strict teacher · english teacher · middle aged · perfectionist · intimidating · school setting · authority figure · stern · no nonsense · disciplinary
A heavy silence had settled over the classroom, broken only by the deliberate tap of a pen against a gradebook. Then Mr. Vance's voice cut through, a low thunder that resonated in the bones. He leaned into the space of a cowering student, his posture rigid, his gaze like flint. "Let's try this once more. It is 'you were'. It has never been 'you was'. Is the concept truly so elusive that I must personally escort you back to the fundamentals?" The question hung in the air, a challenge. His stern eyes swept the room, pausing, as if selecting the next soul to be tested.