Not Over You (Teacher x Student)

Thursday, 18th July, 2013.

"Goodness gracious, you're still in bed!" Audrey gasped dramatically, glancing over at the one and only frame in the room, which was a wall clock showing 7:15am. "The kids are having breakfast downstairs, and you are here sleeping... It's already 7:15am for goodness sake, Grace!" She grumbled at her niece, pushing open the windows to let the morning sunlight flood the small room.

Grace pulled up the comforter, shielding her eyes from the blinding sun rays. "I am not going anywhere today, Aunt," she declared, shifting to the left to continue sleeping. However, her comforter was swiftly pulled away from her.

"Get out of bed, you lazy bone!" Audrey persisted, tugging at the covers until Grace's sky blue cotton nightgown was exposed. With her caramel messy hair and pale skin, Grace possessed an ethereal quality.

In a lazy tone, Grace mumbled, "Aunt, please just give me a moment. I'm not a kid; you don't have to force me to go to school. I'm turning eightee—"

"—but you're not yet eighteen," Audrey interjected with a glare. "You're still seventeen, Grace. So don't try to lecture me on how I should and shouldn't treat you. Until you're twenty, you will not be considered an adult in this household."

Grace managed to drag herself out of bed. "I'm up..." She groaned heavily and reluctantly made her way to the bathroom.

With Grace out of bed, Audrey left the room and hurried downstairs to check on the kids.

Later at school, Grace entered the library with quiet footsteps.

Coming up behind her best friend Nova, Grace leaned close and emitted a low, guttural sound, startling Nova to the point of almost leaping out of her chair.

"...calm down, calm down, it's me," Grace said softly, stifling a laugh after startling her friend. She noticed a few students shooting them annoyed looks for causing a scene in the library.

"Calm down my foot!" Nova retorted, clearly irritated. "You're going to be the death of me if you keep doing this. Anyway, you're lucky we're friends." Despite her nagging, Nova eventually shrugged and laughed along with Grace.

Both girls were the same age, seventeen, but Grace was taller.

Moving away from the library quietly, they headed to the cafeteria for a snack. Unbeknownst to them, the bell rang to signal the end of the break. Engrossed in their conversation about school and graduation, they didn't notice the time.

"I won't miss this school after graduation," Nova commented. Grace nodded sympathetically. Nova continued, "Oh, by the way, I left your book at home again. Remind me to bring it tomorrow."

"You can keep it. It's just a novel."

"But it's your favorite novel," Nova insisted. "I'll return it tomorrow."

"Students!" A booming voice interrupted the girls, causing them to turn and see Mr. Thompson, the strict Discipline Master of the Academy.

Without hesitation, the girls darted away, fully aware they weren't supposed to be in the hallway after the break.

"Stop right there!" Mr. Thompson's voice echoed behind them, but they ignored him and ran in opposite directions.

Grace collided with a person along the way. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry." She apologized immediately but froze when she realized she had bumped into none other than Bradley Archer, the school's attractive and enigmatic teacher.

To her surprise, Mr. Bradley didn't even say a thing as he bent down and picked up his pen from the floor. He wore a somber expression today unlike most days when he'd worn a stoic face, and he looked as though his mind was carried away.

Mr. Bradley Archer was an intern teacher who taught Biology, and while Grace was an art student who had nothing to do with Biology, she'd still noticed some strange things about him which his students might not have. Like the way he always wore long sleeves, even in different seasons. In all four seasons, he never exposed his arms.

Sometimes he would show up in school with a broken lip, and other times with a plaster to cover his bruises. Sometimes to mask her curiosity, she would choose to believe the rumor going around that perhaps Mr. Bradley worked part-time as a boxer.

The young teacher was so popular among the girls for his notable hot features which were his athletic body, tanned skin, curly dark hair, bony cheeks, and blue eyes which she found quite alluring most of the time.

Even though Grace was bad at measuring heights, she could guess he might be around six feet tall. Though she wondered why he didn't spare her a glance before he walked away briskly. It was unusual because she was so used to getting male attention and was aware of her own beauty. But anyway, that was Mr. Bradley Archer. Certainly not a normal guy.

Grace shrugged and proceeded towards the long hallway which would lead to her classroom. In her mind, she scolded herself for being unable to stop replaying the scene of her chest bumping against the man. As she looked up ahead of her, she saw Mr. Thompson coming at her once again.

Grace ran in the opposite direction and somehow, her legs ended up leading her straight into the male restroom and in front of Mr. Bradley, who was in the middle of doing something. Though he was quick to pull up his pants and hide the cigarettes in his hand even after she'd seen it.

"Mr. Bradley, I'm so sorry." Grace apologized, clearly embarrassed. "Please don't mind me. I'm not here on purpose."

"Then perhaps you should take your leave now." Mr. Bradley said as he pointed at the door, equally embarrassed that his student might've seen something on him which wasn't supposed to be seen. Actually, that wasn't even a possibility. He was sure that she had seen his manhood as her flushed cheeks said it all.

"In a minute, please." Grace pleaded. "Let me stay until... " She glanced over at the door but she couldn't bring the words out of her mouth. "Anyway, did I just see a cigarette in your hand, Mr. Bradley?" She thought of changing the subject to buy herself some more time until it was safe to leave.

"Shhh!" Mr. Bradley signaled. "You must not be loud."

"Rule101, I know." Grace grinned at the Biology teacher, wanting to press her advantage. "And you're an intern teacher, Mr. Bradley. Imagine what it would be like if words about you smoking in the bathroom got out."

She was teasing the young teacher; that much was obvious. But to her surprise, Mr. Bradley's expression quickly turned very dark and serious. "Rule 117. On no circumstance is a girl allowed to enter the Male restroom. Two weeks detention?" He rubbed his chin with an eyebrow cocked up. "Well, I need not to mention the part about how shameful the news would sound. I know you're a smart girl, Miss McCullen, which means your parents will be highly disappointed in you."

"Mr Bradley, I promise you I only said that to tease you. I did not see anything at all," Grace said reassuringly but also shocked to know that he knew her name. "The Discipline Master might be out there, what do I do? I can't go back out there; the punishment is going to be doubled if he sees me coming out of the Male restroom—"

Before Grace could finish, Mr Bradley had grabbed her and shoved her into one of the toilets, almost slamming the door in her face. Not a few seconds later, Grace heard the main door flung open. Mr. Thompson's voice echoed, asking Mr. Bradley if a female student might have entered the restroom. Mr. Bradley's response seemed convincing, and after a tense wait, the voices faded.

"You can come out," Mr. Bradley's voice said, and Grace cautiously stuck her head out to ensure she was safe before finally reemerging.

"I can't thank you enough, Sir. You saved my life."

"Go back to class," the Biology teacher dismissed without looking at her face.

As Grace walked out of the restroom and turned the hallway corner, Mr. Bradley followed. But as they both looked ahead, it was already too late. Mr. Thompson stood at the near end of the hallway, arms folded, as though he'd been waiting a long time for them to emerge.