“I… I d-didn’t get t-that,” I stammered, inwardly kicking myself for behaving like this.

“I was wondering if I could see you after the last class. You can come to the teacher’s room. Are you free then?”

“S-sure,” I stammered, once again hitting myself on the head in the hardest way possible.

“Great, see you then,” she said cheerfully. She walked away and I was left astounded. What did she want to talk about? Then I went pale and felt all the blood withdrawing from my face. She knew. She knew how I felt and she wanted to tell me how it wasn’t possible, that I don’t have to feel bad about it because it happens all the time, but that it really won’t happen and that it will pass and I’ll get to know someone my own age who really cares about me… she’d probably be blushing as well.

“Ooh, Porter has a da-hate, Porter has a da-hate,” Alice said in a sing-song voice. She wiggled her eyebrows. “So, what are you guys going to talk about? Are you going to talk at all? Is she going to … tutor you?”

“Shut the fuck up, Alice,” I snapped, surprising myself. I was never rude to anyone.

Alice held her hands up. “Alriiiight, someone’s touchy today.”

I couldn’t care less about Alice at that moment. I only wondered why the hell ms Kennard wanted to see me. I saw in Shane’s eyes that she knew what I was thinking.

–

Tina rushed towards the teacher’s room. Brenda Kipner, a student of hers, had kept her busy. It was a habit of Brenda’s, every lesson she seemed to have at least one question for Tina. She always stood very close and Tina could swear that many times, the young blonde was flirting with her. It annoyed her, but she didn’t show. After all, she was still a teacher so she was supposed to answer anyone’s questions. She highly doubted anyone would blame her for not really feeling like talking about the kind of paint Michelangelo used and what colours he used most, but stilll… she felt responsible.

She smiled as she saw Bette standing at the door already, fidgeting nervously with her hands. She walked up to the brunette and swallowed – this girl was so damn beautiful that Tina was astonished she didn’t have tons of admirers. A cute blush crept over her cheeks as she looked up and saw Tina.