Trouble Me:

Simone’s Notes:

The knight saving the beautiful princess is a fantasy as old as time. Men sometimes fantasize about protecting the one they love. It’s very common. This fantasy is so simple and clichéd. The man is the hero and the woman is the damsel in distress. It is so popular in romance novels. But in reality, do women really want to be the damsel in distress? Or do they want to be the knight instead? It all depends on the woman!

Mike walked to Ms. Daily’s house. This became his little ritual each day after his therapy sessions with Dr. Howard. He would try to visit his muse each day. Therapy was starting to really help the guy. He felt like he was really getting somewhere with Dr. Howard. “It would be better if Simone would leave the room!” the major thought. “She’s just distracting!” Sure, the girl was a student. But still, the OCD was the most annoying thing about the girl. “Oh well!” Mike thought. “I have my lovely princess to guide me back to happiness!” It still broke his heart that she was married. But soon, that would all change in days. Mike made his way up to Allison’s door. He wanted to ring the door bell so badly. He just had to see that beautiful teacher again. The man held up his finger to the doorbell. He was about to ring the door bell when he froze in his tracks. Mike could never do this part. Something always held him back from ringing Ms. Daily’s doorbell. He always saw that big diamond wedding on her finger when he did so. Mike slowly lowered his finger in disappointment. “I can never do this…” he thought unhappily. Then, the major turned to leave in defeat.

Mike headed to the Activity Center as usual. He found Don and Havoc talking as usual after firing a round at the shooting range. The major began to cheer up a little bit. “Hey guys!” he called out. Havoc and Mitchell looked up. “Is it fourteen hundred hours, already?” Jean whispered. “Yep!” Don said. This too was part of the daily ritual of their friend’s day as well. He would come to the Activity Center at fourteen hundred hours and talk all about Allison to them until they had to leave. Judging by the way he talks about this hot teacher, the boys would all have to say that he had a HUGE crush on her. They wondered why they hadn’t gotten together yet. Mike made it right over to them. He was smiling his usual fake smile. “Hey there, Thomas!” Havoc called. The major tried to keep his smile. “How are you guys today?” he asked. “Great!” Don spoke up. Jean just nodded. Mike clasped his hands together happily. “That’s great to hear!” he exclaimed. “How’s therapy?” Don asked. “Great!” the major called back. “I haven’t needed to touch any porn for days now! And it’s all thanks to my muse, Allison Daily!” “That’s good!” Don said. “You seem to like this Allison woman,” Havoc pointed out. “Why don’t you ask her out on a date?” The light from Mike’s face died away. “She’s married!” he replied sadly. “Oh!” the other two men replied. Mike sighed in disappointed.

“Excuse me!” the men all heard a voice speak up. Don, Jean, and Mike all looked up to see Hunter peeking out of the doorway of the kids’ room. He was taking a couple of little girls to the bathroom when he heard them talking about his English teacher again. He would listen to them all talk about Ms. Daily like the American football team with a hot cheerleader on the team. The boy couldn’t understand why a major in the army would have a heavy crush on his teacher. Sure, Ms. Daily was hot and fun to be around. But he had no idea she had such a big fan base outside of Maywillow High. The dogs all kept looking at Hunter. “Can we… help you kid?” Havoc asked with an eyebrow raised at him. The boy stepped forward. “I heard you guys talking about Ms. Daily.” he pointed out. “Yeah,” Don replied. “So?” “She happens to be my English teacher,” Hunter went on. “She’s not married!” This caught Mike’s attention completely. “What do you mean?” the major asked. Hunter smiled at the guys in confidence. “My teacher’s been divorced for a year now,” he went on. “She only wears that ring on her finger to keep from getting hit on.” Mike’s sorrow quickly became happiness. “Why are you telling us this?” Havoc asked. “Are you making this up?” Hunter shook his head. “No,” he replied. “I’m telling the truth! I don’t know why I am telling you this really.” Then, Mike rushed forward and hugged the boy hard. Hunter felt uncomfortable by this reaction. “THANK YOU!!!!” the major called out in happiness. “You have restored hope to me again!” “Uh…. okay…” the Irish boy replied. Then, Mike quickly let go of the red-haired angel. Then, he headed out the door. “Mike!” Don yelled out. “Where are you going?” “To talk to Allison!” the major yelled out in happiness. Then the door slammed shut behind him.

Mike made back to Ms. Daily’s house in new confidence. His angel was single after all. Now, he had a greater motivation to get better and free himself from his addiction. The major even hoped to ask Allison on a date at least once as soon as he was clean again. Hey, if all went well, they could form a great relationship. But soon, he would have to *really* fight for love. The man made it up to his crush’s door. Mike rang the doorbell in pride. “Coming!” the teacher called from the door. The major waited in excitement. “Now remember,” he thought. “Try to be her friend first, and then work to being her boyfriend!” The door opened wide. Mike looked up to see Ms. Daily herself. She looked just like the perky Barbie doll she always was. The major just couldn’t help but to stare at him. “Oh hello, Mike!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here?” Thomas smiled at her happily. “I just thought I would pop by for a visit,” he said gentlemanly. “May I come in?” Allison felt her heart skip a beat quickly. “S-Sure!” she said with a blush to her cheeks. “Oh, I don’t have to if you don’t want me to…” Mike said trying to smooth thing over. “But I want you to!” Allison blurted out. The major smiled at her and walked in. The teacher lightly closed the door behind them.

