𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 | 18+

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟏

Ugh, looks like I'll be writing more from Mia's perspective since it's actually important... more cute romance stuff, yay. Why am I torturing myself? I keep forgetting she's literally the reason this story exists, so I can't mess with her just yet. Enjoy.

𝐌𝐈𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐕
• • •

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

Professor Mikkelsen stood at the front of the lecture hall, the light from the windows casting a golden glow around him as he spoke. His voice was calm, confident—like he wasn't just teaching but guiding us through some profound revelation about life. Every word that came out of his mouth felt like poetry. I couldn't help but hang on to every syllable, captivated by how effortlessly he held the room's attention.

"Psychology," he said, pacing slowly across the front of the class, "isn't just about understanding behavior. It's about understanding the human experience—why we feel, why we fear, why we love." He paused, his eyes drifting toward me. The look was subtle, barely noticeable to anyone but me, but I felt it like a spark. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly glanced down at my notebook, pretending to jot something down.

He continued, his voice soft but firm, "The human mind is delicate, but at the same time, it's incredibly resilient. We are capable of surviving the worst pain, the deepest sorrows. But we are also drawn to beauty, to the things that make life worth living. And sometimes..." He looked at me again, his eyes locking with mine. "Sometimes, it's the things we can't explain that move us the most."

I felt my stomach flip. God, he's doing it again. Making it sound like every word was meant for me. My hand tightened around my pen as I stole another glance at him. He was standing there, perfectly composed, as if he had the entire world figured out. His gaze lingered just a little too long before he turned away to address the rest of the class.

Meanwhile, Eloise was slumped in the chair beside me, her head resting on her arm, clearly out cold. She hadn't slept last night—again. I wasn't sure what was going on with her lately, but she looked exhausted all the time. I gently nudged her with my elbow, whispering, "Ellie, you're gonna get in trouble."

She mumbled something incoherent and shifted slightly but didn't wake up. I sighed, glancing back at Professor Mikkelsen. If he noticed Eloise snoozing in his lecture, he didn't show it.

One of the students in the front row raised their hand. "Professor, what do you think about the concept of free will? Do you think we actually have control over our decisions, or is everything predetermined by our past experiences?"

Professor Mikkelsen smiled, a small, knowing smile that made my chest tighten. "That's an excellent question," he said. "Free will is one of the most debated topics in psychology and philosophy. Personally, I believe that while our past experiences shape us, they don't define us. We have the power to choose how we react, how we move forward. But," he added, his eyes flicking to mine for just a second, "sometimes, those choices are driven by desires we don't even understand."

My heart skipped again. What the hell was he doing? He knew. He had to know how his words were affecting me. Or maybe I was just imagining it? Either way, I felt like the entire room had faded away, and it was just the two of us.

Another student spoke up, "Do you think love falls under that category? Something driven by desires we can't control?"

Professor Mikkelsen's smile widened, almost mischievous now. "Ah, love. That's an interesting one." He paused, leaning back against his desk, his arms crossing casually. "Love is... complicated. It can be pure, selfless, something that uplifts us. But it can also be possessive, obsessive, something that drives people to do things they never thought they were capable of. And often, it's both at the same time."