May 14

Darius Benson, was a English teacher for years here in the lovely city of London. Though he was only a man in his early 30s, it was quite hard to find someone. He still remembered the blind dates, the countless dating sites he entered, and being set of by, to his embarrassment, his mother. Darius knew it himself that it won't be long until he'd give up. Face the fact that he might die alone. But that all changed when he met her.

Vanessa.

He had taken a small vacation in Paris, taking his chances to maybe find someone in the city of love. And he was right, there he met the lovely Ms. Rhodes at the top of the Eiffel tower, and just like that. It was like love at first sight.

She is a lovely lady. Only a year or two older than himself, she seemed to still act so young and look like it too. Her beautiful brown eyes that seemed to be just like the color of chocolate, made him melt. And her caramel skin, sparks of electricity ran through him every time they so much as brushed their hands. And her luscious raven hair tumbled over her shoulders gracefully, every time she turned to face him.

Just the thought of her gives him butterflies. Having him feel like a child in love again. And not just that, she was a fellow teacher of a high school English class. Oh the endless talks they had about the difficulties of being a single English teacher, facing high school teens. The tests, the lectures, and so on. It was nice talking to someone his age of such things, other than the older teachers that look like they are about to drop dead at any moment.

"Oh the feeling of being in love," Darius sighed happily.

But the both of them knew their time in Paris wouldn't last. She'd have to return back to America, and he back to London. But he couldn't just let her go, especially not that easily. So the two of them devised a plan, for of them to still be able to keep in touch. And what the call it is...

The pen pal project.

It was genius! Both of their classes will be able to connect through letters. And the two of them will still talk, without a care in the world. They wouldn't get side tracked of their jobs as teachers, since this seemed to be part of the job. And no one would have to know. That they started the project just to talk each other. Sometimes he impressed himself for his brilliance.

Darius was very excited today. He had just received another letter from his love, Vanessa. This time she wrote little about her job, to his disappointment. And more of her interests and her life in Los Angeles. But he wasn't very interested at that, all he wanted to talk about is their work. Yes, maybe it was a boring topic for most people. But he and Vanessa seem to relate it, and he treasure every word, every sentence of her work life in America. What their school system is like, how she grades her tests, what the lectures she'll be teaching next.

After he finished the letter, he quickly grabbed his own pen and paper and began to write. Everyone in the classroom is quiet, each reading or writing the letters. It was the peaceful letter times of the whole room being silent except for the rustle of papers and words being scratched onto paper with pens and pencils. 

"Aldridge, for the last time, I do not have your bloody letter." An angry whisper said, breaking the silence.

"Lizzabeth, I know it was you who took my letter. I just want to get it over with and reply it to that Rhonda."

"Let me repeat myself one last time. I. Do. Not. Have. It."

Darius clenched his teeth, he hated classes like this. When students don't know respect for their teachers and their classmates around them. Thinking the classroom is like their home and can do anything they want. He stood up from his desk and stalked over to the disruptive students. But the two of them were oblivious of this and still argues among themselves.

"Do not play dumb with me, no matter how easy it may be to you."

"How dare- Why would I want your letter from you love, Rhonda?" Lizzabeth cooed. "I wouldn't do such a thing as to keep you two love birds apart."

"We are not in item," Aldridge growled.

"Rhonda doesn't think so." Lizzabeth sang.

"Well I do, so would you please-"

"Mr. Carter, would you be so kind as to give Mr. Dawson his letter back?"

Luca Carter, a troublemaker boy who sat right behind Aldridge, was startled. He scratched his blond hair, the mischievious glint in his eyes now gone.

He sighed. "Yes, Mr. Benson."

Luca took out an envelope from under his papers, and handed it back to Aldridge. Aldridge, who was furious for making a fool of, snatched his envelope back from Luca's hands.

"I think you owe someone an apology," Lizzabeth said smugly.

Aldridge gritted his teeth. "Lizzabeth, I apologize for you not being very trustworthy that I would have suspected that you would take my letter and not Luca."

