Mesmer

Part 2

             The other 20 memebers and their observers cleared the room fast. They had free time before dinner while I was stuck in here with Mr. Gates and James.
Mr. gates grabbed a pile of his papers and gestured towards us.
"Okay, now, James. You make your dad proud and be a good professor this year. Now, go help Ana choose her courses. I'm going to go see what the rest of the volunteers are doing."

I wondered how many freaking times he would say the word "now" in the next 8 weeks.

Gates finally left the room, and even though me and James were the only two in there, he grabbed my arm and dragged me to the dark corner he was previously hiding in.

"What the hell, you're attending this academy thing?! You said you were new and came here early to prep? I thought that meant you were a professor too."

I couldnt help but laughing.

"That makes sense now- how you were acting in the beginning, until you thought I was a professor. "   

"How was I acting?"

I blushed, but stood my ground.

"Tense. And taking my playfulness weird until you thought it was appropriate to act the same."

"Well, obviously. I am here to fill in for my dad, after all. He made me promise to behave, and I'm pretty positive that includes not befriending or messing around with a student. I'm pretty sure he told everyone to watch for that. And now that-"

"Just students? Are you saying messing around with other professors isn't off the table then?"

"No! No! it definitely isn't appropriate, and my dad wouldnt like that either-"

"Wait, do you have a track record of being a player? Is that why he's so worried?" I laughed and poked him. 

He reached his other unoccupied hand up and combed it through his hair.

"Well, no, I just-" he stammered.

"Well, don't worry Mr. James B. stanley,  I wasnt tempted by you anyways. You're not all that. I dont know why your dad would be so worried. It's not like you could pull any of the girls here. As for messing around with me? I'm not sure how you got that impression. "

I stood on my tip toes, our chests centimeters apart. I smirked at him, knowing damn well he was probably the most attractive man I'd ever seen, and I was also suddenly super aware of how hard his grip was around my arm. It took my thoughts somewhere they shouldnt be; somewhere I wanted to be.

I snapped out of it, "How old are you anyways? 20? are you even wise enough to be my mentor?"

He rolled his eyes, and looked down at me, him being at least 8 inches taller. In a low voice he said, "It's not a mentor, its an observer."
He let his words draw out while he scanned me up and down. Observing me. up. and down. That prick. I see what he did there, and he was good.

I tried not to, but his gaze made me bite my lip. When I did, I swear his eyes got dark. But it flashed by quickly, and he let go of my arm and stepped away from me.

"I just turned 21. So anything other than me being your 'professor' is off the table. Again- not that I was interested. Just letting any future thoughts of you and me down easy. "

I started walking around him and to the front desk that held the courses sheet. "Okay, Prof, whatever you say."

He seemed to relax again. Or atleast, it seemed like he tried to relax.  He was edgy and moody, a side of him I hadn't seen in the few hours we had spent last together the night before.
He came over to look at the sheet with me. "What options do they give you anyways?"

I didnt care to answer that question. I was too entertained by playing with the fine line set before me.

"It's still wrong even if its age appropriate?" O asked.

"Ana,"  he rolled his eyes and spoke through his teeth.

"Not that I would want to. But nice, you're going with Ana. I thought a man of your charm would come up with something more clever. You know I've never had a nick name thats not one of my actual names. like My-uh? It still sounds like My-Iss? People, they lack creativity these days."

I turned my attention back to the paper even though I hadnt read a single word of it.

He cleared his throat, "How old are you, anyways?"

"I'll be nineteen in a week. I'm an early summer baby. Technically, I should have graduated last year if my parents hadnt started me in kindergarten late," I shrugged, "and I think technically our age difference could technically be a senior and a junior. And that happens all the time if you ask me. But you're right. We don't want to make your daddy mad. "

I winked at him, knowing I was being brave for no reason. I took the sheet that was really more of a packet (makes sense- they have a million professors here. I bet almost all of them would teach a course), and went to the chairs to look at it. I left the stern, yet charming James behind me. I swear, behind his furrowed eyebrows, he almost looked intrigued.

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