Marching through the corridor, Mr Mead's mind is whirling. He can't believe how close he was - or thought he was - to having his and Kate's secret revealed. His breathing still hasn't returned to normal, he is barely aware of his surroundings. But there is always one familiar voice through these halls.
"Mr Mead!"
Tom dashes out of his classroom and trots after his friend to catch up with him.
"I've got something for you," Tom grins.
"Hm?" Chris barely responds, as he distractedly looks through Tom's classroom windows.
"Katherine Evans' poem! It's incredible!" Tom laughs, looking down at the paper in his hand, still in disbelief. "I'm telling you mate, it's like reading a Bronte novel!"
Chris huffs, and snatches the paper out of Tom's hand.
"Where is she?" Chris demands.
"Alright!" Tom laughs a little, trying to break the tension. "Jeez. With all that sex last night, you think you'd be in a better mood!"
"Tom!" Chris orders, placing his hand on his hip in frustration. "Where is Kathie Evans?!"
"Calm down, mate" Tom replies, slightly concerned. "It's a revision class. They're in the form lounge."
Chris stuffs the paper in his pocket, and dashes off down the corridor.
"Wh-Chris!" Tom calls after him. "I'm going to need that back. Chris?!"
Tom shakes his head, as he gets no response. Mr Mead soon disappears out of sight, and Tom heads back to his desk, bewildered.
...
Without a care in the world, Kathie saunters into Mr Mead's classroom, with him hot on her tail. Chris looks alot more frantic, and restless than she does. He had to pull her out of the common room to ensure they could be alone for this. But that just seemed to anger her, and she hasn't said a word to him the entire walk through the school.
"Kathie," Chris hisses, "will you say something?"
But she doesn't even warrant him eye contact. She leans against one of the benches, arms crossed, facing the opposite direction, chewing her gum as always.
"This is exactly the issue!" Chris exclaims, throwing his arms in the air in defeat. "At least pretend you respect me as a teacher!"
Chris forces himself into her eye line, but Kathie just stares at him, dead-eyed.
"I'm serious," Chris continues, his voice much more subdued and guilt-ridden now. "Karen thinks there is something going on between us."
"What?!" Kathie finally replies, almost choking on her gum. She snatches the gum out of her mouth and storms over to the bin, dropping it in. "Mrs Fisher knows?!"
"Shhh!"
Chris hushes her, as he races over to shut the classroom door.
"Of course she doesn't know," he reinforces, as he pushes the door to. "She just knows I'm the only one you're playing up to now. And you asked for a new Chemistry teacher. She's put the two together and thinks there is a history of something between us, causing this… friction."
"What do you mean, friction?" Kathie replies, a little confused.
"Does it matter?" Chris argues back, clearly pretty anxious. "The point is, this whole aggressive idea of yours isn't working, Kate."
"Don't call me that," she asks, her head hanging with sadness. "Not here."
"The aggression, the defensive attitude with 'Mr Mead' has to stop," Chris enforces.
Kathie takes a moment. How else is she going to get through the day? She can't be friendly with him, it's too close to home life. But now she can't keep him at arms length either?
"I'll have to transfer then," Kathie thinks out loud.
"You can't move schools now!" Chris begs, his emotions rising. "We've come so far, we don't have long to go now. We can figure this out, Kate, please."
"I'm trying all the time, Chris," Kathie replies, her eyes beginning to well up, "but it's just too hard!"
"I don't see another way out here," she mutters.
She runs her hand down Chris' arm, holding his hand in hers. She looks up into his eyes, and sees he is just as emotional as she feels.
"I can't risk losing you completely," her voice begins to break.
Chris sucks his lips in a little with sadness, as he holds back his own tears. And suddenly they both remember where they are.
"Sir," Kathie drops his hand and takes a step back.
"I will make sure you get your wish, okay?" Chris cradles her neck briefly, as he comforts her. "I will tell Karen I can't be your teacher anymore."
Kathie can't help but lean into Chris' hand against her cheek. She reaches up to meet her hand with his, smiling a little at him.
BRRRRRRRRNG
The end of lesson bell blares out, and both their hands fall back to their sides.
Kathie wipes the tears that have begun to escape her misty eyes, and heads for the door.
"I will sort this, okay?" Chris reassures her, catching her last look before she heads out into the corridor.
