Mrs. Parker

Chapter 3

A/N: I just wanted to thank you all for reading and for voting and commenting on this story.  This is a very long and pretty dramatic chapter but I intend to follow it up with a super fluffy chapter so enjoy and stick with it!(:

**DISCLAIMER- Mentions of violence & strong language**

Irene's POV

I watched as one of my students glanced toward the clock for the fourth time this class period…If only they knew how eager I was to leave too.  If there's one thing I've learned while teaching AP Lit is that it's not for everyone.  I find my students to be either incredibly interested or not at all.  Hannah was one of the ones who fell into the incredibly interested category.    

*Flashback*

She had never quite caught my attention-just another shy student who shuffled to the back of the classroom everyday- but that instantly changed as soon as I read her first essay.  She wrote brilliantly, challenging the reader and bringing up things that I had never even bothered to think about myself.  Instead of writing the usual comments, I asked her to see me after class about her paper.  The bell rang and all the students jumped up to leave except for Hannah.  She slowly gathered her books and papers and hesitantly made her way over to my desk.  

"You wanted to see me about my paper?" She said meekly.

"Yes, I did. Have a seat, please."

"Was there something wrong with it?" She mumbled as she sat in the desk directly in front of mine.  

"Actually, quite the opposite." I watched in amusement as her eyebrows knit together in confusion.  "Your paper was absolutely brilliant, Hannah.  I just wanted to tell you in person.  It was refreshing to read a paper that someone actually put time into…Honestly, I've grown quite sick of reading those bullshit essays kids put together just to get it over with." I said with a nervous laugh.  Hannah's brown eyes widened at my use of profanity but she quickly recovered and laughed with me.

"Well thank you Mrs. Parker. I, uh, put a lot of time into it." She said as she smiled and looked at the ground.  "More than I usually would have, honestly." She added while she cracked her knuckles. 

"You know, some would argue that cracking your knuckles is horrible for your health." I had told her in a joking tone. 

"Nervous habit."

"Do I make you nervous?" 

"Very much so." 

"Why is that?" I asked, genuinely intrigued.  Students usually felt comfortable enough with me to discuss a paper; sometimes even personal issues.

"Beautiful women make me nervous, I guess." She replied with a mischievous grin.  To say I was surprised would have been an understatement. Hannah quickly noticed this and started to ramble on and on.  "Oh god, that was weird. I'm so sorry.  It's just that you know I've kind of fancied you since day one and I always blew it off as admiration of your intelligence but you're talking to me right now and all I can think about is how beautiful you are and I'm just so sorry.  Oh my god, you probably think I'm such a creep now. It's just that you're so amazing…" I started to laugh in the middle of her rant.  "Now you're laughing at me. This is so horrible. Can the floor please just swallow me?"