ILLICIT AFFAIRS | WLW

Glitch

𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟑𝐑𝐃 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗

It was now Monday morning, and the sky outside the university was draped in soft grey clouds. The rhythmic click of Catherine's heels echoed through the dimly lit corridor as she made her way to the lecture hall for her 9AM Advanced Italian class; albeit earlier than usual. Perhaps with the prospect of seeing a particular student a little earlier. The air was still, almost heavy with the promise of the week ahead, and her movements were deliberate – elegant, yet sharp.

Now sat at her desk in the lecture hall, Kingsley tapped her manicured fingers mindlessly against the wood. She watched mindlessly as students filled in, shuffling awkwardly as they settled into their seats. The time on her phone flickered – 8:49 AM. Her class began at nine and by now, Blair was usually here, settled in near the back with her eyes trained on her notes; she was always just far enough to seem disinterested but still within Catherine's field of vision.

By 8:59, the room was nearly full. The door was still open. Catherine's hand hesitated on the lock. Her route was always precise: she would start promptly and lock the door the second the lecture was scheduled to begin. Today, however, her fingers stilled, hovering over the lock as her mind flicked toward the empty seat that Blair would normally occupy.

Catherine wasn't one to play favourites, at least not openly. But in the short time she had known her, Blair had a way of pulling her attention, capturing her thoughts at the oddest times. Blair was a model student; sharp-minded and more importantly, one who was learning to push boundaries – both intellectual and otherwise. Yet she had become more than just another face in the lecture hall; another grade to mark. There was something about her that was elusive.

Blair's attendance had been impeccable up until now, and Catherine couldn't help but notice how Blair's absence had unnerved her more than she cared to admit. There had recently been a flicker of something unspoken between them, or at least that is how the older woman percieved it. Not that Catherine would ever acknowledge it openly, of course. She was a professor, bound by ethical codes and professional expectations. Yet, she couldn't shake the growing weight of her awareness whenever Blair was near.

The clock struck nine, and Blair was still missing. Catherine's chest tightened slightly as she stared at the door, as if willing her to walk through it. She took a deep breath, composing herself, yet the flicker of irritation already settled under her skin. It wasn't just Blair's absence that was bothering her, though—it was the not knowing, the unpredictability of it all.

The door remained unlocked.

"Professoressa," A voice broke through her reverie, and Catherine turned her head sharply to see a lanky, young man seated a few rows back. The student's voice was tinged with curiosity, pointing out, "You haven't locked the door."

The question, though innocent, felt like a challenge to Catherine, her authority challenge. And it wasn't even asked in Italian. Catherine's jaw tightened as she turned to face the student fully, her eyes narrowing and her arms folding tightly across her chest. The usual grace in her movements were tinged with tension today, and she spoke crisply in Italian, her voice as cold as ever.

"Perché ti interessa così tanto?" Catherine shot back, her tone biting, her gaze icy. "Why is it any of your concern?"; her words leaving the male to fumble with her understanding, cheeks flushing slightly with embarrassment.

The student blinked, caught off guard by her sharp response. He hadn't expected her to snap this easily, this early.

Her irritation seeped into every corner of the room, and as she turned back toward the front of the lecture hall, Catherine exhaled deeply. She would not explain the reason the door was still unlocked. Let them assume what they wished.