Telluride

Russel Loves Gossip

Faith POV
"Russel explain yourself please." I tell him as I am ver confused.
"Okay well today in my history class I heard one of the girls say to her desk partner that Joey hit Brodie at training because Brodie said he wanted to bang the new nurse. And obviously I was like oh my I know her. Anyway then the boy behind them leans in and says that he heard from Steven that when he went into the clubroom to get Mr McGraw, Tim" he says like we don't already know, "he walked into the two of you making out."
"What!?" I yell quite loudly on accident. "That did  not happen!" I tell them leaning in closer over the coffee table between us.
"Erm, I heard the same story in my biology classes this morning." Karla says. I can literally feel myself going as red as a tomato. I can't believe there is a rumour going around school about me! I haven't even been here a full week yet and I'm already talk of the town.
"Look, I can promise you both that Tim and I did not kiss in the football clubroom this morning. Not even a peck. Our lips did not touch." I tell them as seriously as I can to prove my innocence.
"We believe you. Don't we Russel?" Karla says.
"Just because you didn't do it in the clubrooms doesn't mean you haven't done it somewhere else. I don't care about the details. I just want to know if you and Tim are involved." He says to me. I mostly surprise at his attitude. I did not expect Russel to be so keen on gossip! It's actually quite funny. I must've been silent for to long because Russel then says "Please Faith, nothing exciting ever happens in this town! And to think our principle involved with the new hot nurse from out of town that everyone is talking about!"
"Everyone is talking about me?" I ask very concerned.
"Russel has exaggerated the story. Not everyone is talking about you just some interested gossipy parties like himself." Karla says to ease my nerves, it hasn't helped.
"Oh god. What am I going to do?" I say hiding my head in my hands.
"Are you worried because you two are I fact involved?" Russel asks. Karla just hits him again. "What!? Knowledge is power." He says.
"We are not involved." I say looking up at them.
"But you want to be?" Russel asks and my silence is answer enough. Shit. "Of course you do." He says.
"He is the hottest property in Start." Karla says. "He was in my sisters grade at high school. Her and all her friends had a crush on him except he never even noticed. He worked hard for football and his studies and then spent his spare time looking after his mom and sisters and whatever was left he would go to church. I guess that's why he's so successful now. But the only relationship he has ever been in was with Christine." Karla informs me, knowing his backstory makes him even more attractive.
"But they weren't really in love" Russel says.
"Russel you can't say that!" Karla tells him.
"What it's true! They never touched each other in public. I mean if you were dating Tim McGraw wouldn't you want the whole world to see that he belongs to you!" I mean he's right. If Tim and I were together I would want everyone to see that.
"But still Russel, we don't know what goes on behind closed doors." Karla says. She's so nice, I want to be like her when I grow up. Wait I am grown up.
"Look, just to set the record straight: there is nothing going on between me and Tim. And nor will there ever be. He has made it clear that it would be unprofessional and that he doesn't like me." I say to them. "And if you could tell that to any members of staff who think he and I are involved that would be great."

Tim POV
School finishes in precisely 5 minute and I cannot wait to go home. The events of this morning have really tired me out. Brodie, what an idiot. I mean he's just a kid but I feel like it's my responsibility to nip that shit in the bud. Of course Joey should never have hit but I'm secretly glad he did. I hear my phone ring. I look at the screen and see Christine's face on my phone. This is like a reoccurring nightmare that I cannot escape. God why can't she just leave me the hell alone! I decide against my better judgment to answer the phone.
"Hello, Tim speaking." I say trying to sound like I didn't know it was her on the other end.
"Uh, hi this is Duncan." I hear a manly voice say back to me. What the hell is he doing calling me.
"Hi Duncan, how can I help you?" I say trying to sound like a mature person who is completely okay with being called by the man his ex cheated on him with.
"Well I don't have your number so I decided to call you off Christine's to say that her and I are together now and there are no hard feelings pal. Okay bye." He says it all so quickly that I haven't even processed it by the time he hangs up. What the hell. How does she get to cheat on me, then accuse me of being unfaithful, only to be in a relationship 4 days later. I'm mad. Actually I'm furious. I'm pacing my office just building up anger when I decide the best idea right now is to kick my solid oak framed desk. Spoiler: this was a shit idea. I think I just broke my toe. Luckily my desk is fine. God I'm in a lot of pain. Again I decide to act against my better judgement by calling Faith at the top of lungs. I fall onto the 3 sweater couch in the corner of the office that is usually reserved for parent meetings when Faith walks in.
"Holy crap! Tim are you okay?" She asks me running over.
"Christine." I let out.
"What does Christine have to do with this." She asks notably confused.
"I'll explain now, aspirin please." I say just wanting to get rid if the pain. While she gets me aspirin I take off my shoe to elevate some pressure. My pinky toe looks like a sausage.
"Here drink these." Faith says handing me two aspirin. "Oh my god, your toe looks awful!" She says. You know it's bad when the nurse says it looks awful. Once I've taken the aspirin I explain to her what lead to me kicking the desk.
"Tim I know you're hurt." She says, turning to face me and putting a hand on my knee, "But eventually you're going to have to the hurt she's put you through beside the only thing that focussing on it does is hurt you more." She says looking down at my hideous toe.
"Your right Faith. I guess I'm just mad that she gets to be happy after everything she put me through." I tell her because it's how I feel.
"Forget about her and do what makes you happy." She says looking into my eyes.
"Do you know what would make me really happy?" I ask. She just shrugs.  "Doing this." I say as I lean into kiss her. At first it's as innocent as your typical first kiss. Lips meeting for the first time, getting to know each other. And let me just tell you, I want to get to know hers a whole lot more. It's like fireworks going off and then it's like the most calming comforting feeling I've ever felt and three seconds later we are back to fire works.
"This..." "Is..." "Very..." "Unprofessional..." "Mr..." "McGraw..." She tells me between kisses.
"I've wanted to be unprofessional with you since you leant against my truck last truck last Friday." I say to her. I may not have let myself entirely think it but subconsciously it was in the forefront of my mind. We continue to make out on the couch in my office for some time longer, until the school bell snaps us apart.
"Tim?" She asks me seriously, a concerned expression on her face. "We can't be seen like this, together, yet. You only broke up with Christine 4 days ago. There are already rumours that we had a PG13 make out in the football club room this morning. People will think I'm a home wrecker whore." She says.
"Faith I don't care what people think of us," I say before she interrupts me.
"Tim I'm not saying we can't be together, I'm just saying that w can't be seen together, at least until Christine is way out of our rear view. Okay?" She asks me but I know this isn't really a choice. But I'm fine with it. It's only been 6 minutes of kissing but she's already got me whipped.