Professor's Favorite Student

4

Daniel Ambrose hadn't gone in his favorite bar where he had often spent his evenings before for more than a week, and it didn't take a genius for Elizabeth to understand that he was avoiding her. In one hand, she was happy him and his sarcastic annoying comments didn't bother her anymore, but somehow he kept intriguing her with his way of teaching and the way his brain functioned in general for that matter, his passion for literature, the way he'd articulate words, his deep husky magnetic voice, the way he'd always, always be in suits of different colors and she was probably one of the very few that had seen him in casual clothes, but mostly, the way he never forgot to observe her while talking, like he knew how much he affected her and this made Elizabeth even more furious.

Mia had finally found their professor's book she owned somewhere in her piles of books and clothes and Liz hated how curious she was the whole time to eat it up. It felt like a way to know him better and deep down she knew she wouldn't be disappointed.

And this is how it happened. She found herself finishing his book overnight, and it was five in the morning when she realized it, which she knew it wasn't healthy at all, but she had a habit to lose concept of time when a book was that good and if she was to be honest, this was more than good. 

In fact she was completely, extremely, terribly in love with his way of writing, the way he had put every little emotion together, every detail in a white paper and made it simply a masterpiece. It was a tragic story about a family who lost their eleven year old daughter in an accident in which her big brother, the main character was driving the car. But it was mostly focused in the time after her death, how they went through it, how the main character tried to survive the guilt eating him inside as he gave up to alcohol and drugs. But the most painful part was the fact that although the main character became better, the end was left open for the audience to assume if he really was able to go on with his life and find happiness or not. 

Elizabeth cried. She was the kind of person to secretly cry over well-written books and characters she'd find an emotional connection with, and she felt like she wanted to hug the main character so bad throughout the whole night. She couldn't really understand how Mr. Ambrose was able to create all of this so perfectly considering the fact that she always saw him like this selfish, narcissist person who'd never feel or describe emotions in this kind of depth. But he obviously did and even surpassed her expectations, and it left her speechless.

"Liz, get up, we're late," she heard Mia's voice but somehow as much as she was trying, she couldn't open her eyes. Had someone drugged her? "Liz!" Mia shouted more loudly this time, and she was finally able to adjust in reality. Liz was having a dream about the book she just read and the mere thought that it was written by him made her sigh embarrassingly.

"You're usually a morning person," Amber pointed out, surprised at her roommate for sleeping until this late, something Liz had never done, unlike her.

But when both girls focused on her face, they saw her like they had seen a ghost. "What happened?" Mia asked worriedly, and Liz realized it must've been the dark bags under her eyes from sleeping only two hours.

"I might or might have not finished Mr. Ambrose's book last night..." she said, showing her teeth innocently and the girls only opened their eyes and mouths wider in disbelief. 

"It was over three hundred pages! And I gave it to you after dinner!" Mia shouted, and Amber whistled in shock. Amber wasn't the book type at all — let alone to sacrifice her beauty sleep for it.

"But it was so good," Liz complained, trying to justify herself as she went to open the bathroom door.

"Girl, the crush you have on him is huge HUGE."

Mia's voice stopped her and she quickly hurried to answer, "I don't have a crush on him! I only have a crush on his writing skills—"

"She definitely does," Amber cut her off with her usual savage voice and it only made Mia chuckle.

"I don't!" Liz shouted from inside the bathroom and both girls busted in laughing at how cute their roommate was being this morning.

"You do!" They both shouted in the same time before grinning to each other and then kissing. They were in such a good mood today and they had to thank Liz for that.

                                      ***  

She couldn't believe the class she had to attend first was the novel one. Could her luck be worse than this? And on top of that she knew it was Tuesday. Discussion Class.

His suit was a dark green today and the white dress shirt underneath was a little bit more unbuttoned than usual, showing a little bit of his chest muscles as his tie was tied messier than usual. He looked breathtaking, she must admit that.

"What we have today... uh yes, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen..."

My favorite.

"...One of my favorites," he continued, and the fact that he could even interrupt her thoughts irritated her so much. "You know we have Discussion Class today, right? Then who will start?"

Elizabeth knew that if Daniel Ambrose wouldn't be the teacher, she'd start rambling about this novel, because she had a million reasons why, but however, in front of him everything she wanted to say, especially after reading his novel, didn't seem wise enough, and she bit her lip at that sudden thought. Never before she had felt like her words didn't seem smart enough in front of a man.

