A former teacher who is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student testified in her own defence Thursday, saying the teen fabricated a story about their relationship to tell his parents.

Mary Gowans, 42, has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and sexual exploitation charges stemming from her relationship with a male student four years ago.

On Wednesday, the Crown presented its case and the Toronto court heard about her relationship with a former student, who is now 18 and whose identity is protected by a publication ban.

The former student told court he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with Gowans, which included kissing, touching and many loving text messages.

On Thursday, Gowans disputed the former student’s claims.

“Did you ever have a sexual relationship with (him)?” asked Gowans’ lawyer, Peter Brauti.

Gowans answered: “No, I did not.”

She also said she never initiated any sexual touching, but said that the student was the one who touched her in a sexual manner.

The relationship allegedly started in the teen’s Grade 8 French class at Joseph Howe Senior Public School in Scarborough, where Gowans taught at the time.

Students don’t usually like French teachers because the material is difficult, Gowans told the court, but the former elementary school teacher said she made an extra effort to be liked. She was extra social and friendly with the children, the court heard.

The alleged abuse stems from incidents when the student was in Grade 10 and was 15 years old.

The teen said Wednesday he thought Gowans was in love with him and said he also had strong feelings for Gowans at the time, saying that he wanted to have a sexual relationship with her.

The former student told the court that he would babysit for his former teacher. On four separate occasions while he was babysitting, something happened between him and Gowans, he testified on Wednesday.

In January 2010, the court heard that the teen touched Gowans and she replied, “No, this is wrong.”

That’s when the relationship ended, the court heard on Wednesday.

Gowans disputed this version of events on Thursday, saying that she and the teen were playing hide-and-seek with her children when she was going to whisper in the teen’s ear, telling him where her young son was hiding, when the teen leaned in and kissed her.

The teen also grabbed her crotch area, Gowans told the court.

Gowans said she pushed the teen away and said, “Stop it.”

According to Gowans’ testimony, the teen texted her after the groping incident to say he was sorry.

Gowans said she told the teen that he would not be allowed back to the house to babysit and that she would not tell his parents.

According to testimony from the teen on Wednesday, it was actually he who wanted to end the relationship, after Gowans found out about a girl who he took to the junior prom.

Gowans became emotional, the teen said, and he felt that she was trying to control him, the teen said.

For its part, the defence argued that there was no inappropriate relationship between the pair and that the teen fabricated a story to tell his family after Gowans turned down his advances.

The Crown will have an opportunity to cross examine Gowans Friday.

With files from CTV Toronto’s Austin Delaney