Acting Out [Student/Teacher, GxG]

This Brave Face Can Take A Beating

The shrill sound of my alarm was, for the first time in recent memory, not an unwelcome intrusion. I could feel the nagging of a mild hangover making itself known, but somehow I didn't mind all that much. I felt content. It was a strange feeling and certainly not something I was used to, but who was I to complain?

My coffee tasted less bitter that morning — Did I buy new grounds? — and I found myself smiling as I packed up my books and made my way out the door.

The traffic wasn't bad — or maybe it was, but it didn't bother me. God, Rowan, who are you?

I sauntered into class with an easy grin on my face and headed, not to my regular seat, but straight to the corner of the room where I knew I'd find the person I was looking for.

"Morning." I beamed, leaning into her desk like a child.

"Rowan." She replied, a question in her tone and an amused smirk on her lips. "I have to say, seeing that smile so early in the morning is a little bit disconcerting. Should I be worried the school might accidentally burn down?"

"Have a little faith, maybe I'm just having a good day." I paused before smirking mischievously, "And I'm not a pyro; if I wanted this place gone I'd just hit them with a lawsuit."

She laughed genuinely, raucous and sudden, and I felt my heart swell. Maybe we weren't friends, but this was something — and maybe I was just drunk on a good night's sleep and a perfect cup of coffee, but right now it was enough.

"You're terrifying."

I rifled through my purse for a moment and pulled out the paper I'd planned to use as an excuse for why I'd come up to see her if she gave me the cold shoulder yet again. To be fair, it was due, but I probably could've just emailed it in like everyone else. I slid it onto her desk and shot her a devious look. "I guess you'd better keep that in mind."

"You should know, thinly-veiled threats will get you nowhere with me." She teased, tossing the essay into the box at the front of her desk.

"What about flattery?"

"That'll get you even less."

"Well then lucky for me, my compliments are always from the heart." I was getting into dangerous territory and I knew it. She didn't seem to mind, but I definitely needed to stop while I was ahead. I took one last look at her and turned, spotting Caleb sitting next to my open seat. Ah, fuck it.

I spun back around, and met the gaze that had obviously been lingering. "And Miss Lane?"

"Yeah?" I could see her shifting in her seat, and I wondered, not for the first time, why she seemed to get so agitated when I said her name.

"You look really pretty today." Her eyes widened, lips parting slightly, and I took my leave before she had a chance to reply. I had no idea what had possessed me to say it, but I didn't necessarily regret it. Was I flirting with her? Maybe I just wanted the rest of the class, who thus far had tried and failed to get any emotional reaction other than vague annoyance out of the ever-so-composed woman, to know that I was ahead of the game. Yeah, the latter sounded way more like something I'd do. Always the shit-disturber. Judging by the sulky look on Caleb's face, he'd definitely been watching.

"What were you talking to Miss Lane about?" He prodded, clearly feigning disinterest.

"My paper." I replied casually as I busied myself getting situated at my desk. "She didn't seem too impressed with my valiant attempt at threatening her into giving me a passing grade so I should probably just pack up my shit now and get ready to move back to The States." I dropped my binder and textbook on the wooden desk, the resulting thud causing the several occupants of our row to shoot dirty looks in my direction.