Acting On Love

Lisa's POV
That morning. . .

"Katrina, can you keep a secret?" I whispered as we both sat on my bed. She was one the girls I'd been eating lunch with since me and Kristen had fallen out. Urgh. Kristen. What was wrong with her? She wasn't even that pretty. . . She didn't even have to try to keep her figure, like I did. And yet, somehow, she managed to make a teacher want her. A good-looking teacher, at that. And meanwhile, I had to spend every night sitting alone in my room, having to talk to Katrina and Mindy about their 'perfect' boyfriends. It just wasn't fair. But what was even worse was that Kristen actually expected me to keep her stupid little secret, like a burden on my shoulders. She expected me to tell no-one, to talk to no-one about it. Well, that I wasn't prepared to do.

"Of course I can," Katrina whispered quickly, leaning in closer. She was clearly excited. "Why, have you got a secret to tell me?"

"Oh, it's not mine. But you wont believe it when you hear it," I grinned, imagining her reaction.

"Well, come on, tell me!" she whispered, smiling excitedly.

"Well. . .you know Kristen?"

She thought for a moment. "Oh, you mean you're old friend. . .that girl who always sits alone at lunch?"

I nodded. "And you know Mr. Valo - the acting teacher?"

She looked at me suspiciously. "Yeah. . ."

I leaned towards her ear to whisper the rest. "They're dating."

She drew back from me quickly, slapping her hands to her mouth in shock. "Oh my God! You're kidding, right? How do you know?"

"She told me herself."

"Are you serious?" she asked again.

"Yes! I'm certain," I smiled.

"This is huge, Lisa!" she yelled, standing up from the bed. "I'm gonna go ask her. I have to know if it's true," she grinned, heading to the door.

"No, no you can't! She'll know I told you!" I begged, standing up from the bed to follow her.

"I don't care. . . this is too big to ignore! I mean. . .a teacher!" she emphasised the word.

My heart was raging against my ribcage. What have I done? I thought, over and over again. What have I done?!

I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't have any of it. What had I expected her to do, though? Shut it up, like I did for months?

I followed her reluctantly towards Kristen's room. She was still grinning. She knocked on Kristen's door three times. I stood next to her, holding my stomach. I was so nervous I felt like I my insides were being eaten away by corrosive acid or something.

No reply from Kristen.

"Come on. . . we should just go," I pleaded, pulling at her sleeve.

"No," she protested, shoving my arm away. "I think I can hear someone moving around in there," she said, pressing her ear to the door. "I think I hear two people!" she grinned even more.

And then, before I could stop her, she reached down to the handle and threw the door open. Why, oh why, hadn't Kristen locked it? I hissed at myself.

The next few seconds passed in a blur of disaster. Katrina gasped, putting her hands over her mouth again as she stared into the room. I couldn't see what she saw, so without thinking, I stepped towards her, looking in. I never expected to see what I saw then.

Kristen was sitting up in her bed, staring at us in utter horror. She held the sheets of the bed over her body, but we could see her clothes were on the floor. And then there was Mr. Valo - standing next to the bed, putting on his jeans. For a second then, he didn't even look like a teacher, with his bare chest, and his ruffled up hair. His eyes glanced between us. The fear in him was evident with every little movement he made. His hands were frozen on the zip of his jeans.

There was something wrong with the expressions on their faces. They didn't look real. They were horrified. It only just hit me then - when it was too late. They knew what would happen. It was over.

"Lisa. . ." Kristen whispered helplessly, her voice shaking. She stared at me, her eyes burning into me. I suddenly felt so guilty.

I heard another voice come from behind me - a new voice. But I couldn't take my eyes off of Kristen's. What have I done? I thought again.

The new voice was of Mindy. Why was she here? I heard her blaspheme in shock.

"Is that a teacher?" she hissed to Katrina, as if the couple in the room were two animals behind glass in a zoo.

I heard more footsteps approaching. No. . . my mind thought in defeat. Why weren't they moving? I wanted to shout - to tell Mr. Valo to run away. But he just stood there! They both remained stationary, like statues, as more and more people came - drew in by the commotion.

"Mr. Valo?" they whispered to one another. "A student and a teacher!" some others whispered.

It only took minutes before I couldn't take any more of it.

"No!" I shouted out. People around me stumbled back, startled.

I have to get out of here, I told myself. I turned to face the small crowd of people gathering in the corridor, pushed my way through them, and ran out of the building.