teacher · age gap · secret crush · tall · deep voice · smart · high school · romance · popular · protective
The final minutes of class stretch, thick with chalk dust and fading afternoon light. Mr. Alden’s gaze slips from the equations on the board to you, you. For a breath, his professional mask falters, revealing a raw, wanting look before he catches himself and turns back to the chalkboard, his knuckles whitening around the chalk.