The whole class snickered and Lizzabeth gasped.

"Aldridge," she growled.

"Enough!" Darius exclaimed, causing the who class to become dead silence.

"Lizzabeth, I typically expect you to cause such a ruckus. But you Aldridge? I expect better from you. So to my regret, both of you will have detention after school."

"What?" Both Lizzabeth and Aldridge demanded.

Darius took a deep breath. "Must I repeat myself?"

The two of them lowered their heads. "No sir."

"Then you should go back to writing their letters." He turned to the whole class. "All of you."

The entire class went back to their letters, pretending that they had never listen in on the conversation. Darius, satisfied by this, walked back to his desk. He sat back down and glared at the class, everyone was trying hard to concentrate in their teacher's glare. Darius held back the urge to laugh, it's quite fun intimidating kids like this.

He picked up his pen once again and wrote to his beloved about what had just happened. And hope that she didn't have as much trouble as he has.

Dear my lovely Vanessa,

May 16

Vanessa Rhodes was like every other teacher of her age. The struggles of being in her mid 30s and a high school English teacher, was quite tough. Even with the many years of living this life in Los Angeles, it was wearing her down. That's why she almost fainted when she found out that she won a vacation to Paris in a online raffle. And after only a few nights of the lovely city of Paris, that where she met him.

Darius.

She was enchanted by the sight of him. His tall frame yet nice built, was eye catching. His greying blond hair that was cut short, made her want to run her fingers through it. And his deep grey eyes that at first seem intimidating, but were actually very kind and loving. And not just that, but he had a charming personality that would make anyone lady go weak in the knees. He was such the gentleman back in their time in Paris. Opening the car for her, pulling out her seat for her, lending her his arm as they walked, and was always absorbed as she talked.

But only when she talked about herself as a teacher.

Vanessa didn't know why, but Darius seems a bit too obsessed being a teacher. At first she thought it was nice, work is the man's main priority. So occasionally she would steer the conversation to something else like hobbies or their interests. But for some reason, he would always find a way to change the subject back to teaching. For one minute they were talking about their favorite foods, and all of a sudden they were talking about the school lunches for their school's back home.

She didn't know what was the matter with the man. Her job was the last thing she wanted to talk about. For the love of God, she jumped at the chance to fly to Paris just to get away from the place. And just when she met the man of her dreams, the catch is the guy may love his job more than her. The cold, sad truth that Vanessa had realized. But it was already too late.

Vanessa was blinded in love to at first notice his fatal flaw. When they had to depart back to their countries, she was as heartbroken as he was. But when he came up with the idea to bring both of their classes together, she went for it. But now that she realized, she may have only agreed just to be nice. She didn't really want to bring her work to her love life, but all she wanted to do was to still keep in touch with him.

Sadly, she knew that she would have to tell him. That she doesn't feel that spark anymore. And she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life with a man who loves teaching and his wife, maybe even loving teaching more than his wife. 

Vanessa looked up from her desk and saw an airplane soar through the air before it landed on her desk. She grabbed the airplane out of the desk. Some kids looked up, others paused thinking that whoever threw that airplane has a death wish. But all she did was pull her hand back, and threw the airplane in the air. It flew around the class, doing two cartwheels before it landed in the recycling bin. Everyone applauded, some kids even whistled and hooted. Vanessa stood up from her cahir and bowed down before sitting back down.

She smiled, this was always her favorite class. Everyone was freely talking to each other, most of them were doing their work either writing or reading their letters. Some sat on their desks, others listen to music or used their phones and so on. 

This was actually a teacher's worst nightmare. But Vanessa actually treasured classes like this. Kids being carefree, and living their young lives how they want it. Of course, sometimes things will go to far and she would order them to talk calm down and focus on their work. And that's why she's everyone's favorite. Not too strict or give too much schoolwork, but they at least they would learn something.

"Will, once again, I'm really sorry."

