Dream Catch Me (Student/Teacher)

Dream Catch Me - Chapter Forty Three (Joe's POV)

Joe's POV

Being around Jane was difficult. Watching her walk through my classes, seeing her at the store and having to face her when she looked at me with such sadness. As soon as she agreed to her brother's promise of staying away from me, I felt betrayed and hurt. Was I not enough to fight for? I had basically showed her how I felt, as if I had poured my heart out to her and she had stomped on it, as if it wasn't worth anything.

I had suppressed my anger at what Alex had made her do for the sake of the business, so I had stormed out of the apartment with a scowl set so tightly on my brow I didn't think it would fade. I got into my car and driven around and around, trying to calm myself. I had stopped at my favourite place on the highway and pulled over to pace back and forth.

It took a good hour before I had calmed down enough to see reason. Although I didn't want to, I came to my sense. Jane had to agree, otherwise it would not only be her education in danger, but my job too. Alex was looking out for the both of us, for the long run. I paced back and forth again, angry at myself for being angry towards someone who was trying to help us. Alex had said he had encouraged us to be together, and I wondered what that meant.

Not all hope was lost. I would have to stick it out for those four weeks we had left and distance myself. I couldn't be there to hurt her again. I had lost all of my morals chasing after Jane. When was it ever okay to have a relationship with student? Am I a sick man? A sad excuse for a teacher? You'd hear on the news about a teacher being caught with their student, a relationship. And you feel wrong. You'd vow that it would never happen to you. Teachers aren't supposed to be like that. I try to tell myself as I pace again.

Yet here I was. Jane had me wound right around her little finger, but she didn't know it. At this point I would do almost anything for her, just to see her smile, or to see her safe. I stopped pacing and leant against the car in defeat.

That's it, I decided. You'll have to stay away. Make this less stressful for her, allow her to focus on her schooling without her judgment being clouded by a teacher who was...

....hopelessly in love with her.

-

All week I had tried to stay away and give her space. I didn't talk to her and that was the most difficult of all. I saw her walk into my class and out of it without a word from me. I wanted to kick myself every time I opened my mouth to talk to her as she left my class. One day was particularly bad, as June had become even sicker and I was upset as I taught her class that day.

I had only taken one small glance at her to know that talking to her or even hearing her voice would be too painful. I'd endured enough sadness in one day, and adding to that was something I didn't want. I had planned to just skip over her in class, pretend like I had forgotten. But Jaz knew what was happening and didn't allow it.

She shot daggers at me as she protested and made Jane speak to the class. Each word she spoke, each word that left those tempting lips was like a dagger to my gut. It reminded me of what I was missing out on. If I wasn't a teacher.. I wondered.

Jane had sulked the rest of the class, barely talking to Jaz and shutting herself away. I wanted to reach out as she sprinted out of the class and tell her I was sorry, tell her I wanted to pull her close and never let her go. I almost did at one point.

But I didn't.

-

The week leading up to the shop reveal was full on and I hadn't had enough time to think too much of Jane. I didn't have to anyway. We were around each other enough so i didn't have to remember how her hair would flick over her shoulder in her pony-tail or hw she would clasp her hands together if she were nervous.

The night of the party, after waiting all week I had picked Nan up from her small flat and we had driven to the party. "Joey, what's eating you?" Nan had asked concerned. At first I didn't reply, debating whether or not I should tell her, in the end I decided that there was no point in not telling.

"It's Jane. i think I love her." I declared. Saying it out loud made it so much more real, even in the small confines of the car. "So what's the problem then?" Nan had asked. The rest of the car trip was spent with me explaining every detail of what had happened over a mere two months. I had pulled up to the party and turned the engine off.

"Looks like you've got yourself in a bit of a pickle Joey." She said but looked out the windscreen in deep thought. "You didn't help the situation much by not talking to her. She still needed a friend even if you didn't want that. Jane has been going through the same thing Joey." I pulled my head into my hands and sighed deeply, "What do I do Nan?" I pleaded desperately.

Nan chuckled in a mocking tone. "What do you mean? You know what you have to do. Go get her back."

-

Nan and I had entered the store, and she had almost lost it. "If I wasn't feeling so sick right now Joey, I'd dance like nobody was watching. This is amazing!" she cried, and used her walking stick to point around the room. "You!" she cried, pointing at Alex. Before I had time to follow her, she had hobbled her way over to Alex and began chatting to him with a grin spread from ear to ear.

I was left alone to admire the handy-work and hard labour from the past few weeks as I went around the room, dodging between the people at the party. There was a sudden lull in the conversation as I was walking towards a book nook out of sight. I saw almost every male in the room glance up towards the stairs near the back room. I followed their gaze and gasped.

