How to make your teacher fall in love with you

Chapter 26

Chapter 26- Edward's POV

My eyes darted back and forth from John to Ella, and then Malcolm, until they finally rested on Ella. Her eyes were looking into mine with what looked like anxiety... but I couldn't really read her. Or look at her. I turned my gaze to Malcolm, who looked just as furious as any overprotective older brother would when finding his sister with a teacher. 

Not that anything much was going on you know, just John telling Ella that he would do anything to be with her. And he wasn't even her teacher, so it was okay-ish.

Except that she is my girl, and no one, can take her away from me. Especially not my closest friend.

I trembled as the words went through my mind... ex girlfriend, ex best friend, referring to Ella and John. And suddenly I couldn't take it anymore. 

"I'm out of here," I declared, and turned to leave, still unable to look at Ella. Her brother's voice stopped me. 

"Uh, what? Why do you look so mad? This doesn't really concern you..." His voice went cold. "Or does it?"

I whipped myself back around to face him, and took a deep breath. It took so much courage to say it... to lie and utter that Ella meant nothing to me, apart from being assigned to my class merely for academic purposes. "It doesn't," I said, trying to ignore the beads of sweat that were forming on my back. "Ella is just my student." 

And that's how it had to be from now on. Our relationship was over. 

Malcolm chuckled. But it was an angry chuckle, like he wasn't believing me. I didn't blame him. I didn't look too believable. "So why are you so pissed that she's here with your colleague?" 

"I-um.." I stuttered, and then straightened. "Because it doesn't matter whether the girl's eighteen years old or not. It's still an illegal relationship. Teachers and students are strictly formal." Before the words had even left my mouth, I knew I didn't mean them. But it had to be done.

"Oh yeah? So, you'll never be in a relationship with a student then? You don't tolerate it?"

For the first time, my eyes met with Ella's. "Not in this lifetime," I said softly, and turned away. Nobody tried to stop me, not even John, who was still standing there awkwardly. I heard Malcolm telling his sister that they were leaving, but I didn't stay to listen. 

I had yet to understand what had actually happened, but I refused to listen. Why would I want to know about something that was probably a lie? It all came crystal clear now... the tension when they were in the same room, him asking about her, her acting all weird when I mentioned him, him refusing to tell me who the girl he'd fallen for was... when someone had taken her away from him. 

Because that someone had been me. And the girl was Ella. But I'd been too blind to see that. 

I stood still, next to a classroom, waiting for the stairs to steer clear of people. Specifically, Ella, Malcolm and John. After a couple of minutes I made my way up the stairs and towards the art room... the place where all troubles magically sift away, and the only place in this world that I could call my home. I unlocked the door and made my way inside, shutting the door behind me. 

But there was no magic today... and my worries and thoughts and feelings couldn't go away. Because taped to the door was the photo of John, the one with the girl blurred out. But this time it wasn't blurred. Ella was there, plain as day. John was about to kiss her. It was the photo Nathan had taken, the original one. Underneath it was a note that said,