Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I'm just borrowing them.
Notes: The second installment in my "Sam's Thoughts" series.
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Sam stared at the apathetic faces of his class…at least the ones that weren't asleep, doing their nails, or talking amongst themselves. He needed to figure out a way to get them all to relate. He had to get them interested in this stuff. But how?
He looked around the room, wondering what he could use to illustrate this discussion of 'disguise.' Suddenly he spotted Brett and an idea began to form in the back of his mind.
"Brett, what happens when you go out on the football field, in uniform?" he asked the boy, wincing at the yelled reply.
"We kick ass!"
"That's right, you yell, you scream, you push people around, you touch other guys' butts," Sam finished, smiling at the horrified look that came over the boy's face as his classmates laughed. Maybe he was onto something here.
"But it's okay, because you're in disguise…it enables us to do things we normally wouldn't do as our normal selves."
Sam smiled as he noticed the class actually listening for a change. He figured it was time to bring a little more humanization to the story. So he launched into one of his prized stories about his Gordie Howe helmet. God, he'd loved that thing…played in it for years, refused to give it up…until Laura threw it out. He still wasn't able to forgive her for that. He wondered where it was now. He suddenly came back to the present as he heard the class laugh at his disclosure on fighting.
He smiled as he finished his description of 'disguise.' During this dialogue, he looked over at Josie, and was surprised to see a strange expression on her face. An almost fearful one. He wondered what she was afraid of. He had a strong hunch it had something to do with the topic of today's conversation, disguise. And he had to force himself to push down the urge to find out exactly why it upset her…and what he could do to make her feel better. He wasn't going to go there. Not right now at least.
He felt the now familiar jolt to his system as she became aware of his gaze and met it head on. They locked eyes, simply staring at each other for a longer that normal time. This was happening more and more frequently, their gazes locking, almost without conscious thought on either of their parts. He couldn't seem to make himself pull away. Didn't want to. She seemed to feel the same way.
But, reality suddenly intruded as he heard Brett laugh at something his pal had said. He realized he'd been silent, staring at Josie for a few moments. He had to get things back on track. Where were they? Oh yes.
"Josie, why don't you read the next passage," he managed, moving to sit behind his desk, smiling at her gently as she picked up the book and after a pause, began to read. He was suddenly glad he was sitting down. The soft tone of her voice was doing things to his body he really had no desire for the rest of the class to notice. He couldn't explain it, well, parts of it. He'd had students he'd bonded with before, and he genuinely liked most of the students he taught now. He even thought several of them were extremely attractive.
But he'd never before felt the reaction he got every time he heard Josie speak. Her voice seemed to flow through him, soothing and exciting him in one way or another. During those times, especially when she was lost in a reading, he'd let himself look at her, knowing it was acceptable. The way her face shone with joy and her voice flowed over the beautiful words, obviously knowing them well. She truly enjoyed reading Shakespeare, and it showed. He loved listening to her read it as well. He knew it was a stupid way to think of things, but he thought their souls connected during these moments. He figured that was the safest way he could find to deal with the intensifying attraction he could feel growing between them every day.
An attraction he knew was irrational and dangerous, especially considering their student/teacher relationship. But he couldn't stop himself from thinking of Josie as more than simply a student. He didn't even know if he wanted to try anymore. She did things to him no other woman ever had, including Laura.
He knew it was wrong of him to feel this way about a student, but he couldn't help himself. There was just something about Josie Geller that drew him to her…against all reason. But he wasn't going to analyze that now. He was having a hard enough time concentrating on keeping himself under control. It was going to be a long class.
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