Periwinkle

2| GODDAMN

"Goddamn, look at that ass."

My gaze shot to the front of the lecture hall when Hailey, a girl I've had classes with previously, leaned in and muttered those words.

I wish I could disagree with her.

Judging by the way most of the girls- and some guys- already had their attention fixed on him since he first started speaking, I knew he had a similar impact on others as he did on me.

I couldn't really blame anyone considering he was a major development from the previous art history professor we had until last semester. She used to wear clothes that had been out of style since before I was born and they usually had patches of paint on them. Despite her appearance, she was still a good instructor and also my thesis advisor. And now that she was gone, I had to look for another advisor, and I didn't have much time.

Anyway, it was obvious most of the students were not expecting anyone like Shane Carver. With the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up to his elbows, accentuating that broad chest and strong arms, he looked casual but not overdone. And there wasn't a smudge of paint on his clothes or on any part of his body that was visible to us. My eyes lowered to his dark-washed jeans as I admired how well they fit him as if they had been custom-made just for him.

Goddamn, look at that ass indeed.

"I'd heard that he was a hot piece of ass. But I did not expect that," Hailey continued, twirling a strand of her pale blond hair. "But I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less from Leo's brother."

So, I wasn't going to be the only one staring at Professor Carver's ass during these classes.

I had thought I would spend a good amount of time ogling at that ass since the moment he had made his way into the class. But my eyes seemed to have stuck on his face, not on his ass, since the moment I saw him today.

Because it was the first time that I was seeing him wearing glasses.

And damn me if it didn't make him look sexier. The glasses did more than just frame his eyes, they somehow brought out his cheekbones and added a certain poise to his face. No one else noticed that though, because I was the only one who had seen him before today's class and without those glasses.

Hailey had giggled lowly when she had laid her gaze on him. "The class is gonna be a lot more interesting this semester," she'd said, still giggling.

He had started the class by introducing himself before he asked all of us to introduce ourselves one by one.

I wondered if he had recognized me when my turn had come. I was nervous considering it was my first class with Shane Carver as my art history professor. I knew this day was as important as the first streak or splash of paint on an empty canvas. It would help set the course for the final piece, of what my final painting- my future- would become. This was the start of a new painting and the brush was in Professor Carver's hand.

However, he hadn't given a hint of recognition. He had looked at me with the same blank, stoic expression on his face while I had spoken and hadn't looked at me twice after. Just motioned for the next student to start after I was done. I think he might've frowned. Maybe. I wasn't sure. But I didn't think I did such a terrible job at it. I might've frozen in my seat for a second or two before I had started with the most simple and boring introduction ever.

How could he not recognize his younger brother's best friend given how many times I visit their house and the handful of times we've interacted? My face couldn't be that forgettable, could it? If he had recognized me, he hadn't shown it. I sighed. Why was I even fretting so much about this? I should be enjoying the sight in front of me instead.