"This little bluebird came looking for you." —Christina Perri.

♡♡

••

Kelly feels pathetic. Since the historic exhibitions have begun, she has only been observing her teacher from a distance, occasionally grimacing whenever Ms. Smith would showcase any form of interest in him.

Derrick would divert her attention every other minute and offer her poor heart a break from tearing itself apart, but it doesn't take her too long to avert her focus back to the man who's seven years her senior.

She cannot deny that Mr. Todd is the most handsome male at this entire event. Not even the younger boys in her year group come close to how perfect he appears.

Even the way he stands is attractive. Habitually tucking just one of his hands in his pockets and a posture that tells his self-confidence as he tends to keep his chin aloft.

No sign of insecurity. And he has no reason to be, especially with a beautiful lady throwing herself at him at every chance she gets.

"So, I spoke to Henry, right?" Derrick tries to grab his friend's attention as they stand at the Scientific Research boot, looking at what was said to be the ancient bones of past ancestors. "And he's planning on helping me to speak to Gabriella tonight."

"Mm." Kelly only hums a response, frowning at a guy who is now standing in her view. His round head covers Mr. Todd's whole figure, and she can see where Ms. Smith is now leaning in. Desperately, she tips on her toes to see over the lad's wide shoulders while Derrick watches her with scrunched eyebrows.

"Kelly, are you listening to me? Who are you looking at?"

He tries to track her absorbed gaze, but she quickly grabs his cheeks and steers his face back to her. Not wanting him to see who she has been gawking at this whole time.

"No one. What were you saying?" She nervously pulls her hands back, settling on the soles of her feet.

Derrick straightens his shirt and regards her as though she has grown an extra head.

"Okay...you're acting weird as shit. But anyway, Henry is going to try to see if he can get me to speak to Gabriella tonight or tomorrow."

He smiles, obviously thrilled, and Kelly tries to come off as though she cares when in truth, her neck is itching to resume her inspection.

Derrick frowns when he notices that she is still unresponsive.

"Sheesh, I know you don't like the girl, but come on." He rolls his eyes. Doing that thing with his neck again.

Kelly blows out a sigh. "I am sorry, it's just that I have been a bit out of it. It's really chilly up here in the mountains."

"Yeah. Which explains why you have been checking out Mr. Todd since you got here?"

Shit! She stiffens, her eyes growing wide, and Derrick smirks in amusement.

"Yep, I see you. Why do you keep doing that?"

She bites her lip. "Doing what?"

"Checking out our history teacher." He drops his voice to a low pitch, looming closer. "Are you...crushing on him, Kelly?" He playfully squints his eyes, and she smacks him in the chest.

"Pfft! What? No way..."

"Really?" He whispers, enjoying her agitation a bit too much. "You can't fool me, little rabbit. I bet you touch yourself thinking about him."

Her cheeks heat up. "Wh-what are you saying?!"

Derrick laughs out and throws his head back, holding his stomach as he does this, and Kelly suddenly feels hot although it's freezing in the mountaintop.

"Oh, my God. Look how red you've gotten, Kel. Almost like you don't touch yourself."

She doesn't. She looks away from him as she shifts uneasily, and realization slowly dawns on her best friend's face.

He dramatically gasps as he slaps a palm over his mouth. "You don't touch yourself?" His voice has unintentionally raised higher, and Kelly purses her lips as she begins to feel embarrassed.

"I am sure you guys can discuss touching yourselves later. The group is now moving on to the second booth."

Her eyes enlarge like two giant globes, and she stiffens visibly at the well-known voice which came from behind her. Mr. Todd's masculine scent falls over her like a gentle covering, a mixture of citrus and pomegranate.

Derrick's hand goes around to his nape as he awkwardly rubs the area, folding his lips while Kelly closes her eyes in despair. Fuck.

She whirls around and looks up at Nikolai, whose eyes are swimming in a familiar amusement. Her lips part, but he saves her any further humiliation and points to the batch of kids who are now gathered at another station, listening to one of the presenter's monologue.

"Please join them."

