The Art of Forbidden Romance (Student x Teacher)

Chapter 34

A/N: This chapter contains scenes depicting violence and assault. Where this begins is marked by a line of asterisks for any readers who would like to not read it and end the chapter there. The story will still make sense if you skip forward at that point.

As I sat down in Andy's class again the following Monday, my ninth painting for the class still only sketched out, I found myself blinking the drowsiness away. The past week had been exhausting with Angela getting sick at the cafe. I ended up working every day to make up for her absence. I barely had time to work on my assignments, and even less to sleep or see Chuck.

Jackson walked into the classroom and set up next to me, the sound of his tackle box opening causing me to jump.

"You okay?" He asked me. I shook my head slowly.

"I'm wiped."

"Why don't you go home?" He suggested. I shook my head again.

"If I go home," I said, pausing to yawn widely. "If I go home I will fall asleep. I have to work on this painting." Jackson nodded.

Joan arrived at class, still setting up on the opposite side of the room from Jackson and I. We briefly made eye contact, but she turned away quickly.

"Did you figure out what Zac said?" I asked Jackson in a hushed tone. He nodded, stepping closer to my side.

"Apparently Zac told Joan you agreed to go out," he whispered. "I told her that's insane because you're not interested."

"And?"

"And she said Zac and you were figuring out a time to go out," he said with a shrug. I groaned.

"This kid, I swear," I whispered. I rubbed my eyes sleepily, trying to force them open. "I told him I'm busy and not interested. I don't know what else to do."

"I know."

"I even told him Joan was interested. Well.... Not outright but I basically laid it out there."

"I figured as much," Jackson said. "I'll try to talk to her again after class, but she's pretty insistent that you're leading him on and she's upset."

"How?!" I said, my voice unintentionally loud. A bunch of students looked over and I ducked my head behind my canvas.

"How?" I asked Jackson again, this time more quietly. He shook his head.

"Win, I know it's not you," he said. "I'll take care of it with Joan. But maybe you should go to the school about Zac if he's not leaving you alone."

I shrugged. Jackson had a point. But it's not like Zac had really done anything.

"I'll think about it. Let me talk to Zac again," I said. Jackson nodded in agreement.

After class started I opted to take a walk to the student store and get an energy drink. As I slowly dragged my way back to class, sipping at a Red Bull, my phone buzzed.

"Hey," I said, answering the phone. I could feel the scratchiness in my voice from my exhaustion.

"Oh man, you sound tired," Chuck replied. I couldn't help the soft smile on my face just at the sound of his voice.

"I know, I'm so exhausted," I said, stifling a yawn.

"Babe, you should go home," he said. "I know Andy won't mind."

"If I go home I'm going to go to sleep and I can't afford that right now. There's only 3 weeks left and I have 2 paintings to finish."

"I know," he said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"