Chapter 5-The store room.
Ashley and Paige both grinned at their timetables.
“Art next, which means I can finish off my canvass, and after I’ve finished, I can help you start yours!” Paige shrieked.
“I’ve already finished it; I’ll help you with yours, yeah?” Ashley smiled kindly and tilted her head waiting for an answer.
“Huh? That’s not possible we only started on them last week and you only got the paints ready, you haven’t even started it!”
“Yeah, I have, I went Art revision yesterday” Ashley replied as they walked down to the art block.
“I thought that was just for the higher 6th formers?” Paige’s gaze turned into a confused frown.
“Yeah, it is, but Jame-... I mean Mr. Dinford thinks I’m at a more advanced level than the rest of the class, don’t take that the wrong way Paige, I don’t mean you’re not good, it’s just I’ve had a lot more practice than you at the more advanced stuff and as I’m not doing higher next year he wants to help me this year before I go to college.” Ashley shrugged hoping Paige understood that she wasn’t trying to show off in anyway.
“Ooo, Check you! Miss Teachers pet!” She teased playfully as they both turned the corner and walked into Jamie’s room and plonked their bags on their usual desks and went over to get the paint they required.
“Ashley!” a familiar voice called.
She turned around to see the empty classroom, she stood still, thinking she was hearing things until she saw his dark blue eyes that made her heart melt in her mouth and his short blonde hair that reflected the light perfectly making it look shiny and soft, Ashley continued to stare as she was in one of her famous ‘Ashley Daydreams’ that’s what Paige called them.
He smiled when he noticed she was in the room. He didn’t even have to say a word, he’d just had to give her that look and she would surrender with no questions asked.
She smiled back, making him feel a warm glow over ride his will power.
He told himself, that he was a professional and he wouldn’t allow a silly little crush on a under aged girl affect his carrier, but he couldn’t help falling for dark brown eyes and overwhelming personality which shone out over all the other immature year12’s, she wasn’t a little girl in his eyes, she was a beautiful young lady with such a mature way of seeing things, she just lacked hugely in self esteem. He didn’t understand why, she was beautiful in every way, she had such a curvy body which made him weak at the knee’s at the thought of it and such powerful eyes that could woo any man she wanted, she just didn’t see what everyone else could see, it was as if she’d been suffocated by her own lies and she’d believed herself when she called herself ugly.
Paige waved her hand in front of Ashley, this snapped her out of it as she shook her head as she woke up from her trance, she dropped her eyes from his and flung her head embarrassment trying to hide her red face from both Paige, and Jamie
He did the same; this left Paige in an awkward position because she wasn’t quite sure what had just happened.
“Are you two okay?”
Both Jamie and Ashley faced her and nodded silently.
“Erm Ashley, Can I see you after school please?” His voice shook with nerves as he thought that Paige might have noticed his behaviour and picked up on the fact that he was attracted to her best friend.
Paige stayed silent in the middle of the both watching what was happening with a curious look plastered across her face.
“Yeah Sure, Mr.Dinford.” Ashley muttered under her breath.
The girls made their way silently over to their desks while the rest of the class for a second time that week gathered in like a pack of hungry wolfs.
The hour was filled with perplexed eye contact and sheepish smiles. The awkward silence filled the air, this made the whole situation harder to ignore. They had fallen for each other, they just needed to realise it and admit to each other that they think about the other every minute of the day and they try to accidently on purpose bump into each other in school.
The school bell rang.
As soon as it stopped the classroom was empty, except from Ashley and Jamie.
Jamie walked slowly towards the door and quietly shut it making sure it clicked before walking over to his desk.
“Is something wrong?” Ashley innocently questioned feeling guilty for some weird reason.
She could sense something wasn’t quite right with him and she felt responsible for it, she didn’t know what she’d done only that it was something to do with her. She stayed seated in her blue plastic chair opposite his desk, she felt dominated by the size difference between the two seats, and glanced at his, she had an urge to stand up but thought again due to the situation. This wasn’t a friendly talk where they’d both chat about random things and have a laugh like they normally do, this was serious. This was professional.
He got out of his chair and picked up a stack of books that were on her table and walked towards the store cupboard, she followed behind also carry five or six huge texted books.
He placed them on the shelf above his head, and took a deep breath as she laid her books on the shelf below.
“Ashley, please don’t take this personally...” He paused, obviously begrudging what he was about to say.
