vetitum amoris

chapter six

Fireclove high school resumed the term on Tuesday. Pearl had spent all of Friday morning - the early hours - crying in her bedroom, Toffee curled up by her side. The night had started great, but had ended on the worst note possible.

Pearl couldn't believe that what had happened had actually happened. She'd managed to spend most of the night with Harvey, surrounded by his friends, and apart from the non-alcoholic drink stunt he pulled, everything else had gone fine. Fair enough, things had been rather awkward between them, but Harvey and Pearl had both grown to realise that things always would be slightly uncomfortable between them.

He was so confusing to her. She was still incredibly attracted to him, but he continued to send her mixed messages and mess with her head. First he had said that nothing could ever happen between them, because it was illegal. Pearl hadn't been too happy, but she knew the risks, and she'd never want to do anything to get Harvey in trouble. Then he was being protective over her when he saw her in Rockets with other guys. Again, Pearl knew she shouldn't be in there in the first place - she was underage - but what was it to him? He was her teacher, but he shouldn't care what she did outside of school hours. And then the pizza incident. He had come back to her house and asked to spend time with her. He was the one who had kissed her.

Harvey had realised his behavior was inappropriate, illegal, and had stopped. He ran out of the house and Pearl was left stunned. Surprisingly, they managed to somehow move past it, without discussing it. Pearl thought things had been alright... and then the night with his friends happened.

He had been jealous when he saw Pearl dancing with those other people. One guy had been his friend, so it had been fine, but that creepy Taylor? His face was pure jealousy, no other way around it. Why would he get jealous over her?

The best - worst - part had been their walk home. Harvey had walked her home, but on the way they had an argument that left her more confused and upset than before. He had almost been patronizing, telling her he had to save her - yet again. He told her she should have listened to him when he said she shouldn't be out in places like Rockets...

It had all just been weird. The night ended with Pearl asking him if the only reason he was looking out for her was because he was her teacher. He, stupidly, said there were no other reasons. Pearl knew then, understood. He didn't care about her beyond her being a simple student, no different to him than Tessa or Pez, or the blue-haired girl Brooke who sits at the front with her hat on all the time. She was nothing to him.

***

When Tuesday morning came, and it was time to go to school, Pearl was, once again, dreading it. She, Tessa and Pez walked to school together, then parted ways on the bell. Pez was, like always, telling Pearl all the new news about his relationship with Luke. Pearl listened and smiled; yet inside her heart was beating on overdrive and she was secretly shaking.

They entered the classroom and took their seats. Harvey was sat on his desk, with his arms folded. He was talking to Brooke, the girl who was wearing her hat, no surprises, and he straightened himself up when he saw Pearl. Brooke smiled at Harvey, then ended the conversation and went back to doodling skulls and dead flowers on the back of her textbook.

"Morning, everyone," Harvey said as he reached for the register. He called everyone's names, and Pearl didn't answer on the first call. Pez nudged her, and she lamely said "here", before going back to staring into space. She didn't really want to be in this classroom right now. She was shocked, but she found she couldn't look at Harvey without wanting to scream or break something.

The bell went, and Pearl was the first person out of the door. Pez caught up with her, and they walked off to French together. The morning flew, as did lunch time, and then it was the last two lessons of the afternoon. Pez went off to Geography, Tessa was in Drama, and Pearl had double GSCE Art.