FL - Temptation

I. Probation

Author: Sorry y'all...Wattpad doesn't let me publish too short chapters...

Exl.: the actual grade - how it will be referred to

5th grade elemntary - 1st grade
6th elementary - 2nd grade
7th elementary - 3rd grade
8th elementary - 4th grade
Freshman HS - 5th grade
Sophomore HS - 6th grade
Junior HS - 7th grade
Senior HS - 8th grade

Cover from Pinterest. Uploaded by this profile: not your baby [aesthetic]
Their name is with fancy letters I can't replicate xd.

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LENA'S POV:

I'm sitting in the teachers' lounge, since I don't have class right now. There are a few other colleagues, like Maria. I'm looking at my weekly plans, when the door opens. I look in that direction to see Eva. What is she doing here?

"Lena, would you mind?", she asks with a rather serious look on her face.

I quickly look around before saying "No, not at all. Is there something wrong?"

She keeps her silence just waving for me to come with her. We walk down the short distance between that room and the principal's room. We're in front of the room when she finally speaks.

"You'll see." With that, she opens the door letting me in first. And then I see Oliver.

My stomach drops at that moment and I can feel my heart beating faster. Not because I'm in love with him - I mean, I am, but that's not the reason I feel this way - but because of the possibilities.

Oh God, did someone find out? That's the most logical, taking Eva's serious look, leading me privately into the room, and then Oliver also being here.

"Take a seat." she points at a chair, as she sits down on her own.

Oliver looks at me as I sit down, slowly blinking with both eyes, which is enough as a "yes, you're right". As if he could read my mind.

Eva sighs before speaking. "I think you know the rules here, here at your...workplace. I don't want to repeat it like for little kids."

"Yes and we're so-", Oliver starts.

"And you have broken that rule.", she cuts him off. "I have thought about your fate and..."

Come one say it! Just say it, I know what's coming. We're getting fired. Am I right or am I right? There's no other solution here. We've broken a rule. But how did she find out anyways?

"...you have 2 options.", Eva pulls me out of my thoughts. Phew. I think the relief I feel is visible on my face. "I either fire you both, so we're fair."

Definitely not.

"Or you end this right here and now, and I put you on probation."

"For how long?", I speak - while trying to keep my voice from breaking - for the first time after sitting in dead silence.

"Until I see nothing but professional behaviour with each other. Like you did before...before I noticed, I mean. You have until Thursday to decide."

"But we could-"

"And I would suggest the latter.", Eva cuts off Oliver's contradiction again. And he's in the right. "Because you are both amazing teachers whom I don't want to fire." She gives a half-smile.

Oliver opens his mouth to say something, but closes it right after. Before any of us can say anything, the bell rings. Have we been here for so long already?

Eva slams on the table with both hands, pushing herself up from the chair. She clasps her hands as we stand up as well. "Thank you." She points to the door.

"What if we got a cha-"

"I said, thank you.", she cuts Oliver off a third time, now more serious and annoyed.

On our way to the teachers' lounge I remember I have a biology class to get to, so I speed up. Before I can open the door, I see a hand grabbing the handle from the corner of my eyes, opening it.

"Thanks.", I mutter, still staring at the ground sadly.

"What's wrong, Lena?", Maria asks and I look up at her. "And Oliver?", she adds.

"Nothing, really...everything's...fine", I lie, walking past her.

"Don't lie. I can see something's wrong."

I quickly grab my stuff and rush to the door. Putting my hand on the handle, I turn my head slightly. "No, everything's fine. You don't need to worry.", I say over my shoulder in a firm tone. Before anyone can say anything else, I leave, not daring to look back.
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OLIVER'S POV:

I'm just staring at the door through which Lena left moments ago. I still can't get over what choice the principal put us in front of. Lena wouldn't want to get fired. Obviously, me neither. But I don't want to lose her...

Before I can think about her any further, Maria walks past me nudging my arm. I look at my watch and realize that I too have a class.

I rush to the hallway by the red back door and stand in front of the group of students. Sighing, I start counting with my eyes. 2, 4, 6, 8, oh come on! They keep moving around. Again. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14?, 16, oh no, 17! Ah damn it!

"Maria, have you counted them?!", I yell across the hallway, giving up on the counting.

"Yes, we're good to go!", comes the slightly muffled answer.

I look at my watch and it's 8:30a.m. "Then come on.", I say half to myself, half to the students, and start walking out the door. I hold it open, making me be the one closing the group. I pray that Maria doesn't stop to ask if everything's alright, which she - thank God - doesn't.

She goes over to the start of the row, and the first students keep her there by talking. Finally some time for my thoughts. When no one's talking to me and fresh air.

My mind keeps drifting to Lena and the choice we have to make. I want to convince Lena to stay with me, but she obviously wouldn't want to get fired. And I can't force my choice onto her. I can't force anything onto her...not like that idiot Isaac did! Eva did say she suggests breaking up, but it's easier said than done.

I don't care about anything, nor about getting fired, I just want Lena. But I don't want to get fired nor lose her. I tried asking for a chance, an exception but Iris kept cutting me off.

But I know that true love conquers in the end. What I don't know though, if Lena believes it or not. And even if I try standing my ground, I'm not to believe it myself.

"Oliver?", a gentle voice to my right says.

I look up and see Maria standing beside me. Please don't ask...

"I saw your face when you came into the teachers' lounge, but Lena-", my head hurts from just the thought of losing her "-answered my question first.", she begins.

"Yeah what about it?", I ask, colder than intended.

"Uhmm...can you also answer it? My question was, what's wrong."

...that. "Nothing."

"I won't accept that, 'cause your lie is as clear as day! Eva also came into the teachers' lounge. Where did she take her and do you know why?"

"First, I do not know why...", I begin my final answer, counting on my fingers as well.

"Second, ask her, I don't know where she went..."

"And finally, can you please stop asking me what's wrong. I refuse to answer."

"Sure.", she says sadly. Maria walks back to the front of the row, looking back at me once. I avoid her gaze, while trying to keep a serious face. I did say it a little colder than intended, but people just can't understand!

That's the reason I don't push further if maybe Lena does this as well. I would have a good reason to ask, but she'll tell me if she feels comfortable. It took ages for her to trust me, I won't take that away. But obviously, Maria doesn't know me as well as Lena does.

While teaching, Maria did get her joyfulness back, but I...just couldn't. Some students were looking at me, but to be honest, I couldn't care less.