Tease Me, Sir [Completed]

Chapter 9: Unavoidable Encounters

The campus was buzzing with energy, students crowding the open grounds for the much-anticipated school event. Booths lined the pathways, some offering free snacks, others decorated with banners promoting clubs and activities. The air smelled of freshly brewed coffee and fried food, but Maxine barely noticed.

She was too busy making sure she didn't run into him.

Noah Castellano.

The professor. The subject of endless gossip. The cold, hot, untouchable figure her friends couldn't stop talking about.

And the one person she had been avoiding at all costs.

She walked with Ashley, Bea, Lianne, Jerome, Josh, and the rest of their group, keeping her head down, pretending to be engrossed in their conversation.

"I swear, Professor Castellano just looks like he owns a secret library filled with first editions and family secrets," Bea mused, stirring her iced coffee.

"More like a mansion with a private study where he broods with expensive whiskey," Lianne added.

Ashley smirked. "I bet he never smiles unless he's watching a student suffer through an oral recitation."

Josh rolled his eyes. "Are we really doing this again?"

Bea scoffed. "Uh, yes? Have you seen him? He's the perfect blend of intimidating and attractive. Cold, rich, and mysterious—it's the academic dream package."

Maxine let out a strained laugh, keeping her eyes trained on the stalls ahead. She hated how casually they spoke about him, how they painted him as this untouchable enigma when she knew better.

She knew him.

Or at least, she once did.

"Speaking of which," Bea said suddenly, her voice dropping to an excited whisper. "Look who just made an appearance."

Maxine's stomach twisted.

She didn't want to. She really didn't. But some part of her—the part that refused to let go—looked anyway.

Noah was standing near one of the faculty booths, dressed in his usual crisp, dark attire. Even in the chaos of the event, he exuded an effortless authority, students instinctively parting around him like he carried some invisible force field.

Some girls passed by, giggling behind their hands, whispering to each other as they stole glances at him.

Maxine knew the feeling.

She also knew the weight of that stare when it was focused on her.

And just as the thought crossed her mind, it happened.

Noah's gaze locked onto hers.

Even from a distance, she felt it—heavy, unwavering. A silent pull, impossible to ignore.

Her breath caught.

She turned away instantly.

"Max?" Lianne asked, frowning at her sudden shift.

"Nothing," she said quickly. "It's just too crowded. Let's go check out the food stalls."

"Now you're speaking my language," Jerome said, already leading the way.

She thought she had gotten away with it. Thought she had successfully slipped past the inevitable.

Until—

"Miss Nievez."

The voice cut through the noise of the event, smooth yet firm.

Her friends fell silent.

Maxine didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

But she did.

Noah had closed the distance between them, standing just a few feet away, hands in his pockets. His face was unreadable, but his eyes never left hers.

"I need to speak with Miss Nievez for a moment."

Maxine forced herself to stay still, ignoring the way her stomach clenched.

Meanwhile, her friends were practically vibrating with curiosity.

They didn't say anything out loud, but the tension was loud.

Why her?

Noah Castellano was notorious for keeping his distance from students unless it was strictly academic. He never lingered for casual conversation, never showed favoritism, and definitely never asked to speak with someone in private—especially like this.

Ashley's eyes flickered between them, her lips slightly parted as if trying to make sense of it.

Bea was already forming theories in her head, no doubt something ridiculous, like Maxine being recruited for some secret professor mission.

Lianne's brows were furrowed, suspicion creeping in.

Josh and Jerome were watching closely, their expressions unreadable—but the moment Maxine stepped forward, Josh's brows lifted ever so slightly, as if filing this moment away for later analysis.

Maxine could practically hear their thoughts swirling.

Was she in trouble? Had she done something wrong? Or—

Was there something between them?

No.

No, no, no.

She wouldn't give them a reason to think that.

Maxine lifted her chin. "Fine. But make it quick."

As she stepped away, she could still feel their silent speculation following her like a shadow.

Maxine followed Noah a few steps away from her friends, keeping her posture stiff and unyielding. The event noise faded into the background, but she could still feel the weight of her friends' stares drilling into her back.

She knew what they were thinking.

Noah Castellano, the professor they gossiped about endlessly, the one who never paid students more attention than necessary, had just singled her out.

It was a scandal waiting to happen.

Once they were out of earshot, she crossed her arms. "Whatever this is, just say it."

Noah studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "You've been avoiding me."

Her stomach tightened, but she scoffed, tilting her head. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It's not unexpected," he admitted, his voice low, measured. "But we can't keep doing this."

Maxine let out a humorless laugh. "Doing what, exactly?"

Noah exhaled, glancing briefly at the students milling around them before settling his gaze back on her. "Pretending like we don't know each other."

Her jaw clenched. "We don't."

Something flickered in his eyes, gone too quickly for her to decipher. He took a step closer, just enough for her to catch the faint scent of his cologne—woody, crisp, annoyingly familiar.

