Periwinkle

14| COBALT

I was staring at the half-done sketch in front of me, but I couldn't make myself use the pencil I held loosely in my hand. There was just too much in my head. Too many things had happened in the last few days for me to focus on continuing this sketch I'd started a few minutes ago of the cat I was currently obsessed with at the pet shop, Mary. Not to mention the slight headache I had from last night. I didn't drink enough to be hungover today, but it was enough for a headache.

Leo was still sleeping since it was only six in the morning on a Saturday. I wasn't an early riser, but when I tried to go back to sleep after stirring up, I found I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to disturb him so when I felt my fingers itch with the urge to draw something after a while of staring at the ceiling, I found a notepad and a pencil and made my way to the living room. The pencil wasn't what I needed for sketching, but I'd have to make do with whatever I found.

After a few minutes of sketching, however, my mind started to drift. The dream I'd had in the class, the embarrassment and conversation with Shane Carver that followed, and then there was what Hailey said yesterday. No one other than Hailey had mentioned what had happened in the class, though. Everyone seemed to be avoiding it, but it was obvious everyone was still talking about it. They would keep talking about it until they got something new to talk about.

This wasn't the thing that was bothering me the most, though. The thing that's been at the forefront of my mind was the email I got this morning from my academic advisor. After what happened with Professor Carver, I thought he wouldn't even want to look at me let alone want to be my thesis advisor anymore.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

I hadn't been expecting the email from my advisor confirming that Professor Carver of all people wanted to be my thesis advisor. What had been even more shocking was that she had mentioned that he was "quite impressed by my skills" and that "I could do much better if guided in the right direction." My advisor wasn't the kind of person to sugarcoat things so I doubted she would've said these things if he hadn't said it himself.

When I made my way to the couch in the living room from his bedroom after waking up, I could see the sketch in my head. And then, once I was settled, I thought to check my phone before I started. That's when I saw the email. It had come last night, but I hadn't seen it then because of obvious reasons.

There was nothing else I could really think about ever since I read it. I had no idea what to do about it. I didn't know if I should say yes or no. I didn't know if I could really handle being around him if he kept being such a jerk.

I sighed as my hand automatically started working on Mary's ears, my mind still on the email and what I should do about it.

"Ms. Williams."

I flinched at the sudden voice, and the pencil slipped from my hand. I followed it with my gaze as it rolled toward a pair of shoes. I went to pick it up, but his hands beat me to it. My view was filled with a head full of dark hair, the strands curling at the nape, before he straightened up and green eyes met mine.

No glasses today.

Of course, he wasn't in class, he was in his house. He only wore glasses during classes.

I was so consumed by my thoughts that I hadn't noticed when Professor Carver came to stand near the couch. I should've been on alert since this was his house too along with Leo's. I didn't think he would be up so early, though. I was hoping I'd be out the door by the time I was in danger of encountering him. I didn't want to have the awkward conversation I knew would come with that. Not yet at least, but now that he was here, I didn't think I had a choice anymore.

"Thank you," I murmured, taking the pencil Professor Carver held toward me.

He didn't acknowledge my thanks. Instead, he just turned to look at my sketch. I gritted my teeth and gripped the pencil tight in my hand to stop myself from hiding it from him. I was not too fond of it when people saw my uncompleted work. Especially someone like him. It wasn't even completely done yet, but I was still expecting him to start saying shit about it. I didn't know where we really stood after our last conversation. And then there was the email too.