Book 1 of the Love series- Love Has a Price (Student/Teacher Relationship)

Chapter 19- Caitlin

My uncle held me in his arms as I sobbed loudly. How could they have got those pictures, who took them?

“What’s wrong?” he questioned.

            But I couldn’t answer; my mind had gone blank except for the image of the newspaper haunting my mind. Aaron was reading through it and I thought of an excuse.

“Erm,” I began, wiping my tears, “there is something I should probably tell you.”

            His face broke into worry. I muttered the words once again and my mermaid form appeared, he stared in awe at it for a minute before I brought it back in. Then, I showed him the booklet and he read through the page.

“Do your parents know?” he questioned.

            I shook my head.

“Then who is the dad?” he asked another question.

            My head turned to Aaron and he followed my gaze. A sigh left his lips before he realised what the newspaper was about and what would happen if people found out it was me. The door opened and closed and Alice stepped in. A long breath left her.

“I didn’t think I’d get through there alive,” she breathed.

            She wrapped her arms around me as I hugged her back tightly.

“You’ll never guess who wrote it,” Aaron began.

“Who, Cassie Jones?” my Uncle Lee asked.

“She’s not all she says she is,” I answered his question for her.

“Explain please.”

            So we went through the story of what the doctor told us, he was in shock for most of it. The speakers chimed.

“Erm, slightly problem,” my uncle began, “The science department are holding the assembly.”

            I gulped slightly and tears began to well up in my eyes again. Aaron held my hand a stroked soothing circled in my palm. A smile reached my lips. We all stood up and joined the crowd of people heading towards the hall. Questions were shot at Aaron but he just ignored them and kept walking. He let go of my hand though, unsure about whether or not our relationship would be accepted. But Alice replaced him and linked our arms together. Once we arrived, the room was bustling. We followed Aaron to the other side of the room where we seated peacefully. But just because we were sat down and had no problems yet, we all knew that Aaron would be questioned. Soon enough, the head of science had stepped onto the stage.

“So Cassie Jones has revealed a scientific discovery off a life time. A mermaid, clearly caught with our physiologist, Mr Thompson,” she began, pacing down the stage, “So as a department, we are conducting a search, beginning with all girls to find this creature.”

            The room burst into conversation and Aaron turned to me.

“Come on,” he muttered in my ear, “We’ll go to hospital, need to talk to the doctor.”

            So the four of us stood up and rose as we crossed the room. Just before we reached the door, someone spoke up.

“Where are you going?” one of the science teachers questioned.

“To the hospital,” I answered.

“For?” she asked.

“Didn’t you know, I’m pregnant,” I revealed, a sly smile filled my face.

            We left just as the room broke into yet another conversation.

“Why did you do that?” Aaron questioned.

“People will find out eventually, I began, I’m two months pregnant and it’s going to become noticeable.”

            She shrugged, surrender to my argument. We all headed to my uncles car where he drove us to the hospital. Aaron held the newspaper and for the first time, I actually read the article:

This morning of the 7th of November revealed a shocking discovery. A local couple were passing by on their speed boat when they noticed another couple frolicking around in the water. As they became closer, they noticed that she was in fact a mermaid, half fish, half human. They took a couple of photos before heading back towards land.

            Once they showed me the photo’s to my horror, I found it was Mr Thompson, one of our staff members with the mermaid. How does he know her? Why is she like she is? How can he love a creature like that?

            Due to the scientific world claiming this is impossible, our own science department want to conduct a search for this creature, beginning with this school. They will no rest until they find this creature and analyse her.

There was more but I couldn’t read more, my stomach was twisting with nerves. A shaky sigh left me as we pulled up to the hospital. The doctor was waiting for us at the entrance. I still question how she always seems to know when I’m coming. We said nothing as we wound down the corridors back to the room where we met last time. She locked the door behind us.

“So you all know?” she asked.

            All three of them nod and she turned to Aaron. She took the news paper from him and began to read through the article, she became bored soon enough and tossed it into the trash can with a flick on her wrist. She sighed before explaining.

“The council won’t actually do much about it, but if she does anything else to continue with this then she will be charged,” she answered.

“But why won’t they do anything, she is exposing me,” I argued.

“No because they don’t actually know it’s you,” she answered.

“Excuse me, who are you?” my uncle questioned.

“I’m Caitlin and Aaron’s doctor, Annabelle Braddock, I treat mythical beings but the hospital doesn’t know they’re mythical,” she explained.

“So there is nothing you can do?”  I questioned.

            She shook her head it was hopeless.