Kayla was surprised to see Mr. Connelly at her grandfather’s funeral.
As a teacher, Mr. Connelly was by far their High School’s most popular.
As a student, Kayla was by far their High School’s least.
But Mr. C had taken a liking to her since the beginning of term
She had a sense of humor that many of her peers didn’t get
A devilish sort of wit that she locked away most days as she idled through the motions.
Kayla almost felt guilty smiling on such an occasion as a family funeral
But it was hard to withhold when she saw Mr. C out of the algebra chambers
Dressed in a black shirt and jacket, tailored so perfectly around his broad shoulders.
Even Kayla’s mother remarked at how handsome he looked.
Mr. C
I’m here for you, no matter what you need
He offered her a minute-long hug.
Mr. C
Don’t be afraid to ask
Surely Kayla was not afraid, because by Monday she was already requesting time with Mr. Connelly.
She needed help preparing for a test, which Mr. C promised she could put off until she settled things in her personal life.
Yet he welcomed their oneonones nonetheless, inviting Kayla to his office after school to talk about X’s and Y’s.
Soon their friendship grew beyond the school grounds
In Mr. C’s condo, where Kayla beat him three times in Mario Kart
Down by the marina, where Kayla talked about her dreams of getting away
In a local Mexican restaurant, where Mr. C offered to buy Kayla her first margarita
And back in Mr. C’s home, where they went all in.
This happened twice in the month of March, on two separate weekends.
The first time, Kayla told her mother she was sleeping at a friend’s house
The second time, she claimed she was on a trackmeet out of town
A failed excuse from the beginning, since the track team never stayed overnight.
When her Mother called the track coach to see for herself, Coach threw Kayla under the bus.
When Kayla came home, her Mother cycloned into rage, confiscating Kayla’s phone, her computer, her car keys.
Shuffling through Kayla’s text messages, her Mother demanded an explanation.
Mom
Is this your teacher from Granddad’s funeral?
Mom
You little slut, how do you plan on explaining this to your father?!
It was too late to pretend like she had a boyfriend her own age.
Not that it would make things much better.
Her parents were both deeply religious, opposed to any kind of relationship.
And so Kayla cried. And cried. And cried.
Shouting seduction, shouting abduction, shouting rape.
Her Mother was on the phone with the school principal before long
Accusing Mr. C of deflowering her daughter, of forcing her to do unseemly things.
At school, Kayla begged with Mr. C
Kayla
Please tell them it was your idea. Please tell them I’m not lying.
Kayla
My parents are crazy. They’ll never let me leave home for college if they know what we’ve done.
Kayla
If they knew I initiated any part of it.
Mr. C
What we did was legal. You were already 18.
Mr. C
If we tell the truth, I may lose my job, but I won’t go to jail.
Kayla
If we tell the truth I will live in my parents’ jail.
Kayla
They won’t send me to college.
Kayla
They will lock me away forever.
Mr. C
You’re an adult. You can come live with me.
He wiped the tears from her face, and for a moment, caught a glimpse of that delicious smile.
But Mr. C would never get to see it again.
Kayla couldn’t bring herself to admit the truth to her parents
They pressed the law to punish Mr. C to its full extend
Claiming they had been involved since before Kayla’s 18th birthday
Claiming every part of it was forced.
Kayla read about the charges in a local newspaper from her college dorm room.
She made it out, but Mr. C never would.
