LOVE BEYOND LESSONS (A Teacher and Student Romance)

XXIX - BI. TIME TRAVEL

My friends and I are sitting at Ash's kitchen table. We were drinking coffee as we wait for Rob to wake up

"You know Eli, he really loves you" Missy suddenly said, as she sips her coffee. I just shrugged, as I inhaled the aroma of my warm mug "Last night when I answered your phone, he was begging for me to listen, when I told him that I am Missy, he immediately asked our location" she added

"Guys thank you for all your support, I mean I don't know what to do if you don't know about us" I sip from my mug and exhaled.

"Imagine a crying Eli coming to my house, and she can't say what's wrong even though she is crying like a baby" Ash chuckled, I glared at her but she's right. We heard Rob walking down the stairs, so the three of us stopped and listened as he entered the kitchen, the moment he saw me he looked at me and I looked back, we stare at each other for a few seconds.

"Uhm, Ash can you come with me downtown? Let's buy something for lunch?" Missy stand and she pulled Ash, I heard them went out and closed the door behind. I stood up and opened Ash fridge, good thing her dad has a tomato juice stored, I grabbed the box pouring it to the glass. I held it to Rob and he drinks from it, I went back to my sit as Rob just stand there.

"I'm sorry" he started, I looked at him and call him to sit besides me, he pulled the chair closest to me and sat down

"Can you please explain to me what happened?" I looked at my mug, after an agonizing silence, Rob took a deep breath and turned to me

"Marie came and said that she's lonely in the shelter, I told her that it's the best place for her, that I am happy with you that she needs to move on" he said and I can feel his eyes on me

"And the kiss?" I asked him still not looking

"She tried multiple times to kiss me, but I always pulled away, but the one you saw, I let her be, I did not respond I swear, because if she knew I will not reciprocate she will stop, and she did, but I did not expect it that you will see it" he took a deep breath

"Yeah right" I scoffed

"Believe me Eli, I am so sorry I never thought she will do that" he pleaded, then I looked at him.

"You informed me that her husband hits her, so technically she is married, so why does she constantly come to you? I just don't understand. Rob help me understand why? Since you two seem to have a strong bond that you both find difficult to break" I told him, he averted his gaze and sighed

"Eli believed me I let go a long time ago" he said and awaited my response, but right now I don't feel like responding. I made an effort to push my emotions aside, but it's impossible for me to imagine him and her sharing this unique bond! Rob inhaled deeply before reclining on his chair.

"My relationship with Marie is somewhat complicated; we met in my second year in university. I was out enjoying myself and decided to get some fresh air outside the bar where we were hanging out. That's when I noticed her bruises and her troubled eyes. I went up to her and inquired if she needed anything." he started, I remember the first time we met, do I looked like Marie that day too?

"First Eli, I want you to understand that you and Marie are not alike, yes I saw your troubled eyes and bruises, the first time we met but beyond that I see something special in you that I am willing to take the risk" he looked at me as I looked back, damn this guy really knows what's on my mind, I am really amazed how he knew me so well. I reached for my mug and drink again

"That night we met is also the first time something happened between us. After that we occasionally hooked up, and we are always together every night and the more I got to know her, the more I found her attractive, so I asked her to be my girlfriend, and I promise her to do everything to protect her" he continued I don't know if I can listen to Rob's story, hearing him saying that he is attracted to someone hurts me, even though I know that it's all in the past.