CHAPTER TEN

NICK WALKER©

I walked out of the classroom with a heavy breath, still trying to process what had just happened a while ago.

Professor Grayson really gave me a zero.

I groaned under my breath as I remembered what Grayson had said earlier.

It was the way he said it. Very calm and cold.

“Maybe you are always in my sight at every glance.”

I clenched my jaw.

So now the solution was simple… avoid him. Stay out of his way and don't cross his path.

Except… that was impossible. He was my lecturer. And worse, he shows up at my workplace.

I sighed as I stepped outside the college gate with Avery beside me.

“I still can’t believe he gave me five.“ she said, shaking her head.

I glanced at her. “You can barely form a full sentence in Italian.”

Avery struggled with Italian language. Many students who did not care much about the course did not even try to learn it.

Our former lecturer was always strict and distant. She did not really care if we understood or not. Only the students who put in real effort could speak well.

But Grayson’s way of teaching felt… different. It made you want to listen.

“I can form half,” she snapped.

“What do you expect someone marked zero say to you, Miss Campbell?“

She scoffed.

We boarded the bus, and I took a seat by the window, Avery dropping beside me. The breeze hit my face and I let out a sigh.

“Well, Mister Perfect. Mister fluent. Mister ‘let me argue with the lecturer like I own the place.’”

I frowned. “What do you mean?“

“I expect you to not drag your personal issue to class,” she shot back.

I turned to her. “How is that personal?”

“How is it not?” she replied. “You two were literally arguing like you both have history.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Because… Avery wasn’t completely wrong.

“…But,” Avery leaned closer, her eyes narrowing with curiosity, “aren’t you even a little bothered by what he said?”

“What?”

“That fate thing,” she said. “About you both crossing paths again and again.

I felt a wave of irritation hit me.

“Do you actually believe that nonsense?“ I asked, turning fully to her.

She shrugged. “If it looks like it, then yeah.”

I stared at her.

“You said it yourself,” she continued. “He’s your lecturer. He goes to your workplace. You see him every day. That’s not normal, Mr Walker.”

“It's bad luck,” I muttered.

“That’s fate,” she corrected. I scoffed and looked away.

“Believe whatever you want.”

“Oh, I will,” she said proudly.

I shook my head, then leaned closer to her, lowering my voice.

“Do you know?”

Her eyes lit up. “What?”

I glanced around, then whispered, “He sleeps with both genders.”

She gasped so loud that I almost regretted saying it. I had no reason for dropping the bombshell but I still went on.

“What?!” she whispered loudly, covering her mouth.

“Keep your voice down,” I quickly said.

“How do you know?” she asked quickly. “Did you see it? Did you catch him?”

I blinked at her rapid questions.

“I saw him and he also told me.“ I said.

Her eyes widened again.

“He told you?” she repeated and I nodded.

She leaned back slowly, still staring at me.

“Does that mean…” she trailed off.

I raised a brow. “What?”

“Does that mean Grayson has the upper hand, since you both 'keep crossing paths'?” she asked.

I stared at her in disbelief. I shook my head and pressed the button to get off the bus.

“Hey,wait!” she said, jumping up to follow me.

We alighted from the bus and began walking.

“What? Was I wrong?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said flatly.

“How?“ She asked.

“Well… he may look young, but he should be in his late twenties,” I said and she stopped.

“So what? Late twenties, not fifties. He can’t be that old, right?” Avery asked.

I ignored her and started walking into the house.

“I told you he swings both ways,” I said. “I didn’t say I did.”

She followed me in. “So you’re not gay?”

“I’m not gay.”

“Who’s gay?” I turned at the familiar voice and I froze.

“Fuck me.“ I cursed under my breath.

She was by the window listening to our conversation.

“Mira! Oh my God!” Avery squealed and ran to her.

Mira barely had time to react before Avery wrapped her in a tight hug. I shook my head and walked over to them.

“Too tight,” Mira complained.

“When did you get back?” I asked, picking her up out of habit and ruffled her hair.

“Not long ago,” she said and forcefully let herself down.

“How was the trip?” I asked.

“It was fine,” she said. “Just that too many pictures were taken.”

I smiled. “Did you have fun?”

She paused, then nodded. “Yeah.”

“That’s good.”

Avery dropped beside her. “Tell me everything!”

Mira sighed. “Aren't you going to let me rest first?“

“Ugh,” Avery said. “I need the full story.”

I chuckled and walked to the kitchen, letting them talk.

Their voices filled the house and for a moment, everything felt normal again.

∆∆

~ FIVE STAR CLUB AND BAR ~

During my shift, I stayed alert, always checking around so I wouldn’t run into Grayson. I really wanted to avoid him tonight.

After a while, I started to relax. I hadn’t seen him all night. And Mr. Kyle didn’t seem to have any guests either.

That alone made my mood a little lighter.

“Shawn, you mind covering for me for a few minutes. I need to use the restroom.“ I told him and he nodded.

“No problem.” he replied.

I walked toward the restroom, but felt something off, like someone was behind me.

I ignored it.

I was probably overthinking.

I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Then I heard the door closing again.

I turned and my stomach dropped.

Professor Grayson.

I bit the inside of my cheek as he stared at me before going ahead to pee.

Another man walked in, wearing a cap and mask and I decided to use the restroom quickly before I had any conversation with Grayson.

“I thought I wouldn’t see him tonight,” I muttered under my breath.

“Really? Were you avoiding me?”

My heart skipped and I froze.

Slowly, I turned to him.

“Did I say that out loud?”

“Yes.”

“Well,” I said, trying to sound calm, “we both agreed to stay out of each other’s way. I was working towards it.”

He didn’t reply. His eyes were on the masked man.

Then he looked back at me and let out a soft chuckle. He removed a cigar from his pack and lit.

“Working towards it,” he repeated.

I walked to the door to avoid conversing with him only to find the door locked.

“What?” I tried again.

Still locked.

“You don’t want to do this here,” he said behind me.

In a flash, the man in a mask pulled out a gun I hadn't even seen in his hand and fired in my direction. My breath caught as someone moved fast and pulled me close.

“Fuck,” Grayson muttered under his breath, and a chill ran through me.

I looked up just in time to see him take a quick drag from his cigarette. Another shot rang out, but he held me tight against his chest and dropped to the floor with me.

In one swift move, he grabbed the man’s leg and sent him crashing down.

My heart raced as I scrambled away from him and rushed to the door, trying to get it open.

“You’re talking a lot. That’s not like you. Has this place changed you already?” the masked man said as he stood and pulled off his cap.

“Didn’t you know that a gun won’t bring me down,” Grayson replied, calm as ever, putting out his cigarette.

“I was only told to teach you a lesson,” the man said with a scoff.

Before I could even react, he rushed forward. But Grayson was faster.

Grayson grabbed him by the neck and slammed his face hard against the restroom mirror.

I froze when I saw blood soaking through Grayson’s shirt and panic hit me at once.

Is this where I die?

The thought hit me hard as I watched them fight. It was brutal and out of control. Yet, somehow, Grayson still kept shielding me the whole time from danger.

Then the door burst open. I saw Mr. Kyle and his men standing there.

“Sir, someone tried to attack us. He’s hurt,” I said quickly, already crying.

“Get him out of here,” Grayson ordered.

A sharp snap followed, then a loud cry. Before I could even process it, I was pulled away.