Crash (gxg) (profxstudent)

Chapter 6: Morning

Lena's POV

I wake up alone in Ellie's bed. Her smell was still strong. It submerged the whole room and I wasn't complaining, it was so sweet. I see her silhouette move on the balcony of her room. She was swaying on her rocking chair, a blanket on her legs. She was sipping on her mug. Another mug sat on the table in front of her. I check my phone for the time. It was barely 6 a.m. 

Early bird, I see.

She looks through the drapes and smiles when she sees me looking at her. Her hair was a bit of a mess, I couldn't imagine how mine looked. But she looked very cute. Beautiful even. She's still my student, though. I smile back at her, before going to the bathroom, brushing my teeth and trying to figure out what to do with the mess on my head.

I walk out of the bathroom to join her on the balcony. There was another chair, beside her. A blanket was put on its arms. 

"Good morning, darling" She speaks softly, holding out a chuckle, emphasizing on the darling part.

Oh crap, I called her that last night. I don't remember my intention to call her darling, it just got out of my mouth.

"Good morning, Ellie" I answer, feeling my cheeks go red. "Sorry about that... And last night. I didn't mean to drink that much."

"Don't worry. I kind of liked it actually." She adds smirking. She is getting too courageous. I shouldn't allow it but it started before she was my student and it's not like we're in class, now. "I didn't want you to get into an accident."

I raise my eyebrows at her but she keeps smiling at me, motioning for the full cup of coffee, in front of her. 

"It's not the coffee that you brought. I hope it's still hot." She speaks. I frown a bit. To which she laughs. "It's just not a morning coffee, you know?"

"Well, then you'll have another reason to see me... I see what you're doing Miss Hart." I answer smirking. She blushes lightly before handing me the cup and I make the way to the chair beside her.

"Did you sleep well?" She asks.

"The best... You?" I mutter between two sips. The coffee was good. It was still warm which means she must've awoken way too early for anybody her age to do so.

"Like a baby. I haven't had such good night of sleep for a long time." She smiles.

Her eyes travel to my legs. The pyjamas she gave me consisted of a t-shirt and some shorts. I didn't pay much attention to it, yesterday. Hers consisted of the same thing. So, naturally, my eyes do the same as hers. I don't blame her. The tension was back on. It was somehow bearable. Only because it's Ellie. 

"Can I ask you something, Ellie?" I ask hesitantly. Her eyes go back to mine, suddenly. I see a mixture of worry and surprise, in them.

"Yeah, sure." She almost whispers. 

"Why did you leave in a hurry that night? Was it Alex?" I ask, not wanting to rush her into telling me things she's not ready to talk about.

She starts fidgeting slightly in her seat and I immediately regret asking her about it. My intention wasn't to make her uncomfortable. I wanted to let her know that I knew about it but I couldn't do it immediately. I wanted her to be comfortable enough with me to tell me on her own.

I guess it wasn't the right moment to ask. But something in me longed for her and wanted to protect her. I never felt this protective with anybody else but my family and Alex sometimes. But with Ellie, the fear that inhabited her eyes made me soft with her. Even when I saw her in the airport for the first time, I held myself from being rude or inconsiderate which I am with most people. 
Something about her made me want to be nice. But I bet she has that affect on everybody.

"N- No, it wasn't Alex." She speaks softly, avoiding my gaze. She was still fidgeting but still looked serein which I didn't expect. "I've had a rough year. And... Hmm... I guess I got triggered." 

I nod at her, holding out my hand to her and she takes it willingly. It all was so easy with her. Everything. Even kissing her on the cheek. I didn't have to think about it twice. It all happens swiftly with her.

"You don't have to ex-"

"I do want to talk to you about it." She interrupts me, looking back at me, pressing on my hand. "It's just a bit hard." She smiles a bit. 

"Sure... I'm here... Whenever you want." I squeeze her hand a bit, making her smile again. That beautiful smile of hers.

She takes a deep breath before, looking away. She takes her hand out of mine and I move my chair to face her more, leaning down, my cup still in my hands. I see her battling with her thoughts. And her eyes become glossy so I sit up and kneel down to be closer to her, my hands on her knees, in case she needed support. It was a bit cold but I didn't care. I knew what she was about to tell me.

With shaky breath and heavy sighs, she proceeds to tell me about the last year. She tells me everything, from the moment she heard about her parents' accident until the day Chloe and I picked her up from the airport. She leaves out unnecessary details and talks about the main events that happened. 

Throughout it all, her eyes become more teary but she doesn't cry. She caresses my hands when talking and I mutter a few "it's okay"s when she stops mid-sentence. I knew it was all too much for her. I regret a bit asking her about it but still feel a bit honored that she would share such personal things with me.

My heart ached for her, even more. She didn't deserve that pain. She was still shook up by the events. It was all too hard not to see it. 

When she finishes talking about it, I get up from the position I was in and hug her tightly. She hugs me back, as I feel some wetness on my chest.

"I'm sor-" I try to say. Her head was beneath mine. She sobs quietly. I kiss her head a few times.

"Don't pity me, please." She pulls back from the hug. "I hate to be pitied." She frowns a bit.

I nod at her words and offer her another hug but she shakes her head. So I go back to sitting at the chair but I move it closer to her. She's very strong. She wipes away her tears with her her hands. I would've done it for her but I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"You're the first person I cried in front of, after what happened." She says, between two sobs. 

