Some Kind Of Temptation

The Word 'Pleasure'

Elizabeth stood waiting outside the English classroom, her heart pounding so hard she was surprised the other girls couldn't hear it. It had been a week. She hadn't seen her around school, hadn't heard the echo of the boots walking down the hall. She'd barely slept or eaten, and all she could think about was the kiss, mentally devouring every second of it over and over.

"Beth, what is wrong with you? You've been acting like a weirdo all week, you're just staring into space smiling."

"I -"

"12th grade English?"

An old, mousey looking woman had appeared in front of them, clutching a stack of papers. A few girls nodded and the woman smiled and walked into class.

As the rest of the girls took their seats, Elizabeth walked to the teacher's desk, where the woman was standing reading some typed notes.

"Where is Ms Nicks?"

"Oh, your regular teacher? She's sick."

"What's wrong with her?"

The woman looked at her, puzzled.

"I'm sure I don't know dear, I'm a substitute teacher, not a physician. Now if you wouldn't mind taking your seat."

As Elizabeth dropped into her chair, she felt a poke in her back.

"Beth, Beth!"

"What?" She turned and whispered sharply.

"What is going on? Why are you so bothered about where Nicks is? You said she was an evil bitch last week!"

"Shut the fuck up, Kate."

"Girl, what happened in that detention?"

Elizabeth ignored her and stared down at her desk, once again wrapping herself in thoughts of what had happened last time she was in this seat.

~

It was 3 weeks before she saw her again. She had heard she was back at school in last period and as the rest of the school scrambled to leave, Elizabeth pushed against the flow up to the English department.

Stephanie jumped as she burst through the door.

"Don't you knock?"

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

"Elizabeth! Don't yell at me please." She moved past her, careful not to touch her as she did so, and closed the door.

"It's been 3 weeks!"

"If you must know," she made her way back towards the board and began the routine of clearing it, "I've been unwell. I just needed some time to recover."

She was avoiding looking at her, Elizabeth knew it.

"Recover from what?"

"Being unwell."

Elizabeth started to cry.

"You're a cold bitch, you know that? I didn't know if you were ever coming back. No one would tell me anything. All I've been able to think about is you. And here you are acting like nothing has happened."

Stephanie took her glasses off and sighed.

"I'm sorry. I thought if I took some time off you'd have moved on by the time -"

"Look at me."

"No. I can't." If she looked at her, she would cave. She knew it. This illusion of not caring wasn't washing with Elizabeth, who moved to stand in front of her.

"Look at me. Look into my eyes and tell me you didn't feel anything. Look at me and tell me this hadn't taken over your whole life. I don't eat or sleep, all I do is spend my days thinking about you. If you're feeling better why do you look as exhausted as I do?"