A love against all odds (student/teacher) SAMPLE due to publishing

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

I was feeling much better now. I headed towards the lecture block where art lessons were usually held and entered the only existent art room. I still had Mr. Spencer in mind. I kept thinking about his beautiful face and how perfect it would be to draw it. I desperately needed to make a portrait of him before I forgot all the details, although I doubted that I would. I arrived in class and opened the door but there was no one in. Maybe it was still early, I thought. I took a seat in the front row and took out my things. There weren't usually a lot of students who took art, in fact, last year we were only five in class. I hoped this year we would be more. I looked worriedly around me, hoping I hadn't gone to the wrong room. I opened my drawing book and started to draw him, starting with his beautiful eyes. It wasn't easy to capture his gaze, intense but friendly at the same time. I then drew his aristocratic nose, so perfect it gave him a snobbish appearance. Finally, I started working on his perfectly sensual lips. I drew the outline and then began slowly filling the insides, doing some light shading at the center and enforcing the shade at the corners of his mouth. I was so intensely concentrated that I hadn't heard anyone coming in and when I heard his voice I nearly fainted.

"Hey you're really talented! It looks just like me".

I knew it was him but I was still taken by surprise. I couldn't look at him. What the hell was he doing here? Was he following me around or what? Nah, what was I thinking? I rose my head and looked at him.

"Mr. Spencer, what are you doing here?"

He did not respond. Instead, he took the pencil from my hand and started correcting my portrait. I tried to ignore the burning sensation I felt in my hand where he had touched me to get the pencil.

"There is just a small mistake here. If you look well at my lips you will notice that my lower lip is a little bit fuller."

Saying this he arranged it himself. I was still dazed by his presence. Had I come to the wrong class?

"Seems like we'll be seeing a lot of each other Cassy," he said as if reading my mind.

"I don't understand," I told him, still confused.

"Well, I will be teaching you art as well!"

"What?" I replied incredulously. I couldn't believe it.

"You don't seem too happy about it." he told me "I'm not that bad you know... another teacher would have given you a detention for what you said this morning."
Was he referring to the fact that I said he was as sexy as hell?

" I thought you found me attractive." he was openly smirking now.

"Are you trying to embarrass me again Mr. Spencer?" I told him indignantly. "I shouldn't have said that I know, but don't feel so honored about it. I might think that about other teachers too."

"Oh really? And do you usually go and tell them?" he asked me amused.

"No. I'm a good student. I would never get into trouble. I have good grades and usually, I'm the first of the class."

"Well here you'll be the first for sure," he told me, still smiling. 

"What do you mean?" I asked him. I still couldn't make sense of anything that was happening.

"You're my only student it seems," he told me laughing.

"What?" I was beginning to panic. How could I have three lessons a week alone with this man?

"Why? What happened to the others? Last year we were five!"

"Well according to Mr. Daniels, the twin boys changed school. Mary Wilson dropped the subject ..." he paused.

"And Nina is not coming for sure, she's pregnant." I finished for him.
I was stunned. How could I be the only student in the class? "Maybe I should drop the subject as well," I murmured.

"Why? You're good. It's not your fault that few people appreciate art nowadays. Mr. Daniels didn't bother to get a teacher for just one student and since I'm good at Art, he asked me to do him a favor." he explained.

"Oh, I see," I replied.

I was feeling uncomfortable. His gaze was having the same effect it had an hour earlier on me. I hadn't thought I was going to see him so soon. I hadn't recovered yet from the previous lesson. How could I concentrate on the lesson knowing he will be looking at me all the time?
"Is this why you were looking at me with so much interest this morning? Did you want to draw a portrait of me?"

"I wasn't looking at you," I said feeling my cheeks getting warmer again.

"Only bad girls lie and you're turning red again!"

How could he talk to me this way? I was getting irritated now.

"Enough!" I snapped. "You're my teacher and teachers shouldn't be talking to students in this manner. Just stop it, please. Why do you like embarrassing me so much?"

"Cause you're cuter when you're all red!" He said smiling. Cuter? Did that mean he liked me? Was this what he was saying? Or was he just fooling around? He was being arrogant, playing like that with me.

"Listen," I told him defiantly. "I don't know what other girls do when you enter the classroom but I'm not like that. Maybe you are used to girls pulling their hair and fainting when they see you. You like all that attention don't you? Well, I'm not one of those girls, and this morning I just made a remark which I now regret." I said tiredly. "And now please just stop it or I'll -"

"You what?" he interrupted me. "Go and report me? I'm not doing anything to you, Cassy. I was just remarking the truth. Anyway, I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, it's just that you remind me of my little sister."

His sister? I felt sick. I thought he was trying to flirt with me or something but apparently, he wasn't. I sat down and decided to remain silent.
"Aren't you going to talk to me again? I said I was sorry," he said looking at me with his beautiful blue eyes.

I couldn't resist giving him the silent treatment for much longer. "OK OK, let's just stop this and begin the lesson OK?" I said finally.

"Yes Miss" he laughed. Then he came near me.

"What are you doing?" I asked in a panicky tone.

"My lesson. I will show you how to shade properly and how to use the cross-hatching technique." He brought a seat next to mine and began to draw. I immediately realized he was very good but I still couldn't listen to what he was saying. I mean I was, but I couldn't understand a thing. How could I concentrate with his scent infusing my brain and his shoulder lightly brushing mine?

"Now you try."

I took the pencil and started shading but failed immediately in doing it right.
"No, not like that," he said patiently.

He grabbed my hand and began to lead it gently, making circular movements with my pencil. My heart began to beat fast. What was wrong with me? With Julian, I had never felt this way. Just by holding my hand, he was making me feel what I felt when I kissed Julian. I wondered what I would feel if he had to kiss me. Stop it! I slapped myself mentally.

"Are you OK?" he asked interrupting my mental fight.

" Ah, yes. Sure." I told him distractedly.

I looked at him thinking he was looking at the drawing book but it was a huge mistake. He was looking at me and for a moment our eyes locked. I immediately looked back down. He must have felt my discomfort since he stood up and returned to his desk.

"What shall I do now?"

"Draw something else with the technique I showed you. In the meantime, I'll do some corrections. When you're ready call me and I'll come back near you if it is OK with you."

For a moment I didn't respond. Had I made it that obvious that I was nearly shaking? He must have noticed.

"Yes of course sir."