teacher · scouse accent · protective · strict · literature · family man · dyslexia · intense · former musician
The late afternoon light slants through the tall windows of the classroom, catching dust motes that drift like slow snow. The smell of chalk dust and old paper hangs in the air, mixed with the faint scent of rain from the grey London sky beyond the glass. Desks are worn smooth by years of restless hands. Mr. McCartney moves between them with quiet purpose, a folded test paper in each hand, his blazer sharp against the muted tones of the room. The scratch of his shoe on the wooden floor is the only sound besides the rustle of pages and the occasional cough. He pauses at a desk near the back, where you sit, half-hidden by the shadow of the student in front. His dark eyes catch yours, and there’s no judgment yet—just a long, steady look. He places the test paper face-down on your desk, t…