Teach Me to Love

By Elisabeth van der Wilt

Girl meets boy.

Boy meets girl.

Girl and boy fall in love.

 

If only it was that simple.

Fate has screwed me over once again.

I'm sitting at my desk across from my teacher, the man I just so happened to have made out with a week ago.

It doesn't look like fate wants to give me a happy ending after all.

Juggling work, parenthood, and an alcoholic father, I thought I'd finally catch a break, yet even though I shouldn't want him, I can't stop.

He has so many things to teach me.

Will I ever learn my lesson?

Publisher's Note: Happily Ever After Guarantee, No cliffhanger. Standalone Novel. No cheating. Triggers Include: Parental Abuse among others. Please reading warning label.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elisabeth van der Wilt
• Release date: Mar 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9781775189947

Elisabeth van der Wilt

Elisabeth (Lisa) van der Wilt writes romance which highlights different stories all interconnected in what we call... Lisa's World.  Elisabeth lives with her parents and siblings out in the middle of Canada. When she isn't writing she is helping people as a Certified Doula. She works in life to accomplish many things and help people inthis crazy world.  If you want to get to know Elisabeth better, she is on all the social media platforms she can, has two websites and a newsletter. vdwilt.ca is where you can learn all about her! 

Book preview

1 || The Big Move

I was moving.

Did I want to move?

No.

Leave my friends behind?

Also no.

But they say history repeats itself and just like the last time we moved, there was a reason behind it.

Mom died when little Marlee was just a baby. Six years ago. It seemed like forever though. I was such a different girl back then. I always helped my mother with my little brother, Jason, but now it was different. I was the oldest of them both.

I watched as the old and dingy apartment building came into view. It wasn’t bad looking, I guess. That is, if you liked something that had shattered glass or boarded-up windows and bricks that looked like they were holding on by a thread.

Dad parked the minivan in the lot round back, the rear seat holding just a few boxes of our most important stuff. We were on our way to finding a home again. Definition of insanity: repeating the same thing over and over again, expecting different results each time. The never-ending cycle of constantly packing up and moving every few months because of Dad’s constant lies and problems.

I don’t like it; it smells around here, Marlee whined, the smell of what seemed to be the fishery in the air. The new place was on the poor side of town; it always was, but I did agree with her, the smell of rotting fish and chemicals contaminated the air, making me wonder how healthy it was to breathe in the toxic waste.

It’s all right. Just a little smell, nothing to worry about, I said cheerfully, and I could tell by the small smile my dad gave me he was grateful that I tried. Well, I hoped he was.

Jason had gotten out and was grabbing one of the few boxes we had, my dad also helping him. Grasping Marlee’s hand, we began our walk towards the front door.

My eyes were drawn to the lobby which didn’t seem to look as bad as the exterior. While the exterior had worn, faded, red brick, the interior had old, white walls and a small desk, a little, old guy standing near it.

There was a feeling that it had once been a place of great splendor. As if someone famous once lived here. Or maybe… that was wishful thinking.

Mr. Montgomery. My dad nodded his head before the old man continued speaking. Finally, you took forever, the old man said with a scowl on his face as the smell of alcohol filled the air.

Yes, that’s me. This is my eldest daughter, Brittany, Dad said as I extended my free hand, but the old man scoffed at the invitation before looking over my siblings. This is my son, Jason, and my youngest, Marlee.

Just be quiet. Don’t scream, no drawing or coloring on the walls, and take care of the place, he said, then he glanced at my dad who quickly agreed before he was handed the keys. A pair would need to be made for me soon. I wouldn’t want him to lose them like he did last time and leave us locked out. Again.

As we climbed up the stairs, I heard a small, creaking sound from one of the steps. This place was falling apart, and I wondered why this place hadn’t been condemned years ago.

Finally, we reached the very top floor after six flights of stairs. We were all a little out of breath as we reached our apartment door.

Number 88B.

Opening the door we were hit with the stench of smoke. Even though the stucco walls seemed to have a fresh coat of paint, the smell of it was heavy in the atmosphere and thoroughly ground into the carpet. I pushed Marlee a bit to enter, so I could as well. I was struck with the view of a window directly opposite the doorway, with yellow-tinted glass, another sign that a smoker had lived here at some point before we did.

