How to date a celebrity? Was I really typing this into Google? I click ‘search’ as I looked at the clock. I had twenty minutes before my class started but still kept a close eye on the door. The last thing I wanted was to have someone surprise me by walking in early and see what I was researching. How would you explain that, J?

The results were staggering to say the least. Over two hundred thousand hits on one simple sentence. Did that many people actually have experience dating a celebrity? I doubted it but I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought.

The first few articles I read through were about quite popular celebrities and their wives or significant others. If I had thought that researching the topic would make me feel less anxious about the implications of dating Lisa then I was wrong. One thought seemed to stick out at me. You’re not in a relationship with the person. You’re in a relationship with the world. If your significant other is a celebrity, get ready to deal with your personal life being on front stage. You’re no longer just someone on the street, now you’re in a life where everyone knows everything about you, sometimes better than you know yourself.

I closed the laptop, staring out into the empty classroom. My mind had wistfully gone to last night with Lisa’s hands roaming my back and her lips touching my own. It didn’t dawn on me until this morning that I wasn’t just dating Lisa, the woman next door. When I received a call from Park Bom something clicked into place.

“Sony just announced the new movie and if the book reviews are anything to judge what the movie is going to be like, then your friend is going to have a long and healthy career. They are even talking possible Oscar nominations.”

Bom’s voice was thrilled and ecstatic and although I was happy that everything was going well I didn’t want to think about the implications of what this would do to our relationship. Relationship? You don’t have a label yet. You’ve barely kissed her that doesn’t make you her girlfriend.

So how do you date a celebrity that has managed to keep her personal life out of the media by not even having one? Earlier I had wanted to call Lisa and ask her out on a date. But what would that mean? Could we go out to the movies? Go to dinner? Could we hold hands and kiss and pretend like there wasn’t a possibility that she would end up in some tabloid about her exploits with a school teacher from the valley?

“Hi, Ms. Kim.” The sudden greeting from one of my students almost made me spill my coffee. I saved myself from smiling back and saying good morning to the trickling of students coming into the classroom. The twenty minutes that I once had was now only down to five but the bodies in the class let me know that I wouldn’t even have that to allow me the comfort of worrying. I guess that would have to wait until after school.

 

***

your final project,” I waited until the cheers and applause died down. Next week was the last day of summer school and I knew the kids were excited to have two free weeks before the school semester started again. “I want you to write a controversial subject and your stance on that subject and turn it into me. You have five minutes to come up with something, start now.” I watched the students quickly jot down on their papers. Bryan Donnelly who had to retake my class this summer for drop failing last semester was the first one to bring his paper up. I didn’t want to look down at it, afraid of what I would see. For those first few weeks after Lisa’s talk to the students, Bryan had been on his best behavior, but even that seemed to wear off as the days passed. I gathered all of the student projects and paper clipped them, placing them on my desk.

“So now that I have every one’s topics, I’ll give you the details of what the final project is going to be.”

“Didn’t we just turn in our subjects?” Tracey stated from the front of the room. I pointed at her and smiled.

“Yes you did, but you will be arguing the opposite stance of what you wrote down.” I heard the mob groan in protest and one voice over powered the rest.

“That’s bull! I want to change my subject, then. I’m not arguing for gay marriage!”

“Bryan, enough with the profanity,” I looked at him sternly and he lowered in his seat slightly. “As I was saying, whatever your stance is on the subject you will be arguing the opposite. It’s important to understand that every controversial topic has two sides. This project allows you to delve deep into the side that you’re not too fond of, but gives you ways to understand why the topic is discussed as it is. These speeches are due in one week. Get to researching – have a good weekend.”

I watched the students gather their things and head out one by one. Bryan Donnelly gave me one last look of what I could only call hatred and walked out. As I too, gathered my own items to leave I quickly checked my phone for any missed calls. My heart started to beat quickly as I glanced down, seeing a text from Lisa.

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