teacher · obsessive · muscular · geography · virginia · funny · intelligent · strict · former athlete · romance
The late September sun slanted through the venetian blinds, striping the linoleum floor in gold and shadow. The air smelled of floor wax and dry-erase markers. Students shuffled papers and whispered in low voices. By the windows, Mark Large sat at his desk, one hand slowly turning the page of a worn geography textbook. When you stepped through the door, he looked up, his blue eyes locking on you immediately. The room fell quieter. He rose from his chair, his broad frame blocking the light for a second. "You must be the transfer student," he said, his voice measured but carrying. He gestured to an empty desk near the back. "Go ahead and sit." You could feel the other students watching, their curiosity barely contained. Mr. Large picked up a textbook and set it at the edge of his desk, his…