Living (RedRibbon13) **Complete**

14. Take my fears away

Chapter 14

Take my fears away

Amanda’s back collided with something hard as she stepped back from Ashley, and a familiar smell filled the air around her. She felt her knees go weak when his voice caressed the back of her neck, “It’s not just that, Miss Ramsey.”

Mandy twirled around and found her teacher’s smiling face right above hers. Before she reacted with something irrational, like hug him in front of everyone, she quickly diverted her gaze and started making her way towards her seat. After seeing that smile, it was hard for her to remember why she was mad at him.

“HIV is not transmitted by touching, hugging or even kissing someone, Miss Ramsey.” he said, stressing on the kissing part. Ryan sniggered with some of the boys, and puckered his lips when Mandy walked past him. She smacked him hard on the back of his head before taking her seat.

“Violence isn’t the answer to anything, Amanda.”, the health teacher said playfully making some of the students laugh. Ashley and her group had rushed to their seats and were all glaring daggers in Amanda’s direction. If they were shooting arrows, Ryan would be hurt bad because he was covering her whole.

 “Yes, Kate?”, she heard Jake say and lifted her head to see that Kate Ronaldson had raised her hand.

“Mr. Crosby, I get that HIV isn’t transferred by making general physical contact with someone, but now that Amanda and Ryan are together, isn’t he going to get it too?” Kate asked nervously.

Ryan started laughing openly and got another smack from his side, this one from his girlfriend.

With a sigh, Amanda stood up to address the class, “Ryan and I are not together, Kate. He is with Sarah, as you all can see.” she said with a roll of her eye, motioning her hands towards the couple.

“But what about the person you’re with? Isn’t it risky for him, Mr. Crosby?” Kate asked turning back to the teacher who had a small smile playing on the corner of his lips.

“Why are you asking him about that? I’m not with anyone and won’t be with anyone, so no one is at risk.” she snapped, her heart in her throat. Unknowingly, Kate had addressed her greatest fear and now it was out in the open.

“I asked him because he is the teacher.” muttered Kate before taking her seat.

“Are you sure about that, Ms. Ramsey? Someone might be determined to make you his, and not give up.” he said holding her gaze from across the room. She felt the intensity in his eyes and it burned into her soul, making her eyes well up.

She tried her best to push down the tears before saying, “Well sir, it will be really stupid and impractical of him to chase a girl who can’t give him anything except a peck on the cheek.”

The class went dead silent as they took in her words, and Jake’s eyes bore into her determined ones. After what seemed like forever, he spoke firmly with a smile, “I’m sure he can do with that, Ms. Ramsey. At least at first?”

And the class burst into girly giggles one more time. Amanda slumped back into her seat defeated. Their health teacher sure knew how to make girls laugh. He shushed the class and decided to talk on the topic at hand.

“That was a really good question, Kate.” he said making the girl blush and continued, “The HIV virus can be prevented to be transmitted among lovers by using proper protection and being very careful. In fact, if you take certain precautions the HIV patient can even give birth to a perfectly healthy baby. HIV patients are just like us, they just have to be determined to get the happiness they deserve. And the society needs to stop judging them and accept them as a part of our lives.”