Teacher's Pet || A Joseph Quinn AU

The Proposal

Her birthday, just like every year, was on Valentine's Day except this one was special. This one marked the year that she would become a legal adult at the age of eighteen. What sucked about it was the fact that she was still in school. A senior but trapped nonetheless. It was even worse because it was boarding school and though becoming a legal adult also came with a few more privileges than the underage students it wasn't much to party about either. Namely because she was not the type of student to take advantage of most of those things even if she was now allowed to. Mostly she had her nose buried in a book or her eyes glued to a computer screen because she was studying. She didn't bother herself with frivolous things like the others because she was on a mission to become top of her class, get into the best med school she could find and eventually end up as a doctor. Unlike the other kids who came from money she came from practically nothing and was only there based on her ability to play the violin. It had gotten her a scholarship, everything fully paid. Something that she'd never been able to dream of without a skill like that.

Her roommate, Gina, was her only friend which was very odd because they were complete opposites when it came to everything. Gina had a laid back attitude about studying and only did just enough work to make sure she barely passed her classes. Most of her time was spent partying, doing various drugs, and sneaking off campus when she got the chance. She also spent a lot of time in detention. Yet, despite the whole bad girl side of her she was loyal, friendly, and fun. If it weren't for Gina, then she wouldn't have socialized with many people at all (if any) due to how concerned she was with her studies. The only problem was that she also had to focus on her music, even now, with graduation so close on their heels. Part of the agreement of her being there was playing in the school orchestra which was seen as an honor to most even if she saw it far more as a chore at that point. Especially since she was first chair.

On the evening of her birthday, instead of having a party or going out on a date like normal people would do, she found herself practicing violin in an empty classroom in the music hall. There were isolated booths for this sort of thing but she had never liked them. The acoustics always seemed so wrong and that wasn't where she played when she performed. She played in giant auditoriums and music halls. She got a better idea of how she sounded practicing in a more open space and no one ever stopped her because she never did it when anyone could be bothered. She was currently working on her solo piece for the spring performance which she had chosen. Pachelbel Canon. Something that really should have been easy for her to play but it wasn't. Something was holding her back, not that she knew what. Maybe it was stress, maybe it was nerves, maybe it was just the fact that she was sick of playing the violin and hoping to never have to play it again once she got into med school. Whatever the case, she wasn't nearly as relaxed as she should have been while playing it and kept messing up.

Just as she was about to completely rage quit for the evening she heard something and looked up. It was Professor Quimby and he was leaning against the doorway watching her. She made a face because she really wasn't too keen on someone standing there to hear her making all the mistakes that she was making and she hated to be watched while practicing. She headed over to her violin case and opened it up, trying to ignore that he was there. Almost all the other girls fawned over how great he was, some of the guys too. She wouldn't have said he was unattractive but she didn't get the appeal either. Maybe it was because she didn't take drama class or needed to in order to meet her credits for the year. Being in music classes and playing in the school orchestra took care of that. He was dressed in what she usually saw him wearing, black blazer, black turtleneck, and black slacks. He was younger than a lot of the professors there but definitely not the youngest.

"Don't stop on my account." He said, "You were doing very well."

"No, I wasn't. You wouldn't say that if you knew anything about music, so maybe stick to drama. Sir." She said, trying not to sound as flippant and frustrated about it as she felt. He walked over to her and put a hand on her arm as she went to close her violin case.