Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

"You—" Amber glared at him in embarrassment. Her eyes were dewy and sparkling.

Axel tilted his head with a roguish smile. He tapped his lips to remind her.

Suddenly, he frowned and spun around. A group of smiling kids had gathered by the backdoor of the classroom to watch the unfold. Their cute

heads peeked out of the door, one on top of another, which was rather hilarious to see.

They would have made a fuss if they could speak.

"You rascal!" Amber's face reddened. She shoved him away before fleeing and herding the kids back into the classroom.

Her scolding sounded flirtatious to Axel. His smile deepened when he relished her remark.

Amber returned to the podium after soothing the children. When she looked up, she found Axel shamelessly sitting in a chair by an unoccupied table

in the last row. He folded his arms and rested them on the table, blinking obediently like he, too, was a student.

She flustered under his watch. It wasn't until she took a few deep breaths that she collected herself and completed the lecture.

the classroom, each holding a gift from Amber. Axel was the only one remaining in his seat. Resting his

he

to him, holding her breath and pressing her

could go off at him, he extended an arm and unfurled his palms. Then, he said pleadingly, "Ms. Altman,

for you," she replied,

Ms. Altman, that's unfair."

lip, she finally retrieved a bunny keychain from

one."

the bunny keychain and Amber—she resembled the

accept the keychain immediately. She

good stuff. You wouldn't want something like

from her fingertips, and her ears turned red. She watched as he slowly

keychain out of

one for me." He held the bunny keychain to his chest and stroked it like a

"Thank you, Ms. Altman!"

fool around with you. Go home." With that,

to her, "Ms. Altman, you're good

her breath, she turned around to