But everything about Mr. Ambrose made her feel uneasy and not as confident as usual and she hated this.

"How about we start with Miss Elizabeth Brown? Considering she shares the same name with our widely-known main character, Elizabeth Bennet."

She blinked once, and then twice. Did she hear it right? Was he referring to her?

But as he approached to her spot more and now was only some steps away from her desk, she swallowed the fact that all the auditorium's attention was at her, waiting for a response. He was doing it on purpose, it wasn't hard telling seeing a really small smirk forming in his face that only she could notice.

Jerk.

"What is it, Miss Brown? Is something wrong? Or have you perhaps — God forbid — not read it?" He faked- worried as she pressed her lips into a firm line angrily. Could he just stop with his irony for once?

"No, sir, of course I have," she said as she took control over herself real quick. "It's actually my favorite novel, like... ever."

His smirk was more obvious now as he leaned his arm in the desk in front of her, his face not that far away from her now. "Then I'd love to hear your thoughts on it," he said, his voice sounding huskier than usual. Or it was only Elizabeth thinking so?

"Well, everything about it is close to perfection," she said affectionately, and it made him chuckle a little how subjectively she started it. He had waited an objective analysis instead but he had to admit this made him even more curious now. He wanted to see how good she was with words aside of when she would be sarcastic around him.

"Define perfection," Daniel requested, making Elizabeth bit her bottom lip a little nervously.

"Pride and Prejudice is not the most famous work of English Literature for nothing. In my opinion, it is the most revolutionary, influential and feminist novel of that era and continues to be one until today, portraying everyday life and societal issues in a way that no other novel did."

"How is it that every love story with the female lead as the main character and not the love interest looks feminist and revolutionary for girls? Pride and Prejudice is highly overrated." Elizabeth heard a male voice echoing the auditorium and when she turned her head to her right, she saw a brown haired boy in a black shirt that had some silver chains as necklaces. What she just heard made her raise her brows surprisingly at the bravery of the boy. This was the most stupidest thing she had heard in awhile.

"How is it that the fact that girls like love stories with the female lead as the main character and not the love interest of the man bothers you in any way? Or feminism for that matter? Does it affect your male ego in any way?" She couldn't believe herself she was able to be that sarcastic in front of more than a hundred people but she did and it felt great. Some surprised words were heard here and there as the boy clenched his teeth and rolled his eyes. He looked mad.

Daniel couldn't help but chuckle, although he tried his best to remain serious. When he thought she couldn't be more smart and confident he realized he was really mistaken.

"Don't get personal, Miss Brown," he forced himself to say for the sake of all eyes on him. However, she knew he was enjoying this.

"Some people don't even understand that this novel is much more than a love story and I can't understand why they're majoring English Literature at this point. By portraying a strong, independent, intelligent female character who doesn't low her standards to marry a man only for being wealthy besides the fact that the entire world is against her, including her family, she doesn't portray only feminism but she breaks into the patriarchal society and gives a role model for young women to know their worth and their importance to the society, that is equal to the one of a man. Now if this isn't revolutionary considering it was written in the nineteenth century I don't know what is," she finished it off, while the entire auditorium remained silent along with their professor, who to say was amused was like only the tip of the iceberg.

Even though he tried to keep his usual straight face by acting unaffected deep down he knew that if they were to be alone right now he'd claim her lips and taste her all, more passionately than the simple kiss they shared in the bar. That 'sexy brain of hers' as he called it in his mind, was driving him insane and turning him extremely on. Never in his six years of teaching in this college he had been this head over heels over a student, but he couldn't remember a student being like her either, so it was understandable, or so he wanted to think.

He saw her brush her hair behind her ears showing her beautiful face even more and he tried a lot to not say something stupid since the whole auditorium was even quieter than usual if this was even possible, all proceeding in their head what just happened.

"Well, this was interesting," he said with a smirk in his face and it felt like the tension in the class lifted a little. "I can't say I don't agree with what Miss Brown said, I must admit. Can I hear others opinions now?" He said, finally moving his eyes from hers, and she was able to finally breathe normally.

"Elizabeth Brown, you scare me," she heard Mia's voice in her ear, and giggled lightly in return.