Her Teacher's Temptation

by Vos, Alexandra

  “Me too,” Ollie squeezed my hand and I studied the emotions that mingled on his face. “Look, Maddie…”

  I waved my hand to stop him. “You don’t have to say anything,” I assured him, squeezing his hand back. “We both know the situation.”

  At a loss for words, Ollie chose to lean forward and capture my lips in his. Brief and over in a second, it wasn’t even close to being enough.

  I didn’t know whether anyone had seen us or not and I didn’t particularly care. I supposed it was unlikely that I’d see any of Ollie’s family again anyway.

  We didn’t get time to say anything, because attention was called for the cutting of the cake. I was torn between wanting to get this over and done with and never wanting it to end. Preferably I’d go back to yesterday and repeat that over and over.

  I almost snorted when I was the one to catch the bouquet – and that was only because Laura had overthrown it and it had ended up falling to me who hadn’t even really been in the gaggle of women eagerly awaiting the chance to grab it.

  “I will most definitely not be the next one to get married here,” I muttered to Ollie, unable to stop myself admiring the pretty flowers.

  “I hope not,” he replied, shuffling uncomfortably as people made jokes to me about my “upcoming wedding”. Maybe Ollie’s parents would like me more now that I’d been blessed by the wedding gods.

  Luke sidled up to us soon after. “Do you want to get going soon?” The fact Luke had to get back for Monday morning too had allowed Ollie to convince him to drive so he could drink.

  “Oh, sure.” I wasn’t sure whether Ollie was relieved or disappointed we were going, but there wasn’t any time to ponder over it. “Let’s go say bye and head off, then.”

  I was almost surprised to get hugs off all Ollie’s immediate family, and some ‘it was really nice to meet you’s. I didn’t even have the effort to decide whether they were fake or not.

  “We’ll meet back in the lobby in a couple of minutes,” Ollie told his brother. “We just need to go and get our suitcases.” Most of Luke’s stuff was coming back with Emily tomorrow.

  Inside our room, we did quick checks to make sure we’d got everything. I stood waiting by the door whilst Ollie did another thorough check. If I didn’t know better I’d have thought he was stalling.

  “Ready?” I inquired, getting ready to shove myself away from the wall, my tipsiness having turned into weariness and heavy muscles by this point.

  Ollie continued to hesitate, before coming and standing opposite me and pressing his lips firmly to mine, fully pushing me into the wall again. It was more than an automatic response to lace my fingers through his knotted curls and press against him, skin burning as his hands held my hips with a firm grasp in the best possible way.

  After too brief a moment, he pulled back and buried his face into my hair.

  “I love you, you know, Maddie,” he murmured, words sending a shiver down my back and causing me to grip his hair in a borderline painful manner.

  Tears gathered in my eyes and I didn’t expect my voice to catch when I replied. “I love you too.”

  Moving away from anything at all sexual, we simply stood and clung on to each other for what felt like forever. I wasn’t sure whether Ollie was crying or not, but I knew for a fact I had ruined my perfectly applied make-up. Not that I really cared anymore.

  “We have to go,” I reminded Ollie, still unwilling to actually be the one to break our embrace first.

  “I know,” he said, only burying his face even further into my neck. “But I really don’t want to.”

  “Me neither.”

  Ollie was the first one to pull away, kissing me once more, hard and quick. I managed a shoddy job of removing the run eyeliner from my face before having to grab my case and exit the room. Ollie only had to wipe a few stray tears and no one would be aware he’d been crying the minute before. I wished I was that lucky.

  Luke gave me a concerned look before taking Ollie’s expression as warning not to bother asking me about it. Instead we simply stuck to a not completely awkward silence, Ollie and I both lost in our thoughts.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The car ride home was particularly difficult. It was a good thing Luke had a good taste in music, because the various CDs he put on were the only thing keeping me sane. The few words we did exchange were quiet and miserable. Luke gave up with conversation relatively quickly.

  Still, I wasn’t sure I was ready to go back home. When I got inside, that was it for me and Ollie. And for real, this time. There would be no cute little messages or keeping me back at the end of class to check that I was all right. This was cold turkey. We weren’t to go near each other. I had to get over him, even if we’d just admitted we loved each other.

  “It’s just on the right, here,” I gestured out the window to Luke, unable to look at Ollie.

  Hopping out of the car, I could definitely manage my own suitcase. Still, Ollie exited, too, grabbing my handle and depositing the heave luggage on the pavement. He demanded my attention with his sincere gaze and I couldn’t resist looking up and admiring his handsome face. This might be the last time I was this close to him.

  “Maddie! What on Earth is your teacher doing here?”

  It was the worst possible interruption. My mum, who must have stuck her head around the door when I pulled up, was now striding towards the car. Ollie looked horrified, and I dreaded to think what was going through Luke’s head right now. “Oh, Mr. Wright is Annabel’s brother. She had to get the train so Luke offered to drive me back.”

