Everyone in this story is at least 18. I am a college lecturer. There is a boy in some of my classes, we'll call him Chris. He is slim and good looking, but a little shy. He is clever but sometimes struggles with his set work and I worry about him not achieving to his abilities. I always look at him in those classes without being too obvious and hold his eyes and smile when he looks back at me. I can see he needs a confidence boost which would help him with things.
On this day the class is coming to an end.
"Christopher, could you stay behind please?" I ask. The other students react as if he is in trouble. "It's nothing like that," I say happily, "now off you go." I wait at the front for them to pack up and leave.
Chris is sat in his chair looking nervous. Once we are alone, I go over and sit on a nearby table. I cross my legs and smile at him, consciously raising my pen to my mouth and playing with it while I talk.
"Is everything OK?" I say.
"Yes miss." he replied hesitantly.
"It's just that I've noticed you are not always finishing the work that's set. I know it isn't good that you have me and not your proper subject teacher." I explain, conscious that I'm only meant to be providing cover for this class and using another teacher's set work.
"I know miss." he says avoiding my gaze.
"Don't you like me, Chris?" I say, trying to get to the bottom of the problem.
"Yes miss, it's not that. I think you're really nice." he admits, rather embarrassed.
I give him my best smile. "Thank you. So, what can I do to help more? Do you need anything explaining?"
"I don't know miss, I just run out of time."
"OK. So what if I spend some more time with you and see if we can work it out?"
I can see the smile spread across his face, "OK miss."
"Is it a girl?" I ask. "I know they can be distracting at your age, is there someone in class you maybe think about too much?"
"No miss." he says too quickly.
"And what about Chloe?" I smile at his shocked reaction, "It's OK, I can see she has the attention of quite a few boys in college." I laugh. He fidgets embarrassed.
"OK," I say, "so how about I make some time available to you after classes, and we'll see if we can get you back on track?"
"OK miss." he says.
"Right then, back here at the end of classes, OK?"
"Yes miss."
I let him go, and smile as I watch his behind in his tight black trousers as he leaves the room.
.....
It's the end of teaching, and Chris enters the empty classroom rather shyly.
"Good boy," I say, deliberately using those words. "Look, I'm a bit sick of this room, I've been in it all day, do you mind if we go for a drive and talk?"
"OK miss."
I laugh at his reaction. "You don't talk a lot, do you? We'll have to see if I can relax you."
He just stares in embarrassment.