MY PROFESSOR AND I

The Rules

Episode 11

1:40 PM.

Alex walked into the lecture hall with one mission.

Find Tia. Ask her to move in.

He scanned the back row.

Hoodie. Messy bun. Blank notebook.

There.

“Good afternoon,” he started the lecture. Voice steady.

For 45 minutes he talked about “duty of care” and “negligence.”

But his eyes kept drifting to the back.

When class ended, students filed out.

Tia stood up too, gathering her things.

“Tia,” Alex called.

Tia was frozen in her tracks , she turned back with a nervous grin on her face

She already noticed that the professor was the guy she met yesterday, so she chose to avoid him. But things didn't go as planned.

Tia was too embarrassed to speak. After gathering every ounce of courage she has she finally said I didn't know u were my professor.

Tia noticed people were watching, she wanted to avoid unnecessary question and she quickly bowed he head in apologies.

Alex Told her to see him in his office by 2pm , Tia was reluctant but after so many consideration she chose to go.

She got there and Alex offered her a seat, and he asked why work in a place like that, Tia explained, he acted like he knew nothing about it .

Then he said to Tia I have an offer you live in my house until you find your own place. Tia declined politely and was about to leave. Alex couldn't afford to lose her so he called her back and told her to the reason.

He said because her voice helped him sleep last night after years of insomnia.

Tia didn't know what to do but she didn't have any other options than to live with him .

She agreed on the spot and Alex created rules

The moment Alex finished listing the rules, Tia nodded.

Her brain was still catching up.

“Rule 1: No guests after 10pm.

Rule 2: You cook twice a week. Consider it rent.

Rule 3: My bedroom is off limits.

Rule 4: If you sing, give me a heads up.

Rule 5: No dating. While you’re here.”

Tia almost choked on that last one.

“Okay,” she whispered. “Okay.”

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*6:30 PM. Outside the lecture hall.*

Tia paced with her phone pressed to her ear.

“Guys!!! I found a place!!!” she whispered-yelled.

Her friends screamed on the other end.

“We’re coming to help you pack!”

“No—no it’s okay,” Tia cut in quickly. Too quickly.

“I already packed. It’s just one bag. I don’t want to trouble you.”

Truth: She didn’t want them to see whose house she was moving into.

Her professor.

They would NEVER let her hear the end of it.

So she moved in before nightfall. One duffel bag. A box of books.

No one saw.

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*8:12 PM. Her new room.*

It was too nice.

Clean sheets. A desk. A window that faced the garden.

Nothing like the dorm she just left.

Her phone buzzed.

`Unknown Number: This is the school housing office. Confirming you’ve vacated dorm B-12?`

Tia stared at it. Then answered.

“Yes. I’ve already left the dormitory.”

“Okay. Good luck with your new place, Miss Tia.”

She hung up and exhaled. Official.

*The first few weeks felt… nice.*

Too nice.

Mornings: She’d make coffee. He’d already be at the kitchen table, reading case files.

Nights: She’d hear him pacing. Then silence. Then the sound of him finally sleeping.

Because of her.

She’d cook on Tuesdays and Fridays like the rule said.

He’d pretend not to hover while she chopped vegetables.

He never broke Rule 3. She never broke Rule 4.

But Rule 5?

That one hung in the air every time their eyes met over dinner.

It was peaceful.

It was dangerous.

And Tia had a feeling it couldn’t stay like this for long.

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