The Payne Of Love

She held her head in her hands, the lesson was a blur.

Yesterday she had got what she wanted and ran out of the room like a fool.

It was illegal. She knew that. He knew that.

But here was the part that didnt make sense.

She didnt legally have to be in school, she had chosen to stay on. He wasnt technically her teacher, he didnt teach her anything, a relationship couldn't have altered her grades and she was sixteen so she wasn't a minor so technically, being with him wouldn't or shouldn't have been illegal.

She had barely spoken a word all day, she wanted to get through this lesson so she could be in art again and slip away.

She didnt know whether she'd be able to run into him, or that she'd be able to get words out, as he would have it, he made a permanent effort to talk to her.

At break he came into the Art room, to photocopy some documents, he, like the other tech teachers often did.

She used to get fairly excited when he came in, now she just sat there with an awkward tension, trying to catch his eye, and not guide her friends into saying something stupid.

She could hear their stifled giggling, and quickly glared at them, they shut up but continued to smile.

"Aislinn." She turned her head back round and glared at him a little.

They were completely silent now, wondering what the hell was going on.

"We didnt have any transparent, yesterday, but we've got an order in and there are some scraps, why dont you come in and look next lesson?"

"S..sure." She squeaked out.

He smiled at her friends, shuffled his printouts and walked out of the room, barely before the door had shut, they erupted into laughter.

"Get in there!"

"Oooohhh"

"Oh my god, haha"

"You know, I asked Ian if Mr Payne was likely to date a student, he says he would be, cus he had this thing for a girl in upper sixth back when Ian was here."

She just turned the volume up on her iPod and put her head down.

As if it couldnt come quickly enough, she sat in period three waiting until it was half past eleven, she wanted to make him wait a little, and also so she didnt play up to her friends expectations.

At half past she got up without a word, taking her pencil with her.

And went through the fabrics room to the back, he was in the back storage area, sifting through the many sheets of wood, with his white tech coat on. He looked up at her and smiled. She shifted uncomfortably.

"I was beginning to think you didnt want that acrylic." He smiled.

"I dont." She muttered.

He looked down, his expression changed.
"We cant do this.." She uttered out, "It shouldn't be, but it is illegal.."

"I know.. and I'm sorry for what I did yesterday.."
She looked up at him, and tears gathered a little in her eyes, she begin to cry a little, so he held her head to his chest and stroked her hair.

She could say nothing, all she could hear was the pounding or his heartbeat.

"Im really, really sorry.." He said and gave her a square of Acrylic.
"Dont be, please.. I know its really.. um.. difficult being a teacher around teenage girls.. we're.. vicious." She smiled a little, as he let her go.
She handed the acrylic back to him. "Keep it.. I dont really need it, someone will make better use of it than me."
He looked a little saddened by this but she paid no attention and walked away.
She turned back, looking him in the eyes, "Sorry.." she muttered, "And thanks.."
"For what exactly..?"
"Making my fantasy physical somewhat.."

With that she left the tech room, and carried on with her work as normal.
She continued to have a crush on him and dreams about him, mostly memories of the cupboard kiss as she called it.
Whenever they saw each other they half-smiled at one another, they still did the occassional hello, and she would even spend a few lunchtimes telling him of the troubles or joys in her life as she did with Mr Schmidt.
In a way, they "remained friends" although their relationship, never was anything more than teacher and student.