𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓻𝔂❤︎

Chapter 2

Ah seventh period. The best part of her day and Mr. Le the best person welll.... you get it.

The classroom was buzzing with activity by the time she walked in. Beakers and test tubes lined the counters, and students chatted as they set up for the lab experiment of the day. She took her usual seat in the back, quietly unpacking her notebook and waiting for the class to settle down.

Mr. Le stood at the front of the room, as always, his dark clothes blending into the shadows. His mask covered the lower half of his face, but his eyes gleamed behind his glasses. She couldn't help but watch him, the way he moved with a calm that never seemed to waver, even as chaos erupted around him.

"Alright, settle down," Mr. Le said, his voice cutting through the noise with a practiced ease. "I'm going to assume most of you didn't bother reading the chapter last night, so I'll spare you the embarrassment of asking for a show of hands."

A few students snickered, but most were used to his dry humor by now. She smirked, already knowing where this was going. Mr. Le had a particular way of addressing the class-straightforward, sharp, and with just enough sarcasm to keep people on their toes.

Harvey, who always sat near the front, raised his hand, smirking. "Actually, Mr. Le, I did read the chapter."

"Harvey," Mr. Le began, crossing his arms as he turned toward him. "Your enthusiasm is admirable, but let's be honest- none of us believe that."

The class chuckled, and Harvey rolled his eyes, clearly used to being Mr. Le's target for sarcastic jabs. He was one of those kids who didn't mind being in the spotlight, even if it meant being on the receiving end of a joke.

"I'm serious!" Harvey protested, grinning. "Ask me anything."

Mr. Le tapped a finger against his mask, pretending to think deeply. "Alright, Harvey, let's test your knowledge. Explain to the class the difference between ionic and covalent bonds."

Harvey hesitated for just a second, and Mr. Le pounced.

"That's what I thought," Mr. Le said smoothly. "Next time, try reading beyond the table of contents, yeah?"

Harvey laughed along with the class, clearly not taking it to heart. She watched the exchange with a quiet fascination. Mr. Le had this way of engaging with students that was both biting and oddly endearing. He never raised his voice, and never truly insulted anyone, but his sarcasm kept everyone on their toes, especially Harvey.

As the lesson went on, Mr. Le walked them through the day's experiment, explaining the process with his usual precision. She focused on the board, jotting down notes, but every now and then, her gaze drifted back to him.

It was strange, the way he could keep everyone's attention without trying too hard. The mask, the dark clothes, the glasses-it all added to the sense that he was keeping himself at a distance, that there was something more to him beneath the surface. And yet, there were moments, like when he bantered with Harvey, where he let a bit of personality slip through, just enough to remind them that he wasn't some distant figure but a real person.

Still, he remained a mystery to her, and maybe that's why she found herself watching him so closely. There was something about the way he carried himself that kept her curious, kept her coming back each day, waiting for those moments when he might reveal a little more. But for now, she was content to sit in the background, observing the subtle dance of sarcasm and science that played out in the space between them.