Chapter Text
"Now, who would like to answer?" Mr. Prescott questioned, looking around his class, "No one? Am I going to need to pick a random student like yesterday?"
A light chuckle escaped his lips as he scoped out his students, thinking on who to choose. Before he was able to pick anyone, one student raised their hand. A student in the far back rose their hand, looking a little nervous as their eyes met with Mr. Prescott's intense stare. His navy eyes opening slightly wider by surprise as a smirk crossed his face. The student slightly regretted on taking such a risk until they heard his professional tone turn into a casual one.
"What answer do you have for us, Ms. Chance?" He sat on the edge of his desk, crossing his legs as he rested his hands and little book on his legs, awaiting for an answer from his scholar.
"Well... if I remember correctly, there are two methods- toggling your focal points or using the back button focus. To toggle focus, you manually choose where you want to focus within the frame and the focal points available for your camera depend on the make and model." The timidly nervous adolescent answered, a little anxious by her thoughts on if her explanation was correct or incorrect.
Mr. Prescott stared at the petite student that rarely ever talks. One eyebrow rose, his facial features giving the look of impressiveness as he cocked his head. A faint grin came across his face as he adjusted his ebony colored glasses, standing up straight and tall, heading towards the whiteboard. The adolescents heart was racing as she impatiently awaited for a response from her professor. Mr. Prescott began to write things on the board before turning around.
"That is correct, Ms. Chance." He chuckled lightly with a nod as he lifted his hand up, pointing out the answer with additional info.
The teen sighed with relief, closing her eyes as she placed her hand on her chest, trying to calm her racing heart. A lot of the other students mumbled, beginning to gossip about how they were shocked that the most shy student in the class abruptly answered. She tensed up by all the voices that talked loud enough for her to hear, but she put effort into trying to ignore it by focusing on her teacher, Mr. Prescott.
Mr. Nathan Joshua Prescott- one of the youngest professors teaching at Arcadia Bay University. His light brown slicked back hair, his navy colored eyes glowing nicely if not shielded by his glasses, his smoothly fair skin, his nice cheekbones, and his flush colored lips always curled into a faint smile when pleased by a students intelligence. His facial features is one reason why there were mainly female students in his class. As for his attires were just an additional attraction. Today he had a beige turtleneck shirt tucked under his jet colored slacks with a khaki colored belt strapped around his waist, his dark gleaming shoes, finishing off with his unbuttoned, jet blazer.
Many women, counting Chance, has fallen head over heels for their professor the very first day they entered his photography class. He was popular once beginning to work at the university, not just by his looks, but by his fame and professionalism as well. Prescott is known to be a renowned photographer around the globe that has captured many peoples attention once putting his portraits on public display. He caught several peoples attention with his photographs by the time he turned nineteen, just a year after graduation. After attending universities abroad and expanding his intelligence and prominence, he decided to go into teaching. His former agents frowned upon his reason for resignation by just wanting to go into teaching, but once he put his foot down on something, there's no odds of altering his mind.
"Ms. Chance? Hello! Earth to Alice?" A hand waved in front of the young woman's face.
"Huh?" Alice jolted by the sudden presence, "O-Oh! M-Mr. Prescott! Y-Yes?" She looked up, her heart beating out of her chest once realizing her professor was standing right before her.
"Is everything alright, Ms. Chance?" Mr. Prescott questioned with a slight snicker leaving his lips as he folded his arms, sitting on the edge of the desk that was in front of hers.
"Hm? Oh! Y-Yes! Everything is just fine, Mr. Prescott! W-Why do you ask?" Alice sat up straight, looking up at her professor with a forceful smile.
"There's no need to fake a smile with me, Ms. Chance." Mr. Prescott chuckled, "I know when a student lies." He smirked.
