"Why are you getting so dressed up again? It's just teachers, Sav. Who cares what you look like?" Kylie asks, handing me my black onyx earrings with the diamonds along the edge. I slide them on and spray a little hairspray in my loosely curled hair.

"I just wanted to wear this skirt, that's all. It's new." I shrug and she nods her head, still looking through my jewelry box. That's a complete lie, of course. I know Mr. Styles is going to be here and I would be lying if I said I didn't want to impress him. I wonder if he notices me...

"Sav?"

I snap out of my thoughts and turn to my friend. "Yeah?"

"I asked if you want to meet up later after the boring old teachers leave."

"Oh, sorry. Umm yeah probably. I'll see what Mason wants to do."

"I don't understand how you guys spend so much time together. I would never hang out with my brother."

I laugh and walk out into my bedroom. "You and Chris can't stand each other. Plus, he's younger than you. Mason and I are the same age, in the same class, have the same friends. Plus, with my parents being... the way that they are, we don't really have a choice. We're all each other has." It's true; Mason and I have had to fill every role for each other. Mother, father, sibling and friend. It works and that's the reason we're so close. We need each other. I have no idea what I would do without him.

"Still, it's unnatural. Siblings are wired to have a love-hate relationship." I just laugh and we start walking towards the staircase. The doorbell rings and I stop where I am. That could be him. Kylie suddenly runs by me and down the steps.

"Kylie don't!" I call, lifting my skirt so I don't fall on my face as I follow her. She gets down the stairs in record time and swings the door open, leaning on it with one hand while the other rests on her hip.

"Mr. Styles." My heart jumps into my throat at the sound of his name. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Kylie, I"m a friend of Savannah's. I'm not in any of your classes right now, but I'm pretty excited for next semester when I am."

I hear his throaty chuckle and smile to myself as I come down the stairs. Kylie reaches her hand forward and I can see her go through the motions of shaking his.

"Pleasure to meet you, Kylie. Am I early?" His voice...

"You're right on time," I answer for her, coming around the door. I try not to melt into a puddle when I see him. He's dressed quite casually, but he looks stunning nonetheless. He smiles when he sees me, heat rising to my cheeks as I return it.

"Hello, Savannah."

"Come on in." I step the the side and he walks in and past me and Kylie.

"Holy shit!" she whispers. "Have fun." She slaps me hard in my ass as she walks out, shutting the door behind her and making me squeal. Mr. Styles turns around at the noise and raises an eyebrow at me.

"Umm...do you want something to drink?" I ask shyly, slowly walking towards and past him. He follows me through the entryway.

"I'm alright. You look lovely, Savannah." I stop on reflex and turn to face him. He runs his hand through his hair and I follow the motion with my eyes. I'm completely mesmerized by this man. Anything he does, I can't help but notice. He's perfect. Being in class with him the last three days has been torture. It's so hard not to stare at him and I find myself constantly spacing out during his lessons. I even caught him looking at me a few times.

"Thank you."

He nods and I force myself to look away from him, leading him to the formal living room where I assume my parents are waiting. They're already sitting with the other teacher. What was her name again?

"Harry, good to see you," my father says, standing and extending his hand. Mr. Styles shakes it firmly.

"Thank you for having me. Hello, Tenley," he says, nodding to my mother. She waves and continues her conversation with the other woman.

"Something to drink?" my father asks. Mr. Styles shakes his head.

"You daughter already offered me something. I'll wait for dinner."

"Fair enough. Please, come sit." They both sit down and I take the only empty spot left: on the couch next to Mr. Styles. Not that I'm complaining. I look across the room at the other couch where the other teacher is sitting with my mother. I watch as she stares at Harry, clearly admiring him. I feel a pang of jealousy and wish I could tell her that it's rude to stare.

"Mason, right on time. We were just about to move into the dining room," my mother says when Mason steps into the room. He smiles politely and we all stand and move into our formal dining room where the table is set for six. My parents sit on either end, Mason and I sitting on one side beside each other while our new teachers sit across from us. I try not to smile as Mr. Styles takes the seat directly across from me.

My mother has gone all out tonight, bringing in our chef and even some servers. They bring out the first two courses while my parents ask question after question to our new guests. I've finally learned the name of the other teacher, Carla Michelson. Mason and I sit quietly and I can tell that he wants to be here way less than I do. Sure, it sucks to be home on a Saturday night, but the person sitting across the table from me makes it worth it.

"So, why the big change, Harry? England to San Francisco, that's quite the difference," my mother questions.

"I lived in the same place my whole life. It seemed like it was time for something new," Harry explains. The servers come out with our main courses and sets steak and potatoes in front of each of us.

"Do you like it here?" Mason asks, immediately starting on his meal.

"It umm...it's growing on me." Everyone nods and looks down to their plates and slowly Mr. Styles' eyes lock with mine over the edge of his wine glass. My cheeks flush slightly and he flashes a small smile. I look down at my food and try not to smile like an idiot.