But he doesn't get a response. Instead she flows out into the halls, and is quickly lost amongst the sea of students heading in all directions.
Chris leans his head back briefly - partly sighing, partly trying to lead the tears back into his eyes somehow. He smiles coyly to himself, as he recalls a similar situation. Reaching into his blazer pocket, he retrieves his phone, and sends her a simple text. It reads: I love you.
...
Lunch time has finally arrived, and Mr Mead is thankful for his first chance to sit down, away from the emotional rollercoaster of his morning. His mind wonders, as one hand cradles his warm cup of coffee, and the other absent-mindlessly pokes at what's left of his pasta salad. He can't help but reflect on the morning.
Would Kate really move schools just so they could be together? Could he really let her disrupt her grades just for his sake? Did Karen suspect more than she was letting on?
Karen. He'd almost forgotten that he needs to go back into the office and fight their corner with some made up excuse for why he can no longer teach Kathie.
"Oi, misery guts!" Tom calls across the staff room. "Not you, Grantly."
Tom laughs to himself as he walks past his fellow English teacher, to meet Chris at the table.
"You, I'm talking about!" he nudges Chris.
"What?" Chris is jolted back to the present day.
"Bloody hell. You really are off on one today," Tom laughs lightly. "What's going on?"
"nothing, " Chris sighs. "Sorry about earlier. I wasn't having the best start to the day."
"What? Sex isn't a good start to the day?" Tom grins, as he pulls his lunch out of his briefcase.
Chris can't help but laugh.
"That mind of yours!" Chris chuckles. "How do you ever get anything done?"
"Yeah, alright, let's not start!" Tom replies. "I only sat with you 'cause you owe me a poem."
"What?" Chris replies, a little baffled.
"My A-Level poem you ran off with earlier? Katherine Evans?" Tom tries to jog his friend's memory. "I'm gonna need that back at some point."
"Oh!" Chris reaches into his trouser pocket and pulls out the paper. "Here you go."
"Did you read it?" Tom asks, as he takes a bite out of his sandwich.
"Haven't had a chance, mate!" Chris exclaims, sliding the paper across the table. "Hell of a morning."
"Read it now," Tom pushes it back over.
Chris sighs a little, not really understanding Tom's insistence. But he does as he is told and unfolds the paper. He leans back in his chair as he begins reading.
But Chris can barely believe what he is reading.
He leans further forward with each line. His eyes fluttering as emotions rise within him. His body temperature rising, his hands shaking. With every word he reads he can feel his nausea intensifying.
"It's pretty incredible, huh?" Tom grins, recalling how the poem made him feel the first time he read it. "The level of description is insane. I swear, I could practically feel her head on my own chest."
Too late. A tear escapes from Chris' eye, and he quickly pulls himself to his feet. He keeps gripping the paper tight for a moment, before dropping it in front of Tom.
"Mate, are you…" Tom tries to hide his laughter, "Are you crying?"
"I've got to go!"
Chris swiftly wipes the tear from his eye, and flies out of the staff room.
But Tom knows exactly where to find him. Mr Clarkson smirks to himself as packs his half-eaten lunch away, and strolls out.
Sure enough, Tom finds his friend pointlessly fiddling with the books in the store cupboard of his classroom.
"You really need to find yourself a new hiding spot," Tom smiles, as he approaches Mr Mead.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, mate," Tom reassures him. "It's a pretty touching poem. I told you, it's practically a Bronte. I'm telling you that Evans…"
Tom shakes his head in disbelief at how good Kathie is at English, now that she is fully applying herself to her classes.
"Dont," Chris mutters, barely audibly.
Tom sighs, not really sure what's going on. But, yet again, he thinks he knows why. It must be this new girl of Chris' playing on his mind; what else?
"Look mate," Tom begins, as he stands at the edge of the cupboard. "You don't have to tell me about her if you don't want to. Not yet, anyway. But stick with it, yeah? Stick with her, if you can."
"What makes you say that?" Chris replies, puzzled.
"Clearly she means alot to you, Chris," Tom smiles, genuinely now. "You haven't shut up about her all week! And honestly? You've changed. For the better. You're like a whole new man these days. And I'm happy for you, mate, I really am. And only a little bit jealous!"
They both laugh together. Trust Tom to end such a nice and caring statement with a joke.
Chris finally steps out of his store room.
"Thanks mate," Chris smiles, as he hugs his friend.