Alice's face turned slightly pink from her teachers sudden detection. She became more nervous than ever to where she just couldn't look at her teacher anymore at that moment. She felt so embarrassed and shocked that her instructor could see right through her. Alice wanted to just tuck her head under her shirt like a turtle just so she didn't have to feel anymore humiliation in front of Mr. Prescott. As she began to slowly slump down in her seat, she heard a bit of laughter leave her teachers lips. The young woman peeked up and saw a glistening smile, exposing his pearly white teeth which was very unusual and very rare.
"You are one amusing pupil." Mr. Prescott grinned, "There's no need to feel nervous around me, Ms. Chance." He placed his hands in his pockets, rummaging through them by feel.
"Hm?" Alice noticed him pick something out of his pocket, "A key chain...?" She tilted her head, puzzled.
"This is something I received from a former teacher of mine when I was in high school." He began, "I was nervous the first day of school and I thought I was alone since I basically isolated myself from the whole class, but by the end of one of my classes, my photography class to be exact, I was given this."
Mr. Prescott placed a small silver camera key chain in Alice's hand. Alice's heart skipped a beat when feeling the warmth from Mr. Prescott's big warm hand. Her face became flushed once seeing an innocent grin slowly appearing on Mr. Prescott's face. Barely little to none see a genuine smile come across his face since all they ever see when it comes to a smile is a smirk. The adolescent could barely breathe as her racing heart was practically beating its way up through her throat.
"This helped lessen my tenseness as the years went by, so I'm hoping this will help lessen yours as well." He continued, "And if ever needing assistants on anything, I'm always here."
When looking at that smile and those navy blue eyes, her heart melted as though she was falling in love with him all over again. She tried to stay composed, but it was difficult for her since her feelings towards him were so deep to where it was overwhelming. All she could do in turn was nod as she gripped onto the key chain, placing it against her chest, nodding as she thanked him, placing a faint grin on her face.
"Well, I'm glad I finally got to see and hear you speak up." Mr. Prescott placed his hand on her head gently, "I'm looking forward to hearing more from you, Ms. Chance. A bright future will be heading your way soon. I just know it."
Alice looked up at him, still seeing that graceful grin across his face as a look of gentleness gleamed in his azure eyes. It suffocated her greatly. She loved and adored this man, but she knew he was far away from her reach. The adolescent admired his confidence and his kindness which kept pulling her in more and more. She knew she had to back away, but she didn't know how. Alice restrained herself as best as she could by just focusing on the subject. Even though it was difficult, she put in all her might.
"I'll see you tomorrow. Have a nice rest of your day, Ms. Chance." Mr. Prescott waved as he headed towards his desk.
A deep sigh left Alice's lips as she packed her things. She looked over at Mr. Prescott one last time, seeing him focused on his computer, typing away before leaving the class. The adolescent headed to the library, absentminded that she didn't notice she was heading in the wrong direction. As Alice continued walking, she ended up bumping into another professor.
"Hm? Oh! My apologies, Mr. Graham!" Alice ended up bowing, apologizing to Mr. Graham over and over again.
"No worries, Ms. Chance." Mr. Graham laughed with a childish grin.
Mr. Warren Daniel Graham- another one of the youngest professors at this university. His amber colored hair all messy as though exposing his true mad scientist side, his burnished eyes that could make you feel as though you were buried alive by his stare if not concealed by his faint charcoal colored glasses, his smoothly tan skin, if not covered by liquids from his experiments, his nicely structured cheeks, and his faintly pink lips always curled into a childishly huge grin. Today was his usual attire- his white lab coat, covering his white, a little messy, buttoned up tucked undershirt, also covered by a black tie held onto his shirt by a tie clip, his pure jet colored slacks with a belt strapped around his waist, and his black shoes.
A lot of women fell for his innocently huge grin, but they also love his intelligence. He may sound a bit crazy when talking about bio, but that's if you don't understand his level of intelligence. His sense of humor catches peoples attention the most, but they do admire his knowledge as well. He's notable to several audiences by his awards from past science fairs and competitions. Graham studied and worked with several different scientists ever since he turned nineteen, which increased his knowledge quite largely, but he wanted to resign and return to his hometown just a few years later. It saddened several of his assistants and colleagues, but they understood. Once he returned, he wanted to find a simple job in Arcadia Bay, but the one that ended up interesting him the most was becoming a professor at Arcadia Bay University.
