Karen's POV

[Flashback]

"Miss Karen Hill!" someone yells.

My eyes shoot open as the hammer in my heart strikes. My bend body rises straight and I realize where I am. 

Shit! I just slept in class.

"Miss Hill, did you not get enough sleep last night?" Mr. Lightwood, our hot math teacher a.k.a my crush, asks.

My eyes blink a few times. "Sorry, Mr. Lightwood, I was...I just felt dizzy and passed out. I am really sorry." I apologize.

He walks over to me, slowly, with the book held in between his large hands, and about an eternity later, he stands in front of my table. This guy is so sexy; it should be illegal for him to teach in a school full of hormonal teenagers. And ironically, he teaches the best subject, Math. (Note the sarcasm.)

"You better not repeat this. But if you have any headache or dizziness, I will give you the pass, please go to the clinic," he suggests and I nod. "And I am not repeating what I taught again. If you want, come to my office during recess," he says and I nod again. He lingers there for a minute and then resumes teaching.

The breath I was holding is let out and I look over at Iris who mouths 'What happened?' and I spin my head to show her that I passed out.

I have no idea how, but I remember feeling like the whole room was spinning, and then everything went black. I dreamed about something though. But as dreams go, it made no sense. I was holding a glowing stone in my hand and as soon as I set it down, it turned bright blue. And it was the most beautiful blue I had ever seen.

But I never sleep in class. Even if I don't understand what is happening in the class, I never sleep. Iris is the one who mostly sleeps in class. She says it's a headache but god knows if she is just sleepy.

But the math period is another story. Even though I am always busy admiring my sexy teacher I always pay attention to his classes. And today I can go to his office. Just me and him, alone in that room.

My subconscious almost slaps me for being so dirty-minded. But Mr. Lightwood is not old. I think he's only twenty. I am sixteen. I don't even understand how he managed to get a job here.

Is it illegal to flirt with your teacher? I don't think so and I don't care.

I think Mr. Lightwood kinda knows my little crush on him, and sometimes it feels like he can read all the dirty thoughts that go through my head given the way he smirks at me.

But he is a great teacher. He is very kind and doesn't hesitate to explain a concept over and over again if a student does not understand it. He cares about his students and that's what makes me more attracted to him. And he is very committed to his job. He respects everyone and is one true gentleman. Even senior teachers at our school are very fond of the dude.

"What happened to you? Why did you sleep in class?" asks Iris once we get out of the class.

I shrug. "I don't know. I felt dizzy and then passed out. And no one even saw it." 

"It was kinda surprising, you know, you tease me for sleeping in class and today you got caught for sleeping." she giggles.

"But Mr. Lightwood told me to go to his office so that he can teach me the portions I missed. No other stupid distractions. Just me and him. How cool is that? Hannah will be so jealous." I rejoice.

"God, you're so dirty-minded. You've got your eyes on our goddamn teacher!" she scolds.

"Oh, come on! He is so hot! It'll be hard not to have a crush on him, duh!" I counter.

"But, he's our teacher," she argues.

"You tell me, it's not like you don't find him attractive."

"Oh please, I do find him super attractive. But he is our teacher. I mean, it's not wrong to have a crush on a teacher, you're not exactly wrong but..." she trails off.

"Iris, stay in one place," I tell, as pick my books from my locker.

"Yeah, you know what? Let's conclude here. Mr. Lightwood is super-hot and mouth-wateringly sexy and you are gonna say to him that you like him today, okay?" she concludes and I giggle.

"Very right." 

"But how do you even have the guts, girl? I mean I kinda like him but I am always nervous to talk to him although he is very gentle and then there is you," she says.

"Keep your eyes off my man. And when you like someone, you have to at least hit on him. I am sixteen and I don't even have a boyfriend." I say and she widens her eyes.

"You want Mr. Lightwood to be your boyfriend. That's freaking illegal, Karen!" she whisper-yells.

"What about after graduation? Then it's not illegal." I tell but Iris looks horrified. "Iris..... I really like him. Maybe he'll just lecture some moral values and shit but I really want to tell him." I

"You got the guts girl," she mumbles.

