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9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbBtOHKADJ
There was a faint murmur in the classroom. Most of the students were taking notes, some were quietly following the lesson, while others had mentally drifted into entirely different worlds. However, no one could completely ignore their teacher, Isabella Moreau. She was known as the most desirable teacher in the school—a woman in her late twenties with an elegant yet striking presence. The light-colored, form-fitting outfit she wore embraced her slender waist perfectly, while her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, giving her the aura of a classic film star. Her golden bracelet caught the light with every subtle movement of her hand, and the shadow of her long lashes deepened the intensity in her gaze.
Tom appeared to be staring at his notebook, but his mind was in turmoil. His thoughts were far removed from the subject of the lesson, scattering in different directions. The unease inside him had been growing lately—his father’s absence, the exhaustion in his mother’s eyes, Scharline’s distant demeanor… It all felt like it was piling up at once. He felt more lost with each passing day. Once, he had no trouble focusing in class, but now… now, everything felt like looking through a fogged-up window.
Beside him, Derek Lawson was occupied with his phone. He was the complete opposite of Tom—carefree, indifferent to rules, dismissive of lessons, yet dangerously experienced and reckless when it came to women. With his arms resting on the desk, he smirked as he scrolled through his phone screen. Curious, Tom glanced sideways to see what had captured Derek’s attention.
And in that moment, he realized—Derek was taking pictures of Isabella Moreau.
Tom narrowed his eyes and turned toward him. “What are you doing?” he asked in a low voice.
Derek grinned slightly, casually placing his phone on the desk before winking at Tom.
“I’m making money, my friend,” he said. “These are valuable things. You know, some people are willing to pay a fortune for a beautiful woman.”
Tom frowned. “You’re selling these?”
Derek shrugged, showing no sign of guilt or hesitation. “What did you think? A free hobby? It’s all about supply and demand. I’m not hurting anyone. I’m just… giving people what they want to see.”
Tom hesitated for a moment. At the front of the classroom, Isabella Moreau was writing on the board, completely unaware. What would this mean for someone like her? What if she knew? What if someone actually used these photos to harm her? A discomfort settled in Tom’s chest, but what disturbed him more was how effortlessly Derek justified it.
Sensing Tom’s thoughts, Derek leaned in. “What? You think it’s wrong?”
Choosing his words carefully, Tom replied, “I think it’s disgusting. She’s our teacher.”
Derek laughed. “She’s our teacher, yeah… But she’s also a woman. And let’s be honest, no one comes to this class just to learn math.”
A strange unease stirred inside Tom. Once, school had been nothing more than a place of lessons and grades for him. But now, because of people like Derek, everything seemed to take on a different perspective.
Was he changing too?
At the front of the class, Isabella Moreau continued her lesson, her soft voice filling the room. But Tom’s mind was still tangled in his thoughts, battling with itself.
Did Derek’s world tempt him, or should he hold on to the things he once believed were right?
And in that moment, the first cracks inside Tom began to form.
Time in the classroom dragged on. Tom tried to shake off the lingering echoes of Derek’s words, but his mind was a battlefield of conflicting thoughts. Life had become a whirlpool he couldn’t escape, and school no longer felt like a sanctuary. He absentmindedly twirled his pen between his fingers, his gaze locked onto the board but his mind wandering elsewhere.
Until Isabella Moreau’s voice suddenly pulled him back to reality.
“Mr. Godwoods?”
Tom’s shoulders stiffened. He glanced at his notebook, trying to make sense of what was happening, but everything was a blur. Isabella’s voice had a slightly authoritative tone, but beneath it, there was a trace of warmth.
“Would you like to share your thoughts on the topic?”
A brief silence fell over the class. Derek chuckled softly, casting an amused glance at Tom, clearly enjoying the moment. Tom swallowed, turning to face Isabella, but his mind was still blank. He needed to say something—anything.
Isabella’s long lashes fluttered slightly as she narrowed her eyes. There was a subtle smile at the corner of her lips, though it felt more like patient curiosity than amusement. Her graceful yet commanding presence made Tom feel a slight pressure in his chest.
“Your lack of focus has been quite noticeable lately, Tom,” Isabella said, setting her pen down on the desk. “Is there something on your mind?”
Tom struggled to find the right words. Isabella Moreau was a woman who carried both elegance and allure effortlessly. Standing at the front of the classroom, the light-colored outfit she wore blended perfectly with the softness of her skin. The way it fit snugly around her waist, the delicate slope of her shoulders, the elegance in the way she moved her hands—her beauty wasn’t just seen, it was felt.
