Chapter 9
I threw in a few references somewhere - see if you can find them ;)
The next day she saw him, he gave her that knowing smirk, the one that said 'you're standing on the very spot I fucked you.' Trying not to get sidetracked she gave him a flicker of a smile in return before she turned her back to him and focused on the board. It wasn't awkward, it was just very hard to disguise their relationship as something very mutual. The awkward moments were the ones when a student would tap their fingers on her desk and he would raise his eyebrows from the distance. She had complete faith in him; she knew he wouldn't tell anyone.
She felt she was doing well, however. Nothing got in the way of her teaching, which was very fortunate since Eleven had a charm that pulled her in automatically.
'Could you just help me with this, Miss Oswald?' His voice rung out to her and she looked up to see him staring down at her, his book in his hands and a grin on his face. He took it as a joke every time he called her 'Miss Oswald' by her request. She knew how much he wanted to call her Clara, but she wouldn't allow it.
'Have you completed the work due in?' She asked him sceptically.
'No, I'm afraid not.'
'Why?'
'Because I've been very caught up this week. I'm sure you'd understand.' He leaned toward her as he said this, a stupidly adorable smirk on his face.
'I'm finding it so hard not to kiss you right now.' He said, only a fraction louder than a whisper.
'Sssh!' She scolded, her eyes giving her a meaningful look and darting round him to see if anyone had heard.
'Eleven, you need to do you're coursework.'
'Well that's a shame, because I am very busy this week.' He raised his faint eyebrows at her.
He was toying with her, she knew. She had been the one to tell him to come round to the classroom after hours because she had to tell him something. But she valued his education, and knew it was important for him to pass this. With satisfaction, she handed back his book.
'You'll have time to do it, because you'll be doing it tonight. Understand?'
She smiled triumphantly as he made a face.
'But I'm seeing someone, and I can't let her down, because I know how much she wants me.'
'You cheeky bastard.' She said under her breath, only quiet enough for him to hear.
'And I want to see her too. I think she'd understand why I can't do my work.'
'I definitely don't think she would.'
'We'll see about that.'
'I don't think we will, as you are going to catch up on all of you're work tonight or I swear you won't be seeing me for the next three weeks.'
He swallowed, and she smirked, the composure of a teacher conveyed in it.
'Fine. But I think she's going to be very disappointed.' He winked at her and turned away. Shaking her head at him disapprovingly she couldn't help feel slightly angry that she had told him not to see her. But it was for him, for his own future, and that was her priority. His work was very important. She guess she could wait at least another week to tell him.
•••••
The whole ordeal regarding his work was a little too accurate to how it would work out. Every time she would see him in class hours she would ask him about his work, so it wasn't a surprise when she told him to do it, or face the painful consequences. He couldn't deny the way she spoke and raised her eyebrows in satisfaction was way too sexy for him to say no doing the work. If he concentrated very hard, he could do it all in a few hours after dinner and still be able to see her. But, because it was him, it never worked out the way he planned. It started when Twelve jumped up beside him, slapping his shoulders in playful greeting, and asked him about the dance thing that was taking place a few days before Christmas, and if he was going. Eleven wasn't paying much attention, but the thought of going without Clara made the whole affair pointless.
'Will the teachers be there?' He asked.
'Yeah, I expect so,' he laughed, turning to Ten and Nine, 'they'll be making sure we don't get drunk and taking the girls back up to the dorms. Which will, inevitably happen anyway.'
'Which teachers?'
'Probably all the strict ones. But maybe Miss Jones, Mr Williams, Miss Oswald...'
He stopped listening after Miss Oswald's name was said, and longed to see her in a beautiful dress, with a glass in her hand, just a little bit drunk. He also longed to be the one on her arm, dancing with her while her eyes glittered in joy. Yet he knew that sadly, he wouldn't be able to do those things. Sometimes he wished the whole world would stop with cliches and let people be themselves and fall in love with who they wanted, without interference or objection. Then maybe, the world could be a little bit nicer.
'You coming down to the woods?' Nine asked him.
'Uh, no. Gotta lot of work.'
'Who cares about work?' He scoffed.
'Well I do if I get to see Miss Oswald.' He thought to himself.
'I just have a lot to catch up on.'
'And what's with the sneaking out after dinner? You disappear and we can't find you until you're back up in the dorm. What's been going on?'
'Nothing. Just...' He tried to think of an amiable excuse, 'extra tuition.'
'What, every night? Come on mate, what have you really been doing?'
'Nothing!'
'It doesn't sound like nothing.'
'Have you got a girl?' Ten asked, raising his eyebrows.
'N-no.'
'Who is it?'
'I said no.'
'Stop lying to us, Eleven. It won't stay secret for long anyway, will it?'
The last comment threw him off guard and made him stop in his tracks. He was trying so hard to be careful about this delicate relationship they held, not to do anything or say anything that could cause gossip. And yet he knew in the inevitability of it all, it wouldn't stay secret. But he was determined to keep it locked away, so deep in his mind that not even the influence of alcohol could pick it out.
'Can you just stop hassling me!' He shouted, turning round to them. A look of shock crossed all of their faces. It was rarely Eleven would burst out in anger.
