Chapter One

Midterm Examination of the school year’s second semester. Our department is noisy, everyone is chitchatting, laughing and cracking jokes. Everybody is chill as if there is no examination to take later. Well, what do you expect? We are the team summon after all, the batch who stays longer inside the Prefect of Discipline office than in our classroom.

Not quite a while, a well-built man entered in our classroom. He walked straight to the teacher’s table. Every girl in our university admires him, and I would include myself too. He is tall, bulky, and handsomely serious. He doesn’t talk a lot, except when teaching his students. Personally, I hate Mathematics­­­--- that is his subject matter--- because I can’t get its complexity! But when he became my professor, it seems that the tables have finally turned. Hahaha! I understand such term as congruency, orthogonally, tangency, inequality and many more. Those are new to me because it is the first time I learned about the existence of Mathematics. It’s fabulous than what I perceived it before.

“Silence.” his baritone voice filled the air. Each of my classmates drops into what you called ‘quietness’. It seldom happens, really.

I sit up straight and dreamily stare at him. My eyes automatically form into heart shapes. He is so handsome!

‘Do you have a girlfriend, Sir? Can I apply please?’

I blushed at my thoughts.

‘OH GOD, you’re fantasizing him Tiara! Keep calm! That is not the right way on how to behave in front of your crush!’ I scolded myself.

“What is the noise all about?” my crush asked--- I mean our professor asked to us. What is happening to me? Shut it out Tiara!

“Sir.” Carl raised his hand.

Seriously? What is this guy up to? I smell something fishy. Hmmm…

“Yes Carl.” Professor Trystan Fardein Fortez said.  I giggled in my head while admiring him from my seat.

Carl glances at my direction before standing up.

‘What was that?’ I asked to myself.

“A while ago Sir, someone dropped by in our classroom…” he said hanging the words. The tension arises. I have a bad feeling about this. Oh no!

Did someone dropped by our classroom? I have not noticed it.

“Who is that someone?” Prof. Fortez asked without single emotion on his face.

“A first year Education student, Sir. He just said ‘hi’ to our President, Tiara. That guy is Tiara’s crush since first semester, Sir. Isn’t that a good news Sir?” Carl said. An evil grin is evident on his face. What the heck?! I don’t remember someone greeted me earlier!

My classmates went wild. They tease me endlessly so all I did is to wear my poker face. It is not true. That is a purely gossip, a fallacy. They started teasing me with that guy since English week last semester.

The Education Department performed a stage play like those in theater. And the guy that they are shipping to me acted as a captain of a military force. He played his role just perfectly nice that he caught my friends’ attention. They started to ask for the name of that guy in captain uniform.

One of the Professors in front of us heard my friends and answered. “His name is Mark Mendoza.”

“Oh! thank you Professor.” my friend, Fauna said.

“You’re welcome.” the Professor replied.

“That guy is familiar to me. I think I’ve seen him somewhere.” my friend, Flora said.

They became silent for a moment, they looked at each other, and both turned to me wearing mischievous grins on their faces.

Those two friends of mine broadcasted the false news. Then, eventually, my classmates bought it, our Professors bought it, and I bet the whole University knew about it already. I rolled my eyes at them.

“Stop the noise.” a manly voice said sternly resulting to divert the noise into deafening silence.

Nobody dared to break the silence in the room as if each is afraid to be kicked out by an angry lion. Our midterm examination in Mathematics already started, you can only hear the sounds of papers being turned page by page.

I have a feeling that somebody in the room is staring at me but I decided to ignore it. These questions are tricky. I just hope that I’d pass this test.

Most of my classmates finished the exam already while I’m stuck in the second to the last number. I’m not so genius okay? ‘So bad that I can’t be like one. I felt like crying right now.

When I raise my head to break my focus from my answer sheet, I caught Professor Fortez staring at me. I think he is really pissed. I stare back too, hence, I believe in the saying that opportunity comes, but once, so grab it, when you encounter one! Hahaha!

He’s super handsome. I wished I have a boyfriend like him! He really looks a boyfriend material. I am almost mentally squealing just by staring at him.

Cut it out Tiara! Calm down. Breathe in… breathe out.

“Last five minutes. Pass your papers if you’re done.” he said without breaking an eye contact with me. What is he trying to say?

