Chapter 3: Choices
1048 Words
His voice was authoritative, and he commanded the attention of the students. The topic was ancient civilizations, and he started with the Code of Hammurabi.
"Who can tell me about the significance of the Code of Hammurabi?" Mr. Ethan's eyes scanned the room.
Hands went up everywhere. My heart was racing as his finger landed on me. "You," he said curtly, his intonation ticking a box that I was expected to do better.
I slowly stood to my feet, trying to steady my nerves. "The Code of Hammurabi," I began, my voice quivering, "was established by King Hammurabi of Babylon around 1754 BC. By a fair margin, it represents one of the oldest written legal codes in existence."
My classmates clapped, but Mr. Ethan still didn't look impressed. "Stop clapping," he snapped. "That was only half the answer."
I felt my face flush, his disapproval heavy on me. I tried to focus again, but his words blurred with whispers and looks from my classmates as he rambled on and on.
"Why is he bein' so hard on you?" Ava whispered from behind.
"I don't know," I grumbled back, getting frustrated.
Mr. Ethan continued to forge ahead with the lesson, his voice slicing through the air with insistence. When he called on another student to elaborate on Hammurabi's code, I felt mixed emotions of relief and leftover embarrassment.
The class finally ended, and I gathered my things to slip out unnoticed. But Mr. Ethan's voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Lyra, stay for a moment," he ordered.
I nervously waded toward his desk without any idea as to what it was that he wanted. His face was expressionless while he structured his books, his eyes never looking up to meet mine. The air was so thick; I was desperate for the right lead of words.
"Yes, Mr. Ethan?" I finally spoke, my voice barely audible.
He turned to look at me; his expression had turned serious. "You shouldn't have done that," he said firmly, and the tone brooked no argument.
My cheeks flushed with shame. "I. I'm so sorry," I said, my eyes on the floor. "I didn't mean to. I just."
A wave of his dismissive hand cut me off. "I didn't ask for a clarification. Just don't let it happen again."
I merely nodded, and a pang of regret twisted inside me. I should have never kissed him—if I'd known he would turn out to be my substitute teacher.
Mr. Ethan gathered his things with ease, never once looking my way. The air felt so tensely thick, like a cake of unresolved tension between us. Just as he brushed past me toward the door, he stopped for a split second before piercing through to my eyes. "Remember, professionalism is expected in my classroom," he said flatly and left without another word.
I stood there feeling smaller than ever before, whereupon the weight of my mistake came heavy on my shoulders. How could I face him now in class? Was my impulsive action going to ruin it for me?
Ava and Sarah walked up carefully and looked at me with concern in their eyes. "What did he say?" asked Ava quietly.
I shook my head, unable to meet their eyes. "Nothing much," I muttered, gathering my stuff hastily. "Let's just get going."
As we made our way back to the dormitory, Ava could not just let it slip. "I just can't believe you kissed Mr. Ethan," she repeated for a third time, amazed.
"Can you at least quit saying it as if it's so cool?" Sarah shot back. "It landed her in enough trouble."
I had been deep in thought, trying to piece things together, as to why everything seemed to go bad. First, the breakup with Bryce, then the one-night stand with Liam, the king of the campus, and last, the smooch with Mr. Ethan, my professor. However, I wouldn't have been lying to myself; Mr. Ethan looked way too young and handsome to be a professor. His well-carved beard, pinkish-soft lips, and hazel eyes were all on my mind.
My thoughts were suddenly disturbed when I saw Liam not too far away, dressed in his soccer uniform, with teammates headed in our direction. Oh no, here he comes. The memory of the one-night stand flashed through my brain, and I turned embarrassingly shy.
"Hey, girls," Liam called out as he jogged toward us, tucking his soccer ball under one arm.
Ava and Sarah nearly crazed to death by giggling and blushing their faces. "Liam, you got to lead our school into another victory cup!" chuckled Ava.
"Yeah, show them no mercy, other team!" added very excited Sarah.
Liam smiled with confidence. "Victory is ours as always."
He then turned his attention to me, and I tried to avoid his gaze, feeling all the more conscious. "Lyra," he said, softer now, somewhat playful. "You coming to the game?"
I reluctantly turned to look at him. "Uh, maybe," I mumbled.
His smile broadened and some sort of sexy charisma bled from him. "I'll be looking for you," he directed at me, turning back to his friends and loping off in the direction of the campus stadium.
I watched him go with a pounding heart.
Ava turned onto me with a narrowing glance; then Sarah frowned. "What's all this?".
"What do you mean?" Ava rolled her eyes. "Liam, who barely knows we exist, is suddenly talking to us. Did you see how he was looking at Lyra?"
A knot of anxiety tightened in my stomach. "Ava, stop. It's nothing," I said, trying to dismiss her.
Ava's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Did you sleep with Liam? Or are you two in love?" she asked, half-joking, half-serious.
I chuckled, although truthfully, my heart was racing. "No, nothing like that," I lied once more. Well, Liam only did one thing with girls and then dumped 'em after he got what he wanted.
Sarah nodded. "Lyra, don't mind Ava. She is just too curious."
I tried to shake the feeling, but at least a modicum of doubt remained. Was I going to be just another girlfriend for him, or was something more there? He and I connected, but trusting Liam was a risk I wasn't sure that I wanted to take.
- Writer
