Professor's Favorite Student

18

Daniel opened his eyes and a strong headache hit him hard, reminding him he had drank almost a bottle of whiskey some hours ago. His eyes went first at the clock in the wall, realizing it was past 10 p.m, which meant he had slept for more than three hours and the blanket keeping him warm reminded him he wasn't alone. Or at least he wasn't some hours ago. He had told her everything and the wave of guilt hit him, but this time for his biggest surprise, it wasn't only guilt and pain for what he had done exactly ten years from now, it was fear too. His dear Elizabeth had promised she wouldn't judge him, but that was before she had heard his story. She had probably changed her mind, he was to blame for what he had done. The fear of her thinking differently for him now only grew by the second inside him as he realized he couldn't bear her looking differently at him. He was now so used at being held dearly by her eyes — even when she'd try to look like she didn't care at all about him — that was impossible to imagine her being cold with him now, it's kill him inside.

Will all these worrisome thoughts in his head, he hadn't realized until then that he wasn't in his blue dress shirt he had wore that day anymore, he had actually a white sweatshirt on. He didn't remember getting changed at all.

His questions would only be answered if he moved from the sofa, so he got up and went to the dinning room, only to be introduced with his big dinning table full of different dishes. Not simple dishes, but traditional ones normal families would probably use on the Christmas eve.

What was going on?

His thoughts were interrupted by Elizabeth stepping into the room with two big plates in her hands. She frowned when she saw him there, observing her with his breathtaking emerald eyes. "You're awake," she said softly, putting the plates in the table as his eyes never left her. Only now he realized she was in his yellow hoodie that looked like a big baggy dress on her, and in his grey sweatpants that were too big on her too, making her look much smaller and cuter.

She froze, uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze. "I—" she started explaining, playing with her hair nervously, making him smirk while enjoying all of this. "So... I was completely soaking wet because of the rain and I kind of... took a shower and took these from your closet..." alright, this was much more uncomfortable than she had first thought. How could you explain to your professor you took a shower in his bathroom and wore his clothes afterwards and make it sound okay in the same time? She gulped nervously, before continuing, "I wanted to ask you but I didn't wanna wake you up, and I didn't know how to light the fire to dry them and—"

Daniel laughing out of nowhere cut her off as she furrowed her brows annoyed. "Elizabeth, it's okay, it's just clothes," he said and she finally grinned, watching him laugh after everything that he had said only some hours ago. All she wanted was to see him happy, to see him leave his past behind, but she wasn't sure if that was possible. "I don't suppose I was in this sweatshirt some hours ago, am I right?" He asked teasingly, the smirk never leaving his face as she looked away again, completely embarrassed.

"I felt bad leaving you on a wet shirt," she said between her teeth as he chuckled, amused at the idea that she had seen him naked. Well, half-naked, since the pants were still the same ones.

Only now he realized it was the first time he was seeing her without her red lipstick on and even though he loved it on her more than anything else, now she looked more soft and natural, like she had removed the front she kept up with everyone else, like she was now showing him her true self. It sounded stupid, but he felt like he was one of the only few people given this chance of knowing the true Elizabeth and he wanted to take this chance. No, he needed it.

She continued adjusting the table, more so she could avoid his intense gaze even though she loved his attention on her more than she was willing to accept.

Daniel got up, approaching her so slowly that even though she wasn't facing him, her traitorous body still started shivering at his closeness.

"Can I know what's going on here, Elizabeth?" He asked softly and she bit her bottom lip nervously, trying her best to find the right words. She had never felt this shy around someone but him, she was actually really confident around people, but like always her professor could bring out deepest desires and feelings on Elizabeth.

"It seems like food to me," she said, giving up on the idea of finding the right words. Sarcasm was always her way to go and he knew it.

"Oh really? Thanks," he continued with the sarcasm as she tried not to laugh.

"It's Christmas," she pointed out as he gave her a teasing-questioning look.

"And I don't celebrate Christmas, as I told you."

"Some things change over time," she said, trying to act unbothered, even though something inside her was doubting she made a grave mistake that'd change everything, but there was no turning back now. "Plus, I celebrate Christmas and I wasn't about to spend the Christmas eve alone."

He raised his brows surprised, as a smile found his way on his face, a smile that started giving hope to Elizabeth. She had made all this for him. To make him happy. After telling her everything, Daniel really thought she'd run away, every woman in her right mind would, he was a broken man with probably some commitment issues, but she actually stayed, despite everything, despite this being strictly forbidden. Not only stayed, but she cooked and prepared everything, only so he could celebrate Christmas after years of this being the worst night of every year. She could choose to spend this night with the people she loved, but she stayed here with him instead. Why?

