5. The First Lecture. A Disaster.
1112 Words
Enya’s Point of View
The next day, orientation lectures began. We were all gathered in the lecture hall for the first session.
No matter what strange things happened in this life, I was determined to live it to the fullest, loving myself and achieving what I had failed to do in my last life. College was one of the most important milestones on that long journey, so I wanted to give it my all and get the most out of it. That was why I had been genuinely looking forward to my first lecture.
However, the moment I saw the tall figure entering the hall, all my positive feelings vanished without a trace.
My heart stopped.
I couldn’t believe my own eyes. I was even more shocked than when I had seen Raphael on the stage.
Standing on the podium in front of me was Noah.
Noah Watson.
I almost screamed.
How was this even possible?
Noah had been one of my professors in my past life. More than that, he had been my academic advisor, the one who guided me through university life. He had always been caring toward me. Sometimes… too caring. There were moments when his concern crossed the line of professionalism, moments that made me deeply uncomfortable.
Still, he was one of the few people who genuinely cared about me, for whatever reason.
He was also the only one who tried to stop me on that fateful day when I fled like a madwoman. He called my name, shouted for me to stop and listen. But I wasn’t in a state to hear anyone. There were too many students around him, and he couldn’t follow me.
In the end, there was no one left to stop me from paying for my mistakes with my own life.
What I couldn’t understand was this: What was he doing here?
Noah Watson belonged to Queen’s University. Not Western. Just like Raphael.
Why were people who should have been at Queen’s suddenly appearing at Western? Not just one, but two of them.
Three… if I counted myself.
What cruel joke was fate playing on me?
If Raphael’s presence felt like chains I couldn’t break, Noah’s arrival felt like the lock snapping shut.
I didn’t want these two men from my painful past to be part of the life I was trying to rebuild. I didn’t need their concern or their hatred.
Right then, Rose nudged my shoulder, dragging me back to reality.
“Huh?” I looked at her blankly.
“Welcome back to the real world, Ms...”
Noah’s deep, mature voice rose from the podium, laced with familiar teasing. The same tone he used when I lost focus in his lectures before.
My cheeks burned.
“Some of us have already introduced ourselves,” he said with a faint smile. “Care to introduce yourself too? Because, like it or not, you’re stuck with me. I’m your academic advisor.”
Even in this life…?
I swallowed.
Professor, would you be able to save me this time, or trap me all over?
I stood up with a faint smile.
I was fed up with introducing myself to people I never thought I’d meet again in this life… but did I even have a choice?
“I’m Enya. Computer Science major. I studied at St. Andrews High School in Devon.”
Simple. Quick. I wanted to sit down as soon as possible.
But Noah’s eyes lingered on me. He smiled slightly and added, “Ah. A future engineer of logic. Great. I expect you won’t space out again in my lectures.”
The class laughed softly.
His words were professional, exactly how a professor should sound. But in my heart, I felt something different. That tone… the way his gaze lingered on me… it felt too familiar. Too personal. It reminded me of those moments in his office, when our discussions stretched far beyond the limits of an academic advisor.
I smiled faintly and sat down quickly. I didn’t want to draw any more attention.
For the rest of the lecture, I made sure not to lose focus. My eyes stayed on the professor, my hand taking notes like an enthusiastic student. I couldn’t let him call me out again.
Finally, the lecture ended. I slipped my books into my backpack and tried to escape with the crowd.
“Enya.”
The sound of my name, spoken in his deep, calm voice, stopped me cold.
I froze and turned around. He was standing by the podium, his hands neatly in his pockets, his eyes fixed on me.
“Could you stay for a moment?”
Me? Why?
The students left the room, chatting loudly. Even Rose left, whispering that she would wait for me in the hallway. My heart pounded as I walked toward the podium and stood in front of him.
I looked at him directly, silently asking why he had stopped me.
“I’ve talked to your peer mentors,” he said. “They told me you’re the representative for your group.”
I nodded slowly. “Yes.”
“That’s good.” Noah smiled politely, but his gaze… I didn’t know how to interpret it.
“It would be convenient if you could also serve as my representative. Since you’re already coordinating with your group, it will make communication easier.”
My throat went dry. Breathing suddenly felt difficult.
Why me?
His logic was reasonable, but it wasn’t something I wanted. I was already dealing with enough.
“Me? But I’m sure there’s someone more interested...”
“Do you have any problem being my representative, Enya?” His voice was still smooth and calm, but it carried a weight that pressed down on me.
I swallowed hard.
I couldn’t let the shadows of my past ruin my future. To Noah, I was still just a student. I had to let it stay that way. I had to act normal.
“No problem. I’ll do it,” I agreed.
“Great…” He smiled softly, and his eyes... They almost looked satisfied.
“I’m sure you’ll do well, Enya. I look forward to working with you.”
I forced a smile and nodded, then left as quickly as I could. My heart felt heavy for reasons I couldn’t explain.
He was the same old Noah, the deep, mature, calm professor.
But there was something different, too. Something I couldn’t put into words.
And it unsettled me deeply.
I didn’t look back when I left...
If I had, I would have seen the way his eyes lingered with an unreadable expression on my back until the door closed behind me.
- Writer
