𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐏𝐄𝐓 | 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 |

30 | give me a break, love

a/n - hey

• • • • • •

| A.H | narrator pov | a few days later |

As more days passed, the more fear began to strangle Aurora's throat.

From the moment she stepped foot out of the manor and until now, that little voice in her head hadn't shut up, not even for a second.

Much to her dismay, she could barely sleep, let alone forget about their last conversation.

Aurora noticed that look in her student's eye disappeared the night she broke it off. Now, it barely lit up when Aurora was around, rather, it dimmed down a shade a little.

Though she looked happier when the woman wasn't around, Aurora couldn't help but call bullshit.

Perhaps she couldn't come to terms with the end of their relationship, or she really had faith that they'd find each other once more, though realistically, Aurora could see the clearer option between the two.

Either way, she needed a break.

"Aurora?"

Upon hearing her name, the woman snapped her head towards the voice, seeing one of the teacher assistants leaning against the doorframe of her office, a concerned expression on the woman's face.

"Mhm?" Aurora hummed, recognising the woman from the few encounters they've shared within the staff room district.

"Are you okay? I couldn't help but notice how tired you've been for the past couple of days." The assistant observed, leaning back up as she snapped Aurora out of her dazed state. "Whenever I come into your classroom to do my hours, you look tired."

Appreciating her concern, Aurora showed a weak smile as she resumed gathering the paperwork that was spread across her desk.

"I've just been swamped with work." The woman muttered soothingly. "Nothing I cant handle."

Noticing her intrigued stare, Aurora followed the assistant's centred gaze; to which she realised was her engagement ring she still wore.

"I heard you were engaged. How's that going?" The red-head observed, showing a reciprocated smile in friendly interest.

Putting up a small smile, Aurora briefly closed her eyes in reflection.   It's a fucking mess.

"It's going well actually." She replied, opening her eyes to notice the ring the assistant wore also.

"Yours?" Aurora countered.

Mindlessly, the red-head smiled, bringing one of her hands to fidget with the engagement ring.

"It's going better than I expected, really." She said in her accent. "I didn't think he'd make it this far. But I'm proud of him. I'm proud of his improvement."

Raising a brow, Aurora couldn't help but show a smile with a soft laugh. Though the heart warming reply only displayed a truthful understanding of the woman's relationship, Aurora still felt uneasy knowing that her engagement had been complete chaos since the start.

"Anyways, I should leave you to do your work." The woman spoke out of kindness, using her eyes to skim  through the many paperwork and assignments that had been collected in three seperate piles. "Don't push yourself, yeah? Your fiancée is lucky to have you as his partner."

And with that, the teacher assistant left Aurora's office, her light footwork trailing into the corridor without another word or sound from her lips.

With the empty room, Aurora immediately flung her glasses to the surface of the table, leaning back on her chair to let her head sink into head rest, and her eyes beginning to briefly shut in thought.

Even with her eyes closed, all she could see was Valerie, and to her dismay, she could even see Elijah.

Both Walkers played a critical role in the blonde's life.

Elijah bring the most obvious part — her fiancé and long term partner.

And Valerie being the one person that made Aurora want to bend her life just to be with her.

It had seemed Aurora had once more been placed in heavy shackles, bounding her in her past choices, and to the sides she had to pick.

Taking a deep breath, Aurora exhaled, hoping that her troubles would sink into the atmosphere with the breath she breathed out, and return as a miracle with the air she breathed back in.

In all honesty, Valerie didn't deserve this. Neither did Elijah.

But still, Aurora continued to switch between the two, walking on a rope that had been tied to a definite consequence, and hurt feelings in the mix.

Aurora knew deciding wouldn't be easy, and a broke heart would be bound in return for the other. And yet, she couldn't pick.

All the trouble Elijah had caused her in addition to the strife, Aurora could pay him back, just with one confession. Everything he did to Aurora, made her the woman she was now.

Knowing she already faltered in trusting others, Aurora allowed Elijah to affect her ability to trust even more by God knows what.

But he made her a more steadfast woman. A woman who understood what she needed and wanted, and a woman who knew the line between right and wrong.

Then came Valerie.

Valerie on the other hand, allowed Aurora to grasp the feeling of true freedom and care. Her touch was gentle. And her eyes were mesmerising enough for Aurora to perhaps fall in love with them.

Everything about her was imperfectly perfect.

Though maybe, the two of them combined wasn't as easy going as Aurora assumed it would be, Aurora still needed to try.

Although the woman had morals, all deemed useless when Valerie was near.

Somehow, all her principals and her morals disappeared whenever Valerie came around, and knowing this, it didn't scare Aurora, not like she expected it to.

Instead, those morals she had was replaced with a warm hearted feeling. Something she recognised as what she felt for Elijah.

A feeling that hit too close at home.

"Why couldn't I just kept my mouth shut?" Aurora whispered in exhaustion, eyes trailing back to the ring on her finger. "If I did, none of this would've happened."

Again, she scolded herself, an image of Valerie appearing in her mind in doing so. "You wouldn't have gotten hurt."

However this time, Aurora muttered her words in a more quiet voice, as if it was a minor secret she confided. ".. And I wouldn't have to choose."

In continuation, Aurora checked her phone, and as it lit up, a screensaver of her and Elijah popped up.

"And you.. You wouldn't have to think my distance from you is your fault. When really, it's mine entirely."

As she glanced at the photo, she began to realise the love between her and Elijah had slowly faded. And for the obvious reasons, Aurora felt that it was purely her fault.

But this also meant, that if she was possibly falling out of love, what would it mean?

Falling out of love would've meant that it'll cost the woman her relationship, and maybe even cost her sanity.

However on the other hand, it freed up an option.

Standing rather abruptly from the bell, Aurora made a quit exit from her seat and through her office doors, striding around a corner that she knew led to her designated classroom.

There she would find amongst other students a familiar brunette she wasn't quite through with. And when the time was right, she'd make it up to her.

After all, the woman doesn't like to disappoint.