Professor's Favorite Student

3

It was the first day of school, and the first thing in Elizabeth's mind in the morning was the kiss she shared with that stranger she didn't even know the name of. It felt like she could still feel his lips on hers and that thought only made flip flops in her stomach. She wanted to forget about it, to erase it all from her memory, but it was no use, her body didn't agree with her mind at all. 

What is wrong with me? She thought, the idea of being that attracted to a stranger she was probably never gonna see again almost scaring her.

And he wasn't only a stranger. He was obviously older than her, and that thought only intimidated her even more. She was never into older men before. Actually, she had always wanted to date boys from the same life-stage as hers, for example if she was still in college she wanted to date a college boy and if she graduated she'd want him to had graduated college as well. 

Date? Was she really talking about dating while thinking about the yesterday's hot man?

She forbid that idea immediately; it sounded so stupid and embarrassing even to her. He obviously just teased her and she felt right into the trap like a horny little girl. She wanted to slap herself for this, but more for the fact that it meant something to her and she couldn't explain what.

Trying to think about anything else other than him, she put on a simple black tight sweater with her usual mom jeans and a long beige oversized jacket, not forgetting her red lipstick. She had a minimal and classy style, but somehow it empowered her and suited her personality a lot.

Even though she was more than excited for everything in this new college, the two first classes were kind of boring and repetitive. The professors kept talking endlessly and she found herself wanting to take a nap instead.

"No way, our next class is with Mr. Ambrose!" Mia said loudly, but the noises in the dining hall where they both were eating some sandwiches covered it entirely.

"And what is it about him?" Liz asked, her mind completely elsewhere.

"What do you mean with 'what is it about him'? He's literally the best," Mia stated, this time Liz's eyes narrowing surprisingly at her. "I've had a class of his in my freshman year and his way of teaching is so goddamn intriguing and attractive."

This time Elizabeth couldn't say she wasn't curious, however, she has had really good professors before, so she wasn't sure if he'd get into her top-three yet.

"You have no idea how hot and intimidating he is," Mia continued. "At that time I was actually questioning my sexuality and damn, he was the main reason I knew I was attracted to boys too."

That made Liz burst into laughing. "Now I'm intrigued," she said, imagining the teacher as someone in his forties, probably with some grey tufts in his hair and a beard, and probably a nice smile too. She wondered if Amber knew about this cute little crush of the past of her girlfriend's in her novel teacher, but she didn't dare to ask.

"He has published six books, excluding his academic ones of course. I own only one but I can hand it to you if you want," she continued, making Liz only nodded in approval while finishing her sandwich.

Compared to the other two classes she had, this one was way more frequented, of course considering that novel was the contraction class of literature majors like her. Fortunately, Elizabeth and her friend walked inside the auditorium some minutes earlier and were able to find some spots in the first row.

The professor better be like Mia explained because there was no way her favorite subject was gonna be wasted on some mediocre man who thought he was a celebrity only because he had published some stupid novels.

But when a tall man with green eyes, dressed in a stylish grey suit entered the auditorium, she froze entirely.

This couldn't be possible.

No, this was a lie.

No no no.

He was going to scare her with his presence and then go out of the auditorium and the real professor was going to enter, right?

But when his eyes fell at her he lost it too. 

"Holy s**t," he cursed silently, but she could see his lips moving even though nobody else seemed to notice. He blinked several times as if she'd disappear after some seconds and that'd be nothing but a sick joke of his imagination, considering her image didn't leave his mind since yesterday.

But nope, she was still there, sitting in the first row, her lips red as yesterday and her eyes wide open in shock.

The auditorium grew quieter at his presence as all attention was at him but his all attention was at her only.

Why was this happening? Was someone playing with him?

He forced himself to shift his gaze from her to the auditorium as he spoke, his deep voice echoing the room straight to her heart. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Daniel Ambrose, your literature novel professor. This is the most important class for most of you so I don't want anyone to neglect it. We're going to work together for two semesters, so prepare yourself to see me almost everyday."

