The nightmares continued for a few months. It was almost graduation and they finally began to stop. I was so excited for Northwestern. A new place, a fresh start with Derek in a place where we could be us without owing anyone an apology or an explanation. I decided I would major in computer science. I would love to be able to work for the FBI one day and be an Audio- Visual technician one day for something special like the FBI but that was just a pipe dream. However, Derek and I being together wasn't and that was all that mattered. We had already planned it all out. He applied for multiple teaching positions in Evanston and had already gotten accepted for a position in two different schools, one as a French teacher and the other as a Spanish. It was all working out how we had planned. We just had to get through the last two months of school and we would be ready for our new lives.

Trina and I were in a fight again. She had broken up with her boyfriend from Spain. I didn't know they were over and was unknowingly bragging to her about something Derek had done for me that day.

"Shut the hell up Pen, I am so sick of you talking about Derek! That is all you do anymore, the world does not revolve around you two."

"Geez I'm sorry Trina, what is going on with you?"

"Nothing, it's just I am sorry, I know I said I supported you and Derek but I don't. You are making him pick up his entire life for you. You are making him move away from his home and the school he just adjusted to a few years ago in order for you to do what you want. It just seems selfish to me."

"Trina he got a better teaching position over there, it is better for both of us."

"I just don't know how much longer I can keep up your little secret. You have put me in an awkward position and I don't even support the relationship."

"I didn't know you felt that way."

"Well I do. You guys are ridiculous and you need to stop talking to me about him."

"Trina what the hell climbed up your ass this morning? Why are you being such a bitch?"

"I'm the bitch? Please Pen, who's really the bitch here? Who's the one that jumped at the chance to move in with her boyfriend before her parents were even buried? Who's the one that made the man she claimed to love find her committing suicide in his apartment? Who…"

"Shut the hell up Trina, I don't know what is going on with you but I don't deserve this. I am sorry if you are jealous of Derek and I, but that gives you no reason…"

"Jealous? HA! That's a joke. You guys are screwed up and won't last. You know that deep in your heart, just once again you won't admit it and are acting like a three year old who needs to be taken care of."

"Trina it's not my fault that your little player boyfriend in Spain is an asshole and is probably cheating on you and making fun of you to all of his concubines in Spain as we speak, that does not give you an excuse to speak to me like this. I have done nothing wrong."

"I can't believe you just said that, go to hell."

"Screw you."

"Just remember I know your secret and I can easily use it against you."

With that Trina walked away. I didn't recognize my best friend anymore, she had turned cold and bitter. I don't know what happened with the man whore in Spain but whatever it was, it was hitting her hard. I couldn't deal with it anymore, it was obvious over the past few months that Trina and I were growing apart, and we were just prolonging the inevitable. I didn't need this drama in my life, I had Derek and soon I would be moving on to bigger and better things and that is what I needed to focus on.

It has been about a week since our argument and my nerves about her telling the school about Derek and I were starting to pass. Maybe too soon. It was seven weeks from graduation, so close I could feel it. Derek put in his notice and I was finishing my shopping list and budget plan for freshman year. All we had to do was keep the secret for seven more weeks, hell we had lasted almost ten month.

It was a Wednesday when my life changed. I walked into the front doors of the school and all eyes were on me, it was like my parent's death all over again. On the far wall of the hallway was a flyer, when I got closer I saw the picture. There were two people holding hands and leaning in for a kiss while laughing. She was wearing a black long sleeved dress that went down to mid- thigh with a long gold chain necklace sitting on her cleavage. He was wearing a fitted T-shirt with a pair of jeans. They were so happy, it was unreal. Her blonde curls fell perfectly down her back and his dark complexion was model like. It was me and Derek on one of the nights Trina had gone with us to get frozen yogurt. My engagement ring was sitting proud on my left hand. The caption read "Teacher's pet" This wasn't happening, this couldn't be happening. No we were getting away with it, no one found out. It had been a week since Trina and I stopped talking. What the hell?

Trina walked past me.

"I told you I couldn't keep it a secret forever." She snickered and walked away with a group of people whispering about me. Oh god! Derek! He had left early this morning to finish grading our test before class. I dropped my bag in the middle of the hallway and ran, ran as fast as I could to his office. Only he wasn't there, his desk was cleaned off and the principal was sitting behind his desk.

"Hello Penelope, I suspected I would run into you here."

"Where's Sr. Morgan?"

"He has been asked to resign, effective immediately."

What was he supposed to do? He needed a job before we left for Illinois.

The principal spoke up again,

"Ms. Garcia you should be informed that Derek Morgan is being investigated as we speak and if we find what we expect to find it will be a challenge to find a teaching position anywhere in the US. And as far as how this little affair affects you, well Northwestern has been informed of what you like to do with your teachers and we have let them decide your future at their school, I would expect an email. Oh and as for your future at this school, well we will discuss that after your two week suspension. "

"But… there are only seven weeks left. I need to come to school, I have to get ready for exams and finish my classes up strong. In order to keep my scholarship with Northwestern I have to finish the year off with at least a 3.7 GPA."

"Well maybe you should have thought about that before your little fling. I will see you in my office in two weeks."

My legs were jelly, I robotically made my why to the hall, picked my bag up, and left the building. My life was changed forever and I didn't know what to do about it.