After my first day at school, all I want to do is get home, get dressed in my normal clothes, and head for the pub. So, that’s exactly what I do.

After texting Brett the Barman, I leave home at four on the dot and make my way to the bar. I have to laugh when I think of Brett being called that. The trouble is that the more I think about it, the less I seem to be able to call him anything else.

It’s all Easton’s fault. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway.

As I make the twenty-minute journey on foot, I can’t help this overwhelming sense that someone’s watching me. Call it paranoia, but it’s there. A part of me thinks that with Liam out there somewhere, I’m bound to have this sense all the time.

I don’t like living like this, but I’m worried that the moment I let my guard down, he’ll be there. It’s just Sod’s law. I also know that if I keep thinking he’s out there—searching for me—then it will eventually drive me crazy. He already made me his prisoner once. I’m not going to let him do that to me ever again.

On a sigh, I round the corner of the quiet street that my friend’s bar is on and walk inside. I immediately notice Brett, and as if sensing my stare, he looks up, offering me a wink before nudging his head in the direction of the corner of the bar. I follow the direction of his eyes and find Easton sitting in his usual booth. His head is down, and he’s scribbling something.

Morbid curiosity drives me towards him. When I take a closer look, I find him sketching with a pencil. It looks to be a castle on top of a hill. “Is that Edinburgh Castle?” I blurt, forgetting about the fact that I’ve just spied on him. I see the moment he jumps, and I watch as a small sigh escapes his beautiful lips. “Sorry,” I say, biting my lip. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

He looks up, smiling when he sees me, and I hate the fact that it makes my heart skip a beat when he does. “That’s okay. I must have been in a world of my own.”

“I didn’t know you sketched,” I respond, changing the subject.

He shrugs like it means nothing. By the way that he draws, it certainly doesn’t look like nothing to me. His lines are beautifully focused, and his shadowy areas are perfectly placed. I can just imagine myself outside that castle, waiting to get inside of it.

“It’s a hobby of mine. Just something I like to do from time to time.” He places his pencil down before swiftly putting his sketch away in his bag. “So, how was your first day?”

“It was okay for a first day, I suppose. It all feels weird, though. After not having had a structure for three years, it’s kind of hard to get back into it. I know I will, though.”

I cringe a little, wondering if he’ll bring up why I was away for three years. “You’re bound to feel like that for a while. It certainly doesn’t help when you have students so much younger than you in the same lessons.”

I’m about to answer that it doesn’t when I hear a voice from behind me. “Is that you, Sasha?”

I turn and see Mrs Caterham behind me, and for a moment, I wonder what she’s doing here. Then, she passes me, sitting right opposite Easton, and I understand. My eyes glance over to him, and I see the moment he looks uncomfortable. It makes me feel uncomfortable too. Isn’t she married? If so, what is she doing here with Easton?

“How was your first day today?” she asks, looking up.

Knowing I have to answer, I say, “It was good, thanks. I came in to meet my friend,” I say, waving my hand towards Brett, “when I saw Mr Lockhart sitting here. I just thought I’d say hi.”

“I’m glad to hear it. You know both you and Mr Lockhart are in the same boat as far as being new is concerned, so whatever it is you need, just let me know.” She looks at Easton. “Both of you.” She then looks back to me. “I’m here to help.”

That’s my cue to leave.

“Thank you,” I say, starting to turn. “I’d better get back to my friend. It was nice seeing you.”

Mrs Caterham starts laughing. “It really feels strange to find one of my students in a pub legally.” She continues to laugh as my face turns bright red.

I need that drink now more than ever.

I quickly scurry off, noticing Easton looking apologetically in my direction. Why he feels the need to, I have no idea.

“You look like you need a double.”

I look up at Brett, huffing. “How about a triple?”

“Ouch. That bad, huh?” He motions with his head over to their table. “Didn’t take him long to move on, did it? Who’s that woman he’s with anyway? It seems like you two know each other.”

As Brett grabs a glass and pours me a brandy, I lean forward, allowing my hand to shield me from Easton and Mrs Caterham. “That’s my form teacher.”

Brett starts laughing. “Okay. So how does she know hot Scottish biker boy?”

