𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 | ✓

19

I hold the papers filled with Wright's chosen problems close to my chest as I walk away from his office. He wasn't in a good mood, but at least he remembered what he had told me and the problems were ready, waiting atop his desk. I took them and dashed out.

The papers also smell faintly of his cologne, quickening my heartbeat. I have to blame this on him too, I've been on constant high alert in his classroom and in his office for such a long time that my brain is now wired to get anxious automatically at any hint of his presence.

I slowly descend the steps, securing my assignment in my backpack. As I zip up my bag and readjust the strap on my shoulder, I spot Brian coming out of a classroom.

He beams and approaches me.

I smile and wave at him. "Hey."

"I didn't know you had classes today." He stops before me. His dark hair is neatly combed back, but the sleeves of his navy blue hoodie are bunched up to his elbow, giving him a casual look.

"I don't," I say and we go down another round of stairs, moving so close to each other, his hand brushes mine more than once.

"Oh," he curiously gazes at me, waiting for an explanation.

I play with the ring on my left thumb. "Just had to get a few stuff done, paperwork and all."

He nods, appearing convinced and I let a breath of relief escape from me.

I can't help but recall Melody's words, urging me to spend more time with him.

Brian is nice and all, but he's a distraction. I can't afford that at the moment.

We reach the ground floor and I notice he's fidgeting with the strap of his bag. "Is your work done?" he asks suddenly.

"Yeah, I was going back home."

"My classes for the day are done too, I can drop you off," he offers as we step out of the maths department's building.

I offer a tight-lipped smile. What's it with him and constantly offering to drop me off. It's not like he has the latest car model he's attempting to show off. Regardless, I decline him. "It's fine, no need for that."

"Are you sure?" he lowers his head and his shoulders visibly drop from disappointment.

"I like to walk," I tell him as we cross the campus ground and head toward the exit.

He straightens himself and a childish grin curls his lips. "I can come with you," his stance slips into a more confident Brian and he adds, "on our way, we can grab coffees too."

I smile and give in, nodding, "Sure, if you insist."

Together we walk, and talk about our classes, share our two cents over our previous semesters' professors and courses as cars speed past us. Before I know it, we have our coffees and sooner than expected we are standing in front of my apartment's building.

"Well," I drawl, shifting my weight from one leg to the other while looking both ways, not knowing how to escape the growing claws of awkwardness.

"See you on Wednesday?" his voice comes out like a question rather than stating a fact. We both know we'll see each other on Wednesday, it's one of the few classes we share.

Nevertheless, I nod, "Yeah."

Hesitantly he nears me, for a split second I freeze, thinking he's moving in for a kiss, but when I spot his arm parting from his side, relief floods me. It's just a hug.

A one-arm friendly hug, light as a feather his arm rounds me and plants on my other shoulder as if fearing my reaction. I pat his back before we part and I smile at him, earning a beaming face from him.

He shuffles his feet as I fish out my key and unlock the door.

I wave, "Bye."

As though reluctant to move, he awkwardly nods and chuckles at himself. "Yeah." He waves back and with a clear amount of force puts one leg after the other, adding to the space between us, but his grin never fades. "Bye."

I shake my head and enter the building, a small smile on my lips. With a sigh, I walk into the elevator and hit the fifth-floor button.

I lean to its metallic wall and close my eyes, to say I'm confused would be an understatement. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.

The soft dinging sound of the elevator pulls me back to reality. I step out, and stride to the white door with purple flowers decorating it, along with a baby pink doormat Melody chose a while ago. I unlock the door and let myself in.

Without wasting any more time, I dash to my room and prepare myself and my messy study desk for a few rough days of studying. Professor Wright gave me two weeks to complete the assignment

But my plan isn't just to wrap it up before the deadline, I want to impress him, prove to him I'm worth the time and effort he'll be spending if he agrees to be my thesis adviser, and eventually lead him to hand over that problem to me.

For that, I have to finish this by Wednesday and hand it to him before our class starts.

Determination coursing in my veins, I settle down behind my desk and begin the task.

∞ ∞ ∞

I rub my eyes, counting down the minutes until the class ends. The past five days were impossibly hard. I slept two hours at maximum per day -not that I'm complaining, it's not like I could actually sleep on a normal basis. I kept myself alive, awake and functioning with my best buddy, caffeine.

Wright had stayed true to his words, the problems he had given me were unfairly hard. Ironically, I couldn't find anything relatively similar to what he had given me, either crucial parts were changed or the question was nowhere to be found in my books.

I bounce my leg and glance at my wristwatch, Wright should still be in his classroom.

My current professor ends the class and I hurriedly shove my textbooks into my bag and dash out of the class. I sprint up the stairs making my way to Professor Wright's office so when he comes, I'll be already there, ready and waiting for him.

But as I near his room I realize the door is open. I slow down my pace and press my shoulder to the wall as I carefully peer into his room.

To my utmost surprise, he's sitting behind his desk, a frown drawing his handsome face together, creasing his brow, and turning his full lips into a thin line.

A man dressed in a black suit, his hair greying, his back facing me, is standing across from Wright.

I catch a glimpse of a yellow binder as the man places it on Wright's desk.

I retreat a step.

At that moment, I do what any sensible student won't ever do.

I stay.

∞ ∞ ∞

Well, I did say drama is coming, buckle up 'cause the next few chapters are going to be a rollercoaster ride ^^

Anyway, thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it, don't forget to vote and comment your thoughts! Next update will be up tomorrow (as usual).

Know that from the bottom of my heart I really appreciate every single one of you who is reading this story. I can't thank you enough for voting and adding this story to your reading lists (And I really don't know what's up with WP,  because I used to post thanks messages on message boards of users who added my stories to their rls or voted, but now it's not letting me do that, so know that I'm super grateful).

Stay safe, lots of love, happy reading <3