Suddenly, You

one

Hi! I couldn't find direction with the story previously known as Hearts Don't Break Around Here, so I decided to scrap it and restart. I hope you don't mind..... I hope you fall in love with Tessa just as much as I have. Thank you in advance for being patient and supportive! <3
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Tessa

"Tessa?" I heard my name.

"Here." I called.

I looked at Ms. James and smiled.

She smiled at me, then continued through the roll call list.

We were working on a poetry piece for our portfolio. She challenged us to create a portfolio of our works that we will write throughout the year.

"Very nice work, Tessa." She spoke quietly as she set my paper down.

English was admittedly my best subject. It came easy to me.

This paper was over the novel Of Mice and Men. I smiled when I saw the high A grade written in red pen.

I glanced around me, then flipped through the pages to read her comments. She had written next to almost every paragraph I wrote with comments and questions. She's been very responsive with my work thus far in the year.

Satisfied, I slipped the paper into a protective sleeve in the half-inch binder I had designated for my portfolio.

The bell rang and I packed up my notebook and pen, leaving out my poetry piece.

I let students pass by me before I stood, because I planned to talk with Ms. James about my piece.

"Hey, seriously great work on that essay. It's the best one I've ever received." She smiled at me.

"Thank you." I smiled shyly, tucking hair behind my ear.

"What's up?" She asked as I came to a stop, standing at the edge of her desk.

"I've played around with it, but it's still not sounding completely right— like not how I wanted to." I held out my poem to her.

She gently took it from my fingers and read over it. A small smile played her lips as she read.

"No, it's really nice." She nodded, her focus still on the poem.

"But it's not perfect." I shook my head.

"Maybe try switching line two with nine." She suggested.

"That's the end of the poem." I was confused.

She extended my paper back to me and I read it as she suggested.

It worked.

It was perfect.

"Oh wow." I whispered.

"Sometimes mystery is good to hold until the end." Her plump lips closed into a soft smile.

"Thank you." I spoke quietly.