  “I thought you were going to ‘Ollie’s cousin’s wedding’,” Ollie was practically shrivelling under her glare. “I don’t even know who this Annabel girl is. I think we should go inside.”

  I didn’t have the heart to argue further on the street, so I gave Ollie what I hoped was both a subtle and apologetic look. He shrugged his left shoulder with a grimace. “I had a good weekend. Thanks for the lift, Luke.”

  I couldn’t bring myself to take a glance over my shoulder as I followed my mum into the house, suitcase dragging behind me, but Luke pulled away almost instantly. Their conversation hopefully wouldn’t be as grim as the one I was about to have.

  “Take a seat.” The lounge was a complete mess. Ironing was strewn everywhere and Lily’s toys were a lethal mess on the floor. I braved walking through them to sit on the furthest seat from the one my mum had chosen. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing’s going on,” I argued, knowing I already sounded far too defensive and worked up. “I know Mr. Wright’s sister and that’s why we’re friends. She invited me to the wedding, not him. I just knew he’d be the one giving me a lift, which is why I said I was going to Ollie’s cousin’s wedding.”

  “Honey, I’d rather you just told me the truth. I’m not an idiot. When you told me about Nick beating up Ollie, it was obvious you cared about him. I have to know what’s really going on.”

  My mind was flooded with our memories together and nothing could stop the tears springing to my eyes. “Nothing is going on anymore. It really just doesn’t matter.” I gripped the handle on my suitcase. I just wanted to go to bed and sleep and wallow in my misery. Of course this had to happen on the day we’d truly decided not to see each other.

  I was prevented from leaving by my mum’s relocation. Sitting beside me and wrapping an arm around my shoulder, I broke into a fit of sobs.

  No matter how angry she was, my mum still embraced me in a big hug and held me until I’d managed to calm down. It took a long time. My throat burned from attempting to stop my crying, but every time it lapsed, Ollie’s words came back to me and my chest heaved once more. How was I meant to get over him when I cared so much? I was going to have to see him every day and contain my emotions. It was almost impossible.

  “Oh, honey, tell me what happened.”

  “It’s nothing. It doesn’t even matter anymore, really. Ollie’s just my teacher and I’m just his student and I’m f
riends with his sister. That’s all.” It physically hurt to say it and I resisted the urge to simply fall back into a fit of sobs.

  “I just want to know what’s happened to make you so miserable. If he’s done anything to hurt you-”

  “No, he hasn’t. Ever. Ollie’s not a bad guy.”

  My mum rubbed a soothing circle on my back whilst I stared into the opposite direction. “If he’s seeing his student, then I’m not entirely sure he’s a good person, either.”

  “You don’t know anything.”

  “Then tell me.”

  Grimacing, I stood up. “I just want to go to bed. I’m really tired.”

  “Look, sweetie, if you don’t tell me then I’m going to have to assume the worst and take this more seriously. I need to know what’s happened. I have to know whether he’s taken advantage of you. You’re only seventeen.”

  “Sixteen is the age of consent, unless I’m mistaken.”

  “Maddie,” the attempt to comfort me had been replaced with a stern command. My attitude had been mirrored and it made me want to hit something. Couldn’t I at least have a night to rest before I was forced to jump into recapping my tumultuous relationship with Ollie?

  “We slept together in the summer when I was going out every weekend with my fake ID. He wasn’t my teacher then and I wasn’t his student. So it was no big deal. It’s just been weird since he’s been back at school, but we’ve stayed friends. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

  I clenched my jaw and turned away, not getting a single pace towards the door before my mother had grabbed my arm. “Oh no you don’t, young lady. You have a lot of explaining to do. You’ve lied to me, all this time? I want this fake ID right now.”

  “Whatever.”

  “Maddie. You can’t expect me to just accept that you’ve been sneaking your way into clubs and sleeping with people you don’t even know. That’s so irresponsible. Think of all the things that could have happened.”

  “Mum, I don’t think doing it a year earlier makes that much of a difference, do you? Besides, you clearly didn’t know Nick that well before you shacked up with him, did you?” It was a low blow and we both knew it, but perhaps it would be enough for her to just let it go for the moment.

  “I want your phone and laptop, downstairs right now. You’re grounded for the foreseeable future. How can you expect me to ever let you out of the house if I’ve got no idea what you’re really doing? I thought we were honest with each other.” Tears were shining in her own eyes now, and that was more than enough to send wave after wave of guilt flowing through me.

  “You lied to me about my dad.”

  Her head snapped up, fixing me with wide eyes. “What?”

  “You never told me he went to jail. You never told me he’s only been living down the road my whole life. I don’t think you have the right to lecture me about lies.”

  I used her surprise to my advantage, making my escape and locking myself in my room. After a few knocks and a jiggle of my handle, my mum gave up.

  Finally left alone, I put on my saddest playlist and cried until fatigue took over.