"Okay, sir..." She quickly walks away, closing her eyes and mentally plotting a way to end Derrick's life once and for all. Never masturbating before was not something she would want a teacher to know. Especially Mr. Todd.

"Oh, shit." Derrick chuckles next to her ear, and she shoves him away.

"Buzz off, dude."

He laughs and throws his arm around her. "Don't worry; he just heard the masturbation part. At least he knows that you're as innocent as they may come."

He kisses her cheek, and she pushes at his chest, swiping her palm at his saliva. "Ewwww."

He snickers and draws closer to her as they join everyone else by the stand.

••

There are two separate villas on the grounds of Mystic Residence. The teachers occupy one of the houses while the students stay in the next building.

Mystic Resort is prodigious and sits on the mountains with ample landings and landscapes ideal for exhibitions and family gatherings.

The quarters have a wood-like exterior and interior, their structures made from polished timber and bamboo. Trees and flowers line most of the walls, giving them a forestry effect and reflecting the wide woodland surrounding the area.

The trip is an educational retreat. Friday is to acquire knowledge whilst the rest of the weekend is reserve for reenergizing and socializing before the end of term examinations begin, which are three weeks after their return.

The teachers were given separate rooms, but as for the students, three beds are present in each dorm. Kelly is livid that she has to share a room with Gabriella and her friend, Tiana. The girls have proven to despise her on several occasions, and she is skeptical about closing her eyes in the presence of two females who would probably stifle her to death in her sleep.

Luckily Surrey, the girl who loves Tootsie Pops, is present in the room as well, but she isn't social and prefers to stroll down her cellphone instead of having conversations. She doesn't seem to mind what happens around her either.

Night has now fallen, and Kelly is lying on her stomach, reading a romance manga from her cellphone. A pillow smacks her upright the head, causing her neck to almost twist from the impact. The cackles behind her confirm who the assaulter was, and she shuts her eyes.

"What the hell?!" She snaps her head around to see a smiling Gabriella standing above her, appearing like a wicked witch under the white ceiling lights.

"Ms. Peterson says we should come down to the dining hall for dinner." She shrugs as she walks away, joining her smirking friend on their shared bed where the two girls have been painting their toes.

Kelly rolls her eyes and massages her temple with her fingers. She may end up killing Gabriella before this trip ends.

After she finishes another chapter, she gets dressed in a red summer dress. She chose not to wear a bra with it. She doesn't have much chest, to begin with, and the straps are slim. Though the attire is loose at the end, her wide hips cannot be concealed and prod against the sides of it.

She slips her nob earrings in and pulls her hair up into a bun. She takes one last look in the large mirror hanging in the bathroom. "Mm...I look decent." She shrugs her shoulders and leaves the space, returning to the room where the girls are still getting ready.

Gabriella scoffs at her attire as Tiana pulls up the zipper of her friend's peach dress. 'Isn't red a bit too loud?"

"So are you. Why are you speaking when you weren't even spoken to? Please refrain from speaking to me."

Gabriella narrows her eyes at the retort, and Kelly smirks as she turns away and leaves the room.

••

Nikolai is sitting around the large dining table for dinner, checking his gold watch as he drums his fingers against the knee of his black trousers. He needs this to be over and done with as soon as possible. He's not a man to enjoy such gatherings and prefers his alone time...and personal space.

Ms. Smith has her chair close to his, no room in between them as she chatters away nonstop about things he finds no interest in. However, he respects her, so he is trying his best not to boldly display his disinterest.

She does look beautiful tonight, though. A long purple dress with silver studs embellishing it, a pair of gold drop earrings, and a neat wristwatch that appears to cost a fortune. Her perfume is delicate, and her nails are painted in the same shade as her heels. Nude.

"Are you listening, Mr. Todd?" She checks, crossing a slender leg over the other. Angling her head to the side, her tight curls follow as they slip over her gaunt shoulder.

Nikolai nods. "Yes. I was listening. Did it not appear that way?" He looks at her with a smile, and she blushes, looking away from him.

