DO I HAVE A THING WITH MY PROFESSOR?

Lilac.At twenty, I had mastered the art of staying invisible.I move slowly between two rows in the crowded lecture hall as my eyes scan the seats for a column with scarce students, or less high-class people.Once I find it in the fourth to the first column, I take my seat and bend my head over my notebook, scribbling words I barely understand.It’s not like I’m not smart. I am. But life has taught me to shrink. It has made me get used to avoiding attention and existing quietly.Well, until him…Silence follows the new lecturer the moment he walks in. Usually, I wouldn’t care about that. But this particular moment stuns me. It captures my attention despite the deafening quietness.And I’m not the only one.While the others wow in their amazement, mine lingers in my head, leaking into my heart and forming a big ball of light that threatens to explode through my eyes.The man standing on the podium is nothing like the lecturers I’ve met in my two years of being in college.He’s differe

Cole suddenly looks away, glancing at his wrist watch once again. “You shouldn’t stay back this late every time,” he mumbles as he sits up to gather his papers.“Why?” I ask, though I already know.The lecturer’s jaw tightens. “Because people talk.”I huff. “Why do you seem nervous, Dr. Cole? Only a nervous or anxious person cares about what people say, so why do you care?”He hesitates to respond, avoiding my eyes as much as possible. That alone is answer enough.“I cannot deny having anxiety over these meetings, Ms. Stone, because they have grown too informal,” Cole finally replies. “If we are to have more one-on-one classes, I would prefer you meet me in my office, where there is a mini lecture hall available.”“Dr. Cole, are you saying you don’t feel this… friction between us… as much as I do? You asked me why I changed all of a sudden. What if it’s not about your lectures but about you? What if… what if I like you?”Cole rounds up stacking his property into his bag and zips it up

Our relationship… Oh my god! I can’t believe I’m in a relationship with Cole… has progressed well so far.He brings me to his house on Friday night, and it happened impromptu because I was already spending the weekend with my parents before he called. Still, I told Mom that my mates are organizing night classes once in a while. I hope she doesn’t perceive the deceit.Cole cooks dinner, and I watch him from the comfort of the living room with a smile as he moves around the kitchen.I spend that entire weekend with him. I only go home during the afternoons to feed Mom more lies about night classes.The weekend soon bows out into a new week.It’s already a week and a few days since Cole and I started dating. To celebrate that, I prepare breakfast in bed for him.Cole, who was once going through his phone in bed, sees me coming with the food tray and immediately sits up.“What do you have there?” he asks with a smile.“Just a little something?” I respond, turning into a nervous and giggl