"I'm happy you're comfortable enough to do so." I take her hand, kissing it. She smiles at me.
"For what it's worth, you're also the only person I'd feel like crying in front of..." I add, awkwardly.

"I didn't think you'd be the kind of person to cry." She looks up back at me, chuckling a little bit.

"Oh...I cry.." I try, to make her laugh. "I cry big time."

"I wouldn't have thought that." She laughs. She stopped crying. "But I'll be there for you, if you want to do so..." She adds, still chuckling.

The sun was already out. Its rays were filtered by Ellie's blonde hair before settling on my face. And I thought she couldn't get any prettier.

"My turn to ask you a question..." She mutters as I sip from my coffee and I almost choke.

"Want to see me cry, already?" I ask and she laughs.

"No, it's not so much of a question, actually. And I shouldn't do this but Lena, I act-" She gets interrupted by a phone ringing. But she looks at it and turns it off. I throw her a questioning look but she just her head smiling. "It's nothing." She justifies. "I actually wanted to ask you on a date."

"Wh-What?" The words come out of my mouth, as I'm surprised by what she said.

"An official date, I mean." She continues. "I know you're my professor and all... And I, myself, am surprised by the fact I'm asking you out... But it all feels natural with you. I mean... I- I have feelings for you, Lena and I'd be lying to you and myself if I denied it. You can, obviously, say no.... I-"

"What makes you think I would say no?" I ask, not being able to repress the smile that now sat forcefully on my lips. "I feel something for you, as well, Ellie." 

She smiles a bit to my words as my hand brushes a few strands of her hair to get it out of the way.

"It's not like I've been hiding it either." I say, making her chuckle. "I would love to go on a date with you, Ellie. But the situation that we're in... It just ponders... It's heavy and..."

"Are you saying no?" She stops smiling.

"Are you deaf?" I ask her, laughing at her reaction. "I just told you I had... have feelings for you."

"I was making sure." She smiles again. Her smile's wider this time. She's beautiful. So goddamn beautiful. 

"Then, yes, Ellie. As if it's not obvious enough, I'd be willing to keep a secret." I say softly, kissing the back of her hand. "Are you?"

"Duh!" She nudges me. 

I kiss the back of her hand again. She grins at me. She gets up from her chair and kisses me on the cheek. She lingers a bit, this time and I close my eyes. But before she could go away, I grab her and push her to my lap. She looks at me, surprised but smiling. And for a moment there, we stare at each other. I feel my head move towards hers. Her eyes close shortly after. Her lips part and as she was about to close the gap, I move away from her.

"Save some for our date, darling." I tell her, laughing.

"Such a tease." She groans, sitting up, pushing away from my embrace. 

Her phone rings and she gets up, motions that she has to take it and goes inside, leaving me to sit alone on the balcony. This is the third time that we almost kissed. And she asked me on an official date. I know she was referencing that lunch we had, a few weeks ago. But still, a student of mine asked me out and I didn't say no. Of course, it wasn't just any student. It was Ellie.
She told me about what probably constitutes her biggest trauma and proceeded to ask me out, shortly after. The way her mind works astonishes me.

I wasn't unhappy about the date... Obviously. I was just taken back by her taking the initiative. I didn't expect it. Even her, she looked like she wasn't expecting it. I just had to think about what it meant. I'm pretty sure I won't be satisfied with one date or evening with her. And that meant, we'd go out on more. And that means that we have to sneak out, if she wants that of course.

Here I go with my overthinking...

She makes her way, back to the balcony, a worried expression on her face. She got dressed.

"Uh- I actually have to go." She mutters as her hand brushes her hair out of her face. "Something came up."

"Do you need-"

"No, no... Don't worry about it. You can borrow clothes, if you don't feel like putting your clothes from last night. Chloe and Alex have woken up, I think. I heard noise coming from the kitchen." She adds. I nod at her.

I follow her back into her bedroom and she hurries out. But she comes back, a few seconds later, as I was sitting on the bed's edge trying to process. I look at her weirdly as she comes closer and she kisses my cheek again, chuckling as she gets out of her bedroom.

I quickly change into some clothes I pick out from Ellie's wardrobe and go out to the kitchen. Chloe and Alex were awake, as Ellie said. They were making out on the kitchen's island. Alex's hand was somewhere between Chloe's thighs. I felt the need to vomit. But I simply mimic the sound of a cough so they acknowledge my presence, which they do immediately. They both blush as I start laughing at them.

Chloe gets off the counter and goes to make breakfast.

"You didn't sleep on the couch, that's interesting..." Alex points out, whispering.

"Shut up!" I shove her lightly.

"Where's Ellie?" Chloe asks. "Is she in her bedroom?" 

"Uh.. No." I answer. "She had to go. She said that something came up."

"Oh right... Her date. I forgot about it." Chloe goes back to making food.

"Her what?"

"Her date." Chloe repeats. "She has a date with Grace."

I look at Chloe, questioning what she's just said. Ellie has a date with a Grace? Why would she hide that from me? Why would she ask me out when she has a date on the same day.

I go back to her bedroom, pick up my stuff and tell the girls I have to head home because of work. They both exchange a weird look. But I don't care. 
As I make my way to the car, only one question was going on my mind. 

Was I getting played by a student? Did she lie about having feelings for me?

It's not like she needed me to enhance her grades. She's brilliant, she's doing pretty well. What's this game she's playing?

*****