Claire de Lune

CHAPTER 3

Lunara's POV

I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring. Groaning, I reached over to turn it off and sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I had a long day ahead of me, and I needed to get started on my routine.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" my older sister, Selene, called from the hallway as she walked past my bedroom door.

"Morning," I replied, yawning. "What time is it?"

"It's almost 8:00. You better get moving if you don't want to be late for class."

"Right, thanks for the reminder." I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.

After I finished getting ready, I went downstairs to the kitchen, where my mom was making breakfast.

"Morning, Mom," I said, giving her a hug.

"Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?"

"I did. How about you?"

"I slept okay. Your father was snoring like a freight train, though."

We both laughed as my dad walked into the kitchen, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Morning, Lunara," he said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "How's my favorite daughter doing?"

"Dad stop or Selene might hear you, she's just there." I reminded him and pointed at Selene who just got down the stairs.

He chuckled. "Are you ready for class today?"

"I am. I have a presentation to give, and I want to do my best."

"I'm sure you will," my mom said, handing me a plate of eggs and toast.

As I ate breakfast, my mind wandered to Zephyra. We hadn't seen each other in months, and I missed her so much. I wondered what she was doing and if she was thinking about me too.

"Are you okay, Lunara?" Selene asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Nothing important." I smiled, finishing my breakfast. "Thanks for the food, Mom. I have to go now."

"Okay, have a good day, sweetie," my dad said, giving me a hug.

"I will." I waved goodbye and left the house, heading to Montaigne University.

As I walked through the campus, I couldn't help but feel a little anxious. I had taken a break from school for a few months, and I knew my friends would be surprised to see me. I hoped they wouldn't be mad at me for disappearing like that.

"Hey, Lunara!" my friend Raine called out, running over to me. "We missed you so much! Where have you been?"

"I had some personal stuff to take care of," I said, smiling at her. "But I'm back now, and I'm ready to catch up."

"We're so glad you're back!" Raine gave me a hug, and we walked to our classroom together.

As we waited for class to start, Raine and our other friends caught me up on everything I had missed. It was good to see everyone again, and I knew I had made the right decision to come back to school.

But as much as I enjoyed being with my friends, my thoughts kept drifting back to Zephyra. I missed her so much, and I hoped I would see her again soon. I knew I needed to focus on the present, though, and do my best in school. The future would take care of itself.

I was sitting in my marketing class when my friend Raine leaned over and whispered in my ear.

"Have you heard about the new professor in our department?"

"No, what about her?" I whispered back, intrigued.

"She's hot. Like, really hot. And super sexy."

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow, trying to keep my voice down.

"Yeah, all the guys and girls are talking about her. I heard she's only a few years older than us too."

That piqued my interest even more. I couldn't help but wonder what she looked like and what kind of professor she was.

As the class went on, my mind kept drifting back to the new professor. I couldn't wait to see her in person and find out for myself if she was as hot as everyone said.

After class, Raine and I walked out of the building together.

"I hope she teaches one of our classes," Raine said, grinning. "I'd love to stare at her for an hour."

I laughed. "You're so bad. But I have to admit, I'm curious too."

"Of course you are. You're not dead inside like some people," Raine teased, nudging me.

We walked to our next class, and I couldn't help but glance around, looking for any sign of the new professor. But we didn't see her, and I started to wonder if she was real or just a rumor.

Later that day, as I was walking to the library, I overheard a group of students talking about the new professor.

"I heard she's a have a nice voice," one of them said.

"She's so smart and accomplished. And gorgeous too," another student gushed.

My heart raced with excitement as I walked away, wondering if I would ever get to see the new professor for myself.

As I sat down at a table in the library, I couldn't help but think about her. I knew it was silly to get so worked up over someone I hadn't even met yet, but the idea of a hot, sexy professor teaching my class was too intriguing to ignore.

I opened my textbook and tried to focus on my reading, but my mind kept wandering back to the new professor. I wondered what she was like as a teacher and if she was as charming as she was beautiful.

"Hey, Lunara!" Raine said, startling me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, hey. What's up?" I asked, trying to compose myself.

"Have you seen her yet? The new professor?" Raine asked, her eyes sparkling.

"No, not yet. But I heard she's have a good voice and really smart," I said, trying to sound casual.

"Ooh, even better. I bet she's amazing in person."

We both laughed, and I tried to focus on my work again. But the idea of the new professor was too distracting, and I couldn't wait to meet her in person.

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As I sat there in the classroom, waiting for my professor to arrive, I found myself gazing out of the window, my mind wandering aimlessly. I couldn't help but feel a little bored, wishing that my friend Raine was with me to pass the time.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of heels clicking against the floor, followed by the creak of a door opening. I turned my head to face the front of the classroom, and my heart skipped a beat.

It was her. Zephyra. The woman I had been missing on for months.

My eyes widened in shock and disbelief as I watched her walk towards the front of the room, greeting the other students with a smile. I couldn't believe it.

My mind raced with questions and emotions. How was I supposed to focus on the subject now? Would Zephyra recognize me from our chance encounter at the seashore? Did she even remember me?

I tried my best to focus, but my mind kept drifting back to Zephyra. This was going to be an interesting semester.

As Zephyra went around the classroom, asking each student to introduce themselves and share a favorite quote, my nerves started to get the better of me. I couldn't believe that I was actually sitting in the same room as her, let alone being asked to introduce myself to her.

As she approached me, I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, and stood up.

"Hi, my name is Lunara Jade Chandler," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

Zephyra looked at me, her eyes meeting mine, and for a moment, I felt like the world stopped spinning. Did she recognize me?

"My favorite quote is 'The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It's always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it's a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human. Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections.'"

I finished my quote, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. Zephyra smiled at me, and I couldn't help but feel a flutter in my chest.

As soon as the last student finished introducing themselves, I let out a deep breath. I was still nervous, but at least the hard part was over. I looked up to see Zephyra standing at the front of the class, poised and elegant. I couldn't help but admire her beauty, even more so now that she was my professor.

Zephyra began to introduce herself, and my heart raced in my chest. I listened intently, trying to absorb every detail. Zephyra's name was like music to my ears, and I couldn't wait to hear more from her.

"Good morning, everyone. My name is Zephyra Pavlichenko, and I will be your professor for this semester. I have a PhD in Economics from Nova Pacifica University, and I have been teaching for 2 years now. Please feel free to call me Professor Pavlichenko."

I found myself struggling to pay attention to anything else. All I could think about was her. Her voice, her smile, her eyes. I couldn't believe that she was actually here, right in front of me.

I nodded along with the rest of the class, hanging on to every word. Zephyra had an air of confidence and intelligence that was both intimidating and alluring. I couldn't help but be drawn to her.

I was fascinated by the way she spoke and the way she moved. I knew I had to be careful, though. I couldn't let my feelings for Zephyra get in the way of my studies.

I knew it was wrong to feel this way, but I couldn't help it. Every time I saw Zephyra, my heart skipped a beat, and I felt a flutter in my stomach. But the reality of our situation was not lost on me. Zephyra was my teacher, and getting involved with her could ruin everything.

I had read enough news articles about teachers getting fired and even jailed for having relationships with their students, and the thought made me sad. I didn't want anything bad to happen to Zephyra, and I certainly didn't want to get in trouble herself.

I mentally battled myself, trying to avoid any interaction with Zephyra that could lead to my feelings growing stronger. I knew it was a futile effort, but I had to try. I couldn't risk losing my education and my future for this feelings, no matter how strong it was.