Teacher's Pet

Melanie Martinez's 'Teacher's Pet' delves into the controversial and emotionally charged subject of an illicit relationship between a student and her teacher. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a young girl who has become infatuated with her teacher, to the point where she dreams of a life and family with him, despite his current family situation. The student is aware of the inappropriateness of this affair, yet she is drawn into it by the teacher's attention and her own feelings of love or infatuation.

The song's chorus, 'Teacher's pet / If I'm so special, why am I secret?', encapsulates the core of the student's internal conflict. She feels valued and unique in the eyes of her teacher, yet she is kept hidden, like a dirty secret. This duality of feeling special yet undervalued is a common theme in situations where power dynamics are skewed, such as in relationships between authority figures and subordinates. The student's plea for recognition and legitimacy is met with the harsh reality of her lover's unwillingness to acknowledge their relationship publicly.

Towards the end of the song, the tone shifts from one of longing and desire to anger and realization. The student demands her autonomy back, recognizing that the relationship was built on a foundation of lies and manipulation. The line 'Gimme back my money / Didn't learn a damn thing, honey, from you' suggests a transactional view of the relationship, where the student feels she has invested something valuable and received nothing but deception in return. The song ends with a powerful rejection of the teacher's control, as the student asserts her independence and refuses to be owned or defined by the affair.