Former Teacher

19

"We need to talk."

I set my bag down at my seat in the back. "About...?"

He walks up to me. "Us."

"What's wrong?" I say, sliding out my chair.

"I think we should cut our relationship and just be friends." He says, trying to not shed a tear.

My cheerful face turns to a gloomy face. "Why... Did I do something wrong?"

He takes his hand to my face and presses gently on my skin. "Of course not beautiful, but today in society, people don't want to see us together."

"What does that mean? What are you not telling me?"

A couple of students walk into the classroom early.

"Can we talk more about this after school?" He says, quietly.

"Sure," I say, staring at him as he walks away.

Lucas picks me up from the schools parking lot after school. He drove me to his house. It's a small modern house that has a bathroom, kitchen, two bedrooms and a laundry room.

"So you are taking me to your house for the first time and then breaking up with me here. How lovely."

He sits me down on his grey couch. "I got an anonymous text."

"About what? Us?"

"Yeah..." He says, passing me his phone.

The anonymous text said, "I know you and Miss Campbell are having a relationship behind everyone's back except mine. I have eyes everywhere. I want you to end your relationship with her. If I can't have you, no one can. And if I find out you two are sneaking behind my back I will expose you, Mr. Till, to the police. You will lose everything."

It hasn't been a month into the new school year, and I already have drama. Welcome to high school where drama and gossip never ends. I wonder who it could be. We try not to make anything noticeable in public or anywhere. But when we are alone, we act as a couple.

I hand him back his phone. "Now what..."

"I should get you home. I don't want them spreading more shit for not listening."

"You are going to listen to them? What about our connection?" I say, raising my voice a tad bit.

"We still have that, but we can't be together with a threat over my head. I'm more at risk than you are. If I do anything with you, you will be the victim even if you gave me consent. I can lose everything Bell. Why can't you understand that?"

"I do, but I love you, and I don't want to lose you."

We take each other's hands and hold them with our foreheads touching.

"You will never lose me. I love you too much. Let's hold on our relationship until I'm not your teacher and you are not a minor anymore."

I slightly smile. "What are you going to do about my seat in science? Can you move me up so I can still look at you?"

"The best choice is to stay where you are. We don't whose watching."

"What about tutoring?" I say, taking a breath.

"You will have to find a new one. Even if I did tutor you, the people behind this mess will think more."

"This sucks. I'm going to miss you."

He puts his hand on my shoulder, stroking it with his thumb. "We always got our phones to text."

"Yeah, but that's not the same feeling."

"I know, love. We got this year, and then we are back together. Happy and free from everyone. Can you do that for me?"

I sigh. "I will try."

"Good girl." He says in a seducing tone.

God, he makes me crazy with the tones he uses. "Can we have one last kiss before you take me home?"

"Always." He says before kissing me.