Love At First Spike (GirlxGirl) (TeacherxStudent)

7

Thursday rolled around, with no volleyball training, leaving school feeling more mundane than ever. Miss Hart continued to pay me no mind, and honestly, I wasn't trying very hard to engage with her either. Well, I tried to not look at her too much, but who could resist? She was stunning, after all. Yet, beyond admiring her from afar, there wasn't much else happening.

In my last period with Mia, Mr. Thompson droned on about math, but I was too preoccupied with my own thoughts to pay attention. "I'm so bored," I complained inwardly, earning a chuckle from Mia beside me.

Mia nudged me, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "You're always bored in Thompson's class. Maybe you should pay attention for once, and you won't be stuck in this never-ending loop of boredom."

I rolled my eyes, knowing she was right but unwilling to admit it. "Yeah, yeah, but that's no fun. Besides, what's the point of paying attention when I could be thinking about more interesting things?"

Mia smirked. "Like what? Fantasizing about your next interaction with Miss Hart?"

I scoffed, feigning offense. "Hey, I don't know what you're talking about. Miss Hart is just my teacher, nothing more."

Mia raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Uh-huh, sure, Stace. Keep telling yourself that."

I sighed, knowing Mia wasn't going to let this go. "Fine, maybe I do think about her sometimes. But it's not like I can help it. She's just... intriguing, you know?"

"And, I've been trying to keep my distance, and I'm sure you know that," I sighed, leaning back in my seat. "But it looks like it doesn't affect her at all, so it bothers me."

Mia nodded sympathetically. "Well, that's why it's better for you to keep your distance now. She obviously doesn't care. It'll stop you from giving false hope."

I frowned, knowing Mia was right but still feeling a twinge of disappointment. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It's just frustrating, you know? I thought maybe if I backed off, she'd notice and... I don't know, maybe things would change."

Mia shrugged. "Sometimes things just aren't meant to change, Stace. And that's okay. You'll find someone who appreciates you for who you are."

The bell rang, signalling the end of the last class of the day.

"Wanna walk home together?" Mia asked, and I nodded in agreement. As we neared the exit, I spotted Miss Hart heading into the locker rooms. What was she doing there? I wondered, recalling last Thursday when she had also changed into her sports attire after school.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I made a quick decision. "Actually, Mia, I forgot I need to grab some textbooks from the library. See you tomorrow," I said hurriedly, concocting an excuse. Mia nodded, completely understanding, as I stealthily made my way towards the locker room

As I made my way to the locker room, a flurry of thoughts raced through my mind. "What are you doing, Stacey?" I scolded myself internally. "This is none of your business, and what happened to keeping your distance?" Despite the inner warnings, curiosity got the better of me, and I pressed on, determined to find out what Miss Hart was up to.

I peeked the door open, and there she was, already changed into her sports outfit. Miss Hart seemed to be stretching and warming up. Was she about to play volleyball by herself? I couldn't help but feel even more intrigued as I took a step closer, the door hitting the locker with a small metallic noise.

Miss Hart's gaze locked onto mine, her eyes narrowing slightly in surprise. I stood frozen, feeling like a deer caught in headlights as the door clicked shut behind me, enveloping us in a sudden quietude.