Next day. morning. after breakfast. She grabbed her bag. kissed her mother and father's cheek, she bolted out of the house without saying. She walked on the porch. she noticed someone was watching her and she ignored it.
It was Gibson. he waiting for her actually. His butt leaned on the car, his arm crossed on chest and smile. he wearing a coat. He always looked handsome. everyday. wherever he goes. anywhere.
He knows Belle will never ever ride in his car with him. alone. no she never. It was Belle's mother's idea and is good actually. He can spend his moments with her like he wants to. her beauty caught his eyes. and he will never let it go.
'Miss Decker?!' he called out. She stopped. He approached. He stopped in front of her. He was quite taller. she can feel her forehead at his chest level. how tall he is she didn't know. she didn't count it.
She looked up. his face looked down. amusing is - he got broad shoulders and was handsome. No wonder female students in her school are chasing him. they could fight to get him. they could fight to have him in bed forever. beside. his young. mid twenty perhaps.
'Didn't you hear what your mother said yesterday? you coming with me.' silence. He continued.
'Come. we'll be late to school.' he about to grab her hand. as she suddenly backed away from him.
he didn't get angry with her. she must be uncomfortable beside him. he thought. She is his student. and he is her teacher. of course it would be uncomfortable. what people will think?
'I don't need your ride, sir. My mother was mistaken in her own words yesterday. you shouldn't believe her, sir.'
'I don't think your mother is mistaken.' chuckle. 'I believe her words. That means she wants you to be safe - with me.'
He looked up at the sky. cloudy. How does this happen. he didn't care. He wanted her to ride with him instead.
'The sky is about to rain. are you sure?.' he looked. 'You will get wet in my class because I don't like my students getting wet or catching cold. it would be messed up. don't be so stubborn as you are.'
she looked up at him. said. 'If I catch a cold. I made sure it wasn't in your class. so? you don't need to worry about it. I'm a grown up teenager and I can take care of myself without your help, sir.'
She walked past him. his eyes on her as he walks. smirking. He walked toward his car and started the engine. He drove his car past her. from the rear mirror. He saw her figures walk behind the car. He didn't try to stop the car as the rain started to drip slowly from the sky to the ground.
Belle stops looking up at the sky. and suddenly pouring heavily on the ground. she grunts, then runs as fast she can to school.
later. She arrived. The students are watching her walk toward her locker. It was her fault too. She didn't bring extra clothes nor a towel inside the locker. She was completely wet. hair to shoes. she sneezes trying to unlock the locker door.
'Seriously?.'
Emma stands beside her, chewing her gum and popping it. she continually does the same thing with her gum.
'Look at you. you're all wet.' She threw Belle a towel she brought from her locker. 'Haven't you noticed the sky, Belle.'
'Someone interrupted me while I was trying to get to school as fast as I could.' she said. wiped her face with the towel Emma gave her. 'Wasn't my fault.'
'Do you?.' Belle nods. 'Well. That means whoever bothers you is an idiot.' Belle nodded.
the school bell rings. students hurried their feet to class. followed by Belle and Emma. Belle hadn't stopped trying to dry her hair as she walked in the corridor to class.
She didn't care what sickness she could get. Pneumonia? one snap could kill you. Just praying and not thinking of it would help.
before noon. about 10.30am. Gibson entered the class with a usual smile. He dropped all his things gently on the table. gasping and smiling, he looked all over the class. his eyes on the empty spot. The empty spot should have been occupied by Belle but it wasn't. Where is she?
He glanced over his watch. so it is true what she said to him earlier. she will not be in his class if she gets wet. but where could she be hiding?
'I must said.' he stopped. the students eyed him. 'I like to start what we stop. but something is bothering me.' he pointed out at the Belle table.
'Would you tell me where Miss Decker had gone?.' he stare on of them. continue. 'Anyone?.'
one of the students said. 'She went to the toilet as she was told.'
'Alright. That's a good , simple explanation. very well. We continued our chapter before. while we waited for Miss Decker. I want each of you to make a simple presentation in front of me of what you learn and understand.'
He slipped his hand inside his bag. pulling out the book. 'So? who's gonna be the first?.' he'd smile.
twenty minute pass. still no sight of Belle. what the hell she doing for so long inside the toilet. Every second Gibson will glance over his watch counting. He didn't hear what his student presented for, he didn't hear what they studied for. He didn't hear anything. all on his head now is where the hell is Belle!