"I don't know. Am I being too forward?" She meets his gaze again, reaching for a single grape from the salver on the table, slipping the fruit into her mouth.

Her thin lips cover it delicately, and Mr. Todd picks up on the plain intent behind her actions. He knows what she's doing. He looks away to hide his amusement. Does she not know that he finds no interest in dating his coworker? Maybe he should remind her.

"Um, you see, Ms. Smith—" His sentence trails off when his eyes locate a petite figure over her shoulders.

Admiration transforms his features in an instant. Entering the lunchroom is his favorite student, Kelly.

She looks different in her little red dress, the garment showcasing the curves that she hides under Camber High's pleated skirt. She is not wearing much makeup but looks a lot better than every female sitting in the dining area.

Her tiny feet are covered with white ballet flats as she grips her red pouch in her hands. She seems to be searching the room for someone. Her best friend, maybe.

And then it happens again. The little monster in his pants begins to act up. Or maybe little isn't the most befitting adjective. It's no secret that he has quite a commendable phallus.

He reaches for his glass of water and takes a sip. He needs to stop feeling this way. She's his student, and he could lose his job for this.

"You alright?" Ms. Smith narrows her eyes.

"Mm." He hums as he leans back, the tablecloth hiding the problem in his pants. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You look a little flustered." She lifts her hand to pat away imaginary dust from his navy shirt. At that very moment, Kelly's eyes fall on their table and a huge knot forms in her stomach. She's jealous.

Nikolai doesn't catch her gaze, though, since he's busy politely telling his acquaintance that her care is not necessary. The lady has been touching him all day today, and his OCD makes him uncomfortable with people being all over him.

"Kelly!" Derrick waves his hand to her, finally noticing his friend at the entrance. "Over here!"

She nods to him, then looks back to Mr. Todd, who is now looking in her direction.

She smiles at him respectfully, and he just nods his head in acknowledgment.

She looks away and struts over to where Derrick, Henry, and some other boys are seated.

The eating lounge is now playing a vintage single in the background. 'Right Here Waiting For You' by Richard Marx softly sweeps throughout the decorated room.

Kelly pulls out a chair and sits down, discovering that she is positioned right across from Mr. Todd's table. His seat is directly facing hers. He now has his head in his cellphone as Ms. Smith converses with Ms. Peterson, who sits next to her.

"You look nice, Kel." Derrick compliments, and she smiles.

"You too."

Her best friend is wearing a simple white dress shirt that he didn't bother to tuck into his black trousers. But he does look great regardless. Derrick has that capability.

"Yeah, you do look great, Kelly," Henry says. "A bit more mature than the usual."

She smiles. "Thank you."

Her eyes lift to her teacher again as she takes in his attire. His dark shirt perfectly fits his built, and his hair is shiny but messy, portions of it lying on his forehead. This is the first time she is seeing him without a tie in a formal setting, and she likes how relaxed he seems tonight.

Suddenly he looks up, and her eyes widen a bit as she drops her gaze to her empty plate. She quickly grabs the fork, but there is nothing in the platter to eat so she ends up looking stupid.

Nikolai smiles softly and shakes his head, just before Ms. Smith grips his arm.

"Have you chosen what you want to eat, Nikolai?"

"Not yet." He grabs his menu off the table, but as soon as Ms. Smith looks away again, his eyes slide back up to Kelly.

After staring at the white table cloth for a while, her confidence returns, and she glances up again. Finding him already looking at her. Mr. Todd lifts his eyebrows, and her face blazes up as she nervously reaches for her menu.

His mouth twitches. He likes getting her agitated.

Soon, the waiters come around, and everyone begins to have their meals. Kelly tries not to look in her teacher's direction again, and Nikolai refrains from quietly playing with her as well, not wanting his coworkers to have strange ideas. He cannot jeopardize his job by acting out of conduct.

However, now and then, Kelly can see Ms. Smith trying to talk to him at the corner of her eyes, but she distracts herself by speaking with Derrick and the boys. She doesn't want her jealous emotions to ruin a good night.