Well, ain’t this quaint, my father noted as Jason put down the box he had in his arms. The place seemed to be already furnished with a worn couch possibly from the eighties with its printed flowers and dingy mustard color. I looked to the left of the door that opened into a small kitchen that had a fridge, stove, some counter space, and cupboards.

There was a small TV that looked to be from the early nineties, and on the back wall was a small dining table and bookcase. Between the kitchen and dining table, the hallway on the left led to three bedrooms, one each for my father and brother and another for my sister and me to share.

At the end of the hallway was a very tiny bathroom that looked like the previous tenants left in quite a rush. I turned to Marlee, she seemed to have the same idea as I did. Running through the hall, she opened the door to claim our bedroom.

Dibs! she shouted before I walked in behind her to see the room. There were two twin-sized beds with a faded rose comforter laid on top of each, another dingy window with yellow-stained glass, a small table, a chair against the wall, and a dresser next to it.

Eww… everything smells around here. This is worse than last time, she moaned, looking up to me while I ran my hand through her small, brown ringlets.

I looked down at her with a small smirk. I know, kiddo, but it’s okay. Think of it as an adventure.

Okay… fine, Marlee huffed as she went and carried her small bag of clothes to the bed closest to the window. You unpack, I’m going to go and get some things so we can have dinner, I stated before kissing her head and walking out of the room. Dad, do you have some money for food? I asked, seeing my dad sitting on the couch already with the TV on watching grainy stations. I can’t remember the last time we had cable or watched something that wasn’t on antenna TV.

I have thirty bucks. Will that be enough? I nodded my head and smiled, trying not to focus on the obvious, that he wasn’t going to be helping unpack and get settled. Will you get me a six-pack? I turned on my heel, the movement of my blue skirt turning with me.

Seriously? We just moved here. You promised me no more drinking. You were going to get a job; do things right for this family. Plus, you forget, I’m a minor; they won’t sell me beer.

Lay off me. I’m not kidding. You take care of the kids. That’s your job, it’s my job to worry about money and work. If you can’t get the beer, fine, I’ll get it later, he stated as he pulled out his worn wallet. I had seen it many times, leaning on bar counters with the money pooling out just waiting to be given to the bartender. I held bills with Andrew Jackson and Alexander Hamilton tightly in my hands. His grasp on the money, just about releasing it to me was enough to warn me all his lies of change were just that… a lie.

Fine. Can you stay with them at least long enough for me to get the food?

Yeah. Though Jason’s old enough now to watch your little sis. You were around eleven or twelve when your mother died. His voice caught at the mention of my mother, like it usually did when he spoke of her. She was the reason we were in this predicament. She couldn’t help it though, so it wasn’t fair for me to blame her.

Car accidents aren’t chosen, it happens; accidents are just that... accidents.

I scrunched my brows as I glanced at him.Just— Don’t leave them, okay?

Go, get the food, he said with a backward wave of his hand before turning up the TV. I stick the money and keys in the old, gold-sequined purse that I've had for as long as I can remember. After checking I've got everything, I shoulder my bag and head out the door, back down the flights of stairs that led to the parking lot.

The front bumper of the old Toyota minivan staring back at me was worn and the paint was dented in places. It had been with us from the beginning. They had changed over to a minivan right before Marlee was born. My brother said he’d miss the red exterior of the old car, but I was excited. Family has always meant something to me, and it always will.

I climbed into the driver’s side, sat on the ragged seat, and turned the engine on, waiting for the heater to warm up the van. It was on its last legs, but it was cool outside, and I needed the warmth. These November days were leading us further into the winter season, my least favorite of them all. As I drove, the song Every Breath You Take played on the radio, one of my favorites, and distracted me from the latest move.

Looking around for anything that resembled a grocery store, I finally came across one after a five-minute drive. It was a large building that had the name, Jerry’s Co-op, above it and was the first store I saw. I wasn’t getting lost on my first day in town.

Parking the car, I looked at the other vehicles in front of the store. There was one that stood out and caught my attention. An Audi. Its bright red, shiny exterior flashed at me. A car that I dreamed to have. I mean, I dreamed of having any car that looked newer, one that wasn’t so old and worn as ours. Everyone knew you were poor by the way you lived. You showed it in your fashion, you showed it in your eating habits, what you drove, and of course, where you lived.

