CHAPTER FIFTEEN

NICK WALKER ©

For the first time in a long while, I spent the whole night thinking. Thinking about whatever Professor Grayson did the previous night.

No matter how hard I tried, I could not get what had happened last night out of my head.

The way my whole body reacted when I felt him kiss my ear.

I barely slept. Even after getting dressed for school, my eyelids still felt heavy. My head hurts from lack of sleep.

Professor Grayson sure has a way of getting into someone’s mind without even trying.

“Could you hurry up with my hair, please?” Mira complained, turning to look at me with wide puppy eyes. “Or would you just let me do it myself.”

“No chance,” I replied while fixing the braid. “Sit still. I’m almost done.” She puffed her cheeks but stayed still.

The front door suddenly opened.

“Good morning! It's Avery and it is time to head to school.” Avery announced dramatically as she walked in.

Mira groaned immediately.

“Good morning, Nick,” Avery said with a grin. “Move aside and let me help with Mira’s hair while you get ready.”

Mira quickly grabbed my wrist and shook her head hard. “Please don’t,” she begged.

I burst out laughing. Mira never let Avery touch her hair. Honestly, she barely liked anyone touching it, even me. I was only allowed because I had been doing it for years.

“Just once,” Avery whined dramatically.

“No.” Mira narrowed her eyes.

“Yes.” Avery leaned closer.

“No.“

They started arguing within a blink of an eye. I finished Mira’s hair and stood up to grab my bag.

“Avery,” Mira began with folded arms, “you already have a driver who picks you up late at night, and also takes you to school…”

Avery nodded. “True.”

“…so why do you keep coming here every morning to disturb the peace in this house?” Mira finished.

Avery gasped like she had been deeply wounded. “Because I can’t survive a day without seeing you,” she replied dramatically.

Mira cringed so hard as she heard those words.

“Get away from me!” Mira shouted as Avery chased her around the tiny living room, trying to hug her.

“Guys! Avery! Mira!” I called out, but neither of them listened.

“Bye. I’m leaving.” I muttered while heading for the door. The moment they heard that, both of them rushed after me.

“Nick, tell Avery to stop bullying me!” Mira shouted while sticking her tongue out.

Avery gasped loudly. “That ain't bullying. I’m showing love!”

They always went back to arguing five minutes later anyway, so getting involved in their fights wouldn't solve anything.

The three of us walked down the road together and dropped Mira off at school.

“Take care!” Avery shouted while waving.

“Bye, Nick!” Mira waved before running inside the school gate.

Then, Avery and I headed toward the bus stop. I yawned again, unable to stop myself.

“You didn’t sleep well, huh?” Avery asked while staring at me closely.

“Of course I slept,” I lied.

She gave me a look that clearly said she did not believe me.

“Hmm. Your face says otherwise. What happened?” she pressed.

Immediately, my mind flashed back to last night.

“Uh… nothing,” I answered quickly before walking faster.

Avery immediately caught up to me.

“Was it Professor Grayson?” she suddenly asked. My steps almost stopped.

Why would she even think of him?

And worse… How did she guess correctly?

“That reaction explains everything,” Avery teased. “Your ears are red already.”

I stopped walking completely.

“What?”

“Your ears are red,” she repeated with a smirk. “What happened between you two?”

“Nothing happened,” I said quickly before walking off again.

“That definitely doesn't sound like nothing.” She followed after me like a detective determined to solve a case.

The teasing continued the entire way to school.

“So you’re telling me our famous Professor Grayson did absolutely nothing to make your ears red?” Avery asked again.

I frowned at her. “Just because my ears turned red doesn’t mean he did something. Get your thinking straight.”

“Oh?” Avery leaned closer with a mischievous smile. “So your ears turn red just from hearing his name? That might be worse.”

I ignored her and kept walking.

“Oh,” Avery suddenly whispered. “Speak of the devil.”

I looked up and immediately froze. Professor Grayson was walking toward us.

I quickly looked away before our eyes could meet.

“Good morning, Professor Grayson!” Avery greeted brightly while stepping in front of him.

My eyes widened.

What was Avery doing?

I slowly looked up at him and instantly noticed the cold look on his face. Something felt wrong. He did not look calm this morning.

“Avery,” I whispered urgently, tugging her sleeve. “Let’s go.”

“Good morning, sir,” I added quickly.

“Do you have something to say to me?” he asked while staring directly at me.

I blinked and tried pulling Avery with me. “No, sir.”

He shook his head slightly before walking past us without another word.

The moment he disappeared, Avery let out a breath.

“What is wrong with you?” I asked her.

“He seems to be in a bad mood.”

“Seem? He definitely was in a bad mood,” I muttered. “Please don’t do that again.”

“Good thing I didn’t tease him yet,” she replied and I stopped walking again.

“You were planning to tease him?”

“Well, my best friend keeps hiding secrets from me,” she said proudly, “so I thought I should force the truth out of the other person involved.”

I stared at her in disbelief. “You are unbelievable.

I shook my head and walked into the lecture hall before she could say anything else.

A few hours later, our first class finally ended. The lecturer walked out, and immediately the classroom filled with whispers.

“Wow,” Avery muttered beside me. “Since when did you become Professor Grayson’s class representative?”

I frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Instead of answering, she handed me her phone. I looked down at the class bulletin message and nearly choked.

Professor Grayson posted a message on the class bulletin board saying our class for the day was cancelled.

He also gave us an assignment.

But the strange part was that everyone had to submit their work this evening to the class nerd, Nick Walker.

Me.

I stared at the message for a few seconds in confusion.

Why would he ask the whole class to submit their assignments to me?

“Did he tell you about this before?” Avery asked and I shook my head.

I stood up immediately and headed straight for Professor Grayson’s office.

By the time I got there, I knocked twice before opening the door after getting no response.

I froze when I stepped inside.

Professor Grayson was on a call.

He sounded angry. Really angry.

The language he was speaking wasn’t English, so I couldn’t understand a single word, but his tone alone made the room feel tense.

Then he turned and noticed me standing there. His eyes narrowed slightly.

He said a few final words to the person on the phone, probably telling them he would call back later, before ending the call.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he snapped and I frowned instantly.

“Professor Grayson,” I said carefully, trying to stay calm, “I know you’re upset, but please mind your language, sir.“

“Why should the whole class submit their assignments to me?” I added.

“I gave you a task,” he replied coldly. “So do it, Mr. Walker. Stop asking questions.”

His sharp tone immediately annoyed me.

“I have my own things to do this evening.“ I snapped back.

“Then, if you can’t handle something this simple, give it to someone else.” he retorted.

I stared at him, too angry to even reply properly.

Without another word, I turned around and walked out of his office.

And this time, I didn’t even bother closing the door behind me.