The Syllabus of Us

Leigh's POV Hays. Finally, my sophomore year is over. It was tough but thank goodness I made it through. I'm currently taking up Computer Engineering, which some people think is "easy." F them, I'm practically dying with all the work I must do. "Hey, Leigh! Why the long face, you pretty girl?!" Josh, my best friend, teased. "Yeah, Leigh! Let's go to the studio! No classes anymore, let's make the most of our vacation!" Ash, my other best friend, jumped around excitedly. We're a trio, and yeah, they're both guys. So what? Is that a problem for you? "I'm already heading to the studio, and you guys are the ones disturbing me!" I rolled my eyes at them. "Wow, how sassy! You're the one who suggested we play, and now we're the problem?!" Josh retorted with drama. I smirked. "Just kidding. How are we supposed to make a solid song if it's just the three of us? Come on, give me a break." "I invited Vladimir and Isaac. Don't worry! They're waiting for us!" Josh added and clearly not minding my sarcasm. We were walking to the studio, passing by the alley near the campus when I suddenly noticed a familiar figure up ahead. Oh no, not now. Mr. Valerio. I froze. There he was, standing outside the café just a few steps away, looking effortlessly perfect as always. His sharp jawline, messy hair, and those deep eyes that always seemed to see right through me. Why does he have to be so... perfect? I quickly turned away, hoping he didn't spot me. But just as I was trying to dodge him, I miscalculated my step and—BAM! I bumped straight into someone. Or, rather, someone. My books flew out of my hands, and I stumbled back. Please don't let it be him. But, of course, it was. Mr. Valerio. My instructor. He looked down at me, and I looked up, feeling my face turn bright red. "Whoa, careful there!" he said, steadying me with both hands. His touch sent a jolt through me, and I could barely breathe. "I—I'm so sorry!" I blurted out, my voice higher and shakier than I wanted. Great, Leigh. Just great. Now you're making a fool of yourself in front of him. "No problem at all," he said with a calm smile. Please don't recognize me. Please don't remember that I'm one of your students. "Just be careful next time, alright?" he added, and just like that, he turned to walk away toward the person he was waiting for. I stood there, frozen for a moment, still trying to process what just happened.I had just run into my instructor—the one I had a huge crush on. And he didn't even recognize me. Thank goodness. Josh and Ash, of course, saw everything. They both looked at me with raised eyebrows. "Leigh, are you okay?" Josh asked, and a little concerned but mostly amused. "I—I'm fine!" I replied so quickly and tried to calm my racing heart. "You sure? You look like you saw a ghost," Ash teased while barely holding back his laugh. "I'm fine, really" I muttered, feeling the heat in my cheeks. Oh my God, I just ran into him... Josh raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Valerio? That Mr. Valerio?" "Yeah" I whispered, my voice barely above a murmur. "And he didn't even recognize me." Ash grinned. "Well, lucky for you, you didn't faint or anything. I thoughtfor sure you were going down." I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't hide the small smile forming on my face. "I almost did. This is insane." I said, still in shock. Josh gave me a knowing look. "Leigh, seriously, it's no big deal. You just saw him outside. Not like he's going to remember." "Not a big deal?!" I said, my voice a little too loud. "I just ran into the guy I've been crushing on for months! And he didn't even know who I was!" "Well, at least you didn't embarrass yourself in class." Ash added with a wink, clearly enjoying my discomfort. . "I swear, if I make it through the day without dying of embarrassment, it'll be a miracle." I muttered under my breath, still feeling the awkwardness of what had just happened. Josh laughed. "Relax, Leigh. You're fine. You're not going to die over this." "Are you sure?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because I feel like I'm going to burst into flames any second now." Ash just grinned. "Hey, don't worry. I'm sure it won't be the last awkward moment you have with him." And that thought made me freeze. Oh no. What if I have to face him again? What if he recognizes me next time? I wasn't sure how I was going to survive the next class, let alone look him in the eye without dying of embarrassment. "Let's go, Leigh! Josh is already inside the studio," Ash says. I sighed and continued walking while looking at Mr. Valerio walked away. In the Studio The room was buzzing with energy as we played. Vladimir was killing it on bass, Isaac hammered away on the drums, and Ash's guitar riffs were electric. Josh sang passionately; his voice filled with raw emotion. Put your heart in my hands You'll be safe here His gaze lingered on me longer than usual. I caught his eyes for a brief moment and felt... strange. Not in the same heart-racing way I felt around Mr. Valerio, but something softer, more comforting. I shook it off. It was just Josh being Josh, right? "Are you alright, Leigh?" Ash asked as he noticed me being distracted. His voice seemed unusually calm. "I—I'm fine," I muttered and tried to focus back on the music. But my mind kept wandering back to that moment with Mr. Valerio. I hadn't expected him to be so... gentle. His touch, though brief, had sent an electric current through me. His calm demeanor made me wonder if maybe he was more approachable than I'd given him credit for. No, no. I needed to focus. This was about music, not him. -- As we finished another round of the song, Josh came over to me, wiping sweat from his forehead. "You okay? You seem out of it tonight." I forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... tired from all the studying." He gave me a knowing look but didn't press. "Alright, but if you ever want to talk about it, you know I'm here." I nodded, appreciating the offer but knowing deep down that this had nothing to do with school or stress. It was him. Mr. Valerio. Something about the way he had touched me, the way he had looked at me... it was almost like a slow burn in my chest, a warmth that refused to go away. What was it about him that was so captivating? We wrapped up the session late into the night. Ash and Vladimir were joking around, but I couldn't shake the image of Mr. Valerio from my mind. The way he smiled when he helped me... the gentle touch of his hands as he steadied me. It made my heart race all over again, even hours later. When we stepped outside the studio, I didn't even realize I had been looking for him until I spotted him across the street. He was walking alone--lost in thought. I didn't know if I should call out or just keep walking, but something in my chest tugged at me. Should I approach him? Or would I embarrass myself all over again? I froze in place, the cool night air hitting my skin. Ash noticed my hesitation and glanced over at me. "What's up, Leigh?" I shook my head quickly, hoping he wouldn't notice the flush creeping up my neck. "Nothing. Just tired." But I couldn't ignore the pull. The draw I felt toward Mr. Valerio. It was like a quiet whisper in the back of my mind telling me that maybe—just maybe—there was more to this crush than I realized. As I turned to walk with my friends, I stole one last glance at Mr. Valerio. And for the first time, I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to ignore the feelings I had for him for much longer.