'Alright, then! You go fuck off back to you're study and we'll have a good time without you in the woods. You've been fucking pathetic these last few days.' Twelve shoved past him as he said this, putting on his shades as he did.
'Why you even being like this? You never break out in a temper.'
'Well maybe I've lost my patience.'
'Or maybe your friends.'
Ten gave him that meaningful, charming look and then both of them walked past him, leaving him alone in the corridor.
He felt empty as he watched them walk out the doors, and he hung his head shamefully all the way back to his bed, where he got out his work and settled down to write. He wished he hadn't said anything, hadn't shouted at them. He wanted to tell them so badly, but knew he couldn't. It was a struggle because every time he looked at them he knew he should say something, but then his mind caught up and reminded him. What Ten had said about losing friends, and that his relationship wouldn't stay secret for long, hit him hard. It only drove him to be even more cautious than he already was, make sure he held onto what they had with all the strength he could muster and all the time they were given. And then he remembered he had just lost the three most important people to him, his closest friends, who he counted as brothers. And the pain struck him, and he felt stupid for letting it slip away, focusing so much on Clara that his own life was actually crumbling around him like the ruins of a wall. But he would make it up to them; he would apologise and spend more time, albeit he wouldn't tell them of Miss Oswald, at least not yet. He felt like he was betraying both sides, that whatever he did would cause good for one side and bad for the other. As the darkness fell and his hand started to ache, he looked out of the window, where he could vaguely see flashing lights from amongst a canopy of trees. He looked at the time on his alarm, and sighed. He couldn't even see Clara.
••••
'I don't want to lose you.' He mumbled against her skin, holding on tighter with every word he said. It had been three days since he had last spoken to Nine, Ten and Twelve.
'Nobody said it was going to be easy.'
He looked up at her as she cradled him in her arms. He felt so small and vulnerable, and yet being held by her gave him all the comfort he needed.
'It scared me, what Ten said. That it would eventually stay secret no longer. I don't want that to happen, and yet I feel like I owe them. What do I do?' He whispered, caressing her back lightly.
She kissed his head, stroking his hair.
'I don't want you to fall out with you're friends. But you have to understand, we need to keep this secret. I'm not making you choose between them and me, because that would be unfair and cruel. Try find a balance; don't see me every night, because then it will arouse suspicion. Live while you're young, Eleven, go out partying with you're friends, let go, have a good time, like any lad of you're age would. Please don't become fixated with me, I don't want that. I want you to be the same person as you were before you met me. I want you to try harder at you're subjects, be reckless within reason, and try live without regrets. Trust me, I wish I had done that.'
'Really? What did you do instead?'
'It doesn't matter about me. You have to promise me, Eleven, promise me you'll do this.'
Her hands pressed into his hair, and he placed a kiss to her collarbone.
'Okay. I promise I will.'
'Then the first thing you will do is apologise to you're friends.'
'Okay. After this.'
'No!' She laughed, as he flung his arms round her and rose to her level, leaning into her.
'You can't stop me and you know it.' He replied haughtily, grazing her lips with his, feeling her legs swing by the side of his own like an anticipated schoolgirl. She kissed him back, sliding her tongue to explore in his mouth, sighing at the way his hands massaged her breasts and cupped her cheek.
'Mmm...Clara...'
She laughed as she met his hips and rocked against his growing erection almost mercilessly.
'It's funny, but we don't actually know much about each other.'
He tilted his head to look at her. 'What is it with you and random conversation? It's a turn off, seriously.'
She convulsed under him, laughing again, losing the weight of the world as she stared up at him in admirable wonder.
'I wish you could stay with me all night.' She breathed.
'I could. Please, let me.'
'No.'
'Why not?'
'Now whose engaging in conversation?'
'Shut up.' He smiled, continuing on with his ministrations. She met him halfway again, throwing her head back and releasing sighs. She threw him off her in one elegant motion, and he made a sound of protest as he stood alone without her body next to him.
She tied her hair back, smirking at his dumbfounded face.
'Apologise to you're friends. Come back and see me another day. I don't mind when, I'll always be waiting.'
'What?'
'Go on.'
'You can't just cut me off in the middle of-'
She held up a finger, silencing him.
'Yes, I can. Go find them, start partying or something.'
'Can't I just be with you?'
'No, that's the problem. You can't always be with me.'
'Okay, but this is hardly fair.' He pointed to his hard member straining against his jeans. She tried not to laugh, folding her lips inward as he continued to stare at her like a madman.
'Sorry,' She threw her hands up in a surrender, 'but I have work to do as well, as it goes.'
'Yeah well, next time, I'm making you pay for this. Trust me, you'll be as mad as I am now.'
'Okay.' She said, raising her eyebrows.
He shook his head at her as he stared at her innocent grin and kissed her a last time. Her arms rubbed his waist, and then patted his member, 'take care of that.' She giggled, and he stared at her audaciously, unexpectedly smacking her ass as she turned. Winking at her and backing out of the room, she smiled and shook her head at him like he had to her. Sometimes she wondered why she loved him so much. With shock, she realised she hadn't told him yet. But it was for the best, since what she had actually advised him to do was think about her less. This would only set his mind racing, and she was glad, since she wanted him to apologise to his friends. Oh well. It's nothing important anyway.
