The Drama With My Drama Teacher

Mia Macarena

Mia Macarena

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before Mark" I apologise, trying to fill the deafening silence. He hasn't erupted furiously, like I feared he would, which is surprising, but a good sign.

"It's okay... I know from personal experience that failing a class isn't fun, and sometimes it can be embarrassing to ask for extra tutoring" Mark says gently, and my eyebrows furrow in confusion.

Does he think I seduced Mr Williams to raise my grade?

"No, Mark, I-!"

"So, I'm guessing you met this secret boyfriend in tutoring, meaning he's probably in our drama class?" Mark sniffles, and I blink, slowly. "Oh God, it's not Frank, is it? Or Klaus?"

"No! No, it's not those people!" I say instantly, finally realising what Mark means. "No, Mark, I think you misunderstood me"

Mark wrinkles his nose up, clearly not following.

"I didn't meet the secret boyfriend in tutoring with Mr Williams..." I trail off, and Mark looks confused still "The secret boyfriend is Mr Williams"

I watch as realisation dawns on Mark's face.

For a very long moment, he doesn't say anything.

I can't judge his face, at all. I don't know what he's thinking. I wait for a second, to see if he says anything, but when he doesn't I decide just to keep talking.

"I mean it wasn't intentional. I've always thought he was good looking, for a teacher, and you know maybe I'd flirt with him a little bit, but it wasn't until everything with Mr Howard that I started to fall for him" I say, a little smile on my face as I think about Finn. I pause a moment before continuing.

"He was just there for me, and we ended up spending Christmas together, and in Mamma Mia rehearsals we bonded and there's just so much chemistry between us. I've never felt like that with anyone. And somehow, we just fell in love..." I trail off. There hasn't been a response yet. "Mark?"

He turns to look at me.

For a second my heart stops.

I don't want to lose my best friend in the world over this. But sometimes life doesn't work out the way you want it to. The urge to cry overwhelms me as I wait for Mark's response.

Then all of a sudden Mark is giving me a big smile.

"This is great!" Mark cheers, and pulls me in for a big hug. Before I can even say anything, my face is being awkwardly pressed into his shoulder, my nose crushed against his chest.

Baffled, I pull away and Mark is still smiling. "I don't understand" I say simply, but I can feel a smile coming onto my face as he seems genuinely happy.

"Chelsea, I understand that you don't like me, but do you know how horrible it would have been for you to be dating someone in our school? I'd have been like, 'well why is it him and not me? What does he have that I don't have?', but now I know why!" Mark explains with a wide smile and my eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"But how is dating Mr Williams any different than dating someone in our school?" I ask

"Because-!" Mark begins matter-of-factly, as if this is the most obvious thing in the world "He's older than me, he's got more to offer you and we're vastly different people. So, if he's your type, it makes sense why I'm not"

"So... Because he's not like you, that's why it's okay?" I verify, and Mark nods.

"Think of it like this, if Mr Williams was to start dating someone your age, a student, you'd immediately think well why can't that be me? But if he's dating someone his age, someone who isn't like you at all, then you'd know why"