"The law still sees it as the teacher having power over the student. A teacher being superior over a student creates a situation in which 'mutual consent' is impossible."

"Well, that sounds like a lot of legal double talk. How can anything like that be enforced?"

"The law is geared toward protecting the student. Wouldn't you agree that relationships, even on a platonic level, between students and teachers can be often quite intimate and intense as they share common interests?"

"Yes, I guess so."

"Sometimes they talk about personal issues, such as problems at home or with boyfriends/girlfriends."

"Yes, so?"

"So that closeness and intimacy can blur the professional boundaries and lead people-teachers and students alike-to step over the line."

"So you're saying that even though what happened between Hayden and I didn't break any laws, it goes against school policy."

"I'm afraid so."

Abbey didn't know what to say. Allison had made the situation so clear to her that she couldn't fathom a way for Allison to come up with a defense for what she did. She let her guard down and let her human side, the side that wasn't so rigid, take over, and this is what it got her. She did know better and was careful in her relationships with her students, but this time not careful enough.

Abbey looked down. "I'm feeling kind of hopeless here. Is there any defense to my case?"

Abbey listened thoughtfully as Allison explained her options.

"Well, you said you were having trouble with your ex?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Stress, like having trouble with personal relationships is one of the things that the law sees as a reason a teacher might become involved with a student. Even though the behavior is a symptom of the effects of such stresses, it's still unacceptable behavior and doesn't excuse it, however, it does give some explanation for it. Also it may look like an inappropriate relationship, but no law was broken. There are no grounds to file criminal charges."

"So where do we go from here?"

"I'll send a letter to the school board. I'll explain that at the time of the incident you were going through difficult times in your personal life and befriended Hayden. Hayden had already graduated and was no longer your student, so you didn't perceive a problem with the relationship until you discovered her real age. At the moment you discovered her age, you terminated the relationship. I will also make note that there was no sign of force or threat and no crime committed and insist they drop the matter."

Abbey sat up straight in her chair. "Then what?"

"Then we wait for their answer."

Chapter Twenty-seven.

It took the school board five days to answer Allison's letter. Abbey received notice by certified mail that even though the board agreed that no crime was committed, it needed to investigate the matter further because additional evidence had been submitted regarding Abbey's character. The conduct hearing was scheduled for October 16. That gave Allison five weeks to prepare her defense.

As soon as she received the notice of the additional information, Allison called Abbey at home. "Abbey, I got a letter from the school board that states they received evidence of a summons issued to you for public intoxication by the Presque Isle Police Department. Do you know anything about that?"

Abbey felt sick to her stomach. "Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me about the summons when we talked last week?"

"To be honest, I forgot about it. I hope it's not a problem."

"Not a problem? It's not going to help." Allison's voice was stern. "Is there anything else you haven't told me?"

"No, I'm really sorry."

"Just be in my office tomorrow morning at eight o'clock sharp. We need to take care of this as soon as possible."

When Abbey met with Allison to prepare, Allison was furious.

"Why didn't you tell me about the summons before?"

"I told you, I forgot about it. Anyway, does it really matter?"

"A summons for public intoxication the day before the s.e.xual hara.s.sment allegation doesn't matter? What do you think? For someone who claims they're so careful around their students...I have to tell you, this doesn't look good."

Abbey sat quietly. She didn't know what to say.

"The pubic intox alone can get you suspended for up to five years or have your license revoked altogether."

"I'm sorry, okay? I paid the fine. I thought I was done with it. I never thought it would come up again. I surely didn't think it was linked to this case."

Allison took a deep breath. "You know that as a teacher, everything you do publicly is under scrutiny. You've got to be more careful."

Abbey looked down. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Okay. We need to focus and get down to business. Here's what I have so far. The age of consent in Pennsylvania is sixteen. Hayden was seventeen at the time of your encounter. Even though a lot of folks might frown on what has happened, no laws were broken. The only time it's a crime is when the victim is still a student of the teacher. Once the teacher vacates that responsibility, i.e., the student graduates, there's no crime."

"That sounds good for us, right?"

"Yes, but that's not all of it. The first thing they're going to ask you is if Hayden gave consent."

"Yes, she did. I told you that."

"You've told me that, but you're going to have to convince the board of it."

Abbey rubbed her temples with her fingers. "Okay...Okay, I'll do my best."

"The questions are only going to get harder here."

"For crying out loud, how could this get any harder?"

"They're going to ask you questions you can't even imagine, like if she was forced to perform any acts that she might have felt were 'unnatural'?"

"How am I supposed to answer that?" Abbey asked, frustrated.

"The correct answer here would be no. Remember, short yes or no answers. The less you say, the less they can come back on you for."

Allison coached Abbey on her testimony well into the early evening. When they were done, Abbey's mind felt like mush. She came home from Allison's office and sat on her porch until the cool air turned frigid and chased her inside. She lay across her bed praying for the relief of sleep. When she did fall asleep, dread and trepidation invaded her dreams, and when she woke, she felt like her soul had been ripped out from inside her.

Although Abbey tried, she still couldn't fall back to sleep. She needed to talk to someone, someone who knew her and loved her no matter what. She looked over at the clock on her night stand. The red numbers glowed four o'clock. Knowing that was the time her mother got up for work, she reached for the phone next to her bed and dialed her number.

Chapter Twenty-eight.

Abbey arrived at the middle school building, where the school board held its meetings, at seven thirty sharp. Her case wasn't going to be presented until nine o'clock, but Allison wanted to meet with her one more time to go over her testimony. Two city police officers stood at the front entrance. Abbey had been to this building several times before but never remembered officers stationed at the front door. As Abbey approached, one of the officers smiled politely and opened the door for her.