Jane was the most beautiful thing in the room at that moment. Not the new shop, not any of the other women, but Jane. She had a dress on, something I hadn't expected and lipstick. At that moment I knew Nan was right, I had to get her back. I wanted to kick myself for what I had done and sweep her into my arms and never let her go.

Jane sheepishly made her way down the stairs and joined the party. It was like I was in a trance, and even though she stood a few feet from me, Jane didn't know I was standing and admiring her from the little nook. From out of no where, Nan surged past me in a cloud of perfume and gripped Jane close. I became jealous and wished at that moment I was the one holding Jane.

Nan went off on a spiel about how great the shop was and how grateful she was. All the while I stood there looking at Jane. Nan had said something but I didn't hear. "She looks beautiful doesn't she?" Nan stressed and gave me a look that seemed to say, 'You're not helping yourself.' Jane looked embarrassed but I assured her she did in fact look beautiful.

I felt my face go bright red at my admission and being told off by Nan. "Well I must go," Nan said, and turned to me. I took her arm and lead her outside to a taxi that she had called as soon as we got here. Before I helped her into the taxi she turned to me.

"Go get her." She ordered. I smiled at her in assurance. "I will Nan, don't you worry."

"Good, because if I find that girl with a broken heart again I will not have mercy on you!" I chuckled but immediately stopped as I saw Nan was completely serious. She muttered something about 'people' and how they should always listen to her as I closed the taxi door.

My heart was beating fast, like it was going to burst out of my chest and flutter away. I looked in through the shop window and saw Jane talking to her brother. If it was even possible, I felt even more in love with her as I saw the smile I hadn't seen for a long time creep onto her face. I surged through the door to the shop and went right up to her, to where she was talking with Wes. I caught the end of her conversation and felt a pang in my chest as she said, "...goes to show who is actually willing to stick around when things get tough."

"I need to talk to you," I pleaded, interrupting her conversation and grabbed her arm, leading her to one of the small nooks in the shop. I sat her down next to me, and I immediately threw my head in my hands. "Jane, I'm sorry. Over the past week I've been horrible to you. Please take me back as a friend? I heard what you said to Wes, and I know you're right and I know I shouldn't have backed away. So please?" I went with the friend thing. I knew we couldn't go straight back to how it was before, I had to build it up. Make her fall in love again.

Her eyes filled with a sudden anger. "Do you like me? As more than a friend?" She asked. I was taken by surprise and immediately became overwhelmingly nervous. I struggled to find what to say. Did I tell her I loved her? Or did I lie? Apparently I took too long to answer as she stood up and pushed her way through the hoards of people out into the night.

I groaned loudly and sat there for a few minutes, gathering myself before I stood up to go find Jane. I went slowly, giving her more time to calm down before I would dispense my heart out to her. She needed to hear it. She needed to know that I wanted to be more than friends, that I never wanted to let her go. I only prayed as I dawdled towards the front of the shop that she felt the same way.

I reached the door and peered outside for Jane. it was difficult to see because of the darkness outside, but as I squinted I knew something was wrong. I spotted two figures, one larger than the other and one most definitely Jane. They were struggling near a car boot, yet as I threw open the door I was too late. I witnessed the smaller figure, Jane, who was over the shoulder of the larger figure, as she brought her fist back and punched the man in the back of the neck. Dropping her immediately he grasped his neck in pain and trie to shake it off. Quickly he picked her up again and flung her into the boot. I watched helpelssly as I caught one small look from Jane before the car boot was slammed on her, the large figure jumped in the car and sped away, even after I had caught up and just let my fingers brush over the boot.

I tried to run after the car, somehow hoping I could catch it. But the best i could do was the number plate. GNG467.

GNG467.

GNG467.

GNG467.

GNG467.

I repeated it again and again as I felt myself becoming hysteric. I had just watched as Jane had been bundled into a car boot and driven away before my very eyes. "Jane!" I cried out as loud as I could, my throat feeling like it was going to shred into pieces. I shouted her name again as the tail lights of the car disappered down the main road, taking my heart with with it as if it had been tied to a rope on the tow bar.

GNG467 I reminded myself. People began spilling out onto the street and Alex rushed up to me. "What happened?!" He demanded. "Where's Jane!" I broke down and fell to my knees on the footpath. I almost lost it. But I didn't. Jane needed me to find her, and I wouldn't stop until I did, until I saw her with my own eyes as she could be safe and sound. I vowed right then and there, kneeling on the footpath that when I found Jane, and I would. But when I found her, I would hold her close and never let her leave.