Teacher Attachment

Staying Professional?

Lizzie POV:
     The birds chirp outside my home as my alarm sounds at 5 a.m. I groan as I'm ripped from my dreams and I contemplate just crawling back to sleep before I remember I get to see Juliana and need to speak to the counselor. I feel a smile crawl its way onto my face as I think of Jules and feel butterflies flutter in my stomach as the indent of her lips haunts my cheek.

     "Stop, no. No. I can't do this. I need to stay professional." I scold myself in my head, for the thousandth time. Nothing about her makes "staying professional" easy by any means and every sense of mine is clouded when she's around, but I can not even think about liking her. "She's my student after all. Of course I don't have a crush on her. That would be insanity."

     After doing some yoga to try and distract myself I take a shower and change into the closely thought-out outfit that I planned the night before. I managed to convince myself it was completely fine to put effort into my appearance and that it was not for anyone, especially not Jules, even though she was the one who had sent me in the outfit spiral. My outfit included dark gray jeans, a black buttoned shirt, and black boots. Smiling at my reflection in the mirror, I make my way to the front door to leave. ____________

     "Good morning," I say, knocking on the open counselor door.

     "Good morning, Ms. Olsen. You look very dazzling, anything special?" Ms. Escobedo asks, looking up from her computer screen.

     I slightly blush at the compliment and immediately think of Jules as the response but I convince myself once more that this isn't in any way for Jules. "No, nothing special," I say, composing my thoughts. "I do have a question though." I sit down in the chair in front of her desk as she nods and turns her head to me, giving me her full attention. "Well, I have a student and she is just amazing- academically and individually- and she came to me with questions about college and I've been helping her out but obviously we both can't stay after school for too long and I wouldn't expect the poor girl to come in super early before school," I say almost mechanically having spent the night before practicing as I tried on different clothes, "And I know, I know, it's best not to take students out of there class but... I was wondering if I could have a study hall with her during her fifth period to help her with college. And seeing as she has Ms. Lopez, who's out, and I have a free period I thought it'd be ok." I smile shyly and cross my fingers out of sight.

     "Yeah, that's ok!" She exclaims happily. "What's her name? I'll change her schedule for now to be your T.A. and once Ms. Lopez is back or once you're done I'll switch her back."

     I contract against the muscles in my face trying to produce a huge smile on my face. "Uh- her name is Juliana. Juliana Willows, she's a senior."

     "Oh, yes I know her. She's a really sweet pretty girl," Ms. Escobedo smiles and nods her head, clicking away at her computer. "Wow, her grades are spectacular. Okay, let me just... and done." She smiles at me, "You let me know how it goes."

     "Thank you so much, Ms. Escobedo!" I say happily feeling like I've saved my darling Juliana. "I'll let her know about the change when I see her so you don't have too."

     "Ok, thank you Elizabeth. I hope-"

     My phone began to ring, cutting her off. "Oh, I'm so sorry." I look down at my phone to see who it could possibly be.

Incoming call from My Love

     I feel my face goes red the second I remember who the name belongs to and the fact that I've just discussed her with the counselor. "I'm sorry, I have to take this." I excuse myself from the room and wave to her as I close the door behind me.

     "Hello?" I whisper looking around the hallway after taking a few steps away from the room I was just in.

     "Good morning!" I hear a happy Jules sing to me, a smile breaking out onto my face. "I'm at Tierra Mia, do you want something to drink or something to eat?"

     "Did you seriously call me just to ask me if I wanted something from Tierra Mia?" I smile at the cute gesture. Having forgotten to have eaten breakfast because my mind was who knows where, I was definitely up for the offer.

     "Yes? Hey, you told me I could call you if I need you and I need you to tell me what you want."

     I can hear the smile on her face in the way she spoke. "Ok ok," I admit in defeat. "Can you get me a chocolate chip muffin and a water bottle?"

     "Ok, is that it? You don't want a coffee or anything?" She asks as I hear her zip up what I believe to be her backpack.

     "No, I'm ok, love. Thank you." I responded, making a mental note to pay her back.

     "Hey are you at school? Have you talked to Ms. Escobedo yet?"

     "Yeah," I say, remembering where I am. "I di-" Before I can continue I see Mr. Holloway entered through the school door. "Hold on," I say, moving my phone away from my ear.

     "Good morning," he says, making eye contact with me.

     "Mr. Holloway," I say nodding my head to him, not being very pleased to see the wretched man. Before either one of us can say anything Ms. Escobedo comes out of her office and calls him over to her. Not wanting to continue my call in a hearing distance I take a few more steps away from them. "Ok, I'm back. She switched you out of fifth period and your my TA till Ms. Lopez comes back."

     I hear a happy squeal from the other side and laugh quietly at how adorable my Julianan is. "Oh my god! Are you serious?! I'm so happy stop," she shouts at me from the other end. I look around as I hear her exclaim a few more times how joyful she was. My eyes landing upon the pair I had stepped away from, I see as Mr. Holloway's eyebrows twitch while he fakes a smile. Ms. Escobedo, oblivious to his anger, smiles at him before walking back into her office. Knowing that he's just been given the information on Juliana's schedule, I watch as he angrily shakes his head before his eyes land on me.

     "Ok, I'm done saying how happy I am. But I am very very happy."

     "You and me both love," I tell Jules, deviously grinning back at Mr. Holloway's cold eyes gave him a little wave.

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A/N: hii guys 😛 sorry i died lol my math teacher started giving us actual work and i started to loose it and i literally had a mental breakdown doing his homework bc that man doesn't even teach the class he just sits there 😒 but now he wants us to turn stuff in once class ends and he gives us hw and i'm like dawg ain't no way 😭 anyways that's my little rant hope you've all been safe ❤️‍🩹