Liz started to worry even more when she saw him lost in his thoughts, not giving her an answer. Had she made this worse while trying to make him happy? Had she hurt him more? That's the last thing she wanted to do, she wanted to see him smile, to see him be genuinely happy. "I'm... I'm really sorry if this isn't what you wanted, I swear I didn't wanna hurt you, I can get rid of all this and we can pretend it never happened, I—" but he didn't let her finish as he suddenly wrapped his arms around her and buried his face on the crook of her neck, making her shiver in surprise and warmness. A huge smile formed in her face as she ran her hands in his hair softly. Being in his arms felt like home.

"Thank you Elizabeth," he murmured and it got her emotional again. "You're the sweetest and most caring person I've ever known," he continued, not letting her go from his arms. She was were she was supposed to be after all.

"You're exaggerating," she said so she could hear him chuckle, succeeding in the same time.

"I'm sure I'm not," he whispered brushing his face on her hair softly as she leaned in him and he smiled weakly, feeling the most blessed man for having known her, even though in the circumstances of her being his student. "I'm starving," he said excitedly after some seconds, letting her go as he sat down on on one of the chairs, and she did the same, sitting in the one in front of his. He was even more surprised now that he had observed all the dishes, were there something this young woman couldn't do?

"Now can you explain to me how you made all these in three hours?" He asked and she grinned happily that he was liking the things in front of him.

"Well, there are some things missing, but I tried." Modesty looked good on her too, even though he hadn't thought about that until now.

"Everything's perfect," he praised her, referring to the fact that the plates were simple decorated too, which he loved. "Except something." The smile dropped from her face after hearing this. He got and went to the kitchen. "Red, white or strawberry wine?" He shouted from there and only now Liz realized what was missing.

"Strawberry for me please," she shouted too and he smiled at himself for figuring it out right.

He filled her glass himself and went to the fireplace to light the fire. "Thank you, Mr. Ambrose," she said, referring to the wine and the fire both and he chuckled at her answer.

"Are you really going to keep calling me Mr. Ambrose?" He asked teasingly and she looked away shyly, playing with her fingers nervously.

"It's still kind of... weird, to call you Daniel."

"I think you've called me that enough times for us to leave the formalities," he replied and she bit her bottom lip, reminding the first time she had called him by his first name, which by the smirk in his face, he noticed what she was thinking.

"Okay, Daniel," she said nervously as he sat down in front of her again, the fire already starting to warm up the house, even though the air conditioning was enough in itself.

"Now it's your time to talk, love," he said, gaining a surprise look from her as she tried not to show how much she loved being called that by him.

"Talk about what?"

"Yourself. I know almost nothing about you while you know a lot about me," he pointed out.

"Well, there's not much to say," she admitted, scared that he'd be bored or disappointed that there was nothing special about her or her past.

"I'd like to hear whatever you want," he encouraged her. "For example, why did you decide to transfer on your senior year. Not a lot of people do this." He was right to point this out.

She shrugged. "Because I was tired of being the only salvation of my parents' marriage," Liz admitted while Daniel furrowed his eyes and she knew this left him with much more questions than answers. "My parents' marriage has been failing for years now, but you know what they say, they've been trying to be together for us, even though me and my brother never asked for this in the first place. My brother escaped to LA some years ago, fortunately for him, which left me stuck there as my parents didn't want me to go away from them. I was planning on leaving after graduation though, but things got even more toxic with them, my ex and my friendships and everything else, so I decided to leave, even though they cut me off completely. So as you know now I'm forced to work everyday and study at nights. My brother is helping me with money too though, you know how expensive New York is," she explained, even though it was a touchy subject for her. But he had opened up with her so much that she felt like he deserved to know. "But I don't think they have ever loved me. I mean, they've tried, in their way at least, but they've mostly needed me for their selfish reasons, they never knew how to love me, never learnt to. They don't even know me, they don't know what I like, they don't know my favorite color even though everybody can say it's red, they don't know how I drink my coffee or why I love reading."

Daniel ended up speechless, he'd never imagine what was going on with her life. She looked like this confident, tough girl who didn't seem to be hurt that easily, but maybe these were some of the reasons she didn't want to appear soft in front of people. But the idea that she was now this comfortable with him to tell him these warmed his heart. "I'm so sorry all this has happened to you," he said in a reassuring way, before holding her hand on his above the table, his eyes holding affection and adoration that made her feel things in her stomach. "I can't imagine how someone can't be able to love you when it's the easiest thing there could ever be."