I love you, Mr. Cumberbatch

Chapter 1 - Awkwardness at First Sight

It's a new school year. Three hundred and sixty five days until I leave this place for university! Cambridge I hope, but they might not take me...

'Don't be so stupid, Diana, of course they won't except me' I mumble to myself.

Spotting my bestfriend Chloe on the grand staircase inside, I race up the stone steps. Thud! That would be my knees as they make contact with the cold stone. I crash onto the floor, my books flying everywhere. Dammit!

A pair of large, gentle hands gather my books carefully and stack them on the floor, before offering me a hand. I take it gratefully and stand up, finding myself staring into the most magnificent eyes of the most handsome man I'd ever seen. His hair was the colour of chocolate and his skin glowed flawlessly. He was rather tall, and thin, and he wore a white shirt underneath a dark blue suit that fitted him perfectly.

'Wouldn't want you getting hurt on your first day.' He smiles at me, and his skin creases around his eyes.

'Thanks for helping me.' I breathe and begin to walk away.

'Your books!' A low, husky voice calls after me.

'Huh?' I turn around.

'You forgot your books' he hands them to me with a laugh. I mutter thanks and scurry off, this time more quickly.

'Chloe! Hey!' I greet her with a big hug.

'Hi Diana. I saw you talking to Mr. Hunky over there.' She smirks.

'Oh shit Chloe! I've made a complete fool out of myself!' I moan.

'I know, I saw' She laughs, 'what's your first lesson?'

'Physics! Yes!' I exclaim, looking at my timetable.

'Awh, I have drama, I should get going. Bye!'

I say goodbye and make my way to physics. I'm the first to enter the classroom, so I sit right at the back, unnoticed. The rest of the class pour in, and finally the teacher.

'Morning, class. My name is Mr. Cumberbatch, and I will be teaching you physics this year!' I recognise the distinct voice of the dashing man I met on the stairs instantly, and look up.

'This term we will be looking-' Mr. Cumberbatch sees me and his voice falters and stutters 'um we-we will be lo-looking at the uh topic of Einstein's Theory of Relativity.'

He tears his eyes away from mine 'So, start me off, what do you know about Einstein's Theory of Relativity?' No one puts their hand up. Hesitantly, I raise my own.

His eyes light up 'Yes, miss- would you tell me your name, first?'

'Diana.' I take a deep breathe. I never put my hand up in class even my favourite subject, physics.

'I-I think that Einstien's Theory of Relativity is-well part of it is that if you got in a rocket ship, say, and accelerated, you could go what seems infinitely fast to you. You could travel to a star 100 light years away for lunch, and be back to Earth the same day. Except that when you get back to earth, everyone will have aged 200 years. From their perspective, you were traveling very close to the speed of light and it take 200 years for light to get to that star and back. But to you, it was only a day. Your aging slowed down because you move forward through time faster. You start out accelerating in space but as you gain speed you start accelerating through time instead. You can only move at the speed of light in space, but can move infinitely fast through time.'

The class is silent, and I begin to wander if I have got it wrong.

'Wow, Diana, in all my time teaching, I have never had a student get it right first time!' He stares in awe at me, and I blush.

The rest of the lesson goes very quickly, and I catch him staring at me multiple times.

When the bell goes, he asks me to stay behind.

'How did you know all that? I'm rather impressed.'

'I-uh read it. In a book.' I stammer.

'What book was that?' He inquires.

'A Brief History of Time. By Stephen Hawking.' I reply.

'You've read that? Wow! And you understood it?'

'Some of it, yes'

' I am very impressed. Okay, your free to go. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow,' he smiles and I can't help but smile back.

'He is so gorgeous!' I whisper to myself.