Echoes Down The Corridor

Revelations and Decisions

A/N: "I will be quicker" She says. "I will update regularly" She says. And look what's happened! I can only apologise, and blame a bad case of writer's block & a TON of revision (GCSEs need to go die in a hole...) - trouble is, I update, and then something happens, and I'm like "Why didn't I include this?", and that's before my imagination gets involved...should have probably waited until I finished Year 11 before starting publishing this...I've written the final 3, if that's any consolation, but have no idea how to get there, so ALL IDEAS WELCOME, I'm desperate - Kik me or use the comments box! So yeah, rant over, here's the chapter, Amiee xxx

Sarah was staring at Abby's retreating form, her eyes drawn to her shapely derriere. As a number of racy fantasies flashed through her mind, she lost track of the conversation she had been holding with her colleague next to her. She sighed contentedly, watching as her girlfriend disappeared out of sight, until she was interrupted abruptly by the woman next to her.

"Earth to Sarah Proctor? Are you still with us?" Caroline said, waving a hand in front of a very distracted Sarah's face, struggling to garner a response. "Look, is everything alright - you seem a little distracted." she said, voice filled with concern.

"Hmm? Oh, never better. I've got Year 8 now, so I'd better get going..." Sarah trailed off, heading down the corridor.

Puzzled, Caroline saw where Sarah had been staring: Abigail Williams.

******

Caroline sat at her desk, unable to bring herself to tackle the ever-increasing pile of unmarked homework flooding her desk. Her thoughts had turned to her younger colleague, who she'd caught blatantly staring at the beautiful Year 11 she remembered fondly from when she taught her a few years previous. Was it just a crush, or was something going on between them?

Sarah must be aware of the risks; she knows she could get jailed, and lose her kids, she thought out loud. Why would she take that chance of losing everything she holds dear: her family, her career, her life, for a fling with a schoolgirl?

And anyway, she continued. She has that mystery man to keep her happy in...that...department, so where does Abby Williams fit into this?

Suddenly, the realisation came crashing down on her like a ton of bricks. There was no "mystery man" that weekend at the beginning of March, when Sarah had been full of such excitement Caroline had never seen in her colleague. The "mystery man" was Abby.

That would make a lot of sense, Caroline thought. Sarah's sudden change in mood had only come after she started teaching Mrs Nurse's class (after she went on Maternity leave), which is when she started spending time with Abby. Then the chats after lessons and in the corridor, just the two of them, building up to the time she swore she saw them almost kiss in the corridor - she had turned a blind eye out of respect for her colleague; Caroline had told herself that it was a trick of the eye, after a long week.

How could she have been so blind? How hard was it to spot a student and a teacher having an inappropriate relationship? The answer: very hard. Truth is, Caroline realised, they didn't want to be caught, and had obviously been very careful about keeping their relationship a secret, considering she seemed to be the only person to have noticed.

Then, Caroline wondered what sort of relationship they had; was it just an overly-close friendship, with hugging and kissing? Or had they slept together?

If they haven't slept together, Caroline thought, then technically they haven't done anything wrong, and it wouldn't be right to get two very unfortunate, yet wonderful people in trouble over something little more than a friendship. She remembered the look of sheer adoration that had graced Sarah's features in the corridor earlier; it was a look of love. That was the same look she had back in March - was she just lying about having had sex, just to shut me up? Was it right to end something that was making them both very happy?

No, Caroline decided. Unless I obtain solid evidence that they have slept together, or that some form of abuse of trust is going on, I'm not going to stop them. Why should I take away their happiness?

Feeling slightly more relieved, Caroline began to tackle the pile of marking about to swallow her desk whole. After all, she thought, doesn't everyone deserve a little piece of happiness?