"Next ti," he said, his voice a dangerous whisper, "ask . I’d hate to see my best teacher break her neck for a piece of paper."
Alina clutched the file against her chest, trying to calm the tremor in her hands. "Thank you... Principal."
Dante’s mouth curved in that half-smile that always felt more like a threat than a smile. He finally stepped back, but his eyes never left hers like he was marking every little crack she tried to hide.
"Anything else?" he asked, voice cool again but his gaze, that dark and mysterious stayed there, burning into her skin long after she turned and fled from his office.
***
Best teacher.
The words stuck in Alina’s head like a secret spark as she held the green file against her chest. When she finally left his office, her cheeks were still warm, her heart doing tiny flips in her chest.
Yay... yay!! she thought, pressing her lips together to hide her giddy grin as she walked down the quiet hallway. ans my job is sohow secure... at least for now. He called his best teacher!
It made her feel light on her feet — almost like she was floating just a bit above the floor.
When she reached her small house that evening, she dropped her bag by the door, let out a soft sigh, and went straight to freshen up. The warm water on her skin washed away the long day’s tiny troubles, but that shy, secret happiness stayed tucked right in her chest.
She slipped into her old, comfy pyjamas — the soft cotton ones with a faded pattern near the sleeves. She always wore them when she wanted to feel safe. She padded into her tiny kitchen and made herself sothing simple and warm — a steaming bowl of soup with a small piece of bread on the side. She ate slowly at her little table, the quiet night humming outside her window.
When her belly felt full, she gathered the green file from her bag, sat cross-legged on her bed, and started typing each parent’s number into her phone.
She scrolled through her contacts, her thumbs tapping carefully on the screen until every na was there. Then she paused, bit her lip, and typed out the group na with a shy little smile: "Class D Baby Parents"
She giggled softly at the na, hugging her phone to her chest for a mont. Perfect, she thought, already imagining how proud the parents would be when they got updates about their little monsters.
When she finally set her phone on her pillow, she sank into her blanket, pulling it up to her chin. Her eyes fluttered shut, tired but content, her heart still dancing at the mory of that deep, quiet voice calling her his best teacher.
Please stay secure... please stay safe, she whispered in her mind before sleep pulled her under.
The next morning, soft sunlight peeked through Alina’s thin curtains, waking her up gently. She lay there for a mont, still wrapped in her blanket, her hair a sleepy ss around her face. She stretched her arms above her head, letting out a tiny sigh.
Ti to get ready, she thought, rolling out of bed and slipping into her slippers. She padded into the small bathroom, washed her face, and brushed out her hair until it fell soft and neat again. She slipped into her favorite comfortable skirt and blouse, feeling ready to face her busy day with her babies.
As she poured herself a cup of coffee, she picked up her phone and nearly choked on her first sip when she saw all the notifications lighting up her screen.
Class D Baby Parents —47 new ssages.
Her eyes went wide. So many already?! she thought, her thumb hovering over the group chat. She tapped it open, blinking at the flood of sweet greetings and tiny questions.
Most parents had sent short, polite ssages.
"Thank you, Teacher Alina."
"Our baby likes you so much!"
But then one parent’s na popped up again and again, in big bubbly ssages that practically bounced off the screen.
Aine (Felix’s Mom): Hello teacher, I am Felix’s mom! Goddess of Mischief!
Alina stared at her phone, lips twitching in a smile. Goddess of Mischief? That explains a lot about Felix personality...
A second ssage popped up right away:
Aine: Did Felix cause trouble in class yesterday? Please tell everything. Did he make up stories again? Did he brag about being handso?
Alina giggled into her coffee, nearly spilling it on her pyjamas. She typed back carefully:
Alina: Good morning, Miss Aine. Felix was very clever in class. He did say his howork was eaten by you... turned into a pastry, I think?
Almost instantly, three new ssages popped up.
Aine: WAH! He told you that story again! He always says I eat his howork! I only ate it ONCE.
Aine: But it was delicious.
Aine: If he lies again, Teacher, pull his ear! Not too hard, just enough. My little fox needs discipline or he’ll grow another tail.
Alina burst into soft giggles, hiding her face behind her mug. So she really is the Goddess of Mischief, she thought.
She’s so funny and really knows how to joke.
She typed back with a tiny smile:
Alina: Understood. I’ll keep him in line, don’t worry. Have a lovely day, Miss Aine.
Aine’s last reply made her snort out loud.
Aine: Good! If he’s naughty, send him ho with more howork! That’s the worst punishnt!
***
She finished her coffee, grabbed her bag, and stepped out the door.
Her mind danced with a little daydream of what all the parents might be like. I can’t wait to et everyone. Each one must be so special, just like their babies.
Alina humd a soft tune under her breath as she walked down the hallway, her bag swinging lightly at her side. She stopped by the staffroom door, peeking in before stepping inside.
Gabriel was there, as usual — sitting with his long legs crossed, a fresh cup of tea in hand. He looked up when he saw her, his kind eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Good morning, Miss Alina," he greeted with that calm smile that always made her feel at ease. "You look brighter than usual today."
Alina gave a shy little laugh. "Oh, it’s nothing. I just had a good morning..." she said, her eyes drifting to his angelic face — so handso.
Alina left the staffroom with a warm smile after sharing a few words with Gabriel.
She walked down the hallway, humming again.
She pushed the door open with a soft click and froze.
Her eyes went wide. Her breath caught in her throat.
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