I got to school late on Monday and just made it to Phys. Ed before Mr. Cristaudo started to call the roll. Victoria was sitting next to Keean.

Katie leaned toward me and whispered. "Looks like she got her claws in, they must be going together now."

I shrugged. The truth is I couldn't respond. I was so broken up I didn't know how I was going to get through the day. I said goodbye to Katie at the end of the lesson.

She nudged me and said, "I'll have the full story by morning tea. Kellie will fill me in."

I tried to hide my grief so I grinned and held up my thumb. "Catch ya!" I called as cheerfully as possible.

Keean was standing at the bottom of the stairs. I tried to pretend I didn't notice him by rummaging through my bag. When I got to ground level he started to walk beside me. I knew we had Biology and we'd be going in the same direction but this was weird. I bit on my lip like I always did when I was nervous.

He jerked his head at me. "Hi."

A sudden burst of fury surged through me. Here was my heart cracked in two because of him and he dared come near me and say hi. I guess it must have showed on my face because he got a strange look on his.

"I wanted to say thanks for last week. The office thing...you know with Cristaudo."

This infuriated me more. How many days had gone by and he was finally saying thank you. All I could bring myself to say was, "Yeah...right."

I must have quickened my pace because he grabbed my arm and said. "Hey, are you running a marathon?"

I stopped and turned to look at him. I guess I had my 'to kill' look on my face because he held up his hands like he was protecting himself as he said, "I know I should have said thanks last week but I didn't know how to go about it. I was pretty pissed off with the whole deal and...well you saved me from getting expelled."

My expression must have softened because he cocked his head at me and smiled. His eyes seemed to be pleading for forgiveness.

"I just told the truth. I wasn't trying to save you from anything," I said and started to walk again.

He followed me. "Yeah I know you weren't trying to save me from anything. I was just saying thanks for having the guts to tell the truth while Cristaudo was in the room. And...well...because of that I didn't get expelled."

I felt really stupid. Of course he knew I wasn't trying to save him. What was I thinking? Why did I say such a stupid thing? Embarrassed, I stopped walking, bit on my lip and concentrated on the ground hoping it would swallow me up. Hoping he would keep walking but he didn't. He stood there waiting for me to say something.

"Look I didn't mean to piss you off," he said. "I wanted to say thanks."

I nodded at the ground and felt tears filling my eyes. He sighed and walked away.

I went straight to the toilets and locked myself in a cubicle. Once I'd finished crying I went to the sick bay and asked the nurse if I could lie down. She asked me what was wrong. I started to cry so she led me to one of the beds.

"I'll be back in a minute and we'll have a chat," she said.

I had never seen her before. She was young and had a pretty face, with auburn hair which was cropped into the latest style. When she came back she had a wet cloth, a glass of water and a clipboard.

"Here you go, wipe your face." She handed me the wet cloth, stuck the glass of water on the bedside table and sat on the edge of the bed.

"My names Teresa," she smiled. "Do you want to talk about it? I'm a good listener," she said as she pulled some of my loose hair away from my eyes. I looked at her sincere face. Only Kerry had a hint I liked someone. I hadn't openly told anyone about my crush on Keean. I suddenly blurted, "It's about a boy!"

Teresa smiled and nodded. "Ah...Shilwib Syndrome."

I frowned at her thinking maybe it was a mistake to have said anything. She smiled again and brushed some more hair from my face as she said, "Stinking...horrible...in...love...with...boy, Syndrome. One of the most common illnesses in young woman aged between fourteen and twenty." I let out a half sob, half laugh as she added, "Suffered from it myself a few times. They really are bastards aren't they?" Teresa handed me the glass of water. As I took a gulp she said, "Do you want to tell me about it?"

I handed her the glass. "He hates me," I whispered.

She frowned. I could see a little grin on her face. "Are you sure? You're a pretty girl and I'd be surprised if he hates you."

"He only talks to me when he has too. Beside he likes someone else."

"How do you know he likes someone else?"

I wrapped my arms around my chest. "They went off together on Friday afternoon and sat together first lesson today."

"Oh, I see. What's she like...this other girl?"

I grimaced. I hated Victoria Carter. "She's the most popular girl in school," I said. "All the boys love her, she's really pretty, smart, a real bitch."

Teresa laughed. "I'd ask myself why all the boys like her so much before I'd make a judgement about them going off together on Friday."

I frowned so Teresa turned up the side of her mouth and raised her eyebrows. "Does she...do it?"

I screwed up my face. She gave me a 'surely you aren't that dumb look'.

"Oh," I said and nodded. "At least some of the other girls have said she does."

Teresa patted my hand. "Chances are he's only gone off with her for one thing. It won't last long. It never does with young men." She smiled at me again. "I bet he has noticed you and he's just scared to talk to you."

I shook my head. "I don't think so."

Teresa twisted her mouth in thought. "Do you ever catch him looking at you?"

I sighed dreamily. "Yes but he gives me this kind of weird angry look like he's pissed off because I've looked at him."

"More because you've caught him looking at you," Teresa chuckled. "You take more notice next time," she paused. "When he does talk to you what does he say?"

I tried to think of anything that remotely resembled a conversation. "He apologized once for standing on my foot then said thanks for something another time."

"How did you answer him when he spoke to you?"

"I got nervous and said something stupid and embarrassed myself."

"Well next time he speaks to you try to be relaxed. Don't try to chase him or be all over him because men in general don't like women who are too clingy, too pushy. They like the challenge of the chase, of trying to make you like them. They soon get sick of girls who are all over them giggling and carrying on." She grinned at me. "I've tried several ways of attracting a guy's attention. Letting them come to me is the only way that's ever worked properly. If he really likes you he will. Believe me. If he doesn't then he's either gutless, and you wouldn't want a gutless guy anyway, or he doesn't like you. So what's the point of wasting your life liking someone so much when they don't like you in return?" She touched the side of my face. "Make sense."

I nodded and thought about all the thinking time I had wasted so far on Keean Crone. "Yeah, thanks."

Teresa turned to her clipboard. "I need to fill out some details. We'll say you had period pain. You can stay here until morning tea." She grinned at me again. "Love can be very exhausting."

Once she'd filled out the paperwork Teresa left me to lie by myself. She was right I really did have to get my shit together. Especially when he spoke to me, if he ever would again after the way I treated him earlier. He probably thought I was a complete idiot.

Copyright © 2017 by Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.

Poor Charlie :( Been there done that.  What about you guys? ♥

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