Closing my eyes, I sigh before meeting Brett’s expectant eyes. “He’s my headmaster.”

“Your what?” he chokes loudly.

“Yep. You inadvertently bet me to kiss my own headmaster.”

Brett starts laughing so loudly that the whole bar turns their heads to look our way. “Shh,” I hiss, trying to calm him down.

“Sorry,” he replies, trying to breathe.

As he tries to catch his breath, I down my whole drink in one go. From wanting nothing more than to escape to this pub, I now find I need to escape from it.

When Brett finally calms down and sees how upset I look, his face softens. “Sorry, babes. I didn’t realise. I bet that was a shock when you saw him this morning.”

And then some!

I huff again.

“I just feel really awkward,” I admit. I kissed him only last night, then I find out he’s my headmaster, and now I find him here having a drink with Mrs Caterham.

As if on cue, Easton approaches the bar and looks awkwardly at me before glancing at Brett. “A glass of white wine and a pint of Foster’s, please.”

Brett nods. “Coming right up.”

“I’m going to go,” I shout, so Brett can hear. “Call me later, okay?”

Understanding, Brett just nods, giving me a two-finger salute from his forehead. “Will do, babes.”

I can see Easton out of the corner of my eye. It’s like he wants to say something but doesn’t quite know what or how. I don’t give him a chance to converse. What is there to say anyway? It is what it is.

Once I open the pub doors, I walk out, taking in a huge, deep breath as I do. I’m about to start walking when I hear the sound of the doors opening.

“Sasha,” Easton calls. I know it’s him before I even turn around. I hear him running up behind me and when I turn, he still has this awkward look on his face. “She just wanted to go over some of the curriculum,” he says.

“Why are you telling me this?” He has to know that he doesn’t owe me an explanation.

I watch as he sighs, and his beautiful deep brown eyes momentarily look away. “I don’t know,” he replies, looking back to me. “I just felt like I needed to.”

“Okay.” That’s all I say. What else can I say?

“You seem upset.”

I frown. “I do?”

He steps forward, closing the distance between us, and the thought of him being near takes my breath away. Of course, Easton notices. “Are you going to be honest with me?” Glancing down, I notice his Nike trainers and it makes me smile for a moment. “What are you smiling at?”

I snap my head up noticing the curious look on his face. “I don’t know. It just looks strange. You’re wearing the classic white t-shirt, jeans, and leather jacket for your bike, but then you totally throw it off with those Nike trainers.”

Easton laughs. “Am I completely dashing your dreams of the classic bad-boy biker with leather jacket and boots?”

I nod, laughing. “Totally killing it,” I respond, but I’m only joking. Easton could walk out with nothing but a tutu on and he’d still be the sexiest man alive.

The moment of light-heartedness is short-lived as his eyes dart back towards the bar doors. “You better go back. She’ll be wondering where you are.”

He nods, looking sad, and then he turns to leave. “Easton,” I shout, my heart hammering in my chest. He turns, looking expectantly at me. “I know I shouldn’t be upset.” I can’t seem to get the words out.

“But you are?”

I smile, nodding. “I have no excuse.”

He shrugs, smiling. “I wanted complete honesty.” His beautiful, boyish face lights up before he turns to start walking back to the bar. “See you tomorrow, Sasha.”

I watch as he disappears through the doors before sighing. I can’t believe I admitted how I felt, but then, he did ask. It makes me wonder for a moment why he asked. There’s nothing that can be done about it whether I feel something for him or not. Was I upset when I saw them together? Yes. Was I jealous, thinking I should have been the one there? Yes. I admit all of that and more. But, at the end of the day, he’s still my head teacher. He’s as completely forbidden to me as I am to him. We both know we can never cross that line, and yet, here I am, confessing to him that it bothers me that he was having a drink with another woman.

It’s stupid. I know it’s stupid. I met him only yesterday, and yet the thought of seeing him again tomorrow fills my stomach with butterflies. Then again, is that so strange? Easton is about the most beautiful man I have ever seen after all. I’ve never felt such lust for anyone in my life. And his text messages…

I just have to stay away. I need to avoid him at all costs—as much as possible anyway. As I walk home, I start to wonder. Will this be one of those things that’s more easily said than done?