  ***

  “I couldn’t get hold of you this morning,” Meg complained, grimacing at her own phone as if that was the problem. “Is it my phone or yours?”

  “Mine. My mum’s confiscated it.”

  “What? Why? She didn’t find out about the drugs, did she?”

  “No, of course not.” That was something I’d never be divulging to her, even in the fits of anger and misery I’d been in last night. “She found out about Ollie.”

  Meg came to a standstill, much to the irritation of the clamour of students we’d been entering the building with. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Nope.” I popped the p. Perhaps an attempt at humour would mask the way my lip wobbled even having to talk about it. “She saw him dropping me off after the wedding this weekend.”

  “Damn, that’s rough,” Meg agreed, leading me back out of the school and towards the bus stop. “Well, it’s definitely hot chocolate and cake time, then. Explaining obviously didn’t go well, then.”

  “Did I ever tell you about my dad?” I realised that with all the Ollie drama I’d probably forgotten to ever mention it. It had, somehow, managed to slip into the background of my thoughts until now.

  “Erm, no? You mean about him being all angry over your sister? Yeah, you told me about that.”

  “Yeah, turns out he’s lived in Nottingham all my life. He went to jail and my mum lied about it.” I hadn’t even gotten in touch with him after he’d sorted Nick out. Perhaps I should have done. I didn’t really have the option now I was without a communication device.

  Meg blinked, only not answering me because her attention was turned to the bus driver. Choosing the backseat like always, we settled in and continued talking whilst people-watching. It was an old habit. I paused to point at the guy in the row in front of us attempting to secretly watch porn on his phone. Meg mock gagged, averting her eyes and shaking her head. She always knew how to make me feel better.

  “But yeah, my mum kind of threatened me that if I didn’t just tell her the truth then she’d have to think he was taking advantage of me, so I told her about the fake ID and summer. I said we’d just been friends since school started and that I knew his sister. Then I kind of threw the thing about my dad in her face and went to bed. I snuck out really early this morning so I didn’t have to deal with the confrontation.”

  “That’s rough,” Annabel admitted. “But nothing is going to stop you and Ollie still seeing each other if you want to- oh shit. I didn’t press the button in time.” Grimacing, she reached out to press the stop button. I rolled my eyes at her irritation. It was only a five minute walk between stops.

  “We’re not going to be seeing each other anymore,” I corrected, picking up my school bag and concentrating on not falling over as we made our way back to the front of the bus. If I’d fallen onto porn guy’s lap, I never would have lived it down. “We decided we’re definitely staying away from each other. The whole no communication without my mum knowing about it thing is probably for the best.”

  “You really did? But you’re brilliant together. Does that mean you ended up having a bad weekend, too?”

  I gripped the straps of my rucksack, dipping my head. “The weekend was really perfect. Ollie told me he wanted to try and make things work and I told him that I wasn’t willing to risk his career.”

  Meg hesitated long enough to tell me she was undecided as to whether I’d done the right thing. I was equally as unsure. My mood was definitely paying the price now, but if Ollie did lose his job I’d never forgive myself and our relationship would definitely fail. It was better to wait. “You did do the right thing,” Meg decided, changing our course suddenly and bringing us towards the pub rather than the coffee shop we normally skived for. “And it’ll get better. I’ve decided a fry up and a pint is what you really need. I bet you didn’t even get breakfast this morning.”

  “He told me he loved me Meg,” I whined, groaning and sliding into a cushioned seat. “And I said it back. I just wanted that weekend to last forever.”

  Meg looked like her heart broke for me. “Maddie! I’m so sorry. Oh man, this is so messed up and unfair.”

  “You’ve got that right,” I groaned again. Maybe trying to stay light-hearted would prevent the tears. “Anyway, how are you and Rob? Good? Tell me good things about how happy you are.”

  “We’re actually really good,” Meg averted her eyes guiltily. “And we haven’t done anything for a while, either, you’ll be pleased to hear.”

  I definitely was. “I’m glad and I’m really happy for you, you know?”

  “Yeah, I know you are. I’m just so sorry about what’s happened with Mr. Wright. It’s so sad. You don’t think your mum will like, go to the police or anything? She’s not really like that, is she?”

  “Nah, she won’t,” I was forced to pause when the waitress came around. Meg’s full Engli
sh and a beer did sound awfully appealing right now, even if it was nine in the morning. “I’ll have to explain everything properly at some point though. Probably tonight. I hate lying to my mum. We’ve never even had a real falling out before.”

  Meg’s relationship with her mum had always been the same. “I know, but you’ll work it out. Mums and daughters always work everything out eventually.”

  I couldn’t meet Meg’s eyes. “How is your mum doing?”

  Meg’s gaze was stuck in her beer. “The chemo is going well, apparently, but there’s no definite results yet. We’ll see, I guess.”

  I was so utterly useless in this situation, I wasn’t sure whether to offer a sympathetic smile or a hug. “I’m sure it’ll all work out,” was what I went for.