Chapter Twenty-Nine

"W-what do you mean he was your teacher?"

"You know what I mean, Alice." Miss Harrison murmurs in the quietest voice. I've never seen her so nervous, as she sits on the sofa twiddling her fingers and thumbs. "I just wanted you to know..."

"Why?"

"Because it's important that you do. Me and him.... our relationship, the age gap and everything....it just got so out of hand. Everything fell apart and there was nothing either of us could do to stop it."

"But you got married, you made it. Didn't you?" I question, stepping towards her and she shudders slightly at my pressurised question. "It wasn't legal, Alice!" She suddenly bursts out and sobs suddenly replace her panicked expression with a frightful one. I sigh and rub my right eye, "I don't understand why you're telling me this!"

"I'm telling you because I know there's something going on between you and that English teacher of yours. Don't think I'm stupid! As soon as you told me you were staying at his house, I knew! Oh, I knew alright!" She exclaims loudly and I panic quickly, mouthing and holding my finger to my lips for her to shut up. "Shhh!!" I hiss and she shakes her head in protest, "NO! I know exactly what is going on. Don't you think I did all this myself once when I was your age? Sneaking out into dangerous places, the sex, the drugs, the alcohol! I've done it all! Don't think I haven't!"

"You what?" My jaw drops. Miss Harrison? Really?

"Yes. I was just like you. Mr Harrison was the one who made me like it." She shakes her head in sadness. "I loved him. I loved him very much, but he had many addictions, a lot of addictions. Drugs, smoking...a lot of sex. A lot of sex. He wanted it with me."

"Mr Dubens isn't like that."

"Isn't he?" Her head suddenly shoots up and my words are gone. I'm not sure what to say, she's cornered me. She really has. Oh my god... "Do you really think you know him that well? I'm sad to say you don't, Alice."

"Neither do you!"

"I don't need to. I've already lived your life. I've lived it. Let this just be a warning for you."

"I don't really give a shit..." I whisper, lowering down to her level where our eyes are staring deep into one another's. "Now, I think you should go."

"Fine. Just be aware." She gets up and heads for the door, "Don't say I didn't warn you." Before I can say any more she shuts the door and I'm left standing in the middle of the front room on my own. I close my eyes for a brief second and take a deep breath. Just because she had the same with her husband doesn't mean it is the same with Ian. Does it?

"Alice?" I jump. Ian is standing in the doorway, staring at me. "Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there." I smirk and head towards the door to pass him. Instead, he blocks me in and glares down at me. "Wait a minute. What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"With you and that woman..."

I try to look convincingly surprised, "Oh, Miss Harrison. She's just tired. I said I'd speak to her another time."

He presses his eyebrows together and scoffs. "You are a terrible liar."

"I'm not lying."

"Yeah, of course you're not. That's exactly why your breathing has sped up in the last twelve seconds." He closes the door shut behind him and grabs me by the waist. "Tell me. Now." I shake my head defiantly. "Honestly, it's nothing."

"It's definitely something. People don't shout at one another for no reason." He looks down at me with piercing eyes and I feel my cheeks grow a ruby red. "You heard all of that?"

"Some of it."

"What did you hear?" I ask, pulling away from his grasp.

"Tell me what you were talking about first, then I can tell you which parts of it I overheard."

"We were talking about...you." I whisper. His eyebrows raise up in surprise. "Me?" I nod. "What about me?" He pushes for information. I breathe in through my nose and then out slowly from my mouth. Control yourself, Alice. Don't let him see you get angry. "About me having a relationship with you."

His eyes widen and he steps backwards. "Fuck."

"She knows." I add, "She was just warning me about...her husband."

"Shit...shit...." He mumbles under his breath, his hands gripping violently at his dark brown locks. "SHIT!" He yells suddenly and I jump fright.

"Ian. Calm down."

"Calm down? What the fuck do you mean, 'calm down’? My fucking job is at risk here! How the fuck does she know!?"

I step towards him with my hands held out, "I didn't tell her! She just worked it out!"

"What the fuck! That's even worse. Do you realise how much da-”

"I know, Ian! It's OK. She's a wise woman, she just warned me. She was just telling me about how her husband was her teacher." I try to explain thoroughly. He looks at me, his breath coming fast.

"Her husband!? What the-"

"She isn't going to tell anybody. I know she won’t, she is just warning me off but she knows I don't care. I don't. It's just sex."

"You didn't tell her that did you?"

"Tell her what?"

"That it is just sex."

I shake my head, "No."

"That's ok then." He sighs and turns towards the door, his hand reach in out to pull on the knob.

"Why?"

"Because if you said that, you would bluntly admit that she is right. As far as she is concerned, she has just made an accusation."

"Are you mad at me?" I ask softly and his back moves, his shoulders slumped. "No."

"Then, why..."

"I just don't want to lose my job. That's all."

"But you'd risk it to fuck me every now and then when it suits you?" I say. He doesn't answer me, as he pulls the door open and leaves. I listen to his fast footsteps disappearing down the hallway. He's really mad. I know he is.

I exit the front room and walk down the hallway, following where the sound of his footsteps disappeared off to.

I stop outside the kitchen doorway and see him hunched over the kitchen counter with a can of beer in his hand. His head is down, his hand clenching tightly around the can. He looks as if he is about to collapse. I don't care though, what I said is true. That's OK though. I guess I could use him to his own advantages.

I push the kitchen door open and walk in. "Ian."

"Alice." He says back.

"Did you even hear what I said?"

"Yes, I heard."

"What's with the beer?" I ask, my eyes darting at the can in his hand. He sighs heavily and leans up, rubbing his forehead. "I'm trying to ease my stress." He mumbles and raises it to his mouth, gulping it down heavily.

"Don't you remember what you told me about drinking?"

He stops and lowers the can to the kitchen counter, his face turned to the side, so I can see half of his face. Now, he's listening. "You told me it was no good. Remember?"

"Yes, I remember."

"So, why are you doing it now in front of me?" I say, exasperated.

Then, he responds. He pushes himself away from the kitchen counter and plunges towards me. I step backwards and he pushes me against the kitchen cupboard.

"Because you frustrate me! That's why! Jesus..." He breathes heavily into my face, his breath stinking of beer but it doesn't stop my want for him.

"You know...I just wish, somehow I didn't know you." He adds in a mumble.

"Why....why would you say that?" I gasp. He frowns, "Because then I wouldn't be in this mess."

I huff out loudly and look him the eyes. "Did you honestly think offering to take care of me was not going to end up being a little be messy?"

"I always use to say that a little bit of mess wouldn't hurt anyone..." He says huskily, "...but now.... now, I’m not so sure." He leans in to kiss me bit he doesn't close the last inch of distance. He doesn’t dare. He wants to, I can tell.... but he doesn't.

Instead, he leans back and releases my wrists, walking out of the kitchen and leaving me speechless.

Jesus...sometimes I wonder if he's got more issues than what I have.