“No, ma’am. I’m just a little distracted,” Tom finally said, trying to ease the tightness in his throat.
Isabella studied him for a few more seconds. Then, she nodded slightly, offering a faint smile. But somehow, that smile only unsettled Tom further.
“Alright,” she said. “However, if this distraction continues, we’ll need to have a conversation after class.”
Tom nodded. But his mind wasn’t focused on her words—it was trapped in the way she said them, the way her presence filled the room.
As class ended, students began packing up their things. Derek smirked, clapping a hand on Tom’s shoulder.
“Can’t wait to see how your little ‘detention’ goes,” he teased.
Tom shot him an annoyed look before grabbing his bag and walking toward Isabella.
She was seated at her desk, flipping through her lesson notes. As he approached, his eyes caught the way her fingers delicately moved over the pages. When she finally set her pen down and looked up at him, Tom momentarily forgot how to breathe.
Her scent—subtle perfume mixed with the warmth of her skin—lingered in the air. Up close, her complexion was nearly flawless. For a fleeting moment, Tom felt as if he were drowning in the depth of her gaze.
“Tom,” Isabella began, her voice soft yet inquisitive. “Your lack of focus has become increasingly obvious lately. I want to know what’s going on.”
Tom hesitated. What could he say? That he was overwhelmed by his father’s absence, his mother’s quiet suffering, the toxic influence of people like Derek? That he felt himself being pulled into a world he didn’t understand?
But worst of all, his mind wasn’t focused on the words she had spoken—it was tangled in the way she spoke them. In the rhythm of her breathing. In the quiet intimacy of being this close to her.
His gaze drifted involuntarily to the delicate chain around Isabella’s neck. A small pendant rested just above her chest, rising and falling slightly with each breath. Even from this distance, he could see the faint tremble of her eyelashes as she watched him closely.
Was this… wrong?
"My thoughts are a bit messy, ma'am," Tom finally said.
Isabella tilted her head slightly, watching him. Her eyes seemed to understand that he was hiding something, yet there was no trace of judgment on her face.
"Then I suppose we should talk a little more," she said with a faint smile. "Come see me during lunch tomorrow, and we’ll go over this in more detail."
Tom cleared his throat and nodded. As Isabella gathered her notebooks, her arm brushed lightly against Tom’s hand. Just for a second.
But for Tom, time seemed to freeze. In that moment, he had felt the warmth of her skin.
As he left the classroom, his heartbeat was quicker than usual. The feeling he experienced in Isabella Moreau’s presence was proof that the change within him had already begun.
Tom and Derek’s Conversation – Money, Crime, and Tempting Ideas
Tom kept walking, trying to ignore Derek’s shameless laughter. He wasn’t sure if the discomfort growing inside him was because of the things he was thinking about Isabella Moreau or the cruel game Derek was playing with him. But he could feel the knot forming in his mind.
After a while, he took a deep breath, trying to change the subject, and asked, "So, about that whole selling photos thing… Are you actually doing it?"
Derek smirked. There was an amused gleam in his eyes.
"Of course, I am, man. Money doesn’t come easy, you know that."
Tom frowned. "But it’s not right. What do you think those people would feel if they knew?"
Derek shrugged, his tone indifferent.
"They don’t know. And they never will. Besides, do you really think I’m the only one doing this? Open the internet, take a look. This happens everywhere. People pay for what they want to see. Simple business."
Tom was still trying to make sense of it. "Isn’t that… a kind of crime?"
Derek laughed. "Dude, you’re too innocent. Isn’t everything in life a little bit of a crime? Besides, if you knew how much I make, you’d lose your mind."
Tom turned to him instinctively. "How much?"
Derek stuffed his hands into his pockets, rocking on his heels with pride.
"Five hundred dollars a month."
Tom’s eyes widened. "What?!"
Derek grinned, enjoying his reaction. "Yeah, man, you heard me. Five hundred. Sometimes even more. Better photos bring in more. It’s all about quality. If you get something really good, the price goes up."
Tom glanced at the money in his pocket. Ten dollars.
He had spent the whole day sitting through lessons, and when he got home, he’d probably eat, study a little, and go to sleep. But Derek… Derek was making easy money.
And five hundred dollars… That was more than Tom could ever imagine having.
For a brief moment, he felt ashamed of the dirty thought crossing his mind. I would never do something like that, he told himself.
