The Heart That's Meant to Love You [COMPLETED]

Chapter 14: Monday

Why had he agreed to teach a photography class at collegiate level again?

Kieran stared through the window in the classroom door. Greenhorns, the lot of them, and over half of them didn't seem to know what they were doing or care about the class. Why did they pick this major if they didn't take it seriously?

Fine. Whatever. He had promised to teach for the next few weeks. No big deal.

Kieran scanned the roster in his hands, did a quick guesstimate of the head count in the room, and groaned. Extras only meant one thing. Someone had tipped off the campus gossip chain about the substitute professor. Kieran had been at the center of the fanatics when he attended college. He didn't need another round of that craziness. But, like it or not, Kieran had a feeling he was going to get another round.

Alright. Bring it on.

Kieran shoved the door open and strode in with all the confidence of someone who owned the place. One of the better life lessons he had learned from his parents as a child.

A few hushed squeals from the front row drew his attention. Nothing he hadn't dealt with before. Preppy college girls apparently never changed their tastes. Which meant that Kieran knew how they would react. Which meant that he could preemptively prepare countermeasures.

Kieran stacked the roster papers on the podium and glanced up at the crowd. "If you are actively enrolled in Professor McNally's class, please raise your hand."

Of course, the entire class raised their hands. Kieran didn't expect the freeloaders to admit it right off the bat. They would stay as long as they could, like they always had. Kieran, being generous, would give them a second chance to admit their lie and get out.

"I see the class roster must be incorrect." Kieran laughed with the crowd, then employed his next tactic. "Everyone take out your camera and put it on the table in front of you."

Of course, Kieran knew some unenrolled students had probably come prepared, but most—in his experience—didn't think far enough ahead to bring along things they would need to participate in the class. After all, they had only come to observe.

As expected, several rows sported empty spots where cameras should be.

"If you didn't bring your camera, kindly leave." Kieran dropped his gaze to the roster. "I will now take attendance."

A collective groan went up from around the room. The reaction Kieran had expected.

With a grin, Kieran glanced up again, making sure to make eye contact with a few of the obvious extras. "If you're not registered for this class but you want to observe, we may or may not be heading to the Botanical Gardens today. If you get there ahead of time..."

Letting the sentence hang, or perhaps the suggestion itself, worked wonders. Students scrambled for the door, leaving an amount much closer to the official roster count. The stick-and-carrot method worked every time.

Kieran left the attendance sheet on the podium and leaned his elbows down next to it, his posture falling into a more relaxed position. "Like I said, I thought a field trip would be a decent idea. Grab your gear, let's get going."

The best way to teach photography was to take pictures. Kieran had never been a lecture-and-homework kind of person. He much preferred the hands-on approach, something he also learned from his parents.

The thump of shoes and chairs, paired with the rustle of jackets and camera bags, resounded like a song in Kieran's ears. How harmonious, to listen to the symphony of creativity at work.

Kieran snatched his own camera bag and slung it over one shoulder. Leading had never been his thing, but he had taken responsibility of these students in Professor McNally's absence, so he would do his job. Just his job. Kieran had no intention of making relational ties.

All-in-all, it took the students no more than sixty seconds to gather their things.

Kieran circled a finger in the air, signaling for everyone to follow him. They would. Even if they had a choice, they were all bound to follow by one thing or another. A need to pass the class. A love for photography. Curiosity. All valid reasons to traipse along behind Kieran like ducklings behind their mother.

The botanical gardens sat nearby the arts buildings. Creatives and nurturers tended to get along well, so the arrangement made sense. Whatever drove the reason behind the setup, it served Kieran's purposes well.

Coming to a stop at the entrance of the botanical gardens, Kieran turned to face the group. "The focus today is contrasting colors. Show me what you've got." He swung his arm toward the gardens, offering to let the students enter first.

The actual students took him up on the offer, filtering around him to do their work. The fake students stuck around, many ogling Kieran like they had never seen a handsome man before.

Kieran scrubbed a hand through the top of his hair. Let them stare for a moment or two. When they had looked their fill, he would send them home. At least, that was the plan.

Then, Kieran lifted his eyes. Up from the ground, past the mass of squealy college girls. To a hill facing the botanical gardens, where scattered artists sat at their easels. Where one, in particular, shone in the sunlight, her clothing fluttering around her arms and ankles.

Who would have known that little Naomi was so recognizable? He had met her once, and Kieran already found he could pick her out at a distance. An interesting realization.

Could she see him, too? Did she care to see him? These were the questions that kept Kieran standing still, his intense stare focused nowhere but at Naomi. Would she meet his challenge, or was she the type to run off during difficulties? Kieran found he wanted to know, but he didn't have the courage to ask aloud.