'Eddie' ... 'Eddie wait' Rachel called after him as she followed him through the double doors and out into the school playground. 'About what you said…' She began, not really knowing whether to let her head or her heart make the decisions. Not really knowing what, if anything, she could say if he should decide to hear her out. After all she loved him more than anything in the world, but then again she was the head teacher and he the deputy, surely they each had a professional image to maintain?
'Rach, it's fine. If you're not ready then that's ok.' He smiled to her, breaking through her thought processes as she caught up with him. Breaking through that barrier, that barrier she put up in school, the same barrier that was instantly demolished as soon as they were alone. Rachel smiled back to him, wishing she could believe his words, knowing that he'd always be wanting more from her. 'It's not that I don't want to…' She began again, this time wondering whether she'd find it within herself to continue. 'It's just, well…' Rachel paused as smile crept over Eddie's face.
'What?' she giggled. 'Rachel, darling...' Eddie lightly sighed. 'You don't have to explain.' He continued, moving slowly towards her. 'Even though there's a massive part of me that just wants to shout out to the world how much I love you…' He smiled brushing the stray hairs that the wind had swept up to the side of Rachel's face. 'There's an even bigger part of me that just wants you to be happy.' He finished, resting his hand against the side of her face as his thumb brushed lightly against her cheek, knowing they would be alone in the playground. Hoping she wouldn't push him away as she had done when he'd tried to kiss her earlier.
Rachel could only smile back to him in appreciation as all words deserted her mind whilst her eyes, now fully locked within his, glazed over completely. His hand warm against her cold cheek, a flourish of goose-bumps racing inside her at his soft, gentle touch. Her stomach twisted in knots at the sincerity beneath his gaze. His pure, loving, caring gaze entwined with her ambivalent, hesitant, and cautious one.
Eddie looked deeply within her eyes; second guessing Rachel was not the easiest of tasks. Not even for Eddie. A hint of hesitance leapt out at him. Why she was hesitant he understood entirely. He'd spent the majority of the time he'd known her attempting to bring her out of that. He'd thought he'd succeeded. Their first real kiss, at the bowling alley barely a few weeks ago was nothing short of incredible. The way her lips had locked around his, the way her fingers tangled amongst his hair. All hesitances at that moment had vanished from within her. Now, somewhere hidden deeply within her, it had returned. Shadowed behind her chocolate pools, only visible to Eddie, only he could see amongst her eyes so clear as to know the elements which lay behind.
Rachel dragged her mind out from the sanctuary she'd fallen into under his tranquil gaze. She wondered what was running through his mind, could he read her? Could he see beyond her smile? She knew he could. She knew he could do that and so much more. She felt lost words. Lost for words that could describe how much she loved this man before her, lost for words that could describe how he made her feel. Lost for reasons why the world should not share the happiness she felt with him, lost for reasons why their professionalism would be called into question when no other member of staffs had.
'I love you…' She whispered to him. The smallest words, yet the only words she knew her head and her heart would agree on. The only words he'd ever need to hear her speak.