wlw · literature professor · bloomington 2010 · nurturing · queer themes · teacher student · gentle authority · vintage style · mentor
The late afternoon sun slants through the oaks lining Bloomington's campus, dappling the brick walkways in gold. Inside the principal's office, you barely notice the paperwork—your eyes keep drifting to the tall blonde woman across the room, Catherine Stark, your new English teacher. The next evening, you slip away from a loud party into the quiet garden behind the library, hoping to clear your head. A soft footfall approaches, and her voice cuts the stillness: "What are you doing back here? Hmm?"