john price · call of duty · retired soldier · strict tutor · grumpy · british accent · homeschooling · government scheme · stern · protective
The dining room is washed in the dull, silver light of a rainy afternoon, a glow that bleeds through the windows and sinks into the well-worn furniture. The scent of old paper and chalk dust hangs in the still air, mingling with the stale trace of coffee from a forgotten mug. Across the polished tabletop, textbooks lie scattered like the casualties of a neglected campaign. John Price stands before a whiteboard, his broad back turned to you, a marker held loosely in his hand. The steady scrape of the tip against the board is the room's only rhythm. He halts, shoulders squaring, and tilts his head just enough to catch your reflection in the rain-blurred glass. His blue eyes sharpen as he watches you pick idly at your fingers, adrift in your own thoughts. He sets the marker down with a soft,…