Chapter 8: Aurora
959 Words
Weeks passed.
And Professor Michael Knight avoided me.
Completely.
At first, I thought I was imagining it.
But after days turned into weeks, the pattern became impossible to ignore.
The moment class ended, he left immediately.
No lingering after lectures.
No quiet comments directed at me.
No intense stares from across the room.
Nothing.
He walked in exactly on time, taught the class with cold precision, then disappeared before anyone could stop him.
Including me.
And somehow—
That bothered me more than it should have.
I sat in the back of the lecture hall one afternoon, watching him gather his notes the second the bell rang.
No hesitation.
No glance in my direction.
Just distance.
Always distance.
Good.
That’s what I wanted.
Right?
My chest tightened strangely as he walked past my row without looking at me.
Like I wasn’t there at all.
The classroom emptied quickly afterward, leaving me sitting alone for a moment longer than necessary.
Then I exhaled quietly and stood.
“This is for the best,” I whispered to myself.
And maybe if I repeated it enough—
I’d believe it.
By the time I left campus, dark clouds had swallowed the sky.
The air smelled like rain.
Cold wind brushed against my face as I walked through town, hugging my coat tighter around myself.
I should’ve brought an umbrella.
A few seconds later, rain poured heavily from the sky.
“Perfect,” I muttered under my breath.
Within minutes, my hair and sleeves were damp.
I kept walking anyway.
Home wasn’t too far.
Headlights suddenly slowed beside me.
A sleek black car pulled up near the sidewalk.
My stomach tightened instantly.
No.
The tinted passenger window rolled down slowly.
And there he was.
Professor Michael Knight.
One hand resting against the steering wheel, dark eyes fixed ahead.
Not looking at me.
“Get in.”
His voice was calm.
Controlled.
Like always.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re soaked.”
“I live close.”
“Aurora.”
The way he said my name made my pulse stumble.
“I said I’m fine, Professor.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
Rain hit harder against the roof of the car.
“Get in.”
Second time.
More firm now.
I shook my head immediately and continued walking.
For a moment, the car stayed beside me.
Silent.
Persistent.
Then the passenger window lowered again.
“Stop being difficult.”
I looked over at him, irritated now.
“You’re the one following me.”
That finally made him look at me.
Directly.
His expression darkened instantly.
“Get in the car.”
Third time.
Not calm anymore.
The sharpness in his voice sent heat down my spine.
And before I could argue again—
Thunder cracked loudly overhead.
Rain poured even harder.
I sighed in frustration and opened the passenger door quickly before sliding inside.
Warmth immediately wrapped around me.
The scent of leather and his cologne filled the air.
Dangerous combination.
Michael pulled away from the curb without another word.
Silence filled the car almost instantly.
Heavy silence.
The kind that made me painfully aware of everything.
The sound of rain.
The movement of his hands against the steering wheel.
The tension is sitting between us.
He still didn’t look at me.
“Where do you live?”
Professional.
Distant.
Like the last few weeks.
I swallowed softly before giving him directions.
“That street near Maple Avenue.”
He nodded once.
Nothing else.
The silence returned.
I stared out the rain-covered window, trying to ignore the strange ache building inside my chest.
Why did this feel worse than fighting with him?
“You should stop walking home alone this late.”
His voice broke the silence suddenly.
Quiet.
Careful.
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know.”
Something about the way he said it made me glance at him.
His expression remained unreadable.
Focused on the road.
Another silence passed.
Then—
“Keeping distance from you is harder than I expected.”
My breath caught instantly.
Slowly, I looked at him.
Michael’s grip tightened around the steering wheel.
His jaw tense.
“Professor—”
“Don’t.”
The word came quietly.
Almost tired.
Rain blurred the city lights outside as the car slowed at a red light.
For the first time since I entered the car, he turned toward me fully.
And the look in his eyes nearly ruined me.
Not anger.
Not control.
Something far worse.
Want.
My heartbeat stumbled violently.
Michael’s gaze dropped briefly to my lips.
Then back to my eyes.
Slowly—
He leaned closer.
My breath stopped.
Every thought disappeared instantly.
I could feel the warmth coming from him.
The tension.
The hesitation.
For one dangerous second—
I thought he was actually going to kiss me.
But then Michael stopped himself.
Abruptly.
Like physically forcing himself back.
A quiet curse left his mouth as he turned away again, gripping the steering wheel tighter.
The light turned green.
The car moved forward immediately.
Neither of us spoke after that.
Not until we reached my grandparents’ house.
The car stopped in front of the driveway.
Rain still poured heavily outside.
I reached for the door slowly.
“Thank you… Professor.”
The title sounds different now.
Softer.
Michael stared ahead silently for a moment.
Then finally—
“You should go inside, Aurora.”
His voice sounded strained.
I hesitated.
Just briefly.
Then I opened the door and stepped out into the rain.
But before I could close it completely—
Michael spoke again.
Quietly.
Almost to himself.
“You have no idea what you’re doing to me.”
Then the door shut.
And a second later—
He drove away into the storm.
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