"Ms. Chance?" Mr. Graham peered in front of Alice's face, making her jolt by the closeness.
"Huh? Oh! I'm so sorry, Mr. Graham! Wh-What was it that you were stating?" Alice looked up at him with a grin.
"I asked if you were heading towards the library?" He questioned, standing up straight.
"Yes, I am, why do you ask?" Alice asked, feeling nervous.
"I just wanted to inform you that you're heading the wrong way." He chuckled, pointing the opposite direction.
"Huh? Oh geez... Thank you... goodness I don't know what's been up with me today..." She sighed, sulking.
"It's okay, Ms. Chance. I assume something's been crossing your mind?" Mr. Graham asked.
"Hm? Oh... um... yes, but I'm going to figure it out once I reach the library." She lied.
"Well, if you ever need help with anything, I'll always most likely be in my lab or out in the yard." He responded, smiling, hiding that he could sense Alice's troubles.
"Th-Thank you, Mr. Graham." The adolescent smiled, waving as she began to run to the library.
Mr. Graham chuckled faintly, waving back as he saw the adolescent disappear in the distance, "What a goofy kid."
"You're one to talk, Graham." Someone spoke from behind.
"Oh crap..." Mr. Graham tensed up after hearing a familiar voice from behind, "What's up, Prescott?" He turned around slowly, stiff as a board.
"No need to feel tensed, Graham." Mr. Prescott chuckled, "I'm not like the dick student I was back in high school. You got to thank these pills for that."
Nathan Prescott continued to take Risperidone he took since the beginning of high school. A type of anti-psychotic medication that helps him with his schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It didn't really affect him as much when he was a teen, but as he matured, the pills began to strengthen more. Ever since his late teenage years, his personality began to change into someone completely different. He was more levelheaded and pleasant to be around. Prescott's confidence and well-being evened out greatly for him which gave him the ability to become a professor.
"Still working wonders on you, Prescott?" He laughed a bit.
"If it wasn't you'd be a dead man by now, Graham." He joked.
"So, how's your class going?" Warren questioned.
"It's going rather well. A scholar of mine, Alice Chance, that rarely ever talks spoke up and answered one of my questions today." He grinned faintly, "She's usually silent which just reminds me of my days in the beginning of high school, but I understand where she's coming from." Nathan chuckled.
"And what would that be exactly?" Warren asked, his curiosity growing.
"She's lost." Nathan's smile became faint as he looked down with a snicker, "Just searching for her own path in life."
"Just like her professor..." He chuckled a bit, "Which I assume also explains the reason of her dazed expression of unrequited yearning towards one that appears to be on her path. Well, her path to happiness... hopefully." Warren smiled casually.
"What do you mean by that, Graham?" Nathan asked, a bit lost.
"Exactly my point, Prescott... exactly my point." Warren shook his head slowly as he chuckled sparsely.
Mr. Prescott furrowed his brows, lost in the topic Warren just brought up. His curiosity growing, but soon left behind as the two professors bantered back and forth before hearing the last bell. It informed them that school was over and that they had to return to their classrooms to finish up paper work before heading home.
"I'll talk to you again tomorrow." Mr. Prescott spoke.
"Yeah." Mr. Graham responded.
Mr. Prescott said his good-bye's to Mr. Graham before heading back to his classroom. As he headed back towards his lecture room, he noticed Alice near his door. Before he was about to call out to Alice to question her on her reason of being in front of his classroom, he noticed another one of his students walk up to her. He stayed back, letting their conversation carry out before talking to Alice. Mr. Prescott noticed it was one of his top students in his class which made him wonder what their conversation was about. He hid in the shadows, eavesdropping. He wasn't proud of himself being in the same position Warren is usually in, but his curiosity got the best of him.
