Beneath The Surface

6

Sophie

The morning sunlight streamed through the window as I got out of bed, the soft golden light warming the room. It was a little too early, but the quiet calm of the house seemed to wrap around me, making me feel grounded, as though I had a little time to prepare for the chaos that school always brought.

I stretched, the weight of yesterday's thoughts still lingering in the back of my mind. I couldn’t quite shake the image of Lawsons eyes—the way they lingered on me after I left her classroom. The conversation we’d had, her words still playing in my mind. It was strange. I wasn’t sure what to make of it, or of her. There was something more there—beneath her cool exterior, something raw, something real. But she never let it show. At least, not fully.

"Morning, sweetie," my mom’s voice called from downstairs, pulling me from my thoughts. "Breakfast is ready. You’ll be late if you don’t hurry."

I smiled, slipping on a sweater and heading downstairs to join my parents. They were already sitting at the table, my dad reading the newspaper as my mom put the final touches on my breakfast.

"Morning," I said, grabbing a seat.

"Good morning, darling," Mom said, setting a plate in front of me. "How’s school going? Any interesting projects you’re working on?"

I took a bite of my breakfast, the eggs warm and familiar. I had always liked mornings like this—simple, predictable. "It’s good," I said, though my mind wasn’t fully there. I couldn’t stop thinking about Cate. "I’m working on a few essays. You know, the usual."

Mom raised an eyebrow, sensing my distraction. "You don’t sound too convinced. Everything okay with your classes?"

I hesitated. "Yeah, everything’s fine. Just... I don’t know. There’s this teacher, Ms. Lawson. She’s kind of distant. I don’t know, she just seems... different. Hard to read, you know?"

My dad lowered his newspaper slightly, eyes focused on me. "A teacher who's hard to read, huh? Sounds like she’s trying to keep you all at arm's length. Doesn’t sound like a great teacher, to be honest."

I paused, considering his words. "No, she’s a good teacher. I just... I don't know. I feel like there’s more there, like she’s hiding something."

Mom’s gaze softened. "Well, teachers are human too, sweetie. They have their own struggles, their own lives. Maybe she’s just reserved. Some people are like that."

"Yeah," I said, though I wasn’t convinced. It felt like Cate was more than just reserved. There was a wall around her, one I couldn't quite get past.

The conversation drifted to other things after that, and before I knew it, I was grabbing my bag and heading out the door to school.

School seemed to drag on, though it was no different than usual. I found myself looking at the clock more often than I should, waiting for the moment when I would be back in Cate’s classroom. When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day, I felt a strange urgency to get there.

As soon as I entered the classroom, I spotted her—Ms. Lawson, standing by her desk, as composed and poised as always. But there was something different in the way she was looking at me today, something that made my pulse quicken, even if I couldn’t put my finger on it.

I made my way to the front of the room, gathering my things slowly, making sure she noticed my hesitation.

"Sophie," her voice was cool, as it always was. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"

I nodded and walked to her desk, my heart beating a little faster now. Something in the air between us felt charged, as if there were unspoken words hanging in the space between us.