I tried to get money where I could, sometimes in unrealistic scenarios; scavenging, asking for help from neighbors, and at times, sitting on the curb outside a store. I knew my siblings and I needed good clothes, and most importantly, food. I headed into the store and was overcome with the wafting smell of rotisserie chicken. I could take the lazy way and spend ten bucks on the chicken, but I knew that would blow most of the money I had.

I grabbed the ivy-green handlebar of the cart and began to push it through the large grocery store. Being seventeen, I had the desire to buy things that we couldn’t afford, but I had a budget and I knew I had to look for things that fit into it.

I grabbed the buns from their shelf and some bags of white pasta shells. That had to be good enough for dinner, I could make a few dishes from that. Going towards the cans of sauce, I saw the garlic and herb tomato sauce on the top shelf and the two rows in the middle to bottom were empty. Of course, it was in a place not easily accessible to me.

I was 5'3 and since I was so short, I reached up on my tiptoes, pushed and pulled a bit, trying to move the tin can closer to the edge, but I was failing. Why was this and everything else so difficult?

It wasn't just reaching the damn can that was being difficult. It was my father, making us move again because of his stupid problems.

Marlee and Jason needed routine and moving every six months wasn't good for them or for me. Nor was it any fun.

Would I even be able to go to college, or have a life outside of my family?

I rubbed my eye at the sting of the tears starting to bubble. I wanted to make them stop, but it was always hard to do that, especially with my heart pounding in my ears.

The voices in my head were telling me to grow up, that I needed to behave, to help my siblings. The voices only made matters worse as the tears began to slip down, slow at first before falling faster.

As they continued to fall down my face I fell to my knees and let them all come out.

Suddenly, I felt soothing, circular motions against my upper back. Confused by the action, I blinked multiple times, forcing the tears away to see through them. Now in view stood a man, he had a hooked nose, short and straight brown hair, olive skin, and large, kissable lips.

Sorry, I said, pushing up from my knees, and rubbing my eyes, trying to wipe my tears away. I didn't want to be crying in front of this handsome man or anyone for that matter.

What's wrong? he asked, his voice soothing and soft enough to make me forget my worries.

I–I was trying to get the garlic and herb sauce, I mumbled while hoping I could stop the tears.

There you go. Taking the can from his hands our fingers lingered and I smiled at him softly.

Thank you.

My pleasure. Name's Jack. Jack Salvatore. I took his hand and shook it gently.

Brittany Montgomery. I apologize for the scene. I don't know what came over me just now.

Liar! my brain shouted.

It's good to cry sometimes.

Well, this was probably a pointless tear session, I explained before shifting my weight to my other foot, and grasping the handle of the cart.

What else do you have to get, Miss Montgomery? he asked. His voice was so professional and sounded so much older that it had me worried that I looked like a little girl in comparison. Now that we were both standing, I could take in his height. He towered over me, showing his handsome structure.

What else do you need? he repeated.

Milk and eggs, maybe cheese if it’s on sale. I have rice and some canned foods, I stated, thinking back on my thirty-dollar budget.

Funny! I need milk, eggs, and butter as well. Shall we go together? he asked and I nodded, slowly pushing my cart in the direction of the dairy aisle.

Walking in silence, I decided to take him in, noticing how handsome he was compared to myself. I didn't have much going for me.

I was slender and had legs that didn't seem to work with this body. My hair was short and my last cut job wasn't professional. Just like everything in my life I haggled where I could for help. Kids from other schools practicing things on me.

For example, I have four piercings on my ears which include a constellation piercing. I hated having them done, and it probably wasn’t the safest things to do. The pain was almost unbearable and the infections… those were nasty and without the help of medical wonders, we were on our own, which also made it tricky to take care of my younger siblings, but I survived so… testament to my health.

Walking to the cash register, we lined up and paid for our things separately. I spent nineteen dollars and twenty-two cents. Perfect. Spare change. As I walked outside, he stood beside me, so I shifted to nod and wish him well.

Where is your car, let me help you? he asked.

Oh, really, that isn't necessary.

Are you sure you don’t want me to help you?

