Unreturned Love

Chapter 18

"Please, take a seat, Mr Gerald". The cool, almost frosty voice sliced the thick air like a knife going through butter.

Finn took an uncertain step towards the chair, leaving the comforting presence of the door behind him, and sat gingerly on the while, all the while darting his nervous eyes around the room.

Along the wooden table sat fifteen people, seven on each side, and one at the head of the table. His seat was at the other end. All looked old, probably past the age of seventy for most. Their faces wre blank and closed, revealing no emotion, but the eyes scrutinized Finn told all. It was going to be a tough meeting.

Desperately, Finn flipped through his mental memory to fit names to the faces he saw. But they merged into a blur in his mind. Vaguely, he knew that they would be the board of governors for the school, inclusive of the principal and a few senior teachers.

As he swept his gaze around the forbidding faces, his gaze fell upon one particular face.

Derek.

Finn had almost forgotten that the elderly biology teacher was part of the school board, but it all came to him now. Perhaps he could count on Derek...?

"I trust you understand why this meeting  has been convened, Mr Finn Gerald. It has come to our attention that you are having an... illicit affair with a students of this school. The purpose of this meeting is to decide the consequences of your... folly".

This was wrong, was all Finn could think. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

"Mr Gerald, if we could ask you a few questions?" the voice continued. Finn didn't even know who said it. It all meshed together into a confusing clang in his mind.

"Finn, pay attention", that familiar voice, so gentle and soft, made Finn look up, focus in. Derek. That was someone he could trust.

"How long have you been going out with the student in question?"

"I... Don't know". Finn murmured, wondering if he should admit to everything, refuse everything, or tell the simple truth. It was too much to think about in one go.

"It's a simple question, which merits a simple answer. Please be truthful, Mr Gerald, It may save your career.

Yeah right, Finn thought to himself. He doubted if anything would.

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A few doors from where Finn was having his gruelling time with the board of governors, Kayline was faring no better.

"Kayline, wouldn't it be better to trust me? Why do you seem to think facing expulsion is better than telling me the truth?" Quinney, dressed in an immaculate suit, leaned forward.

"I don't like psychiatrists". Kayline snarled, jabbing her finger into Quinney's face for full emphasis.k

Unruffled, Quinney smiled. "Why not? Are you so afraid of what we can find out about you? Is your past so insecure that you close it off even from yourself?".

"No, I can't stand you people simply because you think you're so great and always right when actually you're grasping at nothing but thin straws in the air", spat Kayline, throwing Quinney a disgusted look.

"Ouch, now that was a low blow", Quinney laughed. That move was so unexpected that Kayline froze her hostilities and stared.

Sighing, Quinney let herself fall back upon her seat. "Kayline, I have a job. This is my job, and my job is to counsel students, to help them, not to make them feel as if they're being analyzed".

Rolling her eyes, Kayline leaned forward this time.

"We need to talk about your relationship with Mr Gerald, a teacher of this school".

"There's nothing to talk about".

"Kayline, you don't want to dace expulsion do you?". Quinney asked gently. "I've checked your grades. While they aren't exactly top of the class, they're passable. You have a good chance of graduating from here and going to university, then finding your own job. Don't you want that?".

"What I want is none of your business".

"Don't close me off Kayline, I can help you".

"Nothing ever will", Kayline leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

"The school has requested that I inform you of this, Kayline-"

"What, am I going to be expelled?" Kayline kept her tone light, but inside, her stomach was churning. She didn't want to be expelled; hell, she couldn't be expelled. Her uncle had paid for her studies and her house thus far, but had forewarned her that if she didn't behave and was kicked out of a school, she would have to find a job and fend for herself. How was she going to find a job now?

"No, that is, if you are willing to agree to a few stipulations set down by the school".

"Oh yeah, I knew this had to be coming". Kayline muttered under her breath and slumped down further in her seat.

Quinney didn't seem to catch what Kayline had said; or if she had, she gave no sign that she had heard. "Due to your excellent record in the school athletes team, the school is willing to make a concession. If you are willing to break off all relationships with Mr Gerald, no further investigations will be made regarding this matter. However, if you refuse. You will be expelled".

Kayline sat stock still in her seat, her dazed mind trying to keep up. Not be expelled? But... Break up with Finn? That... That was possible. Agreed, she'd started to like that guy, much more that she could say for any member of the male population. For the most part, they had instilled disgust in her. But Finn... He was different. At least, she thought he was. But it all came to the same, didn't it? Love led you on a wonderful ride, but at the end of it, it slammed you back to the ground with reality in your face. After all... That was what had happened to her parent, wasn't it? Love wasn't true. Could never be. With that, she smiled. Bitterly.

"They don't leave me with much choice, huh". Kayline lifted her eyes to Quinney. "Alright. I accept your stipulations. I'll... Break it off with him".

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Finn was sweating profusely, beginning to panic. This was lasting longer than he thought. It was torte, just short of entering into the chamber. But he might as well been in it. The words that these men said to him cut into him more than a knife might.

"Mr Finn Gerald, you have not been particularly cooperative with us", a thin voice rang out disapprovingly. "It is a mark of the school's goodwill that we are willing to offer you a bargain".

"What bargain?" Finn asked, suspicious. After these men had put him on the grill for hours, shredding his nerves, they wanted to make a bargain?

"You have a good record with the school, and students of your class graduate yearly with outstanding results. For this, we are willing to make a concession. If you are willing to break off all relationships with the student in question, we will consider this a minor folly as she is 18 and the relationship is not yet intimate, and let you go. You will retain your position as a teacher. However... If you are unwilling to do so, you will lose your job".

His job or Kayline. That was a tough choice to make indeed.

"You have twenty-four hours to consider your decision. In the meantime, your lessons will be taken over by a supply teacher today. You are free to go, Mr Gerald, unless you have anything to say?".

"No". His thoughts swirling about Kayline, Finn shoved his chair back abruptly and out of the room. The burst of fresh air that hit his face was welcome, and he breathed it in deeply, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened his eyes, he had made a decision. Striding down the hallway, he made his way to the front office. "Is Kayline with the school counselor now?" He asked the receptionist.

She glanced up from her work, and he saw her lips form a disapproving line. So, she knew about it too. "The student has just ended her session with her and was excuse from her lessons for a day".

Finn's heart sank.