Is lying always bad?

My students are very concerned about my love life - or lack of one. Sometimes I think that they are amazed at my single status and the fact that I do not have a guy in my life (or kids for that matter). I have had one student hand me a phone nimber for some guy that she knows even further north. At least she actually tried to find out what I was interested in. You know the basics such as loves God and likes working with kids. The rest of the students just tease me about any guy who enters the school building. It is rather embarassing.

For example, the students are convinced that I am in love with the computer technician. Every time he comes into my class, they yell out, "Miss Liiight it's Billlly" (not his real name) Inevitably I go red and blush not because I have a crush on him (he is engaged to someone else) but because I feel for the poor guy. I know my students. I can take their teasing and dish it right back to them. But he does not know my students. I am sure that he dreads coming to our school.

Then there is the former student who may or may not have had a crush on me at one time. So on Friday, one of the female teachers and I were judging a cowboy costume contest up at the hall. This young man was one of the contestants - the only contestant in his category. So the organizers had us sitting by ourselves at a table in the front and then had this guy, dressed as a cowboy, parade in front of us. I didn't know where to look. I couldn't looka t my co judge (another single girl), I couldn't look at him because he looked SOOO uncomfortable and I couldn't look at the walls because all of my students were sitting there watching the pink creep up my face. I glanced over and then heard " Miss Liiiight." Even the organizer noticed the very pink cheeks. I was mortified for this poor, shy student. Even now, just thinking about it, I feel the uncomfortableness of the situation.

So I am going to have to find a solution to this problem. If there was a guy, who met criteria, and was interested in me, my students would scare him off. Plus I need to save myself and these guys from extreme mortification.

So my plan? Well over Christmas I am going to have to find myself a boyfriend. If that doesn't work, I am going to have to fabricate one. It won't be the first time that I have fabricated a boyfriend. Either way, as far as my students know I will be dating someone in 2008. So then when they pull out the "Miss Light, you like Billy.", I can counter with "You know I am dating someone." Then I can talk about the guy that I am dating and all of his great qualities such as loves God, employed, reads etc and my students will realize that maybe the poor locale boy is not really my type.

I fear that this could backfire on me but it is the best that I can come up with. Any other suggestions of how I can stop this madness? Any suggestions of what my fictional boyfriend should be like?