Hot Night With My Professor

Chapter 18

"Come inside," I heard him say from the other side of the door. I slowly opened the door and I saw him sitting on his chair while looking at some papers in a folder. "Close the door and come quickly."

I immediately shut the door and walked towards him, just like he had commanded me. "Why did you call me?" I asked in the softest voice I could. I was a bit shy because he didn't even look at me when I entered. I walked toward his table. Ever since we fought, this is how I talk to him. I tried to show some respect, and because of that, I felt the distance between us.

"You see, your performance in my class is getting better. I just want to tell you that—" He stopped speaking when he raised his chin to see me. Our eyes met for a few seconds. I was a bit surprised by his appearance because he was wearing glasses and a black tuxedo.

"That?" I asked, waiting for his response. I couldn't help but fiddle with my nails nervously.

"You're beautiful."

I was shocked when I heard that from him. I even backed away but he didn't let me get away from him. As soon as he momentarily removed his glasses, he clasped my neck and planted a passionate kiss on my lips.

I was unable to move for a few seconds due to the peculiar manner in which he kissed me. It was like a magnet pulling me. It seems very eager.

I closed my eyes and responded to his kisses. My hands are now on his chest. I grew impatient with the table in the middle that was in the way of our embrace because it prevented me from giving him a caress.

But he was so hungry to devour me. He has no plan to let go of me and he was really tasting my sinful lips. He even put his tongue in my mouth. It's crazy. I can't deny that I don't like it because I get carried away. I seem to forget that there is a cold war between the two of us.

If I didn't lose my breath, he wouldn't have a reason to stop me. His brows were furrowed, looking at me firmly. But the next thing he said made my whole world shatter. "I'm sorry."

I felt disgusted the moment he said that. I felt belittled. "Sorry for what?" I couldn't help raising my voice.

"Sorry that I ruined your lipstick." He came to me and gave me a handkerchief.

I rolled my eyes. "God! You just kissed me and the first thing you will say is an apology? What the heck? Am I a toy? That you'd kiss whenever you wanted for no reason?"

I was overcome with tears as the actions he took against me infringed upon my ego. I'm not a stump to feel nothing. When he did this at first, I let it pass and tried to understand him, but now that he did it again suddenly, what did he want me to feel?

"You know how much I was heartbroken because of Professor Sybill, but what did you do? You pry into my emotions because, you know, he has been deceiving me since the very first day. You are the owner of the Island Motel Bar, so you must really know what's going on between us, but you used it against me to get what you wanted. You are using me! You are using my grades to your advantage! And I realized it just now!" I yelled out of frustration. My hands are shaking. How did I manage to be so naive as to fall for the tricks of two different professors? Are they really like this because we are just students? Did they come here to manipulate us because it was easy for them to do that?

"That's not true." He stepped forward but I stepped back.

"It is the truth, Ismael. I can see. I can see what you are doing to me and I am so blinded by my guilt because I thought it was all my fault, but I can't take it anymore. What you're doing is already hurting me. Let's end this. Let's end our agreement."

I turned my back on him but I immediately stopped by the time he said those words. "I can't help myself to kiss you. That's why I'm sorry."

I heard the footsteps of his shoes approaching me. "I am not apologizing because I did it; I am apologizing because I couldn't hold back myself."

I gasped.

"What do you expect to be my reaction after seeing you dressed in such a beautiful bridal gown?" he added.

He stood in front of me while catching my eyes, trying to avoid his gaze. "If I hadn't stopped myself, I might not have kissed you alone, Miss Alvandra."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I couldn't talk. I'd run out of things to say in my long speech earlier, so now I'm letting him say his thoughts. "You are so beautiful to cry for a man." He wiped my tears. "Even I don't deserve a single tear from you."

He held my arms before he kissed my eyelids. In just a moment, I forgot everything about our arguments. It was as if a canceling spell for my anger. I was full of rage earlier and in just a blink, because of a kiss from him, it faded away.

"You were right; I know that Professor Sybill was fooling you, but I couldn't bring myself to tell it to you because, as I know, you'll definitely get hurt. Despite my admonition that you should not enter that bar that night because I discovered he was there with his wife, you persisted in your determination to find out for yourself. I was trying to protect you because I know how vulnerable you are. You don't know how to think right."

I don't know if I will be happy or annoyed by what he is saying. He always tries to mess with me with compliments and backhanded comments.

"You were so focused on something unnecessary when you should be focusing on yourself. Don't you have dreams?" He insulted me again.

I just bit my lower lip because of his long speech winning against mine. This must be our longest conversation since we started talking. I never thought he would be honest with me. And I feel what he says is true because my heart confirms it.

He pinched my chin because he was waiting for my answer. I just shook my head. "I don't know."

He nodded and held both of my shoulders and patted them as if he were comforting me or, more or less, taming me. "It's okay. We'll figure it out. And yes, if you really want our agreement to end, that's okay. I won't force you to do anything now. Just be yourself and figure out your dreams. No pressure."

I was so angry earlier but because he beat me calmly, I don't know what to do with my anger now. And here he is; he diverted our conversation to my dreams, even though I'm not sure about it. I am taking a business course but I don't know why I took it or, should I say, maybe I have forgotten the reason.

I gazed at his face. He is here in front of me with those eyes full of care. Does he really care about me? I don't understand his methods. Most of the time, he is so nonchalant and always starts to pick a fight with me but whenever we get into an argument, I can say that he's coming from something I can't understand. He's trying to hide it; that's why I'm not sure of it. Cold hands, warm heart indeed.

It was the first time I saw him in this way. Just a while ago, I felt the distance between the two of us but why, in an instant, did it seem like we were close again? Am I insane? Is it normal to feel a strange connection with a professor? This is not what I felt before towards Professor Sybill. This is all new to me.

If no one knocks on the door, the two of us staring at each other will not end. We both looked at the door when it opened. It is the class president of our section, Atacia. "Sorry to interrupt you, Professor Mondalla, but we need Jothea now. She hasn't eaten yet and we will resume."

"I understand." Ismael looked at me again and nodded. I walked with our president outside Ismael's office with loads of fresh feelings because we had finally ended our cold war.

"Did Professor Mondalla scold you so much that you look like that?" Atacia asked me. I looked at her and caught a glimpse of my reflection in the windows of the classrooms we were passing. The mascara on my eyes is proof that I cried. "Even your lips are messy," she added.

"S-sorry."

"It's okay. After you eat, go to our make-up artist again to fix you up."

I nodded and thanked her. I didn't notice that my make-up was ruined but that man was still looking at me like I was the most beautiful woman in the world.