Chapter 5

Ang sikat ng araw ay marahang sumilip sa pagitan ng mga blinds ng bintana, casting golden streaks across the mahogany floorboards of the office.

The storm had finally passed, leaving only the quiet, rhythmic sound of water dripping from the roof gutters outside.

Lauren was the first to stir. Naramdaman niya ang kakaibang bigat sa balikat niya at ang kakaibang bango na nakapalibot sa kaniya.

As her consciousness slowly returned, napansin niyang hindi siya nakasandal sa matigas na sandalan ng upuan.

She was on the small leather sofa at the corner of the office—a piece of furniture she didn't even remember moving to.

But what made her heart instantly drop to her stomach—and then start racing at a dangerous speed—was the weight across her waist.

Naka-unan si Lauren sa braso ni Anne, habang ang isa pang kamay ng propesor ay mahigpit na nakapulupot sa kaniya, pulling her flush against Anne’s chest. The thick green wool coat was draped over both of them like a shared blanket.

Lauren held her breath, completely frozen. Sobrang lapit ng mukha ni Anne sa kaniya.

Without her reading glasses and with a few strands of hair falling messily over her forehead, the formidable Professor Anne Clair Montgomery looked incredibly vulnerable.

Lauren could feel the steady, warm rise and fall of Anne's chest against her shoulder.

Ghad, anong gagawin ko? Lauren thought, her mind a chaotic mess of panic and absolute awe.

Kung gagalaw siya, siguradong magigising si Anne.

Pero kung mananatili siya sa ganoong pwesto, baka atakihin siya sa puso dahil sa sobrang lakas ng tibok nito.

She took a quiet, shallow breath, gently trying to slide Anne’s hand off her waist.

But as soon as Lauren shifted, Anne let out a soft, low hum in her sleep. Instead of letting go, Anne’s grip tightened instinctively, dragging Lauren back closer into her space.

Anne’s face buried itself into the crook of Lauren's neck, her warm breath ticking Lauren’s skin and sending an intense shiver down her spine.

"Five more minutes..." Anne murmured, her voice thick and raspy from sleep, completely dropping her usual crisp, authoritative tone.

Lauren’s entire face burned bright red. "P-Prof..." she whispered, her voice cracking. "Prof, gising na po. Umaga na."

Hearing the word Prof, Anne’s eyelids fluttered open.

For a split second, her gaze was soft, dazed, and beautifully relaxed as she looked straight into Lauren’s wide, panicked eyes.

She blinked once, twice, adjusting to the morning light.

Then, the reality of the situation hit her.

Anne’s eyes widened slightly. She realized exactly where her hands were, how their legs were tangled together under the coat, and how intimately close their bodies were pressed on the narrow sofa.

With a sudden, sharp intake of breath, Anne pulled her hands back and sat up abruptly, clearing her throat as her clinical, professional persona tried to slam itself back into place.

But Lauren didn't miss the bright pink flush creeping up the professor’s elegant neck and ears.

"Miss Miller," Anne said, her voice shaking slightly before she quickly stabilized it. She ran a hand through her messy hair, refusing to look directly at Lauren. "I... apologize. I didn't mean to... the office got incredibly cold around 4:00 AM."

Lauren sat up slowly, clutching the green wool coat to her chest, suddenly feeling cold without Anne's arms around her.

"It's fine, Prof. Ako nga po dapat ang mag-apologize kasi naki-hati pa ako sa sofa niyo."

Anne stood up quickly, smoothing down her wrinkled cream sweater with trembling fingers. She walked over to her desk, desperately seeking the safety of her professional boundary.

"Let’s just... forget this happened. Gather your files, Miss Miller. The campus gates should be open by now, and faculty members will be arriving soon."

"Okay, Prof," Lauren replied quietly, stepping off the couch. But as she turned around to pack her laptop, she saw a piece of drawing paper on Anne's desk that wasn't there last night.

On it was a beautiful, detailed pencil sketch of Lauren sleeping against the chair from hours earlier—drawn with precise, affectionate architectural lines.