"So how are the AP classes going, guys?" My dad asks. I guess this is the family time as well. I assume my parents will be gone before we even wake up tomorrow morning.

"It's only been three days, Dad," I inform him. It's hard to say when we haven't really done anything. I uncross my legs and stretch them slightly, getting antsy. I jump slightly when my foot comes into contact with someone else's under the table. I look up to see if anyone will claim it, surprised to see Mr. Styles smirking at me. Oops. I move my foot back slightly, but not too far.

"Are you going to be here for homecoming?" Mason asks my father. "We have our season opener in two weeks."

My Dad shifts a little in his seat. "I'm not sure. I'm going to try."

"So that would be a no," Mason concludes. My Dad puts his fork down slowly but forcefully. The tension in the room thickens and I watch the exchange, hoping my dad will just tell him what he wants to hear for right now. Normally I would be the peacemaker, but we have company. I try not to react when I feel something against my foot. I look up at Mr. Styles again and find that he's already looking at me. I feel his foot lift up and down a few times, gently rubbing against my leg. The action sends electricity through my body, making me feel excited but calming me at the same time.

"Don't start, Mason. I said I would try."

"Yeah, I know exactly what that means." Mason takes his napkin off his lap and wipes his mouth as he stands. "Excuse me." I watch as he walks out and into the living room, door to the backyard opening and slamming shut. Football is the one thing that made it seem like my brother and my dad had some sort of relationship. My dad played in college and they always seemed to bond over it. Until last year when he missed every game except one.

We eat in an uncomfortable silence. I try not to show any kind of reaction to the contact being made under the table. It confuses me and it's extremely inappropriate, but I don't care. It doesn't feel wrong. My mother breaks the silence.

"Savannah, why don't you go see where he went. He should finish his dinner." She smiles politely at me and I nod and stand from my chair, sad that I have to end the contact being made in secret. My eyes are pulled to Mr. Styles for a moment and I catch him looking at the exposed section of my stomach. His eyes flash up to mine and I quickly look away, seeing a pink tinge in his cheeks as I walk past him towards the back doors. Was he just checking me out?

I walk out the back door and Mason looks just over his shoulder as I close it. He's doing his usual, something he always does when he's trying to calm down. It started when he was eight. He would come out here and stand on the edge of the pool, slowly creeping forward and testing how far he can go before falling. He hasn't fallen in since he was thirteen.

"Don't let him get to you," I start, sitting on a lounge chair behind him. He sighs and moves slightly forward.

"How is it that they can care so little about us? I don't understand."

"I don't know, Mase."

I sit there in silence with him, knowing that he doesn't need me to say anything. This is the way our lives are and we know that. Sometimes it hits a little harder than others, but we get through it. We always do. My brother is more sensitive than me in a lot of ways so a lot of the time this kind of thing bothers him a lot more than it does for me.

"Can I ask you something?" Mason says quietly. I stand and walk up beside him, waiting for him to proceed. "Do you think we'll end up like them?"

"What?"

"When we get older and have our own families, do you think we'll be as shitty as they are at being parents?"

"Of course not. Maybe we don't have great examples of how to be good ones, but that doesn't mean we can't be, Mase."

He shakes his head. "I don't understand how someone can be this way to their own kid. How can they just not care?"

"I don't know. But it's not our fault. At least now we know how not to act," I joke, poking his arm a few times. He smiles sadly and puts his arm around my shoulder. "We're going to be fine. One more year and we can get out of here."

"Yeah."

"Come on, let's go back inside. Sara made cheesecake for dessert," I suggest. He smiles down at me and nods his head, stepping back from the water and pulling me towards the door. "Let's just try to get through tonight without killing each other, okay?" He laughs and nods his head in agreement. My mother smiles and I can see relief on her face when we enter the dining room. Not because we're okay, but because we're back and can continue with the perfect family charade. Mason and I sit down and continue eating.

"Savannah, Carla was just telling me that her brother is an architect. He went to the best program in the country, maybe it would be good for you to talk with him." My mother has been telling me ever since she learned that I could draw that I should become an architect.

"The best graduate school. He went to Cornell for his undergraduate. It's in the top five for sure, though," she says proudly.

"That's interesting." I smile politely and she nods her head. I'm not even sure if I'm interested in architecture. "New York would be exciting."

"I would love to see New York," Mr. Styles interjects. I draw my gaze to him and smile. "Sounds like a great place."

"You've never been?" I ask, sipping my wine. He shakes his head.

"I have not. Have you?"

"A few times. It's beautiful. I would love to live there."

My mother laughs and the servers come out to clear away our dinner plates. "Why would you want to leave California for the cold winters of New York?" she asks like it's the dumbest idea in the world.

"Some people like having four seasons," I argue.

"The winter is miserable, Savannah, trust me. I grew up in Vermont and I hated it. California is the perfect place to live."

"Everyone has different preferences," Mr. Styles interjects. He looks at me. "There's nothing wrong with wanting a change in scenery."

