The Drama With My Drama Teacher

The Spark

The Spark

I show Mark through to the living room, and he takes a seat on the edge of the sofa. I sit at the other end. This doesn't feel like it usually does.

"How are you?" He asks me, and I nod. I can see his eyes scanning the bruises and cuts on my face. I try and avoid his eyes.

"I'm alright, I guess" I respond, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "How's school?"

"Chelsea..." Mark begins, and I can tell that he wants to jump right into it. "What the hell happened to you? Your face looks like you've had ten bells knocked out of you, you're all pale and you're shaking!"

I'm about to protest but when I look down my hands are trembling. I try to hold them still, and when that doesn't work, I hide them in my pockets.

"It's a long story..." I trail off.

"I want to know, Chelsea. Please. I can tell something has been up with you for the past few months... Is it to do with this secret boyfriend?" Mark asks me and I shake my head.

"No, it isn't" I answer, then begin unsurely "I... I've been getting harassed at school by a member of staff"

"Mr Williams?" He guesses instantly and my eyes widen in horror.

"No! Not at all! No!" I respond, and I have to remember to calm myself down because Mark doesn't know about Finn and I. "What makes you say that?!"

"I don't know... You just always seemed to be together..." He mumbles, and I shake my head.

"No, it wasn't Mr Williams, not at all. I don't think I can say who, but yesterday they tried to attack me" I state, plain and simple. Mark looks horrified. "He wasn't successful, but he has been arrested because there have been lots of other girls that he's done this to"

"Oh God..." Mark recoils, leaning back against the sofa. He looks to be in shock. "Chelsea..."

"It's alright, it's fine. But you asked what's going on and that's it. Let's talk about the other day instead. You start" I offer. I might as well let him say his piece.

"Chelsea..." Mark repeats, trailing off once again

"This isn't going to be a conversation where everything is neatly resolved" I state bluntly "It's going to be awkward and not what either of us wants"

"I want to be with you" Mark states bluntly, and a breath I didn't realise I had been holding escapes through my lips. "I've wanted it for a long time, and the more time I spend with you the more I realise how much I want it"

"But I don't think you really do-!" I begin, but Mark shakes his head and interrupts me.

"But I do, Chelsea. I think we'd be perfect together, and you know I worship you. I think we'd be a comfortable fit together" He explains and now it's my turn to shake my head.

"I don't want to be 'comfortable', Mark. I want passion, and lust and a spark, and it's just not there between us" I protest

"You don't need a spark all the time! Sometimes you don't have to rush things, sometimes you just fall in love slowly and it's the way it's meant to be!" Mark argues back, and I have to hold my tongue for a second.

"When I look at you, I see my friend. I don't think about you like that. If I did, I'd have known it the moment I met you and we'd have become something then... And we didn't" I point out to him gently and he shakes his head.

"Love can be more about lust and passion you know..." Mark pouts "I fell for you because I like everything about you, and we just make sense-!"

Now it's my turn to interrupt. This conversation sounds too familiar.