Big Girls Dont Cry (GirlxGirl~TeacherxStudent)

Chapter 7

Giana frowned, watching as Caleb seemed to hop around her class, viewing painting after painting, Cyrus amazingly keeping up with the overly energized man as he analytically dissected each painting, putting little yellow smiley face stickers on the ones he approved.

Any other time she would have found it funny and might have even joined Caleb in skipping around the room but her desk was currently the farthest place from Bianca's seat. Giana hadn't even looked in her direction since she had entered the room but she could feel Bianca's gaze piercing into her.

"Bianca, you paint even better than you sculpt!"

Giana turned to look at Caleb at his sudden exclamation, her eyes catching sight of the canvas at Bianca's station. The painting was a replica of the sculpture she had shown to Caleb the week before, but the differences were evident the moment you looked at it.

The wood nymph stood partway out of the tree but the forlorn pain was gone from her features, her eyes alight with hope and love as she gazed up at a young knight, his gloved hand drawing her from her wooden prison. As she drew closeted finer details revealed themselves, the pool of water at the base of the tree formed from her tears, the other forest spirits looking on, rejoicing at the freedom of their sister, a sinister shadow frowning down on them, the faces hidden in the bark and leaves of the tree.

Giana hadn't even realised that she'd been moving towards the painting until she almost tripped over the painting beside Caleb, Bianca catching her easily. With a knowing smile and a wink in Bianca's direction, Caleb gave a small thumbs-up before backing away slowly, heading off to critique some other hapless students work, plastering stickers everywhere.

"So, are you ready for me to draw you from that wooden prison you've locked yourself in? I've got the knight costume back in my dorm if you want."

Giana frowned at her teasing tone, realising that Bianca was comparing her to the nymph. She was in no way like the nymph, was she? She looked back to the painting, seeing the freedom that Bianca had given to the nymph she had condemned to a dark eternity, remembering the loneliness she had felt when she'd carved the sculpture.

As she looked back to the long hours she'd spent shaping the clay into the image she dreamed of she realised that even then she had felt Cassandra pulling away. She'd started working longer hours at work, avoiding going out anywhere with her. Why hadn't she noticed before?

"Giana, I have to say you have some exceptional students!"

Caleb's exclamation pulled her out of her train of thought and she realised Bianca was still holding her... in front of her entire class.

She pulled out of Bianca's arms, looking around, thankful that her students were caught up with Caleb's antics. She looked up at the clock hanging above her seat, relieved to see only three minutes remaining in the class.

Turning quickly she walked away from Bianca, not looking back to see the frustration on the girl's face.

"I'm so proud of everyone that was chosen and even if you weren't your work was magnificent," she clapped her hands and her students joined her, congratulations passing around the class.

"This calls for a celebration tonight. Pizza and drinks on me!" The class cheered at Giana's announcement, all except Bianca, who directed a menacing glare at her professor.

Giana's alarm went off signalling the end of the class and she watched as the students filed out, Caleb waving a brief farewell to her as he walked out with several students, Cyrus lagging behind, still jotting down notes but never letting Caleb out of his sights.

"You think a little outing with your students will stop me, Giana? I promise I will have you." Bianca's voice rang out in the empty class, making Giana jump, almost dropping the papers she was putting into her folder.