frostbite

Chapter 7: A Chance Encounter

It was late on a Friday night, and Eden found herself dragged into a situation she never would've chosen on her own. Amy, her best friend and constant source of chaos, had convinced her to go to some underground club on the edge of campus. It wasn't Eden's scene at all, but Amy had a way of making things sound like fun, even when they absolutely weren't.

The club was loud, packed, and dimly lit, with pounding music that seemed to vibrate in Eden's chest. Neon lights flickered along the walls, and people were crammed into the small space, swaying and dancing, lost in the music. Eden stood awkwardly at the edge of the crowd, trying to stay out of the way while Amy disappeared into the throng, already chatting up some random guy at the bar.

Eden sighed, leaning against a pillar, sipping the drink Amy had pushed into her hand earlier. She hated places like this-too many people, too much noise. But Amy lived for it. Eden was always the one on the sidelines, watching. She was used to it.

Just as Eden was about to pull out her phone and make a half-hearted attempt at looking busy, something-or rather, someone-caught her eye. At first, she didn't believe it. It didn't make sense.

Dr. Winters.

She was standing at the far side of the club, in the shadow of a booth, talking to someone Eden didn't recognize. The dark leather jacket Winters wore was a stark contrast to her usual polished suits, but there was no mistaking her. The same sharp profile, the same cold, composed demeanor-even in a place like this, Dr. Winters seemed completely untouchable, as if the chaos of the club couldn't touch her.

Eden blinked, momentarily frozen. What was she doing here? This didn't seem like Dr. Winters' scene at all. It felt wrong, out of place, seeing her here, in this world of loud music and cheap drinks.

Before Eden could think better of it, her curiosity got the better of her. She pushed her way through the crowd, keeping her eyes on Winters, weaving through groups of dancing bodies until she was close enough to catch the low murmur of conversation between her and the stranger. Winters' voice was just as smooth, just as cold, even here.

"Miss Graves."

Eden's heart nearly stopped. Dr. Winters had spotted her.

She turned, her icy blue eyes locking onto Eden, that same sharp gaze that made students freeze in class. Eden swallowed, unsure of what to say, completely caught off guard by the fact that Dr. Winters was acknowledging her outside of the academic world. The stranger she had been talking to disappeared into the crowd, leaving them alone at the edge of the club.

"Professor," Eden finally managed, her voice louder than she intended to cut through the thumping music.

"What brings you here?" Dr. Winters asked, raising an eyebrow, though her expression was as unreadable as ever.

Eden cleared her throat, trying to pull herself together. "Amy dragged me out. Not exactly my scene."

Winters regarded her for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Nor mine."

Eden's brow furrowed. "Then why are you here?"

For the briefest moment, Eden thought she saw a flicker of something in Dr. Winters' eyes, something that almost looked like irritation. But it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.

"I'm meeting a colleague," Winters said coolly, her tone making it clear she didn't owe Eden any further explanation.

Eden nodded, but she couldn't help the way her curiosity burned. Seeing Winters here, out of the rigid confines of the classroom, was almost surreal. The cold, composed professor looked just as untouchable as always, but there was something about the setting that made Eden feel like she was seeing another side of her-one that was just out of reach.

"You didn't strike me as the type to... enjoy loud clubs," Eden said, trying to sound casual, though the words felt clumsy as they left her mouth.

Dr. Winters' lips twitched in what might have been a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I don't," she replied, glancing around the room with barely concealed disdain. "But life rarely provides us with ideal circumstances."

Eden wasn't sure what to say to that. She felt out of place, like she'd stumbled into something she wasn't supposed to witness. She should've walked away, left the professor to her business, but something kept her rooted to the spot. The tension between them, the undercurrent of something unspoken, was impossible to ignore.

"You seem... different outside of class," Eden said quietly, surprising herself with the observation.

Dr. Winters' eyes flicked back to her, sharp and cutting. "Different how?"

"I don't know," Eden said, shrugging, though her pulse quickened under the weight of Winters' gaze. "Less... in control, maybe."

For a moment, Dr. Winters said nothing. She just stared at Eden, her expression unreadable, her eyes cold but intense. It felt like they were both balancing on the edge of something, though Eden couldn't say what.

Finally, Winters broke the silence. "Control is a valuable thing, Miss Graves. But it's not something you should assume can be lost easily."

Eden's breath caught at the subtle warning in Winters' tone. She wasn't sure what it was about, but the tension between them felt thicker than ever, the air charged with something Eden couldn't quite place. She knew she should walk away, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Winters shifted slightly, leaning in closer, just enough that Eden could feel the presence of her professor in a way that made her nerves buzz. "And you?" Winters asked, her voice low, almost challenging. "Are you always this... curious about people who aren't your business?"

The words sent a chill down Eden's spine. There was a dangerous edge to Dr. Winters' voice, a warning, but also something else-something Eden couldn't quite name. She swallowed, her heart pounding. "Maybe I am," she said, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

Dr. Winters' lips quirked slightly, though the coldness in her eyes never wavered. "Careful," she said softly, her voice like ice. "Curiosity can lead to dangerous places."

With that, she turned, walking away and disappearing into the crowd before Eden could respond. Eden stood there, heart racing, watching the professor vanish into the sea of people, her mind spinning with questