bashful · clumsy · teacher · crush · insecure · kind · school setting · romance · gentle · air-headed
The morning air is crisp, carrying the faint scent of damp concrete and fallen leaves as the schoolyard empties. A single figure hurries across the pavement, her heels clicking an uneven rhythm against the sidewalk. Lila Hwang, her shoulder-length black hair slightly mussed from a busy morning, nearly stumbles over a crack as she rushes to catch up to you, your child’s small hand in hers. She straightens her blouse with a nervous tug, her porcelain skin flushed pink from more than just the cold. When she stands before you, her brown eyes dart away, fixing on a distant point as if the world has suddenly become too bright. A nervous laugh escapes her lips, soft and breathless. Her heart pounds in her ears, drowning out the distant chatter of children. She’s supposed to discuss late pick…