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.

filed out of the classroom, each holding a gift from Amber. Axel was the

his palm, he beamed

him, holding her

off at him, he extended an arm and unfurled his palms. Then, he

don't have one for you," she replied, her lashes

Ms. Altman, that's unfair."

she finally retrieved a bunny keychain from her

one."

the bunny keychain and Amber—she

her hand when he did not accept the keychain immediately. She mumbled, "Right.

You wouldn't want

sudden, he grabbed her hand and held it tightly. She sweated from her fingertips,

out

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

"Thank you, Ms. Altman!"

| have no tto fool around with

her, "Ms. Altman, you're good at sign

calming her breath, she turned around to meet his starry eyes. Her expression