Last Words (TeacherxStudent) (Lesbian Story) (GirlxGirl)

Chapter Three

Entering the cafeteria was not all that different to stepping foot into a zoo. It was noisy, smelly and completely overwhelming. Hayley immediately regretted it but her growling stomach was leading her onwards.

Keeping her head down, she quickly lined up to grab some food, hoping that nobody would spot her. Besides, her mind was a little preoccupied with a certain teacher and she didn't think she'd have the patience to deal with jerks.

Hayley had a genuine concern that she wouldn't be able to finish her senior year with Miss Reade as her mentor. She could barely talk to the woman without stammering, let alone actually learn and pass all her subjects. She didn't know whether to thank or curse Mr Hemming for putting her in this position.

Grabbing a tray, she stepped up to the lunch ladies with graying eyebrows and hairnets and ordered her food absentmindedly. She ended up with a gravy slop and didn't realise until she was a few metres away that she didn't actually like gravy. Before she could turn back around to grab something else however, somebody decided it would be funny to slam their hand under the bottom of her tray, causing the potatoes and gravy to fly up into her face and slide stickily down her shirt.

A loud laughter started echoing around the cafeteria and Hayley stood there in shock, unable to move for a moment. All she could see were cruel sneers and flashing eyes as the anger started rising for the second time in two days.

"That's for James you little bitch," the guy who had hit her tray hissed in her ear. She watched as he went to walk out of the room, high-fiving his mates and getting congratulated, as if he had just won an award or something.

Hayley finally found her voice and as she stood there, the subject of ridicule and torment, a gross mixture of food staining her cheeks and shirt, she realised that these people genuinely hated her. Unwanted tears sprang to her eyes as she screamed at the guy's retreating back, "you fucking asshole. I'm not surprised bullying is your last resort considering that you are obviously a product of incest, you inbred ape."

Half of the room hushed while the other half laughed at her retort. Some of them weren't surprised at her quick wit as she was known for her sharp tongue.

The buffoon turned around slowly, and Hayley was suddenly reminded of a shitty teen movie and almost scoffed at her own situation, except it hurt too much and she was still crying.

"What the fuck did you just say to me?" he asked quietly.

"You heard me," Hayley said through her tears. She may have been crying but nobody could deny that in that moment she looked fierce. "Which one sucks your tiny dick when you get home? Your mummy, or your daddy?"

An actual roar came from the bully's mouth and everybody watched in shock as he charged towards her, tackling her to the ground. Hayley's head hit the floor with a sickening thud and for a moment, her vision swam, her thoughts a tornado of confusion. She could blurrily see that her attacker was also crying as he pinned her arms down. Her last conscious thought was wondering if she had actually hit a nerve somehow.

*

Groaning loudly, Hayley slowly came to, the fluorescent lights above her feeling like they were piercing into her brain. An incessant throbbing permeated through her head and a wave of sickness threatened to knock her back down.

"Oh Jesus," she moaned grabbing her forehead and wishing she was still unconscious.

"Oh, thank god!" a voice exclaimed, and Hayley winced. Miss Reade's face came swimming into view above her and Hayley had a stupid thought about angels until she realised who it was and where she was.

The school's sick bay.

Oh man, I am in so much trouble.

"Can you hear me, Hayley?" Miss Reade asked, worry etched in every line on her face. Hayley would find that endearing if she hadn't been in so much pain.

"Yes, yes," Hayley murmured, closing her eyes again.

"No, no, no, you can't go back to sleep. You may have a concussion."

To her shock, she felt a cool palm press against her forehead and her eyes flew open again. Miss Reade's face was too close for comfort as she leaned over Hayley. A large lump formed in the red-head's throat and she was suddenly aware of her heart trying to leap out of her chest. The teacher's brown eyes were glistening, and she looked genuinely upset.

"What's wrong?" Hayley blurted without thinking.

Miss Reade let out a strangled laugh. "You're the one with potential concussion and you're asking me what's wrong?"

Heat flushed into Hayley's cheeks. "You look upset."

"Of course, I'm upset. This could have been very serious, Hayley."

Hayley frowned as she blearily tried to remember what happened. "Am I in trouble?"

"No, no, Hayley," Miss Reade breathed, sounding a little exasperated. "We had several witnesses tell us what happened. As for Jacob? He's been expelled, effective immediately."

Hayley sat up suddenly and Miss Reade only just moved her head out of the way. "Expelled? Are you sure?"

Another wave of sickness overcame her, and Hayley's face went a shocking shade of white. Miss Reade gently pushed her back down on the bed, her face a mask of worry again.

"You need to lay there and not move, okay? I think we need to take you to the hospital."

Hayley groaned and shook her head in refusal, scared that if she opened her mouth to talk, she would vomit all over the woman she was crushing on. Tears sprang to her eyes again and she turned her head to the side, embarrassed.

She heard Miss Reade take a sharp breath which made her cry harder for some reason. Internally she was beating herself up for being such a pussy.

"Oh Hayley, does it hurt terribly?" Miss Reade asked gently, a hand coming to rest on the back of her head where the throbbing was. The teacher's cool skin felt nice.

"No, it's not that," Hayley sobbed, eyes squeezed shut. "It's just... they all really hate me, and I don't know what I've done. It's like I'm being punished for just being born."

Hayley could feel Miss Reade's body tense beside her. "Hayley, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you, do you hear me? Kids are just scared of what they don't understand."

"I just want to be normal," she cried. "Maybe then they'd leave me alone."

There was a sudden knock at the door and the school's nurse poked her head in. "Miss Reade, the ambulance is here for Hayley."

"The ambulance?" Hayley exclaimed turning back around, eyes bloodshot and nose running.

"Hayley, you have a concussion and need to be monitored. Your mother is going to meet us there," the nurse said gently, concern on her face when she saw the state the red-head was in.

"Don't worry, I'll be coming with you," Miss Reade said giving Hayley a small smile.

Hayley frowned but didn't have time to respond because the paramedics were trooping through the door, pushing a gurney. It was probably a good thing too, because there was no way Hayley could walk in this condition and the pounding in her head was getting worse.

"It's very important that you don't fall asleep, okay hun?" one of the paramedics said as they lifted her onto the gurney.

Hayley nodded and stared at the ceiling as they wheeled her down the school hallways. Miss Reade trailed beside her the whole way, but Hayley was too numb to even notice. She could feel misery settling in her chest and wanted nothing more than to be able to sleep this entire situation away. Pretend it had never happened.

This was by far the worst day she had ever had.