MY PROFESSOR AND I

The Fifth Rule

Episode 13

Tia decided to take things into her own hands.

_Wednesday. 12:40 PM. School Cafeteria._

The cafeteria was loud. Trays clanking. People shouting over music.

JJ was sitting with his usual crowd. A bunch of girls surrounding him, laughing at everything he said.

He was rich. His dad funded the new business building. He was kind of a big deal on campus.

But he never acted proud. He still sat on the bench instead of the tables. Still shared his fries.

Then he saw Tia.

She was standing by the drink station with Katie and Linda, holding a cup of water like it was armor.

He stood up immediately, cut through the group of girls, and walked straight to her.

The girls behind him groaned.

“Tia.”

“Hey JJ.”

“Come get coffee with me?” he asked, already turning toward the exit. No pressure. Just asking.

Tia blinked. She glanced at her friends behind her.

Katie had both hands over her mouth. Linda was making kissy faces. Gloria was recording.

She sighed and followed. “Okay.”

They got coffee from the shop outside the gate. Two iced Americanos.

They sat under a tree. It was easy. JJ was funny. He talked about his terrible golf swing and his dog that hated him.

He didn’t ask weird questions. He didn’t stare at her like Alex did. Like he was trying to figure her out.

Before they left, JJ pulled out his phone.

“Dinner. Friday. 7pm. This place.”

He sent her the address before she could say no. It was a rooftop place downtown. Expensive.

“I—”

“No declining,” JJ grinned, bumping her shoulder. “Just come. As friends. If it’s weird we never do it again. Deal?”

Tia nodded. “Deal.”

---

_Friday. 6:30 PM. At the house._

Tia was in her room panicking.

She dug through her bag. Jeans. Hoodies. T-shirts. Three TIU shirts.

She dressed boyish. She never owned anything “date” worthy. She’d spent all her money on rent and transport.

“Ugh,” she groaned. “Fine. Casual it is.”

She picked the only dress she owned. Navy blue. Simple. It hit her knees. She paired it with white sneakers.

She walked downstairs.

Alex was in the kitchen, pouring water. He didn’t look up. Black shirt. Sweatpants. Hair still damp from a shower.

“You’re going on a dinner date,” he said flatly.

Tia spun around. “How did you—”

She’d told no one. Not Katie. Not anyone.

Alex just shook his head. Took a sip of water. Walked back to his room.

Door closed. Quiet.

Tia stood there, confused. And a little guilty.

Did someone tell him? Did he see JJ’s text?

She shook it off. Grabbed her bag and left.

---

_7:15 PM. The Restaurant._

JJ was already there. Suit. Hair done. He stood up when he saw her.

When Tia walked in, he actually stopped talking mid-sentence to the waiter.

“Whoa,” he said. “You look pretty.”

Tia tugged at her casual dress. “Thanks… this is all I had. I don’t really do dresses.”

JJ smiled. “Good. Don’t change.”

The dinner was light. Funny.

JJ kept making comments between bites of pasta.

“Your smile does that every time you’re nervous.”

“You’re so different from the girls at school.”

“You have no idea how cute you look right now.”

Tia was blushing by dessert. Ice cream. She kept pushing it around the bowl.

Then JJ leaned forward. Elbows on the table.

“Tia. I like you. Can we… get to know each other more? Like, actually date?”

Tia froze for a moment.

She thought of Alex. The rules in the house. The 3AM singing he heard. The way he looked at her when she came in wet from the rain.

“I don’t think we should date,” she said carefully. “Not right now.”

JJ’s face fell a little.

“But… we can get to know each other,” she added quickly. “As friends. And if things work out… maybe I’ll consider giving you a chance.”

JJ smiled, relieved. “Deal. Friends first. No pressure.”

He walked her to her bus stop after. No hand holding. Just walked her.

---

_11:02 PM. Back home._

The house was quiet.

Tia walked in, kicked off her shoes. The lights were off except for the kitchen.

Alex’s door was open a c***k. Light on.

She didn’t know if he was asleep.

She didn’t know if he heard her come in.

But she could’ve sworn she heard him shift in bed.

She went to her room. Stared at the ceiling.

---

_The next morning._

Tia woke up late and went outside to get a cup of lukewarm water from the dispenser.

She saw Alex at the kitchen table. Laptop open. Coffee untouched.

“Good morning,” she said softly.

He didn’t respond.

Didn’t even look up. Typed something.

Tia frowned. _Maybe it’s just a phase._

It’ll pass.

It didn’t.

For a week he gave her nothing. No words. No eye contact.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner. He was there, but he wasn’t.

Just cold air.

By week two, Tia snapped.

_2:15 PM. Living Room._

Alex was on the couch reading.

“What’s wrong with you?!” Tia yelled.

“Why do you keep giving me attitude?!”

Alex didn’t answer. He turned a page.

“Answer me!”

Before he could, Tia grabbed her keys and left the house.

She was fuming. Walking down the road with no direction. The sun was too hot.

A car pulled up beside her.

Aiden rolled down the window. “Tia. Get in.”

She hesitated, then got in. Air conditioning hit her face.

“Why are you out here?” Aiden asked, eyes on the road.

Tia turned to him, frustrated. Tears were threatening again.

“What’s wrong with your brother?!”

“Why does he keep treating me like this?!”

“Why did he create Rule Number Five?!”

“I can’t date anyone else!”

Aiden looked confused. “Rule five? What’s rule five?”

Then it clicked. His face fell. He pulled over to the side of the road.

“Oh. That rule.”

He sighed. Rubbed his face.

“Tia... I know you heard everything that night. With me, Kelvin and Kendrick. When you were sick and sleeping in the guest room.”

Tia went still. She had. She heard them talking about Alex. About “the girl.”

“And you know my brother likes you,” Aiden continued quietly.

“And you know he sent you out of your house.”

“Made you lose your job at the other cafe.”

Tia’s eyes widened. “Wait—

So you mean... your brother made me lose my house, lose my job...

just so I could move in with him?

Because he likes me?”

Aiden looked pained. He nodded once. “He didn’t want you in that bar. Or that dorm. Or anywhere he couldn’t... keep you safe.”

“And now he’s giving you the silent treatment.”

Tia was shaking. “What did he do to me?”

Aiden frowned. “He didn’t do anything. Not to hurt you. He’s just... bad at this, Tia. He’s never done this before.”

Tia paused. Something clicked.

“The night before... I went on a dinner date. With JJ.”

Her voice dropped. “But I don’t know how he knew about it. I didn’t tell anyone.”

Aiden’s expression changed. Understanding.

“Oh,” he muttered. “That’s why.”

He looked at her. “Lex has cameras in the house. For security. And... he checks your bus card. He said it was to make sure you got to school safe.”

Aiden exhaled. “He knows everything, Tia. And he doesn’t know how to deal with it.”

Tia stared out the window.

So the coldness. The silence. The rule.

It was jealousy.

And she didn’t know if that made it better or worse.