The Professor I Shouldn't Want

The Surprise

POV: Isadora

A heavy silence settled over the table after I spoke. They were probably still trying to process if they’d heard me correctly. To say they were shocked would be an understatement.

“What did you just say?”, my father asked, the first to break the silence. His face was a mix of pure shock and irritation.

“I’m not marrying Ryan. I’m sorry.”, I replied, trying to sound calm even though my hands were shaking.

“I don't understand why you take such pleasure in defying us!”, my mother snapped, her patience gone.

“You didn’t used to be like this, Isadora! What happened to you?”, I didn’t give her an answer.

“Honestly, this behavior is completely unacceptable!”, my father agreed. “If you’d at least give us a valid reason for calling it off...”

“I already did.”

“I meant a legitimate reason!”, he shot back, his voice rising.

I’d finally had enough of the whole thing, so I just stood up and walked away from the table. I could still hear my mother’s voice trailing after me, saying I’d completely lost my mind, before I was far enough away to drown her out.

I was so done with these dinners, the expectations, the pressure, feeling like I was less than my brothers every time we got together. Why did it always have to be like this? Why did I always have to do things I didn't want to do, only to feel like crap afterward?

I hurried upstairs to my room. I just wanted to get out of that house, but I needed my clothes first. I grabbed my suitcases and started stuffing them with my things; I didn't want to have to come back here for a long, long time.

“Running away from home?”, Thomas asked with a half-smile.

“I moved closer to campus. I’m just grabbing some clothes so I don’t have to keep coming back here.”, I said without looking at him, struggling to zip the suitcase shut.

He walked over and helped me close it.

“Thanks.”

“What’s going on, Izzy?”, he asked softly.

“I’m just tired.”, I said, finally meeting his eyes. “It’s just constant pressure from every side, and nothing I do ever seems to be enough. Don't you ever feel like that?”

“Yeah...”, he let out a heavy sigh. “More than you know.”

“Thomas, is everything really okay with you?”

I searched his face, hoping he’d open up, but he just smiled and kissed my forehead.

“Don't worry about me. Come on, I’ll help you get these to the car.”

After loading the bags, we said our goodbyes and I headed to my apartment. We probably wouldn’t see each other again until the tennis tournament on Saturday. And even though I knew it wouldn't be easy, I was still going to try to get some answers out of him.

The next day, I headed to campus, and when I walked into the classroom, Ryan was already there. To my surprise, he didn't start hitting on Raven the second he saw me. In fact, he pretty much ignored her the entire class, but he didn't seem to be paying much attention to me either. Despite being clearly in a bad mood, he kept to himself all morning.

For someone who was expecting a huge scene in the middle of class, seeing that made me happy. Maybe he’d finally accepted that we were over and decided to leave me alone.

After my morning classes, I grabbed lunch by myself at a spot near campus while looking over some notes for Henry’s class. Because of his busy schedule, he couldn't do lunch with me, but he’d definitely sparked my curiosity by saying he had a surprise for me.

Anne: [You’re really not going to tell me?]

Henry: [Be patient]

Henry: [I’ll stop by after work and tell you]

Anne: [At least give me a hint]

Henry: [Nope]

Henry: [It’s a surprise]

Anne: [Mean]

Henry: [Hahaha]

Henry: [It’s something I think you’ll like]

Henry: [At least I hope so]

Anne: [That doesn’t help at all]

Anne: [Is it food? An object? A place?]

Henry: [Can’t say]

Henry: [Haha]

Henry: [Gotta head to campus now, princess]

Henry: [See you later]

Henry: [I’ll make it worth the wait, I promise]

I smiled as I read his text, but I was still dying of curiosity. I had no idea what it could be; there were so many possibilities and he wasn't doing me any favors. There was nothing I could do, I’d have to wait until the end of class.

I walked into the room, sat next to Brenda, and he arrived shortly after. As much as I loved Henry’s lectures, I was desperate for this one to be over. I wanted to see him as Anne, not Isadora, not just because of the surprise, but also because of the torture of pretending I felt nothing for him.

I had to constantly check myself so I wouldn't stare too long, wouldn't draw attention, and would act natural. It was exhausting and frustrating at the same time. Especially because Henry didn't give a damn about me as Isadora; all I got were his serious, cold looks. I didn't get his smiles, his intense, seductive gazes, his flirting... I wanted Henry, and all I had in that classroom was Professor Anderson.

Of course, I understood the logic behind it. I was his student, we were in an academic environment, Henry would never look at me any other way under those circumstances. We probably wouldn't even be in a relationship if he had the slightest clue I was one of his students. But it was still frustrating. I really couldn't wait for this semester to be over.

When class finally ended, I rushed back to my apartment. I only had enough time to change and get into my "Anne" disguise before he arrived.

“Hey, princess!”, he said with a smile as soon as I opened the door.

After spending the whole afternoon having to settle for his professional stares, seeing that smile was simply irresistible. We weren't on campus, I wasn't Isadora, he wasn't my professor, I didn't have to hold back anymore. So I kissed him.

He was caught off guard, but it didn't take long for him to scoop me up and kick the door shut behind him.

“If I’d known you missed me this much, I would’ve found a way to make it for lunch.”, he said after setting me down, and I just beamed at him.

“Where’s my surprise?”, I asked, and he laughed.

“You’re so impatient, you know that?”, he said, tilting my chin up and giving me a quick kiss.

“There’s this guy I went to law school with, Richard. He has his own firm now...”

“He’s always trying to convince me to join him, and one of the ways he does that is by inviting me to events at the club where he’s a member.”

“I always say no because, personally, I’m not a big fan of those places. But he recently mentioned they’re hosting a tennis tournament, and since you told me that was one of your favorite sports...”

I was in a massive internal struggle to not show the absolute panic I was feeling right then. This wasn't actually happening, was it? He wasn't inviting me to the exact same event I already had to attend as Isadora, was he?

Good God, my luck had been too good to be true so far, hadn't it? Eventually, everything had to go sideways.

He was looking at me expectantly, waiting for my reaction. I really didn't deserve him, he’d remembered one of the very first conversations we had, when I mentioned I liked tennis. Since Anne was just a humble girl from the country, it was obvious she’d never had the chance to watch a match live. And there he was, trying to make her dream come true like a real-life Prince Charming.

There was no way I could say no. No arguments, no excuses, nothing, I was completely cornered.

“Oh my god, Henry! Are you serious? You’re taking me to a tennis tournament?”, I said, putting on an Oscar-worthy performance of excitement.

I kissed him again and hugged him with a giant smile on the outside, while completely panicking on the inside. How the hell was I going to make Isadora and Anne be in the same place at the same time?