But the fact that Derek was making that much money… carried an undeniable allure.
"Look, man," Derek said, noticing Tom’s inner conflict. "That’s how life works. Those with money win. Those without? They just watch. If you ever want to see how the real world works, let me know."
Then, he patted Tom’s shoulder with a short chuckle and said, "Take care, Tom," before disappearing around the street corner.
Tom stood there for a while.
He clenched the ten-dollar bill in his palm. Derek’s words echoed in his mind.
"Those with money win. Those without just watch."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1Qu8dSqun
Carolina and Forbidden Thoughts
As Tom walked home, another image came to mind. One that disturbed him.
His mind drifted back to that night.
Carolina.
He had lived with her for years, had always seen her as his mother.
But that night… That night was the first time he had seen her as a woman.
He shouldn’t be thinking about this. But he was.
Every detail echoed in his mind again and again. The more he tried to push it away, the clearer it became.
That night, Carolina had been alone in the living room. Tom had gone to the kitchen to grab something, but then—he had stopped. He had watched her.
She had been wearing a light nightgown. The fabric clung to her body delicately. Her shoulders were bare.
And at that moment, Tom’s eyes had noticed things he had never noticed before.
Carolina had lifted a hand to her neck, brushing her hair back. She always did that, but that night… she had looked different. Softer. But at the same time—dangerous.
His eyes had lingered on her body.
And he had been terrified of his own thoughts.
Why? Why had he, even for a second, seen her as a woman?
Tom wanted to silence his mind. But the thought was spreading through him like poison.
And the worst part… was knowing there was no way back from this feeling.
Tom’s Inner Chaos – Unshakable Thoughts and a Forbidden Question
Tom kept walking, as if trying to outrun his own thoughts. But it was pointless. These thoughts weren’t something he could escape from. They seeped into him like a slow-acting venom, becoming clearer with every breath.
After wandering aimlessly for a while, he sat down on a bench. Breathing felt difficult. The cold air filled his lungs, but it did nothing to clear the fog in his mind.
Carolina.
He needed to stop thinking about her.
But he couldn’t.
That night… If he hadn’t seen her like that, would these thoughts even exist? Had these feelings been buried somewhere deep inside him all along? Or had he just caught the wrong image at the wrong time?
But the worst part was knowing—it wasn’t just the wrong image.
Because the moment he noticed her as a woman… something had changed.
He closed his eyes. From the depths of his memory, he recalled how the thin fabric of Carolina’s nightgown clung to her body, how she had tucked her hair behind her ear, how, at that moment, she wasn’t just a mother—she was a beautiful woman.
These thoughts unsettled him.
But at the same time… they awakened something else.
He shook his head, as if that could silence his mind. Stop thinking.
But stopping was as impossible as holding his breath forever.
And as if his mind wasn’t troubled enough, another thought entered his head.
Derek.
"Five hundred dollars a month."
Tom’s stomach tightened. He thought of the ten dollars in his pocket.
His family was struggling. Carolina was doing everything she could to keep things together, but Tom knew the truth. Bills, expenses, the tightening economy… He had noticed the exhaustion in Carolina’s face.
Tom lowered his head and clenched his fists. He needed money.
But… how could he get it?
When the answer finally came to him… what disturbed him the most wasn’t just the thought itself, but how quickly he was getting used to it.
I can’t do this. I never could.
But Derek’s voice echoed in his mind again.
"Those with money win. Those without just watch."
And so far, Tom had always been the one watching.
Taking a deep breath, as if trying to shake off his thoughts, he lifted his head.
He needed to go home.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7diypxpmHA
But… he didn’t want to face his mother like this.
It felt as if he had committed a crime.
Even if he wasn’t guilty… he felt guilty.
When he looked into her eyes, he was terrified that Carolina would be able to read what was inside him. What if she remembered that night? What if she noticed the change in his gaze?
He sat there a little longer, making up excuses not to go home. But he also knew he couldn’t escape. In the end, he would have to return.
Yet, one more thought lingered in his mind.
And it was more dangerous than anything else.
Carolina had been alone for years.
As that thought echoed in his head, his legs trembled.
He didn’t know why he was thinking this.
Or maybe he did.
But he refused to admit it to himself.
And at that moment, he stood up.
With the questions looping in his mind, the feelings he struggled to suppress, and the shadows that clung to his thoughts as he walked home—Tom knew he was stepping into something he could never undo.
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