Known

2📚| Paradise in purgatory

Celine

The morning started off in the worst way possible, after being woken up washed with sweat and a pounding headache, from the worst nightmare of my life. The police decided they need to speak to me again.

They insisted on getting more information than I already gave out of me about that night. Truth is, I was so scared that I was not paying attention to much, I was lucky enough to even make it out alive. The most I saw, was his build and a small rose tattoo on the right side of his neck. Which in essence, can be a lot but that's about it on my part.

I was so late for class that I even missed my morning coffee and forgot to email the introductory summary the new professor wanted, speaking of; the reason we need a new professor in the first place is because our old one went missing, we all thought the worst at first that is until he emailed the board that he resigned.

Now that's sus but it's not my business.

University of Rochester was filled with students like usual, different sizes, colors, race, ethnicities and much more crowded the university grounds. The massive structure reminded me of the white house with its six pillars and extended rooftop, the Morey Hall was a site to behold- only it wasn't filled with maidens' quarters and presidential suites but an endless amount of books and stress students trying to stuff their little brains with information just so they can scrape through finals.

it's me, I'm students.

I didn't know what I was expecting when I came here from Florida three years ago. I wasn't expecting the cold, or the random performances in times square, nor was I expecting the violence, but I was used to it because Florida is crazy, so I adopted quickly.

I picked up the speed as I raced for the lecture hall, I was seven minutes late and sure to get unwanted attention. The thick high rise denim jeans I was wearing wasn't making it any easier as every now and then I would trip over the loose materials that flared at the ends, my hands became clammy as I approached the door and with one peek in I was regretting my decision to even come to class in the first place.

My phone dinged in my hand, and I looked down to see two text messages, one from my best friend Alaina and one from my boyfriend Cillian, wondering where I am. I didn't answer and muster up the courage to make an entrance, as I entered the lecture hall all speaking seized and all eyes snapped in my direction.

My lips thinned as I trailed my eyes over the crowded room, unusual the hall normally would have had twenty students the most and now it seems as if hundreds were present but as I turned from the many students who were all seated to the professor who had paused his lecture to see what the disturbance was all about I understood why.

My eyes bulged out of my head when I saw him; Tall, brooding, standing about six feet three above ground, with black slick back hair and dark piercing eyes, he looked firm and dominating as he stared me down.

He seemed magnificent.

He turned fully from facing the class to now facing me, a firm yet pleasant look gracing his features as he put both of his hands behind him.

"you must be Ms. Phillips" he began, his voice deep, smooth, and condescending, it sent a familiar shiver down my spine.

I gulped and nodded, "that's me" I said with an awkward chuckle, wondering how he knew that.

His lips thinned "your late" he said as he casually began to stride over to me, I felt planted to the ground as the stranger approached my nervous form.

He towered over me, looking down into my eyes as if searching for something, a tingling sensation crawled up the back of my neck and for a moment I forgot that were were standing Infront a whole room full of students.

"I'll let this slide this once. Be warned Ms. Phillips I do not give second chances.. alright?" I nodded quickly, trying with all my might to tear away from his overpowering gaze but I felt stuck. It was like a puppet show where all the strings were attached to the doll and the puppet master controlled every move that the doll made.

The corner of his lips tugged slightly "good.. you may take your seat and welcome to my class, I'm professor norman your new lecturer for the semester" he said, the words that would have normally been easy to come out felt stuck to the back of my throat and it was when he moved away from me and looked back to the class that the trance I was in got broken.

I shrugged off the weird feeling as I walked away and found my seat, Alaina and Cillian were eyeing me with suspicion but I was just as confused with the interaction as they were.

Cillian clenched his jaw and balled his fist and when I tried to address him he ignored me.

"What the hell was that?" Alaina asked, leaning over to whisper in my ear as the professor continued.

I shrugged, "I don't know.." then pulled out my book to start taking notes, other than the fact that the new smoking hot teacher has gotten my attention, I don't see what the big deal was. All he did was talk to me, I glanced over at cillian and reached tried to reach for his hand only for him to yank it away from and place it in his lap.

My eyebrows creased and a pang of hurt crossed my heart, I looked over at Alaina for an explanation, she shrugged not understanding either what his problem is.

I left him alone after that and turned to focus on the lesson but froze when the gaze of Professor norman was plastered on me.