"Maxine." His voice dropped slightly, quiet but firm.

She hated how her chest tightened at the sound of her name on his lips.

"You're my professor," she said sharply. "That's all this is. That's all it can be."

He studied her, his gaze searching, but she refused to waver.

Finally, Noah sighed, his jaw tightening. "Fine." He took a step back. "If that's what you want."

It wasn't.

But it had to be.

Without another word, he turned and walked away, slipping effortlessly back into the crowd.

Maxine let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

She stood frozen for a few seconds, then squared her shoulders and made her way back to her friends.

As expected, their eyes were wide with curiosity, the air buzzing with unspoken questions.

Ashley was the first to break. "Okay, what the hell was that?"

Bea leaned in. "Are you in trouble? Did you fail an exam? Did you get a special offer to join his secret elite student club?"

Jerome snorted. "That doesn't exist, Bea."

"You don't know that."

Lianne, however, was watching Maxine carefully, arms crossed. "That wasn't normal."

Maxine forced a smirk. "Relax. He was just reminding me about an assignment."

It was a flimsy excuse, and they all knew it.

Josh narrowed his eyes slightly, but he didn't push.

For now.

"Well, if Professor Castellano ever calls me aside like that," Bea said, fanning herself dramatically, "I'd simply pass away on the spot."

Ashley nodded. "Same."

"Absolutely," Jerome added.

Maxine forced a laugh, hoping they'd drop it.

But even as the conversation moved on, she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over.

Not even close.

Maxine tried—really tried—to focus on the event, to laugh along with her friends, to pretend that her conversation with Noah Castellano hadn't shaken her.

But it had.

Her mind kept replaying the way he had looked at her. The way his voice had dipped low when he said her name. The way she had told him they were nothing—when she knew that wasn't the full truth.

"...right, Max?"

She blinked. "Huh?"

Ashley groaned. "See? This is what I mean! Even Max is distracted. Why? Because of him!"

Jerome sighed dramatically. "I'm so sick of this. We get it, he's rich, he's mysterious, he's hot. Can we talk about something other than Castellano for once?"

Josh nodded in agreement. "Seriously. The man barely speaks, barely looks at anyone, and somehow he's still the center of every conversation."

Bea smirked. "That's what makes him interesting, Josh."

Jerome threw up his hands. "No, that's what makes him annoying."

Lianne laughed. "You sound jealous."

Josh scoffed. "I'm not jealous. I just think it's weird how obsessed everyone is with him."

Maxine forced a chuckle. "Then why are you guys still talking about him?"

That got a few laughs, but Bea, as always, was relentless. She turned to Maxine, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Speaking of which... what did he want to talk to you about?"

Maxine kept her expression neutral. "Like I said, just a reminder about an assignment."

Ashley pouted. "Boring."

Lianne squinted at her. "Are you sure?"

Maxine shrugged, ignoring the way her pulse spiked. "Pretty sure."

Bea sighed. "Ugh. If it was me, I'd be swooning right now."

Josh groaned. "Please, no more Castellano fantasies!"

Jerome clapped him on the shoulder. "Stay strong, man."

Maxine laughed, relieved as the conversation finally shifted back to something else. But even as she smiled and nodded along, she could feel it—

A stare.

A presence.

She didn't have to look to know that across the room, Noah Castellano was watching.

And that was the most dangerous thing of all.

She knew Noah Castellano was still watching her—felt the weight of his gaze like a phantom touch on her skin—but she was determined not to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Instead, she forced herself to engage with her friends, to laugh at Bea's ridiculous theories about their next exam, to roll her eyes at Ashley's dramatized complaints about their workload.

But her composure cracked the moment she heard Jerome groan.

"Oh, for the love of—"

"What now?" Josh asked, already exhausted.

Jerome gestured not-so-subtly in the direction behind Maxine. "Your favorite person is coming this way again."

Maxine's breath caught.

No.

Her friends weren't the only ones who noticed. A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd as Noah Castellano—cool, unreadable, and devastatingly composed—walked straight toward her.

"What the hell?" Bea whispered. "Why does it look like he's about to—"

"—publicly execute Max?" Lianne finished, eyes wide.

Josh rubbed his temples. "I swear if this is about an assignment—"

But Maxine barely heard them. Her pulse hammered as Noah stopped beside their table, his presence sucking the air from the space.

"Max." he called her in her name.

His voice was smooth, deceptively calm. Her friends visibly tensed.

Maxine schooled her expression, willing her heart to slow. "Professor Castellano."

A charged silence.

And then—

"Come with me!."

Bea let out a strangled gasp. Lianne elbowed her.

Maxine exhaled, carefully keeping her face neutral. "Now?"

His expression didn't change. "Yes."

