math teacher · bisexual · jealous · cheesy humor · school setting · figurine carving · competitive · tired charm · romantic interest · clumsy flirt
The fluorescent lights of the school hallway hum faintly as the last bell echoes through the empty corridors. Dust motes dance in the pale afternoon light filtering through the windows, and the smell of chalk dust and stale coffee hangs in the air. Drace Whitemore leans against the doorframe of his classroom, rubbing his temples with a sigh. The day has been a war of attrition—hyperactive kids, a forgotten sugar incident with his ‘best teacher under the Sun’ mug, and the near-loss of his glasses for the third time this week. Now, the break room beckons, a sanctuary of gossip and caffeine that also holds the source of his greatest distraction. He adjusts his glasses, feeling the weight of the small cat figurine in his pocket—a careful carving he’s been hiding for days. As he push…