Dave McLean, the 24 yearsold new English teacher, had two main reasons for coming to Westland: to search for his estranged father and to earn money for his master's degree. After discovering his mother's old diary hidden beneath her bed, Dave learned that his parents had met and fallen in love in Westland. His mother, Ciara, had never remarried, and now, he understood why her heart had always belonged to Michael, his father whom he had never met.
Although finding his father was his primary goal, Dave decided to put that search on hold temporarily and focus on his new teaching position at Westland High School. The principal was impressed with his academic record and immediately offered him a role teaching English and History to the final-year students. Though Dave had experience tutoring younger kids, teaching teenagers felt different, and he couldn't help but feel nervous.
His first day in class went relatively well, though he noticed something odd during his English lesson. One of his students, a girl who seemed too flustered to introduce herself properly, kept staring at him with such intensity that it left him distracted. When he later learned from the staff that her name was Arielle vice president of the student council and a straight-A student—he wondered why she had been staring. Was she analyzing his teaching or looking at him for some other reason?
As Dave left the classroom, he still felt her eyes on him.
The next day, as Dave arrived at school, he saw Arielle stepping out of a car. For a brief moment, their eyes met, and his thoughts wandered. She's pretty, but she's my student.* Arielle's reaction was far more intense; her heart raced, her face flushed, and her palms grew sweaty. *What is happening to me?* she thought, overwhelmed by the wave of emotions that had started yesterday.
Their brief eye contact was quickly broken as Brenda approached Dave with a cheery greeting. "Hi, Mr. Dave! I'm Brenda, and these are my friends Arielle and Collin."
Collin nodded politely. "Hi, Mr. Dave."
Arielle, however, was too flustered to speak. She mumbled a quick "hi" and hurried into the hallway, barely able to look at him.
"Is she okay?" Dave asked, genuinely concerned.
"Oh, she's fine," Brenda said quickly, "just rushing to a council meeting. You know she's the vice president."
Before walking away, Brenda added with a smile, "By the way, I loved your lesson. It was really great."
"Thank you, Brenda. Nice to meet you both," Dave replied warmly. Still, his thoughts lingered on Arielle's strange behavior.
After they left, Brenda couldn't stop thinking about how off Arielle had been since yesterday. "Do you think she doesn't like Mr. Dave?" she asked Collin.
"That doesn't seem right," Collin replied. "Arielle's nice to everyone. Maybe she's just stressed about her brothers being back in town."
Brenda wasn't convinced. *There's something more to this,* she thought.
Meanwhile, Arielle rushed into the school washroom, splashing cold water on her face. *What is going on with me?* she asked herself, staring into the mirror. *Why do I keep acting this way around him?* She needed answers—and fast. Deciding she couldn't handle it on her own, she sent a quick text to Brenda: *"Hey, I'm in the washroom. Come over."*
Brenda arrived almost immediately, concern etched on her face. "Arielle, what's wrong? I was scared after getting your text."
"There's something happening to me, Brenda," Arielle said, her voice shaky. "Whenever I see Mr. Dave, I get all flustered. My heart races, my palms sweat, and I feel like I'm losing control. What's wrong with me?"
Brenda's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, babe, I think you're in love with him."
Arielle's jaw dropped. "That can't be true! I just met him yesterday. How could I fall in love with someone I barely know?"
Brenda gave her a knowing smile. "That's called love at first sight, honey. It happens." She paused for a moment, then grinned. "And guess what? This is ticking off item number four on your to-do list Fall in love.'"
Arielle stared at her friend in disbelief. "But what am I supposed to do?"
Brenda leaned in, her voice filled with excitement. "Give it three days. If he doesn't come to you by then, you go to him. This is your first shot at love, and you can't let it slip away. You've got to go for it, babe. We only live once!"
Arielle felt a mixture of fear, confusion, and excitement. Could Brenda be right? Could this really be love? And if so, what would she do next?. The possibilities raced through her mind
What if my parents found out, especially my mom? Mrs Jones was a no - nonsense woman and Arielle could already imagine the lecture and punishments that would ensue. And then there was her role as the vice president of the student council. If word got out her reputation could be tarnished, and she worried about how it might affect her standing among her peers.
As these thoughts swirled, she took a deep breath,trying to calm herself. " You know what?" She said aloud , arranging her thoughts. " I will follow my heart. This will be my little secret just between Brenda and me.
Determined, Arielle felt a flicker of hope .
She was ready to explore these feelings.
N
umber 4 on the to - do list has been ticked.