XXX

Liebe Dorothea Wieck aus Manuela (a.k.a. the fan-fiction's author)

XXX

Manuela was drunk. Everyone admitted it; even Elisabeth von Bernburg did. But Fräulein von Bernburg knew much more than the Headmistress could think about ever. She knew that Manuela's speech was not a drinker's speech just. The girl said her heart.

"What you call sin, Headmistress, I call the great spirit of love which takes a thousand forms." Elisabeth von Bernburg said to Fräulein von Nordeck.

The Headmistress said that Manuela dared to say such terrible words and will be punished.

"Nein!" (Not!) It was the only thing that Elisabeth thought. But she could not say this to the Headmistress.

XXX

Manuela came out from Fräulein von Bernburg's office. But Fräulein von Nordeck went in the office soon to talk to Elisabeth seriously.

Elisabeth von Bernburg could not get out from her office to follow Manuela and return hergeliebtMädchen (beloved girl).

Fräulein von Nordeck sat and begun her wrathful speech.

Elisabeth protested to every sentence which the Headmistress was saying.

But after a while, Elisabeth did not sustain and said to Fräulein von Nordeck, "I am sorry, but I should go out".

The teacher did not wait the Headmistress' answer. She run out from the office and began to seek out the girl.

XXX

Fräulein von Nordeck left the office and went to her office; because she knew why Fräulein von Bernburg ran out. And she knew that the teacher will not come back soon.

"Fräulein von Bernburg will be punished too." Fräulein von Nordeck was thinking.

Elisabeth von Bernburg was far from her office and she knew the Headmistress will be unable to hear if she will say something.

Elisabeth did not know that Manuela was staying behind her back.

"Manuela, please go back. Ich liebe dich." (I love thou.) Elisabeth von Bernburg shouted.

"I am here." Elisabeth heard the answer of her geliebt Mädchen.

Fräulein von Bernburg could not believe that Manuela is staying behind her back.

Elisabeth approached to the girl and hugged her tightly.

Manuela looked at her geliebt teacher and asked, "Is it true?"

"It is more than true. I love you so much, but I know school rules. We could not be together. We could not be happy. But I am here now. I thought you could do something bad with yourself. I ran out from the office and left Fräulein von Nordeck. I do not know what she will do with us when we shall have come back to my office."

"Fräulein von Bernburg, you must not worry. The Headmistress left your office. I saw she was going towards her office. But you must not worry about me because she did not see me."

"Let's go to my office now. I should tell you something that someone else does not need to hear."

XXX

Elisabeth's office.

When they had sat in chairs, Elisabeth started to tell her secret.

"When you will have graduated the school... I know you said about this. But I shall not be able to kiss other girls even on the forehead. Ich liebe dich, Manuela."

"Have you said it again?" Manuela asked amazedly.

Elisabeth looked at Manuela and smiled, "Ja." (Yes)

"Fräulein von Bernburg, did you believe I learnt a verse?"

"What do you mean?"

"I am so sorry, but I cannot think about anything when I'm looking at you. I learnt a verse..."

"I feel the same when I'm looking at you."

"But why you will not kiss other girls?" Manuela von Meinhardis asked amazedly.

"No matter what the Headmistress will do with us. She will let us leave the school when you will have graduated."

"But why do you want to do it? If it is because of me..."

"Nein! (Not!) Do you know why do I kiss girls after they (and you too) have gone to bed?"

"Maybe you wanted be like mama for your girls (and me because I am your girl too)?"

"It is part of the answer. It is very small part. You must know true. I have not said this to nobody. I am a lesbian."

Manuela could not say anything because Elisabeth von Bernburg's words explained everything.

"Elisabeth is very kind to all girls. She smiles to each of us because she loves us. But whyI am the one whom she loves very strongly?" Manuela could not answer to her own question.

"What do you think about my words? A lesbian it is a female who loves females; not males, of course."

"What do I think? I cannot find words to explain how I like it. But today you said that I must to leave your office. The Headmistress said that nobody could communicate with me. It was the end for me. I have not anyone whom I love so strongly. You are the one who loves me mutually, but why do you love me so strongly?"

"I wanted to try to act like mama sometimes."

"But it was very difficultly," Manuela said. "Because you kiss me... not on the forehead. Ich liebe Sue (I love you), Fräulein von Bernburg. I left your office and I wanted to die right then because I cannot live without you. I wanted fell down the stairs."

"Oh, Manuela, it is so terribly. Why do you love me so much?"

"Because you are the best; it is true."

"Thank you dear but you are the best. Do you remember I said you can be very good actress if you will take lessons?"

"Ja." Manuela answered.

"When we shall have left the school, I want to play in the theatre with you. At the time when I was studying at this school..."

"You studied at this school? And what about the Headmistress?"

"I do not know how long our Headmistress has worked here, but I did not study when here was other Headmistress. Maybe it was a long time ago."

"And she was so terrible too?"

"Of course, people cannot be changed that strongly."

Elisabeth did not say anything. She embraced Manuela and kissed her as every evening, but it was longer and, at this time, Manuela had time to respond.

They did not want to finish their wonderful kiss.

"Call me 'Elisabeth', please."

"Thank you very much. Elisabeth, shall we can be together when I shall have graduated the school?"

"Ja. Aber... Nicht ist doch!" (Yes. But... Not yet! / Last 3 words belong to Dorothea Wieck's Elisabeth from "Anna und Elisabeth", LOL.) When I was studying at this school, here was "Don Carlos" too. I played Don Carlos too. But I had not anyone who was looking at me like I was looking at you, mein liebe."

