LOGINThe hallway fell silent.Ann’s eyes widened in shock, her face burning with humiliation.All I could feel was the warmth of Marcus standing behind me—protective, commanding… and far too close.“Miss Ann,” he said coldly.She immediately lowered her head.“Violence is not an appropriate way to handle disagreements. I cannot stand by and watch you assault another student. My role as a professor is to teach, guide, and uphold discipline within this school.”His sharp gaze never left her.“Now apologize.”“I-I’m sorry, sir,” Ann stammered. “It won’t happen again.”A strange smile tugged at my lips. Seeing the school’s self-proclaimed queen trembling was something I never thought I’d witness.Her friends looked just as frightened.Marcus slowly released her wrist.“And remember,” he added firmly, “violence is not tolerated in this school.”“Yes, sir.”She bowed her head again before turning around and practically sprinting away. Her little followers hurried after her like frightened puppie
I was pacing around my room like a mad person, biting my nails until my fingers hurt. Anxiety was slowly consuming me, and my mind kept replaying every possible worst-case scenario.Then suddenly, the door clicked open.I turned around and saw Bella standing there, a sad expression written across her face.I rushed toward her and grabbed her shoulders.“Did he tell you to send me away?” I asked desperately. “Is he still mad at me? Bella, I didn’t mean to… I swear I was just—”“Ella,” she interrupted gently.I stopped.“Why are you so tense?” she asked. “Calm down. I know everything, and nobody is sending anyone away.”My heart finally loosened a little.“He told you everything?” I whispered.Bella nodded.Flashback“Dad, what did you want to talk about?”I looked at him while washing the dishes. He was leaning against the sink, watching me quietly.“It’s about Ella.”Ella?I rinsed the cup in my hand and stared at him.“What about her, Dad?”“She thought I was behind the fire because
The hallway seemed to shrink around us. His hand remained firm on my waist, anchoring me against him as if he had no intention of letting me escape.“So, young lady,” he said, his voice low and dangerously calm. He paused, eyes locking onto mine. “Do you care to explain why you were following me today?”His grip tightened, sending a jolt through my body. The scent of his cologne—woody, masculine, and far too intoxicating—wrapped around me. I wasn’t supposed to notice it. I wasn’t supposed to feel anything but fear. Yet the heat pooling low in my belly told a different story. His controlled anger was doing things to me it absolutely shouldn’t.“Huh?” he prompted.I gulped, forcing the words out. Rising onto my toes, chin lifted to meet his gaze, I finally spoke the truth.“On the day the dorm burnt down… I saw someone holding the same lighter you keep in your car.”He sighed.“But I guess it’s not the same,” I added quickly. “I was just—”He cut me off. “It is the same.”My heart slamm
Early the next morning, before I’d even properly opened my eyes or brushed my teeth, my phone rang.The shrill sound jolted me awake.Still half-asleep, I cleared my throat and answered my heart racing . “Hello, sir. Good morning.”“Why aren’t you replying to my messages?” my lecturer asked.I blinked away the sleep. “I’m sorry, sir.”“Tell your classmates there won’t be any lectures today.”I sat upright immediately.“Why, sir?”“Because it’s Teachers’ and Lecturers’ Day. Normally we’re the ones teaching, but today we’re taking the day off. Inform the others.”I sighed inwardly.I was always the go-to person because I was the course representative .He had vowed never to send messages to the class group himself because the last time he did, several girls flooded his inbox. Some had even gone as far as sending him nudes.The poor man was married.After passing the announcement to the group chat, I happily crawled back into bed.“Wake up! Wake up!”Hours later, I felt someone shaking
I saw him heading back to the car and I immediately tossed the lighter back onto the floor where I’d found it. I forced a smile onto my face, practicing it like an actress about to step on stage casual, innocent, anything but guilty or scared.When Marcus slid back into the driver’s seat, I glanced at his hands. Empty. My chest loosened a fraction. Had he gone looking for the lighter and simply not seen it? He then sat down and immediately looked straight ahead. I didn’t look at him again“Did I make you wait long?” he asked.“Uh, no. No, you didn’t,” I replied, struggling to keep my voice steady.“Okay. Let’s go home, then.”I let out a shaky breath. Even with the windows cracked open, the air felt too thick to breathe. Suddenly, he turned on the radio and began humming along. The melody hit me like a fist. It was one of my father’s favorites.“Do you like that one?” he asked warmly. “It’s such a classic. They don’t make them like that anymore.”I managed a weak, awkward sound that
Marcus stepped into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. I flinched as he raised his hand and gently pressed the back of it to my forehead. Heat flooded my face. I shifted away slightly, unable to meet his eyes. The evidence of my dream still lingered between my legs—warm and damning. I couldn’t let him see.“G-good morning, sir,” I stammered, trying to steady my voice.“Good morning, Ella,” he replied softly, that familiar velvet tone sending another unwanted shiver through me.“I’m so sorry about that horrible fire,” he continued. “I spoke to the owner of the building. He’s going to refund everything, so don’t worry. In the meantime, you’ll stay here with us.”I forced an awkward smile and nodded. “Thank you, sir.”He chuckled lightly, brushing it off. “You can call me Marcus. It’s okay. And please… don’t be so tense around me.”I nodded again, but I had my reasons which I could never tell him. Or Bella.“How’s your wound?” he asked.The question hit too close to my dream. “It’







