Hot Night With My Professor

Chapter 22

"It is for me to know and for you to figure out." He winked before he opened the door of his car for me. I just realized that we are in the parking lot of the hospital. It was late when I noticed. I hopped inside. I even saw that he put his hand on my head as if to protect me in case I bumped. Right, this is my first time to hop into his car. No, I have never gotten into anyone's car, not even with Professor Sybill before.

I turned to Ismael before I called him.

"Yes?" he asked. Here he is next to me, looking at me. He couldn't close the door because I called him.

"Thanks for helping me. Thank you for being here."

He smiled. "Of course, I am your professor after all." He ruffled my hair before looking at my feet, as if he had also checked if I had entered his car fully before closing the door. How can this man be so caring and thoughtful? Who taught him?

I was quiet the whole trip. He is the same. What else are we going to talk about? Maybe if I make a small talk, I'll just get to his calculus subject, which I don't like. I squealed when I remembered what happened earlier in his office. He was saying that my performance in his subject was getting better, but he didn't finish what he was going to say because he kissed me. He even said that I was beautiful.

I can't stop blushing. I can't imagine that after all our arguments and bickering, we're here together in his car in peace. I didn't expect Professor Sybill to disappear from my mind so soon because of him. He made me think of myself—prioritize me.

"What are you thinking?" he asked out of the blue. I shook my head while looking at his handsome face. Good lord, the strength he has in his side profile. "Nothing."

He glanced at me. "Oh, right. I forgot to tell you earlier about your grades. I want to give you something like a reward for keeping your performance good."

Good? After all the efforts, he'll just say I was good? Anyway, why would he give me a reward?

"Reward?" I inquired.

"Yeah."

"Is that money?"

He laughed. "No."

And I just realized that we were in a pet shop. I don't understand why Ismael brought me here. Is this what he says is the reward? Because no, just thanks. I will have more responsibility if he gets me a pet! I don't have children, but my expenses will increase because I have someone to take care of now!

"A cat?" I shouted scandalously. He even looked around to see if anyone was disturbed by my shouting. "Why would you give me a pet? And a cat?" The day doesn't go by without him tripping me. I shouldn't have let myself get into his car if I knew I would be this disturbed. I thought he was going to take me home.

"Because your loneliness leads you to be rude, Miss Alvandra. You need some companions."

I rolled my eyes. "What does my attitude have to do with being alone in life?"

He pointed to the side of his head. "Your brain is malfunctioning because you don't have anyone to talk to. So, I'm giving you a pet." My upper lip curled in disgust. Is he starting to tease me again? Of course! This is the real Ismael Mondalla! He's not that kind!

"Why not just a dog, anyway?"

"Your attitude is too strong for a dog. You're like a cat. Grumpy." I gasped and looked up. My tongue twirled on the side of my cheek. What has this Ismael eaten, and he is talking to me freely in this way?

"I do not like it!" I stormed out of the pet shop and walked away from him. Where did he take me, and this place doesn't seem familiar to me anymore? Is it far from my house?

"Hey, Miss Alvandra! Where do you think you're going?" he shouted. I turned to him and saw him chasing me. I laughed at his appearance. He's like a runaway groom.

"Away from you!" I also shouted back. I am walking on the pavement while the trees beside me are laying their beautiful leaves. As if I were in the movie.

But I stopped walking when suddenly a cat appeared before my eyes. He looks at me evilly and approaches me. I didn't do anything but retreat, and when I retreated, I didn't realize I bumped into Ismael. He held my arms for support. I was very afraid to cling to him.

"Why are you so scared of cats? Aren't they cute?" He went to that cat with a grayish color and cuddled it in his arms while playing. So, he's a cat person? I just watched him. I couldn't help but be impressed because he quickly tamed the cat as if he had known him for a long time.

"Unlike dogs that are easy to befriend, cats are not. Just like you, Miss Alvandra," he stated, but that did not convince me. He easily tamed the stray cat he was holding, in contradiction to his premise, with just some strokes on the head and its back. Cats must be picky, and I was one of those they chose to look down on. "You are so hard to tame."

I didn't immediately catch my breath from what he said. Does that mean he tames me? Wait, is this because he is a professor and his job is to tame his students?

He looked around as if checking to see if there was an owner of the cat he was holding, but there didn't seem to be any, so he continued to carry it. "Let's go. Since you don't want to shop at the pet shop, you come across this one. Cat distribution system."

I frowned. "Cat distribution system?" I walked with him back to the car.

"It is a phrase used to describe the seemingly common occurrence of cats entering people's homes and lives unannounced and inadvertently," he explained. "It is not the owner who chooses the cats—instead, cats choose their owners. Much like how this feline unexpectedly approached you despite your reluctance. This cat knows you need him."

He opened the door for me again, and after I sat down, he quickly handed me the small cat. I was still stunned, but there was nothing I could do but touch it. He entered the other door and sat in the driver's seat. He glanced at me, and suddenly he laughed. "You should look at your face. It's so funny."

"Why shouldn't I? I don't even know how to hold it. Look! It's coming to you." The little cat kept meowing, so I panicked even more.

"Hold him a little longer. Rub him to make him comfortable with you. Take it easy. Everything takes time." He ruffled my hair again before starting his car. I looked at the cat on my lap. He is looking at me.

"He's looking at me, Ismael," I promised with the fear still in my voice.

"Stroke him," he replied. "Like this." He put his hand on my head and gently caressed me. I instantly closed my eyes. "Do it like this, Miss Alvandra. Their ears are sensitive, so you can also caress them there." His thumb caressed my ears, and because of that, the hairs on my body stood up. What the hell is he doing to me?

"Wait a minute, I'm tickling, Ismael," I commented. I am uncertain as to whether or not I can pet this small cat that has done nothing but bite my hand in light of what he is doing to me.

"Alright, I'll stop." He said it with a grin while his eyes were still on the road. What the hell did he do to me? He's turning me on! It's good that I was able to stop because otherwise, I might have done something.

We got home safely, and I'm still clinging to the cat he gave me. The cat is sleeping in my arms.

"See? He's now comfortable with you," Ismael said, smiling as he led me away. He also went down for a while. I wish he hadn't done it because someone was pulling me to invite him into the house. "It won't take long for you to get used to him too, Miss Alvandra."

I smiled. "How I wish." We looked into each other's eyes for a long time. I don't want to be separated from him, but I have to stop myself. Maybe it's just the call of the flesh. I do not want it. I don't want to feel that way about him.

"See you in my class tomorrow."

I nodded and finally said goodbye to him.