𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 | ✓

45

I stand a few paces away from Wright's office, wringing my fingers as my heart beats faster. I can do it. I've done it before, I'll do it again. With a nod, I gather my courage and force my legs to take the few remaining steps.

The door is half open and I peer inside, catching Wright standing in front of his library looking into something.

I inhale sharply and try to overlook my racing heart as I lightly knock on his door.

"What now?" he mutters as if he already knows it's me without needing to spare a glance.

"May I?" I softly ask and he gives a curt nod before slightly angling towards me.

I walk in and shut the door behind me. My mouth goes dry as he scrutinizes me over the black frame of his glasses for a moment before returning to pulling out books one by one, flipping through them, then returning them to their place with a ridiculous amount of force.

"I'm really sorry about today," I say, fidgeting with my fingers.

He rolls his eyes, pressing his full lips into a thin line.

"I-I really didn't mean to disrespect you or disrupt your class," I add.

He slams the book he's holding on one of the racks of the library, as turns to me and glares. "Oh really?" he scoffs.

"I had no idea he would show up and do something like that... if I had known, I never would have let him."

He glowers. "But every student in my class was claiming something else entirely. Oh look, there goes Gracie Stewart, pulling off another one of her spectacles. Or damn it had been so long since the last time a guy showed up for her like that, and so on. Which only shows you have a habit of doing these nonsenses mid-class."

I gulp noisily and shift my weight from one foot to another. "I won't deny that... but I swear I had no idea Nathan was going to show up."

He throws his hands up and huffs "I don't care." Wright pinches the bridge of his nose and inhales deeply.

I tilt my head slightly as I watch him recompose himself and set his icy dark blue eyes back on me.

"Listen, Stewart," he starts, his voice deep and low sending ripples of tingly sensations down my body, and goosebumps break out through my skin. I clasp my hands in front of myself, dipping my chin slightly; with his eyes fixed on me, I struggle to breathe evenly.

"This is a university, I don't care if you've pulled off this nonsense theatrics during your other classes, but for me, it's absolutely unacceptable. If this foolish action ever repeats during my class, you will not return to my classroom till the end of the semester and don't even bother showing up for the final, because I will fail you. Understood?"

I nibble on my bottom lip and nod. "Yes, Professor. I'm sorry, I promise it won't happen again."

He turns back to his book, roughly pushing it back in its place. His hand moves to another book, but before pulling it out, he halts and inhales deeply. Apparently changing his mind, he leaves the books and readjusts the position of the small iron figure sculpture of a man reading a book.

"Anything else you came here for?" he harshly asks.

I tap my foot and shake my head. "No, I just came to apologize."

"Well, you can leave now." He doesn't even spare me a glance.

I loop my fingers through the strap of my backpack. "But you haven't forgiven me yet," I point out with a soft voice.

He shoots me a glare and I smile at him.

"So you've come here to be forgiven, not to apologize," he states bitterly.

I roll my eyes. "Same thing."

"They are not the same thing," he says back irritably while glaring at me.

"Professor Wright," I start with a soft voice, inching towards him, a smile playing on my lips. "They are."

He scowls. "Apologizing does not always grant immediate forgiveness," he snaps.

I hold his glacial gaze, not letting his bad temper ruin my mood and get in the way of my determination for turning things back to normal.

He rolls his eyes, breaking the eye contact, and shifts the sculpture again, gazing hard at it before setting his steely gaze on the books.

"True, but I'm not planning on leaving unless I make sure you've forgiven me and we're on good terms. Can't have the professor who's helping me write a paper stay on bad terms with me." I stand next to him, looking up through my lashes. His intoxicating scent overwhelms my senses, making my heart beat faster.

He takes a step away from me, and glares harder at me, his lips move, muttering something so softly that I fail to understand.

Curiosity gets the best of me and before I can stop myself, I say, "I didn't hear that."

"I said you're unbearably annoying, maddening."

I grin toothily. "I've been called worse, but I'm gonna take this one as a compliment. So, thank you."

His mouth hangs open as he stares at me with disbelief. "Unbelievable," he mutters, shaking his head.

Wright pushes his glasses up his nose. "You know what Stewart, I don't understand..." his voice trails down as he searches for a word while waving his hands around. "This, whatever that happened... you."

Something in him shifts. The annoyance giving place to something else entirely, a burning flame behind his eyes, I'd gladly let it take over me.

He leans to me the slightest and in a lower tone he finishes, "I tried so hard to understand you but yet, you're still an enigma to me."

∞ ∞ ∞

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