The servers come out with dessert and I mouth a 'thank-you' to him. He nods his head once and my mother continues asking Ms. Michelson about her brother. I'm so over this dinner.

"When do you think we'll be allowed to escape?" I whisper to Mason as the adults get up and move into the living room again after dessert is finished. There's such a weird energy between Mr. Styles and I and I don't know how much longer I can handle being in the same room as him without making it obvious to everyone else. We follow them to the living room, but my mother stops me before I can sit down.

"Savannah, why don't you go get everyone a cup of coffee," she suggests, gesturing behind me to the kitchen. I frown at her and almost protest but Mr. Styles stands and stops me.

"I'll give you a hand," he volunteers. My mother turns and smiles at him before taking her seat. I lead him to the kitchen and my heart rate picks up with every step that carries us further away from the others. In the kitchen there's multiple walls to separate us...

"Looks like Sarah already made the coffee," I say quietly, walking to the cupboard that holds the mugs. I reach up and take two out, breath hitching when he stands behind me and reaches up to get two as well. I stand there silently while he reaches up again for the last two that we require. I turn and hold my breath when he doesn't step back from me. Our chests are almost touching as he peers down at me.

"You don't get along well with them, do you?" he asks quietly. I shake my head, no. "Why is that?"

"They're never here," I explain breathlessly. He nods his head and I inhale deeply, my brain foggy from the amazing scent coming off his skin.

"That's too bad." He stands there, staring down at me with an expression in his eyes that I can't read. I have no idea what to do or say right now. All I can think about is closing the small gap between us. I feel like my body is being pulled toward his and in a moment of weakness my eyes flicker quickly down to his lips. His eyes widen slightly.

"Where's the sugar?" he asks quietly. When I'm unable to voice an answer he steps back and starts looking. I lean back against the counter and grip it for support, trying to control my rapid breathing and racing heart. Eventually he finds it and sets it down next to the mugs. I gather myself and silently proceed to get the cream as well. Mr. Styles pours the coffee into each mug while I bring out the cream and sugar. I set them down and head back to the kitchen, where he is setting each mug onto the tray he managed to find.

"I can carry that," I volunteer. I feel shaky, but I need to break the silence. He puts his hand on my outstretched one and my eyes snap up to his. He's got an adorable smirk on his face.

"Don't be silly." I nod and expect him to release my arm, but he doesn't. His eyes stay on mine and my heart threatens to fly out of my chest when he steps closer to me. His free hand goes up to my cheek and I feel like every nerve ending in my body is on fire.

"Mr. Styles-"

"Harry." I smile nervously and he returns it. He seems unsure of himself but he doesn't step back. "You should probably tell me to stop," he whispers, thumb running along my cheekbone.

"And if I don't?" My voice is shaky. He sighs and I feel his warm breath fan my face. His eyes flicker down to my lips and I feel like my entire world has stopped. The only thing in the universe that matters right now is this moment right now. The hand holding my arm slides slowly towards the top of it, sending shivers down my spine when his fingers sweep across my collarbone. He slowly brings it up to my face so that he's got his hands on both my cheeks. My knees start to go weak as he steps forward again, our bodies touching.

"That could be bad," he whispers, leaning down closer. I tilt my face up slightly and after what feels like an eternity he moves his face closer to mine. Both of us close our eyes and finally our lips meet. I feel like everything in my world clicks into place. This moment is the centre of everything. I can practically hear the fireworks erupting and an insatiable desire burns through my body.

All too soon he pulls back and leans his forehead against mine. Without a word he releases me and picks up the tray of mugs, walking past me and back to the living room. I stay frozen in place, reaching up with my hand to touch my fingers to my lips. There's a weird tingly feeling where his lips touched mine and I'm struggling to understand what just happened here. Did he just kiss me?

I gather myself and make my way back to where my family and our guests. I'm not quite sure where to look. I can feel Mr. Styles looking at me, but I can't look at him right now. I don't know what's going on with me, but I know that I need to stop it. No matter how good that kiss felt.

"Mom said we can go if we want," Mason says, standing in front of me. I don't really want to leave, but I know that would be the best thing to do. For everyone. Plus, Mase would know something is up if I said I wanted to stay. I nod my head and say goodnight to everyone, looking at Mr. Styles last. He looks...confused maybe? I can't quite tell. I quickly turn and follow Mason upstairs to his room.

"Are you going out?" I ask him. He shrugs and changes into a more comfortable t-shirt.

"I should probably see Natalie."

"And break up with her."

He rolls his eyes and slides his phone and wallet into his pocket. "Can we not talk about this anymore please? I'll do it, okay. I just need some time."

He exits his room and I walk to my own, stepping out onto my balcony. I welcome the fresh breeze, closing my eyes and leaning against the railing. I just kissed my teacher. My teacher. What is wrong with me?

Why do I want to do it again?

Notes

FINALLY. this one took foreeeever. i wanted it to be perfect :)

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