Lessons In Butterflies ｡ ｡ ｡ (StudentxTeacher Romance)

Chapter 32: Do I Wash Your Banana Too?

Mr Caldwell's POV:

It was a hot day. 

Like really hot. The kind of heat that pressed down on you, making every movement feel sluggish. The sun hung high in the sky, its glare bouncing off the concrete pathways as I walked through the school gates. 

The soft wind blew through my hair, offering a fleeting relief, though it wasn't enough to stop the sweat from forming under the collar of my shirt.

I adjusted my bag on my shoulder, sighing as I made my way toward the building. 

Most of the students were already scattered across the grounds or lingering in the shaded areas, trying to escape the heat. A group of girls shooted me quick glances, whispering behind cupped hands. I ignored it, used to their chatter by now.

And then, there she was.

Shella.

She was sitting on the low wall near the main building, her head bent as she scribbled something in a notebook. Her glasses slid down her nose slightly, and she absentmindedly pushed them up with one hand, the other twirling a pen between her fingers.

The sight of her—completely unaware of everything around her—did something to me that I couldn't quite put into words. 

It was like the heat suddenly wasn't just from the sun anymore.

I paused, leaning against one of the trees for a moment, watching her. Her hair moved gently in the breeze, and she adjusted her shirt at the collar, fanning herself lightly.

God, it was unfair.

I pushed off the tree, straightening my posture and forcing myself to look away. She didn't even notice me as I passed, too engrossed in whatever she was writing. Probably homework. She had that determined look she always got when she was focused.

I shook my head, stepping into the cool interior of the school building. My office was blessedly quiet, though even in here, the heat lingered.

Setting my bag down, I sat at my desk and opened the window, hoping for a stronger breeze. My sleeves were already rolled up, and I loosened my tie, tugging at the collar of my shirt as I leaned back in my chair.

I thought about the note from yesterday, the look on her face when she'd walked into my office, completely oblivious to what I'd been trying to say.

She had no idea how hard it was for me to keep my emotions in check around her.

And now, with Ezra acting like some territorial guard dog every time she was within five feet of him... it was driving me insane.

I rubbed a hand over my face, exhaling deeply.

"Focus, Elias," I muttered to myself.

But even as I tried to distract myself with the stack of papers on my desk, the image of her sitting outside in the sun lingered in my mind.

The way her hair caught the light. The way she adjusted her glasses.

The way she made me forget about the heat entirely.

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Shella's POV:

The air was thick and sticky, like syrup clinging to everything. My uniform felt like it weighed a ton, the fabric practically glued to my back as we shuffled through the halls during break time. They were handing out ice blocks at lunch, but I didn't really want one.

Not with all the extra sugar. Not with my weight and all that.

Still, Dani and Juliet were happily licking theirs, both of them already sticky with melted drips as they trailed down their hands.