The living room was so clean looking. It all was simple looking. The bookcase was a beautiful oak. Great works of literature filled them completely. Pictures of flowers tastefully covered the walls. The walls themselves were a sweet sunny yellow. A light brown ceiling fan hung in the middle of the ceiling. A soft red sofa sat in front of a low oak coffee table. The red and black were pushed back to let in the gracefully sunlight. Two red and black lounge chairs were on either end of the coffee table. The entertainment center was glass and stood against the front wall near the main windows. A piano sat near the back wall. It was lovely shiny black in the afternoon sunlight. “You play piano?” Mike asked making conversation. “Used to.” Allison answered. The major turned to her out curiosity. “What do you mean?” he asked. “Why did you stop?” The teacher’s glow had faded away. “I lost the passion for it since the divorce.” she answered. The major felt sorry for her. “I’m so sorry…” he replied. Allison tried to smile again. “Don’t worry about me,” she replied. “I’ll be fine! I’ve been fine for a year!” Mike didn’t seem convinced. He lightly came behind the teacher and gave her a caring hug. Allison stayed close to him. “Thanks, Mike.” she whispered. The major said nothing and just held her close.

Then, the door flung open. Mike and Allison quickly looked up. A man in his late thirties stood in the doorway. He looked like he went out and partied a couple of times a week. His suit was grey and neatly pressed. His tie was blood red. The man’s short dark brown hair was a complete mess. Mike could tell this was one of those sleazy pervs that enjoyed hitting on innocent divorcees and blackmailing them into their beds whenever they pleased. The major automatically sensed that Allison was in danger.

The man grinned at the English teacher like she was a juicy piece of veal. “Allison!” he called. “I never knew you to have strange men at your house after school!” Mike quickly prepared to fight. “I’m a friend of hers!” he shot back. “Oh really?” the man asked. “Yeah!” the major shot back. The leech turned to Allison. “Is this true?” he asked. The teacher nodded sickly. “Hm,” the man replied. “That’s all he better be! Otherwise, that would look bad on you for the ladies at school! Unless you want them to find out the true about your ‘marriage!’” The teacher’s eyes grew big in fear! “No! Please don’t tell them!” she pleaded. The man smirked at her coldly. “Well then,” he replied. “Don’t do anything ‘improper!’ Bye now, doll!” Then he blew her a sickening kiss and slammed the door behind him. Allison could feel herself beginning to cry again.

“Who the hell was that?” Mike asked at last. The teacher looked up at him trembling. “Mr. Peter Wilder,” Ms. Daily answered. “He is a colleague of mine at work.” “How does he know about your divorce?” her friend asked. “He is a close friend of my ex!” she answered. Silence pasted over them. “I don’t get it,” Mike began again. “Why is he pinning for you so much?” Allison felt herself getting sick again. “Seven years ago,” she began. “I married my husband in the summer. We were happy, or so I believed. Two years ago, I discovered a postcard from another lady in my husband’s tie drawer while I was cleaning the house. I asked him about it and he said that he had no knowledge about the postcard. I pretended to believe him. I didn’t want to see the truth. But then, the evidence began to pile up against him. I tried to leave him twice, but my ex found new ways to make me stay. Then last year, I couldn’t take it anymore! I finally looked my sleazy husband in the eye and told him that I wanted a divorce!” “Great woman!” Mike cheered. “Yes!” Allison agreed. “But now, I think he’s trying to make me pay for leaving by having Mr. Wilder stalk me every chance he gets! You see, my ex told Peter about the divorce. Now that I’m single, he keeps trying to sleep with me. He even managed to get a copy of a key to this house for my ex! Peter just comes and goes as he pleases after school.”

Allison became close to crying again. Mike held her close again. “I’m so scared,” the teacher said. “I fear that he might get annoyed with my refusals and try to rape me!” “It’s okay,” Mike replied. “I’m here now! He won’t bother you anymore! I’ll protect you!” The teacher looked up at him in shock. “But you don’t know how he is!” she warned him. “He’ll find a weakness on you and pick at it until you are destroyed!” The major just held onto her even more. “You have done so much for me,” he went on. “You have been my inspiration to get my life turned around. Now, let me fight for you! Alright?” Ms. Daily went quiet for a moment. She knew that he liked her so much, but she had no idea that he would actually try and fight for her! Allison finally became brave again for once since last year. The teacher actually began to smile again since today. “Okay!” she called. “I will let you be my knight in shining armor!” The major smiled back at her. “Good!” he said. “For a start, change the lock on your door so that he can’t get in!” “Right!” Allison called. Mike nodded in agreement. He was about to leave when his friend called, “Wait!” The major stopped and turned to her slowly. “Yes?” he asked. Ms. Daily stood tall. “Please, stay for dinner!” she pleaded. “It’s the least I can do today!” Thomas smiled at her kindly. “Okay then,” he said. “I’ll stay for that!” Allison smiled back at him sweetly. “Thanks, Mike!” she called. Then, they headed into the kitchen to prepare the meal.