••

The dinner ended long ago, and it is now midnight, yet Kelly is unable to fall asleep. Maybe it's the unfamiliarity of the environment, or she drank too much of that sweet blueberry drink earlier. Either way, she is facing a cruel dose of insomnia, and it is torturous.

She bites at her lip as she taps her fingers against the bed. All of the day's proceedings begin to coast across her mind as she relives every moment anew. Just her brain's way of keeping itself productive and in function.

But one particular moment keeps sticking in her head.

"I bet you touch yourself and think about him, don't you?"

The rush of heatwave returns even though the room is humid from the air conditions. She repeatedly tugs at her tank top to create some breeze as she puffs air from her cheeks. She can't understand why Derrick would bring up something that erotic...as if she would ever do something like that.

She squirms, clamping her thighs together. Now she can't stop thinking about it.

Once again, Mr. Todd's face resurfaces in her head, and she swallows hard, feeling an unfamiliar sensation spreading in her lower abdomen, rapidly traveling to that sacred place between her thighs.

Although she's eighteen, she has never spent the time to explore her own body sexually. She would get butterflies and feel a bit aroused when watching romantic scenes, but usually, after the part ends, it would go away. Now she's stimulated, and she cannot tell what triggered it off.

Maybe it was Derrick's lewd statement at the workshop, or that kiss scene from the manga she had read earlier...or maybe...the way Mr. Todd looked tonight.

His fit arms, flawless skin, and the way his dark hair laid lazily along his forehead.

Her face tinges to a deep scarlet as she covers her face in embarrassment. She cannot believe she's now becoming aroused by the man. What on earth is wrong with her?

Her heart is racing, and the itch to try that foreign act is probing against her mind, coaxing her to tread a strange path that she has never been on before.

Just once. Maybe she can try it just this once?

It's not like anyone's watching her.

To make certain of this, she looks across at the three girls who are all sleeping soundly, choruses of snores filling the dark and quiet room.

Kelly's heartbeat quickens at what she's about to take part in as she shifts against the maroon-colored sheets. Breathing out, she slips her hand under the duvet, sliding them past her silky pajama shorts and into her blue panties.

The dampness pooling on her underwear shocks her, and she runs a hesitant finger against her small opening, finding even more of that wet substance. She shuts her eyes and begins to think of Mr. Todd as she slowly rubs up and down.

Then her phone vibrates from the nightstand, making her jolt and snapping her back to her senses as she drags her hand from her clothes. She covers her face. "Oh, God..." She breathes.

The cellphone vibrates again, moving around on the table as Derrick's name pops up on the caller's ID. Taking a deep breath, she sweeps hair from her face and reaches for it. The light illuminates her flushing cheeks as she swipes the green icon with a shaky hand.

"Hello?" She clears her throat.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

"N-nothing." Her voice cracks guiltily. "What is it?"

"So, the teachers are asleep, and Henry told me that their pool is a lot larger than ours. We're planning to go check it out. Throw your swimsuit on, and let's go!" He sounds excited.

"I hate wearing a swimsuit." She pulls down her tank top.

"Come on, Kel. Just this once, for me?"

She sighs. "Derrick...."

"Kelly, please? Just this once."

She rolls her eyes. She knows he won't give up and would go as far as to come to her room. "Okay. I'll wrap a towel or wear my shorts or something."

"Awesome! Meet me in five minutes?"

"Yes."

"Cool." He hangs up. Kelly drops her hand against her bed with an exhale. She is still sexually aroused, so maybe a little swim will cool her hormones a little.

••

"I can't believe you have me doing this, Derrick." Kelly scowls, crossing her arms against her chest as she follows Derrick down the quiet hallway that leads to the teachers' pool area.

Her swimsuit is a peach one with red outlines on the straps and around the waistband of the panties. She has a brown towel carefully draped around her thighs, afraid to expose herself too much. It took everything within her to throw the bikini on, and luckily her stomach is flat despite her filling it at dinner.

"Come on, it'll be fun," Derrick tells her, his white towel thrown over his shoulder as he looks back at her with a grin. She wonders how both boys manage to be shirtless in this cold weather.