Love At First Spike (GirlxGirl) (TeacherxStudent)

2

As the week dragged on, Thursday crept closer, casting a shadow over my spirits. It was the most dreaded day of the week because we had no volleyball training. I missed volleyball every second of the day.

Classes had been a mixed bag – neither terrible nor fantastic. I managed to fly under Miss Hart's radar, which was a victory in itself. Despite Mia and I occasionally finding ourselves in trouble with various teachers, it was all part of the first-week chaos.

But on this particular Thursday morning, my peaceful slumber was rudely interrupted by the incessant buzzing of my alarm. Groaning, I blindly reached for my phone and fumbled to silence it, only to realize with a sinking feeling that it was the fifth time I'd hit snooze.

Before I could fully wake up, my mom's voice cut through the haze of sleep, calling out from downstairs with a mix of urgency and annoyance. "Stacey, you're going to be late for school if you don't get up now!"

Her words jolted me into action, and I scrambled out of bed, cursing my own laziness. As I hurriedly got dressed, my phone buzzed incessantly with messages from Mia. She was probably already waiting for me outside, having given up on my punctuality.

With a sigh of resignation, I grabbed my bag and dashed downstairs, mentally preparing myself for another frantic sprint to school. Today was definitely not off to a great start.

I hurriedly washed up, opting for a cute yet lazy outfit that required minimal effort. As I made my way downstairs, my mom greeted me with a cheerful "Good morning, sweetheart!"

"Morning, Mom," I replied with a half-hearted smile, still feeling the remnants of sleep clinging to me.

"So, how's school been going?" she asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee as she settled in at the kitchen table.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Eh, it's been alright," I answered, grabbing a granola bar from the pantry and taking a bite. "Just the usual first-week chaos."

My mom nodded understandingly, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes. "Well, try not to be too late today," she advised gently. "You don't want to start off the year with a habit of being tardy."

I flashed her a quick grin before darting out the door, my backpack slung over my shoulder. "Don't worry, Mom, I'll be fine!" I called back as I half-jogged my way to school, hoping to avoid the dreaded tardy bell.

But as luck would have it, just as I reached the door to my English class, the bell rang, taunting me with its ominous chime. I watched in dismay as the door swung shut in front of me, sealing my fate as officially late for class. Great way to start the day, Stacey.

I knocked on the door sheepishly, feeling the weight of Miss Hart's disappointment even before she opened it. As she approached, her gaze bore into me with a mix of disapproval and something else I couldn't quite place.

But as I stood there, offering my feeble apology, I couldn't help but truly look at her up and down. There was an undeniable allure about her today, with her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail and her outfit exuding confidence. It was as if she had an aura that drew me in, leaving me momentarily distracted from my tardiness.

"You're late," she deadpanned, her voice cutting through the air with a steely edge that snapped me back to reality. Her grey eyes seemed to bore into my soul, leaving me feeling exposed and vulnerable.

"I know, Coach," I replied with a hint of mischief in my voice.

"It's Miss Hart in class," I could see her brow twitch slightly, the smallest reaction betraying her annoyance, her tone firm and unwavering.

I couldn't resist a small quip, hoping to lighten the mood. "We're not technically in class right now," I joked, though her stern expression told me she wasn't amused.