Beyond The Classroom

Apologies and Unspoken Words

As Faye and Yoko's eyes met across the covered gym, a silent understanding passed between them. But the moment was quickly interrupted as Faye noticed the other teachers standing up from their chairs. They announced they were going to assist the judges in deciding the winner of the question and answer portion.

Faye was left alone, watching the pageant with a mix of emotion.

Yoko, seated with Ms. Victoria, noticed Faye sitting by herself. "I'm going to sit with Ms. Faye," Yoko said, glancing at Ms. Victoria.

Ms. Victoria nodded. "Go ahead, Yoko."

Yoko made her way to where Faye had retreated to the bleachers, away from the crowd. She sat down beside her, a pang of guilt twisting in her chest. "Sorry if I left you alone," Yoko said, softly.

Faye looked away, pretending not to hear Yoko. The cold shoulder was a stark contrast to their earlier moments of connection.

Just then, some of Faye's friends joined her, sitting on the other side. They glanced at Yoko, curiousity and suspicion in their eyes. Yoko felt their stares but tried to ignore them, focusing on making amends with Faye.

"I'm really sorry," Yoko repeated, her voice tinged with desperation.

Faye continued to pretend that Yoko wasn't there, her expression stoic. But Yoko didn't give up, she noticed a bead of sweat forming on the side of Faye's face. Without thinking, she took out a paper from her bag and started to fanning Faye gently.

Faye turned to Yoko, a serious look on her face. She took the makeshift fan from Yoko's hand. "Give me that."

Faye began fanning herself, her expression softening slightly. "Why did you leave Ms. Victoria? I thought you're having a great great time being with her." Faye asked, trying to sound casual.

Yoko's heart skipped a beat. "Because... you're the only one I want to be with."

Faye's cheeks flushed a light pink. She looked away, trying to maintain her composure. Despite her efforts, the blush gave away her feelings.

The pageant continued, but for Yoko and Faye, it felt like they were in their own world. The noise of the crowd and the stage faded into the backround as they sat together, sharing a quiet moment of reconciliation.

Faye's friends eventually lost interest in Yoko and turned their attention back to the pageant. This gave ayoko and Faye a brief respite from prying eyes. Faye finally sighed and turned to Yoko.

"You really need to work on staying put," Faye said, her tone half-teasing, half-serious.

Yoko smiled. Feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "I'll try. For you."

Faye nodded, her expression softening even more. She handed the paper dan back to Yoko. "Thank you." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

As the night wore on, Yoko and Faye found themselves in a comfortable silence, watching the rest of the pageant. The air was filled with a sense of unspoken understanding and the beginning of forgiveness.

Though the road ahead was uncertain, for this moment, they were together, and that was enough.

——

The weekend had passed in a blur for Faye. After the intensity of Friday Night, she had spent Saturday and Sunday in quiet reflection. Now, on Monday morning, she was more than ready to return to work. She woke up with a sense of anticipation and got ready quickly, arriving at the school by 6:50AM, well before the flag ceremony at 7:30AM

Faye was organizing her classroom when her coworker and bestfriend, Eliza  and Grace walked in. They had a teasing smile on her face as she leaned against the doorframe.

"Well, well, well, look who had a good night on Friday." Eliza said, her tone light and playful.

Faye looked up from her desk, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Eliza walked into the room, closing the door behind her. "Oh, come on. Don't play innocent with me. I saw you and Yoko during Mr. and Ms. Stonebridge High pageant. You two looked pretty cozy."

Faye's heart skipped a beat. She knew Eliza was perceptive, but she hadn't expected her to notice so much. "Eliza, it's not what you think," Faye said, trying to sound calm. "Yoko is just a student. There's nothing romantic between us."

Eliza raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Really? Because it sure didn't look that way from where I was sitting. You two had quite the connection."

Faye sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Look, Yoko and U have gotten close, but it's strictly professional. She's been going through some though times, and I've been trying to support her, that's all."

Grace sat down in one of the student desks, studying Faye's face. "Are you sure about that? Because I know you, Faye. We know you. You don't get this worked up over just any student."

Faye hesitated, her mind racing. She knew Grace had a point, but admitting to any deeper feelings was risky, both professionally and personally. "I'm sure," she said finally, her voice firm. "There's nothing going on between us."

Eliza and Grace nodded slowly, still looking skeptical. "Alright, if you say so. Just be careful, okay? I don't want to see you get into trouble."

Faye managed a small smile. "Thank you, guys. I appreciate your concern."

As Eliza and Grace stood to leave, Faye felt a mixture of relief and anxiety. She had deflected Eliza's questions for now, but the doubts and suspicions still lingered. She knew she needed to great carefully to avoid any potential fallout.

The bell rang, signaling the start of the flag ceremony. Faye took a deep breath and headed out to join her students, pushing her worries to the back of her mind. For now, she had a job to do and a class to teach. Everything else would have to wait.