I looked into his big, brown eyes that pleaded to help me. I could get lost in them. Sure, why not. I shrugged my shoulders before leading him to the van.

Upon opening the car, I noticed the mess from our most recent trip here. The spilt sauce from the pizza, the crumbs from the cookies, and the nasty spills of soda that made everything sticky.

Giving him a nervous chuckle, I decided to speak about it. Car trips. They get messy quickly.

It's fine, really. I’ve seen much worse.

Oh, have you now?

Just trust me. I have. He moved my two grocery bags into the van for me and closed the door when he was finished.

That's all of it. You going to be okay?

Oh, yeah. That was... well, that was nothing, just me being stupid, I say, nerves present in my voice as I rubbed the back of my neck. I appreciate the kindness you showed me, I hope I didn't make a horrible impression back there.

Quite the opposite.

Really?

Yes.

Well, thank you, all the same, I said before I leaned up and pressed my lips to his. My heart raced at having made such a bold move. I pulled back and blushed with embarrassment before speaking, I'm sorry. Goodbye.

I wanted to run away from the new problem I had created. I felt a gentle tug on my arm before I was spun around, and he grasped me close to him. Holding me in a tight embrace with his hand on my lower back, he returned the kiss.

His lips were possessive, and he acted as if he yearned for more as he pressed me against the taillights of the van. Suddenly, his hand traveled upwards and cupped my neck, his thumb rubbing against my cheek.

His tongue ran along the slit of my lips, begging for entry. I parted slightly, my brain unable to move past the moment. It wasn’t every day you had a kiss with a handsome stranger. As he deepened the kiss, I met him stroke for stroke as we began to make out and struggle for air.

When he broke the kiss, I was taken aback, thinking I could die in his arms, kissing him like that was just like heaven. My heart thrummed in my ears, but the way he held me, our chests were so close, closer than any strangers should be.

I'd like to take you out for dinner, are you free?

I–I can't, my family is waiting for me to bring this back so they can eat.

Give me your phone.

Why?

So, I can put my number in it, silly. I’ll text you, then you’ll have mine.

Numbers exchanged.

Perfect.

This was fun, Brittany.

Yes, it was. I nodded.

Goodbye, he said, pressing his lips to mine once more, making a surge of emotions flow through me before our lips parted, and I watched him walk towards the front of the store.

To his car.

The Audi.

Great, a rich man. He must have cringed at the idea of my obviously poor status. Regardless of his thoughts, I shrugged my shoulders and closed the door.

Getting into the van and turning on the engine, I noticed I was later than I had wanted to be and freaked out. I buckled my seat belt as quickly as I could, trying to hurry, so I could get home in time to make dinner for Marlee and Jason, hoping Dad hadn’t left them alone. Then I heard the ping of a message from my phone.

Jack — I hope you feel better now. If you need to talk… let me know. J.

I smiled at the notification of his text and quickly responded.

Brittany — Thank you. TTYL.

I had no idea what I was doing now. A complete and utter stranger, in a new town. What was I going to do, and how far could I let this go?

2 || First Days are the Worst

Wake up! You don’t want to be late. I rushed into Jason’s room, tapping on his shoulder as he jolted awake. I stared at the way his sheets were positioned, showing me more than I wanted to see.

Get out of here! he said as he threw a pillow at me. I turned away and walked out of the room, internally shuddering as I entered the bathroom.

I pulled on my skinny jeans, grabbed a red and white long-sleeve shirt, and then my black sweater. Time for my make-up for the day, mascara, and some earrings. Hopefully I could look more normal than the train wreck that was my life.

I was as ready as I could be for the first day in a new school, again.

Going to the kitchen, I grabbed the frozen waffles and stuck them into the toaster. The past weekend had been busy. I spent most of my time cleaning and sterilizing as much of the apartment as I could. The windows were shot until I got a better cleaner for them, but the utensils and so on had all been sterilized.

I even sterilized the fridge, which looked like it had something growing inside of it. During that time, Jack and I sent texts back and forth, discussing random things we liked, and I enjoyed the simple communication.

Where’s my backpack! Marlee shouted as she came out of our room, one hand holding a crayon while the other held a piece of plain paper with scribbles all over it.

It’s near the door with your lunch that I packed. Put that away, and come take a seat. I have breakfast ready.