"I-I'm sorry, but I'm... I'm not interested, Aaron..." Alice hugged her books tightly, looking down.
"Come on, Alice." Aaron spoke, "With your sudden bravery to answer, it really caught my eye. It's rare for all of the students to hear you speak, that once you did, your voice really made my heart skip a beat." He placed his hand on her arm.
"I'm sorry, but... there's someone else I have interest in..." Alice looked at Aaron's hand, becoming more nervous.
"Come on... let me at least take you out for dinner tonight." Aaron continued, beginning to tug on her arm.
"I'm sorry, but no!" She yanked back, taking a few steps back.
"Don't be like this, Alice. Give me a 'chance' Ms. Chance." He chuckled from his own pun.
"No... I already told you, Aaron..." Before she knew it, she backed herself into a corner.
"I won't let you go until I hear a y-?!" He suddenly got pulled back by the collar of his shirt.
"I'm sorry to speak on Ms. Chance's behalf, but if I heard her correctly, she has declined your query, Mr. Baxter." Aaron ended up against the wall, seeing the intense glare he has only seen once before, but from afar, when Mr. Prescott lectured a student with a scowl, "So if you don't want your grades to drop nor get expelled by sexual harassment, then I suggest you leave this young woman in peace this second, Mr. Baxter. Do I make myself clear?"
"Y-Yes, sir!" He bolted just seconds after, breathing heavily from the intensity he saw from Mr. Prescott.
"Goodness, I never expected the top student from my class to be so inconsiderate of others emotions..." He sighed, remembering that he was just as inconsiderate back then, but in a different way, "Are you alright, Ms. Cha-?!"
With less than a second to spare, a thud echoed through the empty halls as a sign that the books fell out of Alice's hands that soon wrapped around the back of Mr. Prescott's neck as her lips suddenly locked with his. Mr. Prescott's eyes widened by shock as his heart was beating uncontrollably by the sudden forceful kiss. The kiss started off small, but became more intense as Alice slithered her tongue between Mr. Prescott's lips, deepening the long kiss. Mr. Prescott was in too much of a shock to stop the kiss, his arms far out, standing there stiffly as Alice increased the passion in the kiss. Prescott bolted his eyes shut as the kiss became more earnest, barely able to breathe as the kiss just became longer and longer and more and more intense. Mr. Prescott finally got the strength to release himself from Alice's tight grasp.
"Wh-What... A-Alice what...?" Mr. Prescott was in utter shock.
"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Prescott... I... I didn't mean to... I'm sorry I just... I love you so much it hurts!" She gripped her chest, looking down as tears slid down her cheeks.
"Alice... I..." Mr. Prescott slowly walked up to her and placed his hand on her head gently, befuddled by the sudden event as he tried to compose himself, "I'm sorry, but... I can't... I just can't, Ms. Chance... You're my student and I'm nothing more than just a teacher to you... I'm sorry, Ms. Chance..."
She closed her eyes tightly and pushed him away gently, looking up at him with her sky blue eyes, "It's... It's okay... I... I understand... I'll see you tomorrow... Mr. Prescott..." Alice covered her mouth, trying to keep in her whines and hiccups as she bolted out the door, tears still streaming down her face.
"Alice! Wait!" Mr. Prescott growled, rubbing the back of his head as he looked down, sighing deeply, "I'm sorry..."
"Heh... you cause quite the stir, don't you, Prescott?" Someone spoke from behind.
Nathan groaned with slight irritation as he turned around, "And what exactly do you mean by that?"
"I've given you several hints, in yet it still hasn't crossed your mind, huh, Prescott? Typical... Reason why you lost your last girl in the first place." A chuckle left the persons lips while walking up to the clueless and irritated Nathan.
"Stop playing with me and tell me already!" Nathan spoke with a stern voice, trying to stay calm.
"You need to find out the reasons on your own, Prescott. I can't keep helping you out forever. Until then..."
"Christ..." Nathan rubbed his neck, trying to calm down his irritation as he saw the person walk away with a faint chuckle.