"Johanna- may I have a word with you?"

Johanna glanced up and saw Ms Docker, her history teacher standing before her.

"Certainly." Johanna smiled graciously. Mel Docker was one of her favourite teachers.

"Look, Johanna...I've always seen you as more of a close friend than a student. After all, I'm only six years older than you-so I know what it's like to feel the way you are feeling."

Johanna turned her head, puzzled.

"Feeling what?"

"Well..I've seen the way you look at- ah- the way you look at, um, Mr Murdend. You like him, don't you?"

Johanna was thunderstruck but she did not flinch and she did not lie.

"I've been in love with him since I was in year seven."

"He's married, you know that, don't you?"

"Yes..to Ruth" Johanna pronounced her name as if it were an insult.

Mel was shocked by Johanna's boldness.

"How do you know his wife'sname?"

Johanna had the grace to look guilty.

"I watch..closely."

"Johanna, I want you to be careful. If anyone finds out about this, they'll- "

"They'll what? Expell me?" Johanna laughed. "I'll let Mr Murdend make up his own mind."

"He's forty-five and you're seventeen, Johanna."

"You married your teacher."

Mel flinched at her accusation, which cut and stung but was tinged with admiration. Mel blushed.

"I shouldn't be telling you this, but yes, I did Johanna. I too know what it is like to be in love with your teacher since the age of twelve. He is thirty five years older than me. Have you ever wondered why I teach under my maiden name, Johanna? Because everyone I knew hated me for loving the man that I married. My friends turned against me. My family tried to get him fired from his teaching post. It was only after Ophelia was born that my family was forced to accept the fact that he was her father. But they have never accepted that he was my husband."

"You have a daughter?"

Mel smiled.

"She was born the year after I graduated from his class."

"That's so romantic. You look too young to be a mother, Ms Docker."

"Call me Mel when we are alone, it's less recognisable. I shouldn't even be talking to you about this. I wasn't ready to be a mother. Trust me when I say that neither are you, despite what you think now".

"How do you know that I want to get pregnant with Mr Murdend?"

"Because you remind me more and more each day of myself. And all I wanted was him to stay with me forever. But I was too young for him.Just like you are too young for Mr Murdend."

Johanna was abashed.

"I'm seventeen, I'm not a child! You of all people should understand!"

Both women turned when the object of Johanna's affections sauntered past them, following his progress.

"I will concede that you have good taste." Mel laughed.

"The best. He's gorgeous."

Mel threw back her head and laughed, causing passers by to stop and stare at the two young women waiting at the station stairs, both slim and curly haired.

"You remind me a lot of myself, Johanna. You may be smarter, you may be more beautiful, and you may be blonder, but we are alike. Never forget that you are smart, Johanna. Don't make stupid mistakes."

Johanna felt only a slight twinge of guilt when she remembered Mel's words of advice. After all, today was the day she would tell the man she loved the truth about the depth of her feelings for him. Surely that could not be classified as a "stupid mistake".Certainly not. Johanna saw it as a strategic romantic gesture.

Johanna checked the time on her mobile phone. Thirty seconds to the bell, when her plan would be implemented. She took a deep suck of air, trying to calm her shaking arms.

The bell sounded, snapping Johanna out of her nervous reverie. As the class filed out she took another deep pull of air then approached Mr Murdend's desk.

"Johanna. How may I help you?"

Johanna could barely hear him above the sound of her own heart thudding in her chest, beating out a nervous raphsody.

"I need to talk to you."

Howard Murdend picked on up Johanna's nervousness by her trembling hands and desperate eyes.

He stood up and put his hand on her arm.

"Johanna, what's wrong? What's happened?"

Suddenly Johanna was sobbing uncontrollably and Howard Murdend could do nothing but envelop her in his arms. He could not prevent Johana burying her head of esquiste golden ringlets into his shoulder, where they spilled across his navy suit like rays of sunlight shimmering upon the ocean after a storm.

"Johanna, I-"

Johanna turned her tearful eyes of turquoise towards him and Howard suddenly forgot what he wanted to say, and something entirely different came out of his mouth.

"Kiss me." It was a command not a request.

He leant in to her and his searching lips met hers with a searing uncertainty, her kiss full of love and fear and passion and naïvity.

He pulled back, alarmed at the power that the undertaking of that one simple action had demanded over him.

Johanna was shaken, overcome with emotion.

"Oh, sir." She leant back in, but Mr Murdend stepped backwards to avoid her, an act that demanded more self control than he had ever needed in his life prior to their kiss.

"Johanna- I shouldn't have done that. I'm so sorry that I betrayed your trust."

Johanna laughed.

"What are you talking about, Howard?" That was the first time that Johanna had ever used his first name, and she found it roll out of her mouth almost as sweet tasting as his kiss was.

"My behaviour was totally inappropriate. Forgive me, Johanna."

His grave tone made her throw back her head and laughed. Howard watched, perplexed but was distracted at the sight of her pearly white teeth juxtaposing against the deep crimson of her succulent lips.

"What?"

"You know Iike you, don't you, Howard?"

Now it was Johanna's turn to be confused.

"You mean you..like the way I teach?"

"No, I like YOU".

Howard nodded assent, but a moment later found more doubts of her meaning in his mind.

"You mean you..like me as a teacher?"

"No, I LIKE YOU!"

"You mean you-"

Johanna realised that there was only one way to tell him what she was feeling. She raised a trembling hand to his head, running her delicate ivory hands through his coarse grey curls, tracing the arch of his hair line with her fingertips. Howard closed his eyes, concurring totally to the pure pleasure of her touch. She wrapped both her arms around his shoulders, her skin prickling pleasantly at the slightly rough texture of his green cotton jumper, reacher up and kissed him soundly on his mouth. Howard made sporadic efforts to return her kiss, but was content just to stand there with his eyes clothes, immersing himself totally into her femininity. Now it was his turn to tremble with high emotions.

"Johanna." He breathed lightly into her ear, savouring the touch of her hair against his skin as he rubbed his chin against her. "My beautiful Johanna, my blonde goddess, my angel of music.."

Johanna closed her eyes to concentrate on his flattering ramblings and the equally as pleasant sensation of his stubbled chin touching her soft skin. She was rudely awoken from her passionate reverie by the bell.

"Oh, no." Howard looked embarassed when he realised that he was in a dilemma that could not be resolved...at that moment.

"I've got to get to maths." Johanna pulled away from him, embarassed.

"What is going to happen to us, Johanna?"

"We'll run away."

Howard laughed, unaware that Johanna was serious.

"But you wont be able to finish your H.S.C" He joked.

Johanna continued to misunderstand him.

"With you beside me, what will I care what things I lack? We'll fly tonight."

"You know that's not possible."

"With you in my arms, Howa- Mr Murdend, anything is possible."

"Good marks are ensured...I could help you with your English at lunchtimes and in free periods."

His undertone was clear.

"I'd like that very much, Mr Murdend".

So was Johanna's.