She hesitated. If she refused, it would only make things more suspicious. And judging by the way her friends were already shooting each other scandalized looks, they had enough fuel to speculate for weeks.

With a slow breath, she rose from her seat. "Fine."

But as she stepped away, she could feel it—the silent questions radiating from her friends, the way Bea was barely containing her excitement, the way Jerome and Josh were already preparing their next round of complaints.

And as she walked beside Noah Castellano, she knew— She would never hear the end of this.

"I don't like the way he looks at you."

She nearly stumbled.

Her head snapped toward him. "Excuse me?"

Noah's expression was unreadable, but his jaw was tight, his storm-gray eyes darker than usual. "That guy. Josh."

Maxine blinked, utterly thrown. "Are you serious?"

His silence was answer enough.

A laugh—sharp, incredulous—escaped her. "Oh my God. You are serious."

Noah's eyes flickered with something dangerous. "He's too familiar with you."

She stopped walking, turning fully to face him. "You dragged me away from my friends just to tell me you're jealous?"

Noah stepped closer, his voice lowering. "I don't like seeing other men put their hands on you."

Maxine's breath hitched.

Because she knew exactly what he was talking about—how Josh had casually draped an arm over her chair, how he had leaned in when he spoke. She had barely thought about it. But Noah—Noah had noticed everything.

And now, he was standing too close, his presence coiling around her like a warning, his jealousy simmering just beneath his controlled exterior.

Maxine folded her arms, schooling her features into something indifferent. "That's not your problem."

Noah's jaw flexed. "It is when you let him act like he owns you."

She arched a brow. "And what, you do?"

His eyes darkened. "Don't twist my words, Maxine."

She held his gaze, defiant, even as her pulse betrayed her. "You don't get to do this."

His hands curled into fists at his sides. "Do what?"

"Be possessive." Her voice was quiet but firm. "Be this—when you have no right to be."

Noah exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. Frustration radiated from him, but beneath it, something else lingered. Something raw.

"I don't want to be like this," he admitted, voice rough. "But when it comes to you, I don't have a choice."

Maxine's throat tightened.

No. No, she would not fall for that.

She took a slow step back, forcing distance between them. "That sounds like a you problem, Professor."

The title was a deliberate jab.

And judging by the way Noah's expression flickered, it landed exactly where she wanted it to.

Good.

Before he could respond, Maxine turned on her heel and walked away.

She didn't look back.

She didn't need to.

Because she knew—Noah Castellano was still watching her.

And he was furious.

Maxine's pulse was still erratic by the time she rejoined her friends. She could feel the heat of Noah's gaze lingering on her back, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of looking.

She slid into her seat, trying to act as though nothing had happened.

"Finally," Jerome groaned, tossing a fry into his mouth. "Can we please talk about something other than Professor Castellano now?"

Bea, who had been mid-sentence with Lianne about the way Noah's shirt sleeves strained against his forearms, gasped dramatically. "Excuse you? We were discussing important academic matters."

Josh snorted. "You were literally debating whether or not his watch costs more than my tuition."

"It definitely does," Ashley chimed in, chewing on a straw. "Did you see the brand? That's a Richard Mille."

Jerome groaned again, louder. "I swear, it's like you guys have forgotten we have other professors."

Bea shrugged. "Are they insanely rich, stupidly hot, and emotionally unavailable? No? Then they don't count."

Josh shook his head. "This is unhealthy."

"You're just mad because no one's thirsting over you," Lianne teased, elbowing him.

Maxine barely registered their bickering. She was too busy willing her heart to slow down.

Noah had no right to be jealous. No right to act like she was his when he was the one who—

"Okay, spill."

Maxine blinked, startled to find Ashley staring at her, eyes sharp with curiosity.

"What?"

Ashley leaned forward, lowering her voice. "What did he say to you?"

Everyone went silent. Even Jerome and Josh, despite their complaints, were listening now.

Maxine forced a casual shrug. "Nothing important."

Bea scoffed. "Uh-huh. Sure. Because men like that drag you away in front of a whole cafeteria for 'nothing important.'"

Josh frowned, tapping his fingers against the table. "You've been weird since this morning."

Maxine forced a laugh. "I'm always weird."

Lianne raised a brow. "Yeah, but this is, like, extra weird."

Maxine hesitated. She needed to shut this down now.

She plastered on her best unimpressed expression and said, "Professor Castellano just wanted to warn me about an upcoming quiz. That's all."

Silence.

Then—

Bea groaned. "That is such a letdown."

Ashley huffed. "You're telling me that man had his jaw clenched like he was barely holding it together because of a quiz?"

"I don't buy it," Jerome muttered, narrowing his eyes.

Josh smirked. "Maybe Maxine makes him nervous."

Maxine coughed. "That's ridiculous."

But her friends weren't convinced.

And worst of all?

Neither was she.

Across the room, Noah was still watching.

And Maxine had a sinking feeling—

This wasn't over.