XXX~XXX

Elisabeth did not worry longer. She can lose ihr Mädchen (her girl). Fräulein von Bernburg very wanted to deal with one fact.

"I fell in love with Manuela. It was mutual love at first sight. I tried to act as a teacher and as mama often. But I could not. Why Manuela embraced me before I was going to kiss her first night? I could not resist to my strong wish. It was mutually. I kissed a girl on the lips, not on the forehead. She was not simply 'a girl'. I kissed Manuela. It was very short kiss but I was doing it most passionate lesbian way. I do not straight; I knew it always. The one that we wanted then (I know exactly Manuela wanted too) that our kiss continued... maybe one minute or even minute and a half.* Ich liebe Manuela and it is the only important thing for me right now. Who is Manuela for me? She must be a schoolgirl for me just. Well... maybe she can be almost my daughter, whom I have not and shall have not ever. But it is lie. I must not lie to myself. I love Manuela in a different way. I kiss my girls on the forehead every night, but then I go to Manuela's bed... Platonic love cannot be here. I do kiss Manuela on the lips."

The teacher tried not think about Fräulein von Nordeck. She tried not thinking about a minute when the Headmistress will come in the office to punish them.

"Elisabeth, what Fräulein von Nordeck will do with us?" Manuela asked with fear in her voice.

"I shall do everything I can that she will not lock you away."

"What you will be able to do?" The girl asked.

"I shall say what you wanted to do with yourself. Manuela, please do not worry... for my sake..."

"Warum?" (Why?)

"Ich liebe dich. When you will have finished the school, we shall be together."

"Will you regret that you will leave your girls?"

"I shall not leave my girls. I shall leave the school when you and my girls will have finished. I do not have other girls except your roommates. I shall kiss the one girl just. Her name is Manuela von Meinhardis."

"Danke schön, Elisabeth." (Thank you very much.)

"Gern geschehen, mein liebe. (You're welcome my love.) Do you want to know how it will be?"

Manuela nodded by her head.

"So... Stand up and stand here." Elisabeth showed a place where Manuela must stand.

"I am ready." Manuela thought when she had stood.

The teacher approached to the girl and hugged her. They were kissing each other at the same moment. It was other kiss than every night; it was differently. Elisabeth kissed Manuela on the lips during a second or two every night. But they had not time limit in the office. They were kissing each other."

"Oooh, Manuela," Elisabeth whispered. "How you dare to make me so happy?"

"I can ask the same question, dear."

XXX

After a while, Elisabeth and Manuela heard footsteps. Fräulein von Nordeck was going to Elisabeth's office.

The Headmistress went into the office and sat in the chair. She looked at the teacher almost as if she wanted to beats Elisabeth. Fräulein von Nordeck acted so because she said to Manuela few days ago "If you were younger, you'd spanked".

"Fräulein von Bernburg, you will be locked away in your office and Meinhardis will be locked away in other room. You will be unable to see each other because you will be unable to leave your room alone. Each of you will be receiving your food in the room."

"Fräulein von Nordeck, what do you want to do with poor Manuela? If I did not find her, she would fell down the stairs." Elisabeth asked.

"A teacher cannot be schoolgirls' friend. Love cannot be here, in a boarding school. Individualism it is the only thing that must be here."

"It does not important now." The teacher thought. Then she said, "Fräulein von Nordeck, I know Manuela very well. If you will lock her away, she will do something bad with herself. If you do not think about Manuela, you should think about the school. It will be a stain on the school's reputation."

The Headmistress stood up and said, "You will leave the school at the end of the school year."

"Nein, I shall unable to do it. My girls must graduated the school."

"Your girls? Even Westhagen who almost sent a terrible letter? Or someone else who would have done the same thing?"

"Ja, each of them."

"Well... I let you stay here until your girls study; but when they will have graduated the school, you will not work here anymore."

Fräulein von Nordeck did not wait Elisabeth's reply. She left the office to never come back.

XXX~XXX

Finally, Elisabeth's girls graduated the school.

Fräulein Elisabeth von Bernburg had not worked at the school since that day.

XXX~XXX

Elisabeth and Manuela walking in the park, holding hands.

"We are free, Manuela. I have not been so happy ever."

"A person in love does nonsense sometimes, I suppose. But we deserve happiness."

"I waited this day very long." Elisabeth said. Then she looked at Manuela and smiled widely.

"My aunt's last words to me were "Do not spoil my plans about your future." I spoiled her plans since I looked at you first time. I knew that I fell in love."

"I did too, Manuela. Do you remember I asked you 'Why are you shivering?' Do you say to me why?"

"I fell in love with you, but I could not say truth. You are so beautiful... I wished you to be kind to me as my dear mama who died long ago. But... it was much more. I knew nothing about you. I could not resist to my strong wish. I embraced you first night..."

"I tried to say to myself 'hands off' or 'lips off' if say correctly. But I could not resist to my strong wish."

"You kissed me on the lips every night since my first day at the school."

"You are bold, Manuela."

"I am disagreeing."

"You are Meinhardis. "Hardis" mean "bold" in French. Meinhardis oder "mein kühn" in deutscher Sprach (or "my bold" in German). You are my bold girl."

Manuela looked at Elisabeth and said "Lesbian idol. Mein idol."

XXX

*Elisabeth von Bernburg was in the office less time (after Manuela came out) than in the film.)

** "Please, twenty more metres of kissing." (The letters from Romanian distributors after showing the film in Romania.) 20 metres of film is ~ 1,5 minutes of screen time.