Hot inside and out.

I looked back at Kat. “No,” I said. “I'm not going to spend the whole night checking on Rebecca.”

Kat raised an eyebrow. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

I glanced across the room one last time, then deliberately turned my attention back to her. “Tonight, you're my date. You deserve my attention, and I'm going to give you all of it.”

Her expression softened. “That was actually a good answer.”

“I can occasionally surprise people.”

“Don't get carried away.”

I laughed. She smiled, but I could still see the heat in her cheeks from dancing.

“I'm serious, though,” I said. “I don't want you feeling like you're competing with anyone tonight.”

Kat held my gaze for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

I leaned towards her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I'm here with you.”

The smile that appeared on her face was immediate. “Much better.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She touched the spot on her cheek where I'd kissed her, looking genuinely pleased. “I was starting to wonder if you actually remembered I was your date.”

“I remember.”

“Good.” She bumped her shoulder against mine. “Now come on. You promised me a good night.”

“I did.”

We started back towards the dance floor, but after a few steps I stopped. “Actually…”

Kat looked at me.

“I really need some air first.”

She laughed. “Already tired?”

“It's incredibly hot in there.”

“Fine. Go cool off.”

“You're not coming?”

“I'll get us some drinks.” She gave me another smile before heading back towards the crowd.

I pushed through the doors and stepped outside. The difference was immediate. Cool night air hit my face, and I took a deep breath. Much better. I imagined I could see the steam leaving my body. I leaned against the wall beside the entrance, letting the music become a distant thump behind me.

“You escaping or just out here to cause trouble?”

I looked up. Ms. Holmes was standing a few metres away. She'd stepped outside too, her clipboard tucked under one arm. Without the classroom around her, she somehow seemed more relaxed.

“Just cooling off,” I said, coming over closer to stand with her.

“That what you're calling it?”

I smiled. “You don't believe me?”

“Not entirely.” Her eyes travelled over me for a moment before she smiled. “You've survived about an hour.”

“Is that impressive?”

“Given Michael's behaviour, I'd say so.”

I laughed. “He's been surprisingly restrained.”

“That's a very generous interpretation.”

We stood there for a moment.

Then Joan looked at me. “You seem happier out here now.”

“I am.”

“Good.” She smiled. “Although you looked rather distracted inside before.”

I knew exactly what she meant. “With Kat?”

“And Rebecca.”

I nodded. “I was worrying about Rebecca.”

“And now?”

“I told Kat I'd stop.”

Joan tilted her head. “Good boy. No girl likes to think her date is thinking about someone else more than them.”

“I meant it.”

“I believe you.” Something about her tone made the words feel more personal than they should have.

I smiled. “You look different tonight.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “Different?”

“Yeah.”

“Is that your subtle way of saying I look nice?”

“Maybe.”

“Very diplomatic.”

“You do look nice.”

She looked down briefly, then back at me. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

A small smile appeared on her face. “I’d almost say that’s twice you've complimented me tonight.”

“Keeping count?”

“Maybe.”

I grinned. “Then I should probably be careful.”

“Probably.”

Neither of us moved.

“So,” I said, “do teachers ever get to enjoy these things?”

“Not when they're supervising them.”

“That's a shame.”

“Why?”

“Because you should get to dance too.”

She laughed softly. “I don't think that's a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Because I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on everyone.”

“You could dance for one song.”

“And then spend the rest of the night explaining to other teachers why I was dancing with one of my students? And, besides, we’d just be making Michael jealous.”

I grinned. “Fair point.”

She shook her head. “You really don't make things easy, do you?”

“I'm beginning to think you don't mind.”

She looked at me. For a second, the teasing expression disappeared. Then it came back.

“Maybe I don't.”

The words hung between us.

I swallowed. “So, if we weren't at school…”

Joan raised an eyebrow. “That sounds like the beginning of a dangerous question.”

“Maybe.”

“Then perhaps you should save it.”

“For when?”

She smiled. “Somewhere less crowded.”

I couldn't help smiling. “You're definitely encouraging me.”

“I'm definitely telling you to be patient.”

“Those sound suspiciously similar.”

“They aren't.”

“Right.”

She laughed. “You're trouble.”

“You've said that already.”

“And I'm becoming increasingly convinced it's accurate.”

I looked at her. “Maybe you like a little trouble.”

Joan held my gaze. “Maybe I do.”

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

I don’t know what came over me when I asked, “Can I get your number?”

Her expression changed. “My number?”

“So I don't have to keep inventing excuses to talk to my media teacher.”

She laughed. “That is an impressively transparent excuse.”

“It's not an excuse if I admit it.”

She looked at me for another second and then reached into her small clutch. She held out her phone.

“Fine. You can put yours in.”

I took it and entered my number.

She saved it. “What should I put you down as?”

“Your favourite student.”

She laughed. “Absolutely not.”

“Worth a try.”

She typed something, then showed me the screen.

Troublemaker.

I looked at it. “Can I ask you something?”

“That depends.”

“Why ‘Ms.’?”

She looked amused. “What do you mean?”

“Why not Miss? Or Mrs.?”

She laughed. “Mrs. would be a little difficult considering I'm not married.”

“So Miss, then?”

“Ms. is simpler.” She slipped her phone back into her handbag. “And, frankly, it helps avoid encouraging horny boys like yourself.”

I laughed. “I'm not horny.”

Joan gave me a look.

“Don’t start lying to me now. You were doing so good.”

I tried to keep a straight face. “Fair point.”

She smiled.

“Besides, ‘Ms.’ doesn't tell anyone anything they need to know.”

“Except that you're deliberately keeping us guessing.”

“Exactly.”

“You enjoy that.”

“Perhaps.” She gave me one last amused look. “You can text me.”

“About media?”

Joan rolled her eyes. “If you must.”

“And if I don't?”

Her gaze met mine. “Then I suppose I'll find out what you actually wanted to talk about.”

I smiled. “I think you already know.”

She held my gaze for a beat longer than necessary.

“You should go.”

“Yeah.”

The doors opened behind us. Music spilled outside, along with a burst of laughter from inside. Joan stepped back slightly. I hadn’t realised we’d been standing so close. I turned towards the doors.

Then she called after me. “Hey.”

I looked back.

“Enjoy the rest of your night.”

“I will.”

“And try not to get into too much trouble.”

I smiled. “No promises.”

She laughed. “Goodnight, troublemaker.”

I walked back inside, trying not to look too pleased with myself. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I glanced down.

Ms. Joan Holmes — New Contact

I couldn't help smiling.

Kat was waiting for me inside with a drink. I'd just promised her before I stepped outside that I'd give her all my attention for the evening, so I slipped my phone back into my pocket and headed back into the dance.