He didn't expect what he expected. his fingers tapping on each other's fingers. his eyes look down at the ground. his heart suddenly beating fastly like he just finished running around the field three times.
his mind never off from Belle. "Do continue. but the presentation must stop for a while as I need to go for coffee. then we continue." he lied. walk out from the class.
He wasn't looking for a coffee break. He was looking for Belle. he walked in the hallway, and every room he went to search for her and nothing. there's no sight of her till one of the rooms he is really afraid to go to. again.
a girl's lavatory.
she must be in there somewhere. Well, where else should she be around? that pathetic he did invited her for a ride with him but she rejected because of her stubbornness. None of his old friends will reject his invitation, especially women. never.
'Miss Belle..?'
He entered the room. his eyes widened as he saw her laid unconscious on the tile floor. He got her. trying to wake her up but she didn't. and Suddenly two girls went inside. He looked at his back in panic.
'Well, do something. I'm the teacher. your friend unconsciously on the floor. don't you stand there. try to wake her up.' he said.
The girl did as he told. he back away. He watched the girl trying for help. but Belle didn't even responding. he pushed the girl away from Belle. he scooped Belle's in his arm. steadily. he said.
'I'd just sent Miss Belle to the medic room.' he stared at the two girls in front of him. 'Now go. do whatever. chop! chop!.' the bolt out.
We can see Gibson wasn't running in the corridor. He just walked as fast as he could. He kept his balance as he carried her in his arm. he won;t let himself drop her on the ground because of his weak strength. He wasn't weak. He's the toughest man on earth, people who know him. That's why a lot of girls like him more than other men. His the most beautiful creation God made him.
He kicked the door as he arrived. Madame Crouch the medic teacher shocked in Hell. almost choking as she sipped her tea. She kicked the chair and walked toward the door and she saw Gibson and Belle in his arms. panic.
'What the hell happened ..?!'
'Help me first.'
'Laid her in bed.' He nodded Belle on bed. He stretched his arm. but suddenly he chuckled to himself. quite heavy Belle is in his arm. she looks perfect but - 'What happened ..?'
heavy breath. He wiped his sweating forehead. unloose his ties a bit. hand side of his waist. He nodded.
'I don't know. she was supposed to be in my class but she wasn't. One of my students said she was in the lavatory. It took a long time. so I decided to check on her to make sure she's alright so I waited outside but my instinct said that I should well - went inside for checking up. I know. I'm a man. I'm not allowed to. but I am curious because she is my student. That's why I found her. unconscious on the floor, alone.'
Madame Crouch nods and understands the problem. She quickly checked Belle's pulse. and palm hand on her forehead.
'Miss Belle having her fever. pretty high. she's lucky you brought her to me or worse can happen to her.' she said.
'Will she be alright?.'
The medic teacher smiled. 'She is fine. but I need to tend to her first.'
She walked toward the sink. grab a towel and fill the water inside the bowl. Then she walked back toward the bed.
'What are you doing?.' asked Gibson. crossing his arm.
She looked up at him. 'Like I said. I need to tend to her. Well, of course I need to slow her fever down first. look at her.' The two teachers look at Belle.
'Her skin is like a corpse. her lips are blue.'
'Alright. I'm staying. I can help.'
'By wiping her body? Please, you're just a teacher and you're a man. you have no right to tend to her.'
he stare. he about to argue back but - 'Let said. an hour later you come back and visit Miss Belle here. I must tell the principal to call her parents so then the family can get her.'
'No!.' He stopped her from doing so. continue. 'I live next door to her. I will send her home.'
Madame Crouch giggling. 'I didn't know you and Miss Belle are neighbors next door.'
'Coincidence. I just found out yesterday. as I accidentally met her mother.'
nod. 'Very well. but please do continue your teaching. your students are waiting for you, Miss Belle are alright with me here.'
Gibson nods retreat. He turns his feet and walks toward the door. Before he reaches the knob, he stops. He turned back to Madame Crouch.
'If you or Miss Belle need anything just call me. no one else but me. I'll be here.'
Madame Crouch nods. Gibson reaches the knob then out.