MY STRICT TEACHER IS MY HUSBAND (English)

Chapter 2. Towel Drop

✧ACE LEE✧

I SAT quietly at my desk in the front of the classroom, watching my students. Their eyes were fixed on their papers, silently working. No noise, no one speaking, not even a creak was heard. They were used to this because they knew I hated noise in my class.

My eyes drifted to my wife, Keycee, who was still scanning the book. She probably still didn't get what I discussed, which was why she was still reading. Her face showed pressure and irritation.

I remembered how I did her assignment last night.

Yes, I did her assignment. I was about to leave her room when I thought of doing it. If she didn't do it, I would have no choice but to not accept her in my class. So, I went back inside and carefully took her notebook from under her head.

"Sir? Can I ask a question?" one of my students interrupted my thoughts.

"Go ahead," I said, nodding. She approached me and showed me her notebook where she had something she didn't understand.

✿♡ KEYCEE ♡✿

The whole discussion, I was gaping and understood nothing. I felt like when Ace mentioned f(x)=2x-3 etc— it was in an alien language. I didn't understand a thing. So now, with the seatwork, I was equally clueless.

I took the book and studied hard, trying to understand how things worked. I admit I have no talent for math, but why did the whole book have to rub it in my face?

I sighed.

I looked up when I heard one of my classmates call Ace. She had a question, so she went to the front, to my husband's table. Her name is Myra. She likes to act cute around Ace, pretending not to understand just to have an excuse to talk to him.

I heard her question, but I didn't understand it. Ace answered, but I didn't get his explanation either. I'm dumb. Sometimes, I just want to pull my hair out.

I was about to look back at my paper when I noticed Myra giving Ace that look again while he explained. It annoyed me. They were an eyesore.

I turned my gaze back to my paper to avoid punching Myra's jaw. I decided not to submit my paper later since I had no answers. It's okay not to pass and get a zero since I'd get a zero anyway even if I submitted it blank. I don't know. Whether I answered it or not, I'd still get zero.

I slumped on my desk. The class was nice when it was quiet like this. This is how it always is in our math class. Many rules. Of course, who else would want it that way but Sir Ace. The one and only Ace Lee.

When we have other teachers, we act like we're out of control. But when it's him, we're all speechless. You wouldn't hear a whisper, even tearing paper was done slowly so he wouldn't hear. It was really quiet. Except when he left the room. That's when we'd start chatting. The boys would horse around like they hadn't seen each other in ages. But when Ace returned, we'd all go silent as if we didn't know each other.

In his class, you weren't allowed to ask for paper. You always had to have extra because if he caught you asking, you'd get minus ten on the quiz, and the one you asked would get minus twenty. See? It's harsher for the giver than the taker.

Plus, you always had to have your book in your bag so you wouldn't forget. And you had to have your homework to show before entering the room. If not, you had no attendance. Like it or not, you were absent. On exam days, our section was split into two batches, first and second. Instead of one seat apart, he made it two seats apart so no one could copy. And because the room couldn't accommodate everyone, it became two batches.

During exams, quizzes, or seatwork, erasures were not allowed, not even a small one. Copying was also forbidden. If you were caught copying, you only had two options: fail or fail? That's how strict Ace was. I mean, Sir Ace. Even I was scared of his strictness.

At home, we didn't talk much either. We rarely had conversations. When we did, it was just "Have you eaten?" or "Are you going to school?" Sometimes, a day would pass without us talking at all. I don't know. There were times I was scared of him.

So, if you're wondering why we got married when we didn't talk, it's because his grandfather wanted it. His grandfather and mine—on my father's side—were best friends. And just like that, Ace was arranged to marry me. But they gave us a chance to get to know each other. We dated for about a month to get acquainted. But . . . we didn't really date. He didn't want to date me back then. He said he was busy, so he taught me to lie. Like, if his grandfather asked if we went out, I should say yes. That was our setup until his grandfather said we should get married. But we were both against the idea. Then, his grandfather pulled a drama, saying if we didn't marry, he'd die early. But Ace still refused, and of course, I was happy because I wasn't really willing either.

I thought after that it was okay—no marriage would happen. But one day, I was shocked when my mom told me that Ace agreed for some unknown reason. And then, BOOM! We had a rush wedding, and the next day, we were back at school.

We just got married recently, not even a year of living together. So, I can say I don't know him well as my husband Ace Lee. But as a math teacher, I know him very well. So strict!

We live in the same house because that's what his grandfather wanted. But we don't share a room. Like, duh! I'm only eighteen, and he's twenty-two.

The school we both attend is owned by his grandfather. Yes, his grandfather is the school director. But no one knows about Ace and me. That was my request to his grandfather. As much as possible, I don't want anyone to know we're married and living under one roof.

✧ACE LEE✧

I was looking at Keycee while she was asleep. There was no one else in my classroom but the two of us. She still had another class, but there was an emergency meeting, so no more classes. The other students had gone home.

I approached her to tap her arm. "Keycee?" I called. She didn't answer, still fast asleep. "Miss Dela Vega?" I called her again.

"Mmm~" She almost groaned in response, clearly still very sleepy.

"Will you wake up or should I lock you in here?"

She seemed to snap out of her sleepiness when she heard my voice. She looked up at me. "S-Sir? Sorry."

She quickly stood up and gathered her things. She just realized she had fallen asleep. She grabbed her bag and books.

"Go home. You have no more classes," I informed her. She just nodded and left the room. She didn't submit her paper, which made me shake my head.

✿♡ KEYCEE ♡✿

Gosh! How embarrassing! Why did I fall asleep for so long? I was the only one left in the room, and my kind friends didn't even wake me up. Traitors!

I was walking home, kicking small stones when a car honked behind me, startling me. But I didn't turn around. I kept walking. I was on the side, so why would they honk at me? Are they blind?

The car pulled up next to me, and Ace peeked out the window. Oh, it's him? "Get in."

"Me, sir?" I asked, looking around.

"Do you see anyone else I don't?" he asked irritably.

I didn't say anything and got into his car to avoid making him angry. Once inside, we were both silent. I was in the passenger seat, sitting next to him. We were both quiet until we reached home. When we arrived, I went straight to my room.

I changed clothes and went back downstairs. I went to the kitchen where Yaya was cooking.

"Ya, what are you making?" I asked, looking at what she was making.

"Menudo. Ace's favorite." Menudo is his favorite? I just found that out. It's a filipino dish. "Go call your husband upstairs. Tell him lunch is ready."

I followed Yaya's instructions. I went upstairs and stood in front of Ace's door. I hesitated, wondering if I should knock or just go in. Of course, I knocked to be polite. But no one answered, so I turned the doorknob and slowly entered.

Where could he be? Why isn't he in his room?

I walked closer to his study table because his laptop was open.

"Is he busy again?" I muttered. Well, the second quarter exam was approaching, so he must be starting to make the exam paper.

"What are you doing here?" I was startled by the voice behind me and quickly turned around.

Oh my gosh!

His body!

I just stared at him, unable to blink because of his nakedness. Half-naked. I mean, there was still a towel wrapped around his waist, but . . . those abs.

"Do you need something?" I still couldn't answer. It felt like I was running out of breath. I didn't have asthma, but why did it feel like I needed a nebulizer?

And then, unexpectedly, the towel wrapped around him fell, and I screamed, covering my eyes. "AAAAHHCCKK!" I screamed from the top of my lungs.

He came closer and suddenly covered my mouth for some unknown reason.