Unexpected Visit(s)

(Lily's POV)

The rain had finally stopped, but inside my tiny flat, a tempest of emotions had taken its place. Still wet, my clothes clung to me like a second skin, serving as a memory of the rainstorm that had brought Victor to my doorstep. His jacket, still with me, now hung over a chair, was a tangible piece of him in my space, its scent a cocktail of sandalwood and something uniquely Victor, stirring a forbidden warmth in me.

I still do not know how he outrightly knew my house address, but that's even less of my worries right now.

I made my way to the bathroom, showered, letting the hot water attempt to wash away the chill which I know wasn't just from the rain but from the intensity of Victor's gaze, the brief touch of his hand. Standing beneath the hot stream of water, every minute we spent together flashed through my mind. I recall his sparkling eyes, his gentle, caring hand on mine, and his breathtaking grin.

I sat on the edge of my bed, wrapped in a robe, the quiet outside a sharp contrast to the chaos within. I could always see him when I closed my eyes, feel the heat of his breath, and hear his voice in my head like a haunting tune

A knock at the door served as a diversion from my rambling thoughts and was almost an oasis of calm. I made my way to the door, curiosity getting the better of me as I wondered who could be visiting at this hour. I approached the entrance, my footsteps quiet on the floor, and peered through the peephole to catch a glimpse of the unexpected... "Victor?" I said in my mind.

He stood there, looking both out of place and perfectly at home in my apartment's mundane setting, my pulse skipped a beat and then raced faster as I opened the door.

"I came to check on you," he said, with a tone that was both worried and more personal and malevolent, or maybe it was just my head. I felt naked even in my robe as his eyes captivated me.

"I'm okay," I said in a whisper, with a smile that faded almost instantly.

I managed to get myself together and politely ushered him in with a smile fading instantly again. When he stepped in, the air between us shook like the sound of a thunderclap. In contrast to the hurricane of desire he sparked, he had brought tea, a considerate gesture. The steam from the cups provided a curtain between us as we sat in my tiny kitchen, but it was insufficient to conceal the desire in his eyes.

"You shouldn't be here," I said, more to persuade myself than him. I avoided looking into his eyes while my fingers played with the handle of my mug.

"Perhaps not," he said in a low, somewhat growling voice. "But here I am."

The weight of his alluring presence was causing the boundaries I had erected around myself to collapse. The emotions that neither of us dared to express were heavy in the air. Even though we didn't say much, every look and gesture conveyed a wealth of unsaid facts. It felt like a silent commitment, a sign of something more to come, when our hands met as we reached for the tea.

Our eyes spoke for us during the halting gaps in our discussion. I sensed a strong tug in his direction, one that seemed to get stronger with each breath.

The conversation was getting tense and we got lost in each other's eyes.

Sensing this, "I should go," he muttered, but his body betrayed him.

He leaned in, his face just few inches from mine, his eyes dropping to my lips. The tension was palpable, a living thing between us, begging to be seen, acknowledged, to be acted upon.

I leaned in too, my breathing constricting with the parting of my lips. The moment stretched, thick and heady with our mutual need and exposure. I could all but taste him, feel the softness of his lips against my mouth, so close were they.

But then, a knocked at the door to bring in a cold splash of reality. I turned to Victor, his eyes mirroring my own shock before I moved to answer it.

I opened the door, and there stood Sophie with eyes as big as saucers. "Hey, Lily, I was just wondering if you wanted to join us for a study session," she said, her voice edged with curiosity as her gaze slid beyond me to catch sight of Victor in the background.

"Oh, uh, for sure, I'm free," I responded, my voice quite flustered.

Victor, realizing the cue, rose up and instantly became all professor-like again. "I was just about to leave," he said, as if formalizing the occasion, though his eyes lingered on me for a moment too long before heading for the door.

"And very close now," Sophie said, the look now one of fascinating intrigue rather than invitation. "Okay then, see you later, Lily," came her farewell, and those words shrilled into the air like a question mark as she watched Victor leave.

Victor had given a curt nod, "Good evening, Sophie," and then he was gone, the door closed behind him with a soft click which felt like just the end of something unspoken.

We both stepped into the apartment, her eyes scanning the room, then settled back on me. "Why was he here?" she asked, her voice light but probing.

I swallowed, trying to regain my composure. "Nothing really. He met me in the rain earlier, and gave me a lift home, then...he just... came to check up on me," I explained, hoping my voice sounded more convincing than I felt.

Sophie's eyebrows shot up, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips. "Right, can't imagine how close you'll be for a professor to make house calls for his student," she teased, but there was an edge to her words, a hint that she saw more than I wanted her to.

I exhaled a weak laugh as my mind galloped figuring out what she might be thinking or saying later. "Yeah, well, he's just... very dedicated to his students," I mumbled, trying to make it sound as casual as possible.

Sophie shrugged her shoulders, but the sparkle in her eye still held some doubt. "Okay, then, off we go to the study session. You'll have to enlighten me about 'affected' Professor Graham's visitation," she said, half-teasingly, half-seriously.

And now I gathered my things, the weight of what just happened and what would happen in the end haunt me as it settled over me. Such suspense was manifest, thick heavy air filled with silence and questions, leaving deep promises for a lot more drama to come.

But at the same time, what... should Sophie be thinking?