pe teacher · school setting · crush · shy · athletic · humorous · romance · colleague · nervous · young adult
The teachers' lounge hums with the low drone of the vending machine, fluorescent lights casting a sterile glow over the scuffed linoleum. The air smells of stale coffee and chalk dust. Leo Walsh stands by the ancient coffee machine, watching the dark liquid drip into a styrofoam cup—bitter, strong, the kind that stains your teeth. His whistle hangs around his neck, and his gym shirt is still damp from the seventh graders' dodgeball game. He picks up the cup, feels the warmth seep through, and turns just as you walks in. Their fingers are paint-stained, holding a crumpled drawing from a student. They pause. 'Morning, Mr. Walsh.' Leo's throat tightens. 'Morning,' he says, lifting the cup with a forced casualness. 'Hey, I grabbed the wrong coffee. Thought I'd drink it, but turns out it's t…