perfectly imperfect

03

Song: Personal; HRVY

The classroom was so deadly silent that when Mrs Allerton walked in, the sound of her plain black heels on the polished lino floor echoed like gunshots, and we all jumped slightly in our harsh puke coloured seats. When the sound of her heels stops I glance up to see that she is standing next to the teacher's desk in the front of the classroom.

'Class, why are you all so silent for once? SPEAK UP WHEN I TELL YOU TOO!' Her stern face peeks out from beneath the wispy bits of steel grey hair that have escaped from her uptight bun and she manages to glare at us with as much venom as she can muster (which is a lot for a ninety-two year old).

Mrs Allerton is feared around the school. Her wrinkly features and piercing grey eyes that are hardly hidden by the wiry glasses she wears every day make students cower at her feet. Usually, old teachers are blow overs that don't care whether or not work gets done, or at most their scary faces usually make kids laugh rather than cry. This is definitely not the case with Mrs Allerton. She has been around for so long that even my dad claims to have been taught by her in eighth-grade English when even then she was just as scary, but a little less wrinkly. It's safe to say that her demeanour has not softened over time at all.

'I said speak!' Her intimidating glare is slowly withering us in our seats and I can see Scarlett slump down further next to me. She's not the only one, even our class clown Eddie is silent.

'Sorry Miss, I think they were just surprised to see me. I'm new and my name's Aiden Cooper.' The new guy just spoke, and I'm pretty sure he has the hottest voice ever. Its a mix of honey and huskiness, and I think I just died right then and there. I can see Scarlett perk up a little bit more next to me with every word that comes out of his mouth and I can't help thinking that I'm probably doing the same thing.

That's embarrassing.

'Alright, well then. Find a seat. And make it quick!' If I was under the illusion that she would treat Aiden better than she treats the rest of us, well I was severely mistaken. In fact, it almost seemed like she was glaring at him more than she would usually glare at the rest of the class.

Interesting.

'Miss I-'

'Did I say you could speak? No, I said you could find a seat!' Aiden's face is downturned as he shuffles past me to the last empty seat at the back of the classroom, and I can't help but think that it makes him look very cute and a little bit innocent. But looks can be deceiving.

'Now class, get out your copy of a Midsummer Night's Dream and start reading from where you left off yesterday.' She walks to the very front of the classroom and sits at her desk with a Midsummer NIght's Dream. She is also the type of teacher that is always doing something related to classwork, even when she doesn't have to.

This instruction is processed as 'Now class, get out your copy of a Midsummer Night's Dream and pretend to start reading from where you left off yesterday, while you actually talk quietly with your friends in order to not get into trouble.' Of course, Scarlett and I also translate it like this. So, when the soft whispers from the back of the classroom where the populars are sitting start, we too start a conversation. I think you can guess the topic.

'He's soooo hot! I know this is probably just a coincidence, but didn't he look like the guy you described last night?' At this, Scarlett looks back quickly at Aiden to see where he is sitting and turns back to me with flushed pink cheeks. 'He totally just saw me looking, this is literally the most embarrassing thing ever.'

'Don't worry, he probably didn't notice. I saw that too though, how he looks like last night's guy. It's a freaky coincidence.' I can see Mrs Allerton becoming suspicious of the class' noisiness, so I tone it down a little bit. 'I can't wait for lunch, the girls are going to freak.'