student. An expression of fear briefly flashed across his face before melting back to his usual cocky countenance. Callie couldn't help but frown at this.

"Why aren't you in class, Mr. Kivet?"

Clark sneered at Callie, but she couldn't help but notice his hands were shaking.

"Why aren't YOU in class, Ms. Richardson?" Clark clicked his tongue. "Rumor has it, Principal Greene is gonna fire your a** if you're late again."

"Language, Clark!" Callie said automatically, but she couldn't help looking nervously over Clark's shoulder towards her waiting class.

Clark smirked. "Well, you can take the time to write me up, or you can run off like a good, little teacher before you get canned."

Callie glanced back at Clark's cocky smirk, and then back to the closed door of her waiting class. It was tempting, honestly. Callie felt that Clark needed some real punishment and attention to get him on a better course before he lost all chance to a good future.

But if she lost her job? Callie would lose her good future, too! It wouldn't be easy finding another high school to agree to take on a perpetually tardy English teacher. And, in the meantime, who would pay her bills?

Mind made up, Callie looked Clark right in his arrogant eyes and glared. "I'll let you off with a warning this time, Clark, but you better head to class right this minute! If I find out that you skipped class again after this, we'll be continuing this conversation later."

Callie held his glare for a second more to make sure he knew she was serious, then marched past him, heading to her classroom.

A little voice in her head warned her she was making the wrong choice.

Callie shook her head. By choosing to make it to her class in time, she ensured she had two more years to help set Clark back on the right path. One punishment certainly wouldn't change his life.

Conscience appeased, Callie turned the handle of her classroom door and left Clark behind in the school hallway. Unbeknownst to her, he was still standing in the same spot, glaring after her with hatred in his eyes.