“Go on...” Ashley edged him on waiting for his response, one that she knew she wouldn’t like, but she told herself she could handle it as he spat out the last few words of his sentence.
“...I can’t teach you anymore.” He held his breath.
“WHAT? WHY? WHAT HAVE I DONE? HAVE I UPSET YOU, WHAT IS IT?!” Ashley felt a rush of anger and confusion take over.
“It’s not you, I just, can’t Ashley I’m so sorry!” He lowered his voice as he realised he was to be professional about this, he couldn’t let her see his emotions but it was beginning to become too much for him, he wanted to tell her desperately, but his job, everything would be at risk.
“Well, if it’s not me then, why won’t you tell me Jamie?!” She shouted, knowing he was hiding something she wasn’t prepared to give in without a reason.
“Ashley, please, it’s Mr. Dinford.” He blinked trying to calm the situation down, but he knew she wasn’t going to break.
“It wasn’t last night when you dropped me off, or did you just forget about that huh?!”
“Ashley please, Keep your voice down!”
“Tell Me why then, why can’t you teach me! What’s changed since yesterday?!”
“I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU ASHLEY, THAT’S WHY I CANT TEACH YOU, I JUST CANT!
He breathed frequently, not knowing if he regretted saying that or not.
She stared at him.
He lowered his head as he realised what he’d done, he’d just told a fifteen year old girl he loved her.
The silence was broken.
“I love you too.” Ashley’s hushed voice sounded so gentle and quiet she was sure only he could hear it.
He held up his head, and looked into her eyes. Had she just said what he thought she’d just said? Did he imagine it?
No. She said it.
“Don’t say that ash, as much as I’d like it, you don’t you’re still young, you don’t know what love is.”
She reached down and grabbed his hand, so that their finger entwined, leaving no space between them
“Do you feel that?”She whispered keeping her head fixed on their hands, admiring how they looked together.
“Yes.” His reply was subtle but she understood.
“That spark, I get it every time we touch, you’re the only person I’ve had it with, no one else Jamie, Just you, and if that’s not love I don’t know what is.”
He shook his head abruptly, “Your only fifteen, Ash, you don’t understand what you’re saying, your just a child!”
There was a long pause before she smiled and took one last breath into convincing him.
“Love is when you always want to be together, and when you're not, you're thinking about being together because you need that person; and without them, your life feels incomplete. It's when you trust the other with your life; and when you would do anything for each other. When you love someone, you want nothing more than for them to be really happy- no matter what it takes because their needs come before your own. It's when they're the last thing you think about before you go to sleep- and when they're the first thing you think of when you wake up. Love is giving someone the power to destroy you, and trusting them not to. When they're with you, your heart races. When they touch you, you get butterflies in your stomach. It's when you can't get the smile off your face; and you feel like you've been touched by an angel.”
She dropped his hand from her grasp and turned to face the door feeling all hope had been lost, she reached for the handle.
He reached for her hand and pulled her back to face him before he wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning in towards her; she did the same and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Their lips touched, embedding themselves into one another, forbidding any space between them, the kiss grew more passionate as their lips grew apart allowing their tongues to slide in as they held each other in the dark store room, with nothing but a blurred out window for light. She let a little whimper escape as she held onto his shirt embracing the moment, he groaned in satisfaction and their lips finally grew apart and their eyes fell upon one another.
The few moments they were touching sent sparks through Ashley’s body, making her tingle inside with happiness, the kiss was long and meaningful. She trusted him. He trusted her. They were perfect for each other. Jamie felt so wrong but so right, like he’d rather be in a stinking old store room with her than anywhere else.
“That was worth the wait” She whispered almost silently in his ear.
Jamie nodded and glanced at his watch, not caring what the time was, all he wanted was to stay in that storeroom with her for hours on end.
“it’s getting late, maybe we should go...”Ashley looked at her phone blinding Jamie as the mobile lit up the tiny space they’d been standing in, chest to chest.
“Yeah, we should.” Jamie smiled down at her leaning in to give her one last kiss before they left the store room, like nothing had happened.
“I’ll drop you home yeah?”
“Yeah, that would be great.” She smiled, playing along as they left the school premises.
Ashley gave him one last kiss before getting out of the car, she handed him a scrap piece of paper through the car window “call me”, and walked towards her house, and she turned around at the door and smiled.
He drove off, leaving her at the house.
She ran to her bedroom in tears of happiness. It wasn’t a secret no more.