Extra Credit

09: hard to get

EVANGELINE

How dare he? Brush me off like I was nothing but a pest?

He's playing hard to get. It's fun, but a tad annoying. Why won't he just come clear with what he wants?

I watched Professor Arthur and that strange man talking. They weren't that far away, but for whatever reason, I couldn't hear a peep of what Professor Arthur was talking about. The other man, however, was extremely loud.

He had peculiar looks. For one, he had face tattoos. Smooth lines on his jaw and chin, trailing down his neck and vanishing into his collar. He had two scars on his face. But despite the tattoos and scars, his face had an almost boyish look.

Like the scars and tattoos were intentional, an attempt at making him look more intimidating. He was good looking too, though not as much as professor Arthur.

I've honestly not seen a man more handsome than professor Arthur.

I am thinking too much about him and he's barely ten feet away.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Niko. It's fine, I promise." The tattooed man said.

Niko?

Is that Professor Arthur's nickname?

It made me smile. It's a cute nickname, of course. Maybe I'll call him Niko just to poke at him.

My phone vibrated with a message, distracting me from the tantalising image of riling my Professor up. I took it out, and the moment I saw the name on the screen, my smile died.

"Hey, what are you doing tonight?" The text read. From Jeremy.

He texts me after ignoring all of my calls and texts! I thought he blocked me, turns out I was wrong.

I tried to ignore his text. I really did. But my stupid heart raced, and I was already starting to picture us getting back together like nothing happened.

"Nothing. Why?" I texted back.

"Don't you have study group?" He replied, with a smiling emoji.

Cupid just shot an arrow to my heart.

Calm down, Eva. Remember, he broke up with you. This is...this is for closure.

But he remembers my schedule! That's so sweet!

"No, it is not sweet!" I said out loud.

Professor Arthur turned to me. The man turned too.

I felt myself turning red. "Sorry," I said, waving my phone. "I um...was talking to someone."

"Why are you still here?" Professor Arthur asked, his tone carrying a hint of irritation.

"I'm waiting for my duties? You haven't told me what to do yet, professor."

He let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his temples. The man stepped forward with a blinding smile. "Hello, young lady. And who would you be to my darling friend?" He extended a hand to me. But before I could shake it, Professor Arthur reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"She's my student. And stay away from my students." He spat. His words carried a sharp edge that made shivers, not the good kind, slither down my spine.

I sensed danger. Thick tension hanging in the air.

Then the man laughed and stepped back, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. Far be if from me to harm one of your precious little students. They must mean so much to you. Especially one as cute as she is."

I had a feeling he was saying more than meets the eye. I also didn't like how he called me cute. Or a precious little student.

Professor Arthur didn't answer him. Instead he looked directly at me. "Leave. You have no duties for today."

"Really? Are you sure? Don't you need me to handle the clean up and your—"

"Miss Bramwell, leave." He cut in sharply.

Okay.

Now is not the time to prod. I should probably leave before he slices me to bits with those cold eyes of his.

"See you later, Miss Student." The man said, waving lazily. The smile on his face said one thing. I would see him again for sure.

A slimy feeling filled my veins. I felt sick, like I had eaten bad food.

"Goodbye, Professor." I quickly muttered and turned on my heel, walking out. Once I was outside the class hall, I noticed how lighter the air outside was.

"What does he even want?" I scoffed, glaring in the direction of the door. Shivers ran down my spine and I hugged myself. "Sheesh! He's scary!"

My phone beeped again, then I remembered I was texting Jeremy.

I headed in the direction of the library, while looking down at my phone.

"Eva? Can we meet, please? I really need to talk to you." The text read.

I sighed. Honestly, how can I say no to him?

"Sure. Where?" I replied.

Someone bumped into my shoulder. I yelped, my feet tripping over themselves. My phone slipped out of my hand and I nearly fell flat on my face.

"Oops. Sorry. Your presence was so weak that I didn't notice you." A mocking female voice said.

I sighed, picked my phone up, and turned to face her. Claire Middleton. My self proclaimed rival. I honestly didn't care, but she's done all she can since I enrolled here to make my life hell.

Her sharp green eyes scanned me from top to bottom and she scoffed with disgust. "What the hell are you doing in the Arts building?"

"Could ask you the same, Claire. I'm still waiting for your apology."

She rolled her eyes. "Hell will freeze over before you hear an apology from my lips, Bramwell. You weren't at practice on Monday. The f**k happened?"

I inhaled sharply.

Claire was also the captain of the Volleyball team. Which I sadly belonged to because my parents insisted I must play a sport, and mom was volleyball champion and also captain of her team in uni. Which naturally meant I had to follow in her footsteps.

"Had personal things to handle." I replied. My phone beeped again, and it took all my self control not to look down at it. Seriously, Jeremy ignores me then blows my phone up.

Claire's eyes narrowed. Then she shook her head sadly. "Bet it was some poshy rich people stuff."

I didn't say anything. I had a panic attack in the toilets on Monday and ended up staying there for three hours. Claire doesn't need to know that.

"Anyway. I better see your ass in practice today. And you better not wear those stupid leggings. That s**t slows you down."

"Hell will freeze over before I take them off, Claire. Leave my wardrobe decisions alone. Thank you."

She grit her teeth, muttered a nasty curse under her breath, then turned and walked away.

Finally alone, I opened my phone. Jeremy had texted coordinates to me, and a note saying "see you at six."

My heart soared and a stupid smile came to my lips. "See you soon."

***

I sat in the corner of the restaurant, listening to the low hum of conversations all round me, and trying my hardest not to cry.

Every ten seconds, I glanced at my wristwatch, hoping that in doing so, Jeremy would materialize behind me.

7:20pm.

I've been here since 6. Waiting.

Tears clouded my vision, and I blinked then back fast. I shouldn't cry here. I mustn't.

Maybe he's just late. Traffic, maybe. Or he got into an accident. Or he got stuck in traffic with an accident ahead of him.

"Are you ready to order?" The waitress came up to me and asked. Again. Or was that the fifth time?

I turned to her and smiled, my lips trembling. "I'm still waiting on a plus one." I said.

She looked at me, her eyes lingering on my outfit — I had chosen a beautiful designer gown for this date, one of my most expensive ones — and she slowly shook her head.

"Word of advice, sweetie, you shouldn't be waiting for any guy. You're much too pretty for that."

I didn't have the heart to tell her that this was Jeremy...the man I imagined myself getting married to. I didn't have the heart to refute her statement either.

So, I just nodded. She left and came back later with a colorful plate of macarons, and a glass of cocktail. "That gentleman over there paid for this," she said, offering me another pitiful smile.

"Who?" I asked, turning in the direction she pointed. My heart sank into my heels as I recognised the scarred man from earlier. He waved, flashing me a smile from across our tables.

I tried to smile back and failed.

Before I knew it, he got to his feet and started walking over to my table.