You are a student teacher at LHS Academy. You had just graduated and was starting to get the hang of things. You lived on campus since the academy provided dormitory for the students and teachers who weren't married.
You were running late today since you had overslept. You were paired up with a rather strict chemistry teacher. Alec Lansings was a person you considered uptight and a perfectionist. When you were paired up with him, the first thing he ever said to you was,
"You look unprofessional." You are a somewhat relaxed person. You dressed appropriate to your age group and acted more like a friend to the students than a teacher. Being a friend to students was more helpful to them as they felt more comfortable and was able to ask you questions more freely.
Alec disagreed always saying that students come to school to learn and not make friends. You two were always at odds with one another. You had entered the class and see Alec writing on the whiteboard.
"A teacher shouldn't be late, Ms L/n," he says never taking his eyes off the whiteboard. You apologize and start grading work. Since your teaching methods were so different, Alec kept you to grading the assignments instead. You have talked to him about it, but he always ignored you. The class had ended thirty minutes later, and you were prepping documents for the next class.
Alec was always particular about how things were done, and while you were organizing, he looked at you.
"You finally know how to do things properly." He would always make comments like this, but you always smiled.
"I know right?" You say with a smile. You would be lying if you said it didn't hurt, but he was your superior still. The next set of students came in and one rushed up to you.
"Ms L/n," she says frantically. "I forgot my notebook in my dorm. If you can excuse me real quick to go get it." You were going to say something when Alec comes to you two.
"You shouldn't have forgotten in the first place. Sit down and do your work on a loose leaf." The student groans and you give a pitying glance. You found his strict behavior annoying. You confronted him about it.
"Why are you like this?"
"Like what?"
"I see the look on your students. None of them is happy seeing you at all."
"My job is to teach them not be their friend. I think you should learn that as well."
"What is wrong with my methods?" You challenge him.
"You are too loose. You treat this all like some little game. I am surprised you even got a job here."
"Well, I apologize if I am not some stick in the mud like you. I'm telling you this because I know from personal experience that if you listen to your students, they will listen to you as well."
"Or abuse that power. I understand where you are coming from, but my way of teaching has so far been successful." You were going to say something, but the break was over. Conversations like this continued until Friday.
The teachers had all decided to go for a drinking party, and you were invited. Alec also came along partly because some older teachers made him. You were drinking when a teacher asked you.
"Have you considered switching teachers F/n." This was a topic that had been dwelling on your mind for some time. You were always given the opportunity to switch which teacher to shadow, but you stuck to Alec as you were hoping to get him to see things your way.
"I hope she does." You turn and see Alec. His face is slightly red, and you could tell he was tipsy. "The girl is so annoying." Alec goes on listing all his complaints. Some of the teachers laugh while others try to get him to shut up and comfort you.
"Excuse me," you say quietly as you get up and walk outside. You and Alec were at odds, but you didn't hate him. You thought he was okay with you but tonight goes to show he never liked you. You were going to be helping another teacher.
During your free time the next day, you send an email to the principal and is given permission to switch the teacher you were to be assisting. You would be assisting another teacher you were relatively close with. Alec was also informed of your switch and was happy with it, at first. He thought he was free of your constant nagging and you challenging his views.
His students had noticed you left and were disappointed you were gone. The rumors had started he scared you off to another teacher and though the rumors weren't false, you didn't like them. You may not have liked Alec, but you didn't believe in bad mouthing others. You had confronted a group of students about it.
"But it is true isn't, Ms L/n?" one student says.
"That is true, but one shouldn't be speaking rudely of others especially when they aren't the ones involved. I don't want to hear about him scaring me away. Are we clear?"
"Yes Ms L/n," they say in unison. You smile at the students and go to your next class. Alec was going to his classroom when he overheard you. He didn't care about the rumors since his position allowed him not to care, but he was surprised to know you would defend him. He knows he was rather mean to you, and he knew he crossed the line that night. An apology would suffice he thought.
The school day was over, and you were heading back to your room when Alec stopped you.
"Is there a problem?" You ask.
"Not exactly," he says. "I would like to apologize for my actions that night. It was uncalled for, and I apologize if they hurt your feelings."
"It's fine. It is in the past. Hopefully, now that we are separated, we can get along better." You smile at him. He nods and you go. You two have found yourself on better terms now that you were separated. Other than the way you two taught, you actually had a lot more in common than you thought.
Alec was a reserved man so he came off as a cold stern man but in reality, he was nice. He did care for his students. He did take into consideration as to what his students did and helped them in his own unique way. You two found yourself becoming undeniably closer.
The two of you decided to go out for coffee. You were talking casually when he asked something you weren't expecting.
"Would like to be my partner in teaching for the next semester?" He asks. You look at him shocked, but you soon regain your composure.
"I will have to decline on that offer since I have a feeling, we will be at each other's throats."
"I understand," he says calmly. Alec thought he could tolerate you working with someone else, but he couldn't. Shortly after that, he began paying attention to you more closely. You would be more open to others and happy. You were more reserve with him on that front. He was jealous. He felt regret. If he was nicer to you, maybe you would have continued working with him.
Ever since then, Alec had been nicer to you. He was hoping that you would come to him on your own will and hopefully something even more. You noticed a change in his behavior as well but ignored it. You figured out what he was angling for. The school year was ending, and you were going to be an official teacher next year. You continued to do so until he confronted you about it.
"You know don't you F/n?" He asks.
"I do, but I must decline. Our teaching styles are too different," you replied.
"You think I am being nice to you because I want you to just be my assistant teacher," he says with a pained voice. "I don't know when and I don't know why F/n, but I fell for you. Because of this, everything is wrong. I am not teaching the same, I am not sleeping properly. Everything is out of order."
"So you want me to take responsibility for your own feelings?"
"Yes. I want you to take responsibility for what you had done to me."
"I must apologize Alec, but I have acted the same way I always have. I am not interested in you that way." You quickly left to avoid him. Since then, you tried your best to avoid him. You avoid going to gatherings and eat in your room whenever you could. You were the kind of person to cut off ties with people you felt would cause you more harm than good. Alec hated this. The fact you thought of him as harm hurt him.
It was then you started getting texts from him; constant streams of messages would flood through your phone. You had blocked his number shortly, but then letters would be left under your door as well. It was getting to the point where you were afraid to leave your room when school ended. The semester was ending, and summer is going to begin. You would be able to go back home to your family. You could send your resignation letter then and feel more at peace looking for another job.
On the night of the day school ended, you packed up and headed outside. It was near midnight, and most of the teachers were planning on leaving tomorrow or had already left. You had called a taxi and was waiting. While waiting a figure sneaks up behind you. Before you could scream, the figure covers your face with a cloth within seconds you are knocked out.
When you come to, you wake up in an unfamiliar room next to you is Alec who is smiling.
"You woke up," he says happily. Your body was too lethargic to move, and your mouth was dry. "If you are wondering about your resignation letter, I gave it to the school. No one will come looking for you. I also borrowed your phone to send a text to your parents saying you are going on a retreat for a bit." You shake your head back and forth as if saying it wouldn't work. At that, he begins to laugh. "It doesn't matter if it doesn't work. As long as I have you all to myself, I will do whatever I need be."
Edited by WrappedInABlanket