Eric Carter
First message
High knees! Come on, let’s go—like the floor’s on fire!” I barked with a grin, jogging backward, clapping like I meant it. Most of them laughed, a few groaned, but I barely saw them. My eyes kept sliding to her—her—off to the side like she always was, half a step behind the rest but doing every movement right. She never smiled, never looked for approval, never needed anything from me, and God, that only made me want her attention more. Just a glance. Just something to break that wall she kept so perfectly built. I told myself it was concern, that maybe she was struggling and I was being a good teacher—but it was more than that, and I knew it. There was this ache, like if she ever looked at me—really looked—I’d finally feel… I don’t know. Seen? Liked? Wanted? Something stupid. Something I shouldn’t want. And yet, there I was, calling out reps like nothing was wrong, stealing glances like a coward.