His eyes were at her again as he bit his bottom lip nervously, feeling his forehead sweating but he still managed to keep a cold and professional look. Damn, he was so good at controlling his emotions and having a straight serious face all the time. This only pushed Elizabeth more to wonder what he was thinking. Did her presence affect him even one bit? Or the fact that she was his student and they kissed only a day ago?

"What did I say?" Mia said proudly of herself as she saw her friend totally mesmerized by his presence only. Little did she know.

"He's... okay," Liz whispered back, entirely amused by the way he'd speak with such a husky voice and sometimes his eyes would lean at her, just for a split of seconds before focusing at the others and continuing to explain the importance of this class. He was... amazingly charismatic. With a real talent for charming his audience.

"Just okay?!" Mia shouted more than she should have, and now half of the auditorium's attention was at them.

"Is there something wrong, ladies?" He asked with such a sarcastic voice, and Liz was surprised how he didn't say 'loves' instead. His intense gaze made her look away uneasy.

"N-no sir, we're sorry," Mia mumbled and he went back with the first author of the semester they had. They both sighed in relief that he didn't continue, especially Mia, since everyone knew his ways of 'teasing' his students when they'd interrupt him.

When the class was finally over — which felt like an eternity — Elizabeth made sure to stay behind so she could talk to him after the auditorium would be empty. 

He knew she was there but however, he didn't shift his gaze from his paperwork and that only made her more nervous. How should she refer him now? It felt so strange knowing they had those sarcastic conversations and she felt his lips in hers and on top of that, she had loved every second of it.

"Mr. Ambrose..." she started, and never in her life her voice had sounded that insecure. He finally made eye contact with her, but she couldn't read anything in his expression. Did the man have a degree in acting too?

"Miss Elizabeth," he mimicked her, but the way he said her voice made her tremble just like yesterday. However, she was good at acting too.

"S-sir, I'm sorry, I actually transferred only some days ago and I didn't know who you were," she mumbled, still not knowing why she was the one that had to apologize. It's not like she went to kiss him herself... even though, she had to admit, she deepened it. But she needed to clarify things, and what better way than talking?

"It's alright, it doesn't matter," he said coldly, and only on those five words there were a lot of things hurting her, starting with how unbothered he sounded and finishing with the fact that he didn't call her 'love'. It annoyed her yesterday but now that she knew he wouldn't say it again, it saddened her more that it should have.

"Oh, okay..." she said, a bit disappointingly as she turned her back at him to get going but his words stopped her.

"I just hope not all school will find out real soon," he said, his eyes still focused on the paperwork and she narrowed her eyes angrily at what she just heard. Was he being serious? He was so full of himself, it angered her so suddenly.

"Do you really think I'd tell anyone? And for what?" She raised her voice this time, more confidentially, seeing as his brow arched at the tone of it. It's not like a student talking like this to him was a often occasion, to not say nonexistent.

"I don't know, maybe to ruin my reputation. Or my whole career for that matter," he continued with his sassy words and she opened her mouth widely in disbelief and anger. Elizabeth could feel her body tense, gritting her teeth together, inhaling heavily through her nose instead.

"Do you really think the world revolves around you?" She snapped, not caring a bit that she was talking to her professor and there was a high probability he could fail her on purpose now. "You'd make Narcissus proud, really."

Daniel Ambrose couldn't help but chuckle, this girl really had guts to talk to him like that. And on top of that, irony seemed her second name and he could swear it was his until before meeting her. But on top of that, this only made his attraction to her rise higher, and this definitely wasn't a good sign now that he found out she was his student. Never in his life he mixed his personal feelings with his job and that wasn't going to change because of a stubborn girl.

"I can make yours revolve around me real quick, love. I mean, didn't I yesterday?" He couldn't believe he really said this, but he did, and the more surprised and irritated expression of hers made him even more proud that he could affect her. But in the other hand, he felt stupid since he was really lining his career there. However, somehow he knew she was better than coming around talking about how she made out with her professor.

"You definitely didn't!" She bitterly said, before going out and slamming the door behind her, drawing some students' attention nearby. To say that she was furious would be only a stupid understatement.