As the students filed in, they saw their teacher behind her desk. The boys in particular noticed her: a younger teacher, likely no older than 30, with long blond hair like Rapunzel that she kept tied up in the back so it only reached her waist, bright blue eyes, and a slender body with no sign of blemish on what skin she had exposed. The girls were intrigued as well; someone that young who commanded such a presence was a relief from the way most teachers handled a class with sensitive material.

Once the bell rang, the teacher tapped her hand on a special desk bell shaped like a clam shell. "Good morning, students," she began, her voice in almost a sing-song pattern that disarmed even the most nervous among her class. "It's so wonderful to see such young and eager faces! I'm delighted to see you! Thank you for choosing this Adult Health seminar. Let me introduce myself."

She wrote her name on the board: Aphy Agape. "Now, to answer your first question, it's actually pronounced uh-GAH-pay. I will be teaching you about the importance of your physcial and mental well-being as you advance to college and being on your own next year. Are there any other questions?"

One student jumped in: "Didn't we go over all this freshmen year?"

"Yeah, I know we did that thing with the banana," added another.

"Now, class, I'm sure you found that... interesting and helpful," Ms. Agape interrupted. "And yes, we will have one unit dedicated to... re-assessing that segment. But there's so much more to what I wish to tell you than just what happens when the animal within takes over."

She sat down on her desk and faced the classroom, using her hands to captivate the students' attention. "There are many other things you need in your adult lives. Think about it: how do you know if it's love or friendship? When does a playful crush become a desire for commitment? All of you are going to feel the fire with another person, but what happens when the fire begins to die? And the most important thing you'll learn: how do you love yourself?"

"With Kleenex," the class jokester yelled from the back. Ms. Agape let the teenagers get the uncomfortable laughter out of their system before staring a hole into the offending student.

"I see some of you have one form of emotion on their mind more than others. That's fine, I guess... imbalances happen at your age. But you can't go through life thinking that way. What kind of a boyfriend would you be if that's your attitude? Yours will be the connection quickly severed. I'm here to help you understand that the forms of emotional attachment you will feel will guide your decisions in life, and that to understand them and to master them will make you a greater success than you could ever imagine."

"Um, Miss?" A timid girl conservatively dressed, with a cross charm on her necklace, raised her hand. "What about loving God? Does that count?"

The teacher smiled. "Oh, worship can be very helpful. We'll cover the relationship between deities and mortals in a later chapter, don't worry; also, it will explain how the types of love you feel can make you more godly, if that's your desire. But it's just one of the seven important positive feelings you will have. And if you use one to shut out another, you won't get anywhere."

A boy in the back raised his hand. "Do I need my parents' permission for this class?"

"There's nothing explicit, if that's what you're asking. I want to keep this practical. Yes, we'll be looking upon physical attraction and its consequences, but that's such a small part of the equation. Hopefully, when this class is over, you'll understand and appreciate everything that goes into being a kind and loving individual."

The class sat enraptured at her patience and her charisma.

"Is that all? Very well. Let me begin with an overview. To survive, you need to love. But love has become such a catch-all term that it leads to confusion. Confusion leads to pain. And as much as I sound like I've been out in the sun too long, I'm here to help minimize your pain through letting you understand your emotions of love. So... what entails love? The important thing is that in this class, we will break your love down into seven areas..."

The class flew by. Ms. Agape had their attention, and they found themselves wanting to learn more. When the bell rang, the students calmly left for their next class. Some of them were chatting about what was said. But one of them -- the jokester in the beginning -- approached her desk.

"Ma'am?"

"Oh, please, Miss."

"Right, yeah -- I'm sorry I said that joke earlier. I guess I just get nervous around pretty people like you."

"Well, I'm flattered. You know what you did was wrong, and you're correcting it. That's a good start! But I want you to think about this: I talked about playfulness; you mixed it with passion. That can be dangerous. And while I appreciate the thought, let's try to steer you more to deep friendship or love of the world. It will help you in the long run. See you tomorrow!"