Due to Simone’s impatience and persistence on the matter at hand, Mother Immaculata was forced to announce her leaving sooner than expected. No one else was ready to take over Simone’s classes already, so Mother Immaculata stood in front of the teenaged girls, trying to teach them. They all seemed to care more about where Miss Bradley was. “She is no longer a teacher here.”

    Cat smirked and rolled her eyes. She didn’t even have to talk to Mother Immaculata to break the two apart; it’s funny how life works sometimes. “Way to go, Annabelle,” she sneered loud enough for a few students nearby to look up from their desks, but quiet enough that the girls farther away from her were lost in the conversation. Heads twirled to look at Cat. “What?” Cat shrugged her shoulders, “Don’t look at me.” Heads twirled to look at Annabelle.

    “What do you mean she is no longer a teacher here?” Annabelle ignored the looks she was getting from her classmates.

    “Simply that, Annabelle. I can disclose no more without invading on Miss Bradley’s private life.” Mother Immaculata tried to continue teaching, but no one was listening anymore. Most of the students were muttering that maybe Miss Bradley had left to go elope with the man from St. Paul’s that she had been dancing with.

    Annabelle had stayed silent for the rest of the class, and afterwards, she made her way quickly to Simone’s room. Her stuff was already in boxes. “What are you doing?”

    “Annabelle,” Simone looked over at her, trying like mad to be strong. “I can’t stay here like this.”

    “Like what? We aren’t doing anything wrong.” The words felt like déjà vu in Annabelle’s mouth as she said them, but the were the only words that seemed to fit the millions of questions that were floating around in her mind.

    “I know,” Simone replied simply, “but I’m afraid that we’re a few of the only people who would see things like that.” She tried to smile, but it looked fake, so she stopped and instead picked up her last box and her purse; she was ready. They couldn’t afford a good-bye kiss,  with students milling the hallways. Rumors may be started as it was; luckily, rumors about Simone and Michael may push a few Annabelle and Simone rumors out of the limelight.