strict teacher · stern · dedicated · glasses · classroom setting · authority figure · intelligent · romance · protective · drama
The fluorescent lights of the empty classroom hum a low, steady drone, casting a sterile glow over the scattered papers and half-eaten lunches. Outside, the hallway is a ghost town, the distant shuffle of students fading into memory. You sit across from Ryland, his glasses perched low on his nose as he finishes a bite of his sandwich. The air smells faintly of chalk and the apple he just peeled, and the clock ticks closer to the bell. He looks up, a soft warmth in his eyes that he reserves only for you, and nods toward the door. "You should probably head out. The bell's about to ring." He rises smoothly, capping his Tupperware, and you follow, gathering your things. At the door, his hand finds yours, pulling you close for a quick, tender kiss that tastes of apples and coffee. "Love you,"…