After We Jumped (Student/Teacher Relationship)

The First-Aid Kit

Copyright © 2015 ThatMeddlingKid

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COPYRIGHT: This story "After We Jumped" including all chapters, prologues/epilogues and associated content is copyrighted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights are reserved by the owner and creator of this work (ThatMeddlingKid) and any unauthorised copying, broadcasting, manipulation, distribution or selling of this work constitutes as an infringement of copyright. Any infringement of this copyright is punishable by law.

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I sat in stiff silence, staring out ahead at the edge of the cliff and beyond. He flicked a switch by the steering wheel and the headlights went out, leaving us in semi-darkness.

"Are you sneaking up on me now?"

I rounded on him, anger boiling to the surface.

"Whatever that was in class today, I don't want any part of it, okay?"

He opened his mouth to speak but I held up a hand furiously.

"No, just listen to me. You don't get to do that. You don't get to treat me differently from the rest of them. I know I did something... really stupid, but don't you think I feel shit enough anyway without you giving me a hard time about it in class too?"

My voice wobbled; it seemed to have risen an entire octave during my outburst.

From what I could see of his face he looked stunned, then as I looked away he spoke.

"You're right. You're absolutely right."

I stared.

"I was angry... but it wasn't about your coursework, and you didn't deserve it. I'm sorry."

I looked at him sadly.

"Look, I just don't want to spend the whole year being punished for what I did so, please, could you just not be angry about the kiss anymore? I only did it because I was scared you were going to tell someone and I wanted you to stay away from me... That was before I realised I'd have to see you every day in class.

"I know we're never going to have the normal student-teacher thing," I said bitterly, "but you said you didn't want to mention it and I thought you'd let it drop. Please say something."

He sighed.

"Jess it wasn't just the kiss. It was..."

He seemed to cast around for words, an absent hand running through his hair.

"Why are you here, Chris?"

I wasn't sure that he would answer me, but then he gave a small chuckle.

"I've, uh, I've been here for the last two nights, actually."

"What?"

"I thought you might come."

"And you wanted to see me... why?"

"Actually, I thought maybe I could stop you jumping off a cliff."

He gave me a self-deprecating smile.

"I was planning on just forgetting we'd met before – you weren't anything to do with me – but I was just watching TV and, I don't know... and there was a rainstorm outside, and just the thought of you jumping by yourself... I couldn't concentrate."

"I would never jump in that weather." I said quietly.

"Well, that's good." He said, a little gruffly.