Someone groaned. "Eddie, it's okay."

"No man, it's not okay. I hit on your girl. Let me repeat it, your girl."

"Dude, it's fine."

"You can't let me off that easily, Will."

"Actually, yes I can."

"Come on, think of something. Kick my ass, patearme el culo. Hit on someone I like, maybe even Jasmine. Publicly humiliate me in one of your infamous pranks. I've earned it!"

"Eddie, if you don't shut up. You're going to regret it."

"Then I'm not going to shut up." There was a smile in the voice.

"You can't annoy me forever."

"I can. Annoy, enojar is in my vocabulary. See? I got annoy in my Spanish dictionary too."

"Is there a problem William and Eddie?" Vanessa asked, from behind her desk.

Both of the boys look up.

Will smiled. "Yeah, this guy won't shut up. You got some duck tape?"

"Yeah, bond me and lock me in the closet. Por favor, just leave me in there until you think I deserved it long enough. Just leave me some rations for a week."

She raised an eyebrow. "Eddie, are you okay? Do you need to see the nurse?"

"Me? Of course I'm okay Ms. Rhodes, muy bien," Eddie assured. "Is just that this guy-" He pointed to William "-is letting me off easily cause I accidentally hit on his girl."

"You hit on his girl? Isn't that against the bro code?" Vanessa asked, some humor in her voice.

The whole class was listening in on the conversation. Then they all started talking about the bro code they live by. Some girls even talked about the sis code, the girl version of the bro code.

William ran his fingers through his hair. "First of all, she's not my girl. Second of all, you never realized who she was. It's fine Eddie."

"No it's not okay. Lizzy could have easily fallen for my good looks and my charming personality." Eddie said regretfully. "And that would have just been desastres, a disaster if she liked both-"

William threw a crumple piece of paper at Eddie. "Would you please shut up?"

"Yes sir."

Vanessa smiled. "Is this Lizzy so happens to be your pen pal, Lizzabeth Teschler?"

William blushed, or what seemed to be a blush, something no one knew he was capable of. He more of, looked down to cover his face. "Pental pal actually."

"Pental pal?" Eddie asked, forgetting William's order to shut up.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, it's this thing Lizzy, I mean, Lizzabeth are in together. Both of us use this mechanical pencil when writing-" He lifted up his gray mechanical pencil "-and we just changed it to pental pals." William said weakly, then closing his eyes knowing what's coming.

All of the girls in the class sighed in awe.

"That is so adorable!"

"I wish my pen pal is a guy and would do that with me!"

"I wish Will is my pental pal."

"British girls get all the luck, typical."

William's ears were burning red. He cautiously put on his hood over his head to hide the evidence. William didn't like freely talking about stuff like this. The only people he'd talk about girls is his mom and now Eddie.

"Class, class," Vanessa said, trying to keep her class calm. "Let's get back to work, the period will end soon."

"Yeah, let's get back to work so Will here can get back to writing to his chica-" William elbowed Eddie in the stomach.

Vanessa chuckled, and made a blind eye on that. Eddie did say he earned that for hitting on William's "girl". She feels so happy for him, finally finding a girl right for him. Vanessa is glad that William didn't turn to one of those cocky boys who plays innocent girls like toys like some kids in her other classes. William and Lizzabeth might be together.

Sadly not like Vanessa and Darius.

She knew it's time. She can't play with the poor man's feelings any longer. She just doesn't seem that interested in him anymore. British men were great, but she wants someone who would actually want to talk with her other than her resume as her teacher. And Vanessa has to end things now. Vanessa took a deep breath and picked up her pen.

Dear Benson,

I decided to cut this chapter short. Part two is the next chapter, don't worry. I want to go to sleep now. I'm starting to have these small dark circles from lack of sleep. I've been staying up until 11 at night writing on Wattpad. My schedule has got to change.

Bye, need to get my beauty sleep.

Forever sleeping unless taking bathroom and snack breaks (Mostly snack breaks),

RubixCube89201