‘Tiara go back to your senses! He said five minutes left before the end of examination. Forget him for now Tiara, just think about him later okay?’ I scolded myself again.

 I hissed. How many times will I scold myself because of him?

I should not be distracted at times like this, so, I answer in haste.

“Tiara, help me bring these papers to my office.” that command got me by surprise. I slowly turn around and look straight at the person.

“Pardon, Prof.?” bewildered, I asked him.

“Help me bring these papers to my office.” he repeated then walked pass me.

He left me with no choice but to obey. He can carry these papers down to his office without my help but he chose otherwise, so it makes me wonder. I try to keep up to his pace but my legs are just too short. Psh! “Put those papers on my table.” he said sternly.

I felt a bit of nervousness run through my body. I guess, I should just obey silently then. I heard him closed the door of his office. As if on cue, my heart beats faster than usual, and I am starting to see the thick miasma surrounding the room.

“Bye Prof.” I bid him goodbye and find my way out. But unfortunately, he blocked my way. “Professor?” I asked, trying to suppress the tension I am feeling. I suddenly felt uncomfortable.

“Who is Mark in your life?” he asked, straightly looking into my eyes.

I paid him a questioning look. “Are you cracking a joke, Professor?” I asked and tailed it with a laugh.

But his eyes got more serious, his cheek bone tightened and the miasma in the office grew thicker. I got a hold of myself and wear my decent look.

“Just answer my question already. Is he your boyfriend?!” he asked sharply.

His eyes are throwing daggers at me. I looked away like a coward cat, his eyes are scary. I can’t meet his gaze.

“Look at me Tiara!” he shouted, almost frustrated. He sounds like he is losing his patience.

It took me by surprise, alright. I looked at him stiffly then. He bridged the distance between us, grabbed me by the waist and made me sit on the table. My eyes grew big when he imprisoned me between his arms.

“Prof---” I lost the chance to protest when he snarled at me like an angry wild animal.

“Do I need to repeat my question?!” he yelled at me, and I feared him for that.

 I felt my body trembled and all the strength in my body flew somewhere. If it is not because of the table I am sitting on, maybe I am already on the floor by now. I hissed.

‘God, I want out of here.’ I mentally prayed.

Yes, he is my crush but I never wanted to be in a situation like this. Duh!

“H-He’s n-not my b-boyfriend.” I said, afraid of what he is going to do next.

What if he kills me? Goodness, I have so many dreams to fulfill. I don’t want to die yet, please spare me!

“So, Carl was lying then?” he asked. He is still surrounded with dark aura.

“Y-Yes.” I replied, forcing myself. His face is really scary. I feel a shiver down my spine.

“You can go now.” he dismissed. My jaw dropped.

‘Is that it?’ I asked to myself.

He held me by the waist and put me on my feet. I felt the sudden change in the atmosphere. The heavy miasma already melted, and it is replaced by a comforting silence.

I don’t know what has gotten into me because I can’t help staring at him. He’s looking at the ceiling so I got the chance to look at his features clearer.

He looks calm and relieve than a moment ago. He’s tall, he has a well-built body that anyone would drool at, firm muscles, smooth looking skin that I am longing to touch onto, and it is complemented by his intimidating serious face. He is just… perfect!

“Like what you saw?” he said, casting a loop-sided grin at me.

My eyes grew big as my cheeks burned. Shit I feel embarrass!

“I-I’m n-not s-staring at y-you!” I lied and quickly walked towards the door but he stopped me by saying these words.

“I’m keeping an eye on you. You’re MINE, honey, so don’t you let anyone touches you or get involve to you, especially that first year stupid fucker! Do you understand?” he said in a warning tone.

My eyes grew big in disbelief. Is he playing with me? I turned my back but it caught me off guard upon seeing that he is serious like a freak!

“What are you saying, Professor? I don’t understand you.” I asked confusedly.

He walks closer while his hands are in his pockets. He looks attractive, really. Feeling suffocated, I stepped back.

“I am just claiming my rights, hon.” he just shrugged his shoulders and stared at me deeply.

“What do you mean by that?” I said, trying my hardest not to stammer.

“Don’t you remember?” he whispered in my ear. His breath fanned my skin there.

I felt a tingling sensation that travels throughout my spine. I took two steps backward. What was that?!

The feeling is so foreign that I don’t know how to explain it.