“Of course you can. Just be patient and wait until she makes the first step. I mean, from what you told me already it seems pretty clear to me, but maybe it’s better to just wait because after all, she can lose everything with this and you don’t know if she wants to.”

“Of course she doesn’t want to! And she has a boyfriend…”

“Since when was that of any importance?”

“It’s not like we kissed, Shane.”

“If that waitress hadn’t come out, you would have, Bette. You know that as well as I do. And do you realise how damn lucky you are? How many people get this chance? How many people fall in love with their teachers and have to keep it a secret because nobody understands or takes it seriously and all they can do is dream and know it won’t come true. You have these really intense feelings for her that go way beyond crush and she reciprocates them. You should act on that when the time’s there.”

“I guess,” Bette sighed. “Look, I’m really tired right now. It’s been an emotional evening, really. Thanks so much for listening.”

She could almost hear Shane’s smile through the phone. “No problem, Bette, anytime.”

—

Tina tried to concentrate on the road home, but the task was near to impossible. She couldn’t get it out of her mind and she didn’t know what to think of what had just happened.

What was she doing? Risking her job for a student? Well, not any student… and it was only one more year and then they were free to do whatever the hell they wanted. But who said that this was going to last? Wouldn’t Bette want someone younger in the end? Someone who was closer to the world she lived in? And hadn’t she, Tina, gone too far already?

When she arrived home, she noticed Jesse’s car and wasn’t sure whether she should be relieved or not. She took the elevator upstairs, thinking about what she should do next. How much longer could she deny this attraction? Was she even attracted to Jesse? To men? Or was it some kind of habit, was she doing what everyone expected her to do? Why had she never doubted her feelings in high school, or in college? Why now, why Bette?

She found Jesse in the couch and knew she had to be sure. She closed the door behind her, locked up and undressed.

Jesse looked at her, confused, then smiled. She walked towards him, pulled his shirt over his head, not saying a word. His pants followed, then his boxers. She sat down on his lap and moved her hips. She just had to know.