I stared blankly at my textbook all the while he spoke to the class, trying my best not to have his eyes catch mine ‘This man is my professor?’ I thought to myself, I felt embarrassed, after everything that has happened between us, the time at the restaurant and also at the hospital.
Five days ago… While I worked my night shift at the restaurant, i noticed a man, his eyes somewhat dazed, having a ghastly laughter “Can we get a waiter here?!” He yelled loudly. I scurried to his table “Sir, the menu, please choose what you want” I said, noticing that he hadn’t even opened the menu in front of him ‘He must be one of these rich folks’ I thought to myself, forcing a smile. “I don’t want anything on the menu.. I want you” the man said, his eyes insistent on me, his lips holding a mischievous grin. “Ex..excuse me? Sir!, this is a restaurant not a pub” I said sharply, taking the menu in my hand as others in the restaurant had started peering at us. “Fine, fine I’ll have your best meal” he said, smiling at his friend. “Okay” I said quickly rushing to have the best meal on the menu, I had promised myself to do whatever it takes to make money even despite challenges I may face. As I had given him the meal, he snarled at me, then looked to his friend. I quickly went to serve others. After their meal, I handed him the bill “Thank you sir, for dining with us” I said politely. “This isn’t my bill, are you trying to rip me off?” He asked in a harsh tone, standing on his feet. “I don’t understand, what do you mean sir?” I asked, perplexed “I gave you what you ordered” I said in my defense, trying not to attract the attention of other diners. “So are you calling me a liar?” He asked, raising his hand at me. “It’s never gentleman-like to hit a lady, in public” a man said, holding his hand in the air. “She’s trying to rip me off” the man protested, pointing at me “She’s one of them gold diggers” the man standing close to him retorted, running his hands through his hair. “Get her fired!” He added “You are a thief!” I yelled out. “Let’s try to be calm now” a man said, a familiar face, it was Professor Caleb, he rushed in just in time. I looked away, trying to hide my face “Get this girl out of this place!” The man said with mock anger. “Don’t worry sir, you and your friend can go” Caleb said, his voice was calm as he signaled for his friend to let go of the man. “B..but who’s going to pay for their meal?” I questioned, my blood boiling with anger. “Young miss, control yourself, you’re only just a waitress” the man I thought to be my savior said, pointing his finger at me. “Those men seem elite, they wouldn’t lie like that” he added, spiking my pain, his baritone was deep but it made me angrier. “I did not do anything wrong” I said angrily, just as the manager walked in, his fray white hair showing his age. “Please gentlemen, please, have your seat and your meal” the manager beckoned as he showed them to their seats. I wasn’t wrong, I knew that but it bothered me that no one listened to my side of the story because they were rich gentlemen. Later that evening, I sobbed because I just lost a part time job and that fraud cost me my job and the other rich folk that came with Professor Caleb cost me my sanity, I went home angrily. Presently… That rich folk will be getting married to me and he’s now my professor, I couldn’t help but think if this was God’s way of punishing me for something I must have done in a past life. “Are we all clear!” Julian’s voice rang in my ears. “Yes, Professor Cawthorn” we answered in unison, I quickly packed up my books so I could head to the hospital. “Miss Princeton!” I heard my name loudly, I turned to see him gesturing his hand towards himself, his expression unchanging, his light blonde hair stowed away nicely on his head, his light green eyes following me as I walked to the podium. “Yes, ..Professor Cawthorn” I addressed him, averting his gaze. “I see here that you’ve been missing lectures” he said calmly, holding is laptop which looked really portable with his hands. “Sir, I’ll do my best to meet the quota” I said calmly, hands behind my back. “Are you trying to avoid me?” He asked, his gaze turning to me from the laptop. “It..it’s not like that” I stammered. “You know, we’re going to be married” he said, a smirk, forming on his face. “How can you not be discrete about that?” I whispered “And why didn’t you tell me you’d be my professor?” I asked as I furrowed my brows. “Actually for the first one, I’ll try my best, miss Princeton and as for the second one, it was a last minute thing” he answered, his eyes now on his laptop. “May I leave now?” I questioned, trying my best to hurry. “Yes, you may” he answered. I quickly walked past him, “Aren’t you forgetting something?” He said calmly behind me. “Like what?!” I asked hastily as he walked slowly towards me. His face came closer to mine as he leaned forward, my pupils moving from left to right as I watched his nose stay few inches away from mine. “This” he said, pulling out my trinket that had fallen from my backpack, waving it to my face. I looked at him, my face flushed red, I grabbed my trinket, andrenaline quickly flushed through my veins as I bolted out. “This is not okay, this man’s going to make my heart fail before the semester ends” I muttered as I rushed out ‘A deal is a deal, I’ll have to marry Cawthorn, whether I want it or not’I thought to myself as I headed for the hospital.
