Chapter 10
1261 Words
Luna’s heart slammed against her ribs so hard she thought it might crack them.
The Dean stood in the doorway, face thunder-dark, eyes locked on her like she’d personally insulted his entire career. His gaze was cold, murderous — the kind that made her feel small, exposed, guilty before she even opened her mouth.
Ethan stood frozen beside her, lips still swollen from the kiss, shirt rumpled where her fingers had clutched it. He didn’t look at her. Didn’t speak. Just stared straight ahead, jaw locked.
Zara stepped forward quickly, voice calm but firm. “Dean, I was just coming to get Professor Ethan. You needed him?”
The Dean’s eyes flicked to Zara, then back to Luna — lingering, accusing.
“Both of you. My office. Now.”
But before anyone could move, Ethan spoke — low, controlled.
“I’ll handle this.”
He walked past the Dean without another word, shoulders rigid, not once glancing back at Luna.
The door closed behind him.
Luna felt the air leave her lungs.
Zara grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the corridor. “Babes… what the hell is going on? You’re shaking. Come on.”
They didn’t speak until they were outside, walking fast toward the small coffee shop near the east gate — the one with the quiet corner tables and no prying eyes.
Inside, they slid into the booth farthest from the door.
Zara ordered two iced teas neither of them would drink.
Then she leaned forward. “Talk. Now.”
Luna stared at her hands — still trembling — then let it all pour out.
The tutoring session where their eyes first locked.
The lockdown night.
The mansion.
The fake girlfriend act.
The kiss that almost became everything.
The way he stopped himself.
The “mistake” the next morning.
The way she’d cried herself empty in front of the girls.
And now — this. Caught. Lips on lips. No excuses left.
Zara listened without interrupting. When Luna finished, her mouth was slightly open.
“In my entire life,” Zara said slowly, “I never once imagined this would happen to *you*. If I had to guess who’d fall into a forbidden professor romance, I’d have said Aria. She’s the fierce one, the one who’d flirt with danger and laugh about it. But you…” She shook her head. “You’re the careful one. The quiet one. And you fell this hard?”
Luna gave a watery laugh. “I didn’t plan it.”
Zara reached across the table, squeezed her hand. “I know. And I’m not judging. I’m just… shocked. And scared for you.”
Luna’s eyes filled again. “The Dean looked at me like he wanted to end me. What if this ruins everything? My degree. My future. Everything I fought for.”
Zara rubbed her thumb over Luna’s knuckles. “Breathe. We’ll figure it out. You’re not alone in this.”
They sat in silence for a while — Luna staring into her untouched tea, Zara watching her like she might shatter.
As they stood to leave, the door chimed.
Ethan walked in.
Zara looked between them, then quietly said, “I’ll be outside.”
She slipped past him, leaving them alone.
Luna wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m scared.”
Ethan stopped a few feet away — close enough to feel his warmth, far enough to keep distance.
“I know.”
He looked exhausted. Shadows under his eyes. Jaw tight.
“Nothing is going to happen,” he said quietly. “I’ll handle the Dean. I’ll take whatever comes.”
Luna swallowed. “And us?”
He exhaled — long, pained.
“I just came to tell you… I’m sorry. For everything that happened between us. For letting it go this far. For hurting you.” His voice cracked on the last word. “And… hopefully, we never cross paths again.”
The words landed like a fist to the chest.
Luna blinked — stunned, winded.
That stung deeper than anything else he’d ever said.
He turned. Walked out.
Zara came back in seconds later, saw Luna’s face, and pulled her into a hug.
“He said we should never see each other again,” Luna whispered.
Zara held her tighter. “He’s protecting himself. And maybe trying to protect you. But that doesn’t make it hurt less.”
Luna nodded against her shoulder.
They walked back to the hostel in silence.
The Dean called later that afternoon.
No suspension. No formal report.
Just a private warning — “This cannot happen again. For both your sakes.”
Professor Adel returned the next week.
For a full month, Luna didn’t see Ethan.
Not in the halls. Not in the quad. Not anywhere.
She told herself she was fine.
She wasn’t.
She couldn’t stop thinking about him.
Every quiet moment — walking to class, lying in bed, eating alone — his face came back. The way he’d looked at her when he said “hopefully we never cross paths again.” The way his voice had cracked. The way he’d kissed her like he was drowning and she was air.
One evening she couldn’t take it anymore.
She took a cab to his house.
The security men at the gate recognized her — the girl from the lockdown night, the one the boss had carried in. They opened the gate without question.
She walked up the driveway on trembling legs.
The front door opened before she knocked.
Ethan stood there — casual T-shirt, sweatpants, hair messy like he hadn’t slept.
He looked shocked. “Luna? How did you—?”
“I want to talk to you,” she said, voice small but steady.
He glanced behind him. “This isn’t the right time.”
Before she could answer, a woman stepped out from the sitting room — beautiful, confident, wearing nothing but one of his shirts. She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, kissed his jaw.
“Baby,” she purred, “who’s this?”
Ethan’s body went rigid.
He cleared his throat. “This… used to be one of my students.”
Luna managed a faint, brittle smile. “Hi.”
The woman smiled back — polite, unbothered.
Ethan looked at Luna. “What were you about to say?”
She swallowed. “I just… came to check. Sir. You haven’t been in school.”
He nodded once. “Thank you for checking. But I don’t think it’s proper for a student to come to my house.” His voice was gentle but final. “And how did you even get in?”
He stepped outside with her, closing the door behind him.
As they walked down the path toward the gate, he spoke quietly to the security men.
“Don’t let her in again.”
Luna heard every word.
The gate closed behind her.
She stood on the sidewalk — numb.
Used.
Stupid.
How could she fall in love with someone who could say that so easily?
Tears came fast.
Then the rain started.
Heavy, sudden, soaking her through in seconds.
She walked — no destination — crying harder with every step. Rain mixed with tears. She shouted — wordless, broken sounds — into the storm.
People stared from under umbrellas. Some whispered. Some looked at her like she was mad.
She didn’t care.
She was just hurt.
So f*****g hurt.
She kept walking — rain lashing her face, clothes plastered to her skin — until the pain felt like it might finally drown her.
- Writer