We go to the canteen to get our lunch and I finish my lunch quickly biding goodbye to Iris as I leave for Mr. Lightwood's office. She even wishes me luck. I see Kevin on the way to my locker and the guy smirks as he knows all my intentions in going to Mr. Lightwood's office. He asks me how Iris is and honestly I feel terrible for not being able to introduce them to each other. Kevin loves her so much and this shitty school won't hesitate to spread rumors about Iris being pregnant if they see her and Kevin together.

I pick up my books and make my way to Mr. Lightwood's office. I knock on the door and he tells me to come in,  his voice deep, hoarse that make my knees go weak.

"Take a seat," he says and I take one of the seats in front of his table but he stops me.

"Ms. Hill, I think you can sit here since it's just you and I and I don't want to put that distance between us," he says pulling a chair next to him. 

Holy Mother!

I nod and sit on the chair next to him. 

Shit, we are so close!

I put my books on the table, not making eye contact with him, even though I feel his eyes on me.

"What happened today?" he asks.

"I don't know. I felt like the room was spinning and then blacked out. No one even noticed." I shrug and he nods.

"I thought you found my class boring and fell asleep." he chuckles.

"I missed the last two days' portions and half of today's too. I was absent for the last couple of days." I say. It's better if I make the move slowly.

He explains what I missed and thankfully it's not too much. Math is a tough subject for me but for some reason I still like it and with a teacher like him, it's even better. He explains the topic part by part and I listen to every word. He explains the exercises and then, asks me to do them by myself too and I ace all of it.

I took a pass to skip the PE class to learn math and it's been around thirty minutes since I have been here. The whole session goes smoothly until I stumble upon one question.

I try to do it left and right but to no avail. After a lot of striking and trying repeatedly, I give up and show the problem to him who gladly takes it and begins working on it. A frown spreads across his fair face and his eyebrows are knitted in concentration as he works on the problem.

It is said that when you like someone, everything about them will be perfect for you. You will notice everything about them, copy their mannerisms, and can hardly bring yourself to lie to them.

I've liked this guy ever since the first day I saw him. Although I know it's not right to like your teacher, I decided that as long as it is in my head, it wouldn't cause any harm. I look at the way he moves, he speaks, he walks, everything.

"Karen...I've got it." he declares, looking at me triumphantly. I stare at him, a hand on my chin and he smiles again. "Karen, I have found the answer. Don't you want to see it?" he repeats softly but to my surprise, I shake my head. "No?" he asks and I shake my head again. He closes the book, stacks them at the corner of the table, and then turns to face me again.

"Then what do you want to do?" he asks.

"I don't want to study!" I whine looking down at my lap.

"What happened? Did studying bite you?" he asks.

"Bad joke, Mr. Lightwood!" I scowl and he chuckles.

"Let's do this, stop calling me Mr. Lightwood. Let's be friends, call me Peter," he says and I nod.

"Okay then, bad joke, Peter!" I say again and he laughs harder.

"Yeah, that's what my friends say every time I decide to crack a joke." he laughs.

"But have your friends told you that you are very beautiful?" I blurt out. 

Would he report me to the principal if I confess to him? That's just mean, right? Maybe he'll just lecture me on moral values and shit and tell me that it is bad to be attracted to a teacher.

His expression doesn't change as he looks at me.

"I have been called handsome but never beautiful," he says.

"Well, you are very beautiful."

"Thank you," he whispers.

The room is awfully quiet. The only sounds are our breathing and the muffled voices coming from outside.

"Mr. Li...Peter, can I tell you something?" I ask. 

Oh god, I am doing this. Please stay with me. Don't land me into trouble.

"Go on, dear!" he encourages. 

Dear? Really dude? You called me that because you really don't know what's coming.

I inhale. "I know that you're my teacher and everything and that I am not supposed to feel this way but...umm...I...I like you." 

***********

A/N: Ooooh! A sneak peek into what happened in Karen's life before Eponine. She's one little badass, isn't she? 

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