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.

kids happily filed out of the classroom, each holding a gift

palm, he beamed

holding her breath and pressing her

and unfurled his palms. Then, he said pleadingly, "Ms.

for you,"

that's unfair." He looked so

finally retrieved a bunny keychain from her shirt

one."

eyes shifted between the bunny keychain and Amber—she resembled

accept the keychain immediately. She

stuff. You wouldn't want something like a bunny

it tightly. She sweated from her fingertips, and her ears turned

keychain out

for me."

"Thank you, Ms. Altman!"

have work to do later. | have no tto fool around with you.

to her, "Ms. Altman, you're good at sign language. Mind teaching me? Teachjust one

to meet his starry