Chapter five

Aria pushed through the glass door of Brew Haven, the cafe where she had clocked countless shifts for the past three years.

The smell of fresh espresso beans roasting and cinnamon scones baking wrapped around her like a comforting hug, mingling with the chatter of customers packed around their seats.

The place was packed as expected since this was one of the cafe’s peak times.

She spotted the girls at their usual corner booth as Lena waved frantically to get her attention.

Mia was scrolling on her phone with her signature sharp eyeliner framing a smirk.

Jade hadn’t arrived yet since she wasn’t at the table.

This was her tight circle, a makeshift sisterhood that made the world seem less cruel.

“Finally!" Lena teased as Aria took her seat opposite them. "I thought you’d never leave campus."

She shoved a steaming latte across the table to her.

Just then, Jade arrived and joined them, her energetic grin lighting up as she dropped her DJ headphones on the table with a loud thud.

“Okay. Spill, queen," she said. "Your texts were cryptic AF.”

“Yeah, but go from the beginning,” Mia said, finally dropping her phone. “Starting from the time you walked out of the club with that hottie.”

“Every detail counts,” Lena added. “Do not leave anything out.”

Aria’s cheeks turned red and her palms became clammy around the hot mug.

The weight of yesterday till this morning crashed on her suddenly as the words spilled out.

“Okay, club stranger?" she started. "He’s an absolute god in bed. Oh my god, you guys. That was the best sex I’ve ever had in my entire life.”

The gasps came simultaneously as Lena’s jaw was already on the table.

“Oh? Don’t you leave us hanging.”

Jade whooped low, tossing a sugar packet. “What is his bulge size?”

Mia groaned. "Too vulgar, Jade."

Jade rolled her eyes.

Aria laughed, heat pooling in her sex.

“His cock was… gosh! Thick, veined," she sighed dreamily. "Definitely bigger than Marcus. Ugghh! Just thinking about it still makes me wet. He was so commanding, yet gentle with me. Everywhere he touched, my skin was ON FIRE! Look,” she pulled down her shirt to show them the bruise he’d left on her neck.

“Omg, he gave you a hickey!” Jade almost screamed. “Oh yeahhhh, now I can imagine how hot the sex was.”

All the girls squealed with laughter, almost like they’ve been waiting for the day this would happen.

“Somebody has people to thank for dragging her out of that miserable state she was in,” Lena said, laughing.

“That’s true. I can’t believe you would still be crying over that loser and miss out on the best cockitful day of your life,” Mia said, taking a bite from her scone.

Lena held her hands. “So… what’s his name? Please tell me you took his number and y’all are gonna start dating.”

“When do we get to see him?” Jade asked. “As your best friends, we get to approve who you chose to date.”

Mia raised her eyes to Jade. “Bitch, you know you only date women, right?”

“So? What does that have to do with anything? Men, women, as long as there is some emotional entanglement, we still judge them.”

Lena glanced at Aria and saw that she wasn’t as happy as they were. “Guys, stop. Aria, why the long face?”

“So,” Aria felt her heartbeat slow momentarily. “That hot stranger... is my fucking professor.”

There was a stunned silence in their midst. No one dared move, blink, or even breath.

“I swear, I had no idea until this morning,” Aria gulped some latte. “We didn’t exchange names because I just saw it as some one-night stand thing. I was late, running to class and then—bam! I literally bumped into him on campus.”

The girls sat there, unmoving, like their brain was still trying to process the information.

Mia spoke first.

“So wait… you mean you had mind-blowing sex with big cock stranger last night, then he turns out to be your professor on campus this morning? She nearly snorted, elbowing Jade. “Talk about some twisted drama central!”

Aria sighed and ran her fingers through her dark waves. “I wish that was all. I found out he’s married too… and ‘accidentally’ ended up in his office later.”

They all gasped.

“Things escalated fast, there was kissing, touching, and we almost got caught by his TA.” Her face went bright red. “Then, we made this deal to be cordial with each other and pretend like nothing ever happened between us.”

Lena narrowed her eyes, leaning forward.

“Girl, I did NOT push your ass to apply for this program to go from Marcus’ bullshit to some professor drama,"she scolded. "You’re fucking brilliant, Aria. You got this scholarship with hardwork. And day one, you’re already risking expulsion for a married man's dick?”

Mia nodded sharply.

“Yeah, girl," she added. "That scholarship isn’t just about tuition. It’s literally a golden ticket all round. You can’t let some sexy professor derail your whole future.”

Jade laughed, trying to ease the tension of how serious the conversation had gotten.

“Okay okay," she said. "Now that Aria knows not to get in with the professor, no matter how hot and big his cock is, let’s move on to the laundry list of new guys Aria might be interested in. Anyone caught your fancy yet, love?”

Aria’s smile softened, grateful for the change of subject. “Well… there’s this one guy. His name is Tyler.”

Lena smiled slyly. “Tyler, huh? Tell us about him. Is he a student too?”

“No, he’s a barista at the school’s coffee kiosk,” she said. “I don’t know… he’s cute and sweet, different from the chaos in my life.”

Mia nudged her, grinning. “Oooh, barista boy. Did he serve caffeine with a side of romance?”

Aria laughed. “Just coffee for now. But it’s nice to have someone who sees me beyond the mess that I am.”

Mia teased, “Careful now, Aria. Barista charm is dangerous when you’re already drowning in a professor’s mess.”

The friends chuckled, easing the weight as the conversation flowed into other topics.

- - -

The next week passed by in a blur, the days slipping into lectures and work.

Tyler started calling her “Heartbreaker’s Blend,” and they struck up a friendship, talking about everything, from music to their favorite high school novels.

She saw Jason a few times; when she attended his lectures, by the library steps in that sharp navy suit, his blue eyes dark and unreadable behind his glasses.

Always slightly out of reach, a forbidden thought she kept at the back of her mind.

Their deal was impossible to forget… and also increasingly hard to keep.

By Friday, she felt almost normal, furiously scrawled notes as Professor Vasquez outlined romanticism’s return in Victorian prose.

The lecture hall was mostly quiet, except for the occasional question and answers that went back and forth.

Suddenly, the door at the side of the room opened.

Professor Sarah Kline, the department’s no-nonsense woman, stepped in.

Every student knew that seeing her meant trouble.

She whispered something to Professor Vasquez, and he looked up.

“Aria Jenkins?”

Heads turned to her.

Aria's chest tightened as she gathered her things and followed Professor Sarah out of the lecture hall.

Sarah turned to her as soon as the door closed behind her.

Her face was unreadable.

“The Dean would like to speak with you, Aria," she said, matter-of-fact. "Immediately.”

What?!

Why would the Dean want to see her so early in the semester? Had someone discovered what happened between her and Jason at his office?

Did Ethan smell sex that day? Did he tell the Dean?