"Thank you," she uttered and made her way down the cavernous hall. The Boston cream doughnut she choked down earlier felt like a lead weight in her stomach. As she walked down the tiled corridor, she spotted Hayden sitting in a group of wooden chairs. It made her sad to think that Hayden was here to testify against her. Hayden looked up as Abbey approached.

Hayden stood. "h.e.l.lo, Abbey."

Abbey forced a smile. The air around them felt charged with tension. "h.e.l.lo."

"You have to believe that I'm not here to cause you more problems. I wouldn't be here at all if I hadn't gotten the subpoena from the school's attorney. He contacted me at school and sent a certified letter to my mother," Hayden said with a desperate eagerness in her eyes. "I never meant for anything like this to happen. You have to believe me."

Abbey's heart raced as she looked at Hayden. The strange surge of affection she still felt toward Hayden bubbled up inside her. She needed to get a grip before she'd say something she would regret.

"We probably shouldn't be talking like this. At least not until this is over."

Hayden nodded. "I know. I just want to say I'm sorry and that if it was up to me, we wouldn't be here."

Abbey smiled. "Thank you for saying that, but..."

Suddenly, Hayden's mother appeared. "Hayden, come on, we better get going." Sara grabbed Hayden by the arm and pulled her down the hall toward the hearing room.

A knot formed in Abbey's stomach as she watched Hayden and Sara walk away. Just before they entered the hearing room, Sara turned back and looked at Abbey. A chill went down her spine. She felt impaled by Sara's steady gaze. The expression on her face was that of anger and disappointment.

Abbey felt someone grab her elbow, spinning her around. "You didn't say anything you weren't supposed to, did you?" Allison asked.

"No, I didn't. Give me a little credit. I think I've learned my lesson."

"Good." Allison's expression lightened as she let go of Abbey's arm. "Now let's duck into one of these conference rooms so we can go over things one more time."

Hayden and her mother sat in a row of benches that resembled church pews behind the prosecutor's table.

"What did she say to you?" Sara asked.

Hayden sighed. "Nothing really. She said we shouldn't be talking to each other at least until all this is over."

"She's right. You shouldn't be talking to her at all...ever, especially after all that's happened."

"Mom, I told you, Abbey didn't do anything wrong."

"Well, if she didn't do anything wrong, why are we here? Obviously, someone thinks she did something wrong. Terribly wrong."

Hayden lowered her head. She knew Sara was furious when she got the call from Mr. Tucci, the school board president, then the certified letter requiring her to be here. She called her at school and demanded that she come home immediately. Hayden figured that her mother was angry at Abbey because she trusted her, even thanked her for all the things she had done for Hayden. Knowing her mother, she also knew she was angry at herself for feeling duped. But that wasn't the only betrayal that took place.

After the call from Mr. Tucci, Sara grilled Hayden like a New York prosecutor. Hayden would answer her questions but as sketchy as possible. She never did tell her the entire story of what transpired that night: the night she kissed Abbey. That this was something she longed for, and when Abbey asked her if this was what she wanted, she said yes and that she meant it with her whole heart.

Hayden was afraid to tell her mother the truth. As far as she knew, there was no good way to tell your mother that kind of information. But the thing that scared her most was that if she came clean, her mom would stop loving her. She had heard terrible stories about how so many parents abandoned their kids when they found out they were gay. She couldn't bear to lose her mom. She was the only constant in her life. If she lost her, she would truly be alone.

Hayden looked around at all the goings-on: people shuffling though papers, the court stenographer loading paper into her funny-looking computer. Newspaper reporters and a very pregnant TV reporter with a cameraman from the local NBC affiliate hovered in the back of the room looking for a juicy story that would score them points with their editors. It all seemed so senseless to Hayden. How could something that was so beautiful in private turn into such a publicly humiliating affair?

Allison instructed Abbey on their strategy one last time. "When the school's attorney calls you to the witness stand, answer his questions as briefly as possible. Do not, and I repeat do not, offer any extra information."

"What if I think it will help my case?"

"Trust me, it won't. I've see so many cases lost due to chatty defendants on the stand. Just remember short and to-the-point answers. Got it?"

Abbey nodded. "Got it."

Abbey followed Allison to the defense table. Her stomach churned, and she thought for a moment she would have to find a bathroom quickly when she saw the reporters and the TV camera in the back rows.

"I thought this was supposed to be a closed hearing," Abbey said.

"It was, but the press somehow got wind of it, and because it's not an 'official legal proceeding,' they complained to the board that they had the right to be here."

Abbey took some deep breaths, and the nausea subsided. Allison opened her briefcase and took out a legal pad and two pens.

The conduct hearing was set up much like a regular courtroom hearing. There was a witness stand and a defense table, as well as a prosecutor's table. The school board, the superintendent, and the president of the school board, who would be running the proceeding, and someone from the Office of Professional Conduct for the state of Ohio would serve as the disciplinary board.

"You doing okay?" Allison smiled at Abbey.

"To be honest, I feel sick."

"I'm sure it's just nerves. Try to relax."

"Relax? How am I supposed to relax when my career and my dignity are at stake?"

"Calm down. This isn't going to help your case."

Abbey's adrenaline level kicked up a notch. "I'm scared, Allison. I'm really scared."

"I know. No one wants to be in this situation. I'm going to do my best to get you out of this. You need to remember that the burden of proof is on them. They have to prove you did something unethical and that damage was done. Just hang in here with me. Okay?"

Allison filed through her notes while Abbey gazed around the room. Everything seem surreal to her. How could she have gotten herself in such a predicament? But the bigger question was, how was she going to get out of it?