Lessons In Butterflies ｡ ｡ ｡ (StudentxTeacher Romance)

Chapter 40: You look Beautiful.

Shella's POV:

- Lunch - 

The cafeteria buzzed with the usual chaos of lunch, but I barely noticed. I poked at the sad excuse for a salad on my tray, fiddling with my hair as my thoughts spiralled.

Where was he?

I hadn't seen Mr. Caldwell all day, and it was driving me insane. Ever since I saw that note on the bathroom mirror, I'd been on edge. Butterflies danced relentlessly in my stomach, and my heart seemed to race at the thought of him.

Does he regret it? Is he avoiding me?

I tried to shake the thoughts away, but they clung to me, stubborn and persistent. My fingers twisted a strand of hair as I stared at my phone, debating whether I should do something drastic—like go to his office.

But the idea of showing up uninvited felt... risky. What if it's weird? What if he doesn't even want to see me?

Then my phone buzzed.

I nearly dropped it in my haste to grab it, my pulse quickening when I saw his name light up the screen.

Mr. Caldwell:
Come to the back stairwell near the gym.

My breath hitched. The back stairwell? Why there?

I glanced up to see Dani and Juliet deep in conversation, completely oblivious to me. Taking a deep breath, I pushed my chair back and stood up, muttering something about needing air. They barely noticed as I slinked away, my heart hammering as I made my way toward the gym.

The hallways were quiet as I walked, each step echoing loudly in my ears. By the time I reached the stairwell, my palms were clammy, and I felt like I might combust from anticipation.

I hesitated at the door, swallowing hard before pushing it open. The dimly lit stairwell greeted me, the faint hum of distant voices barely audible through the thick walls.

And then I saw him.

He was leaning against the wall at the bottom of the stairs, his arms crossed, looking as calm and composed as ever. But his eyes—when they flicked up to meet mine—were anything but calm. 

They burned with something that made my breath catch.

"Sweetheart," he said softly, his voice wrapping around me like a warm embrace.

I froze on the top step, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it.

"Come here," he added, his tone firm but gentle, and I couldn't stop myself from moving toward him.

I descended the stairs slowly, each step echoing in the silence. His eyes stayed locked on me, dark and intense, and I felt like I might melt under the weight of his gaze.

When I reached the bottom step, I hesitated. My heart raced, and my palms were damp. He didn't move, didn't say anything, just watched me with that unreadable expression that made my stomach flip.

"Hi," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Hi." His lips curled into the faintest smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

I fiddled with the hem of my shirt, unsure what to do next. The silence between us felt heavy, charged, and I couldn't tell if it was because I was nervous or because he was... whatever he was feeling.

"You've been avoiding me," he finally said, his voice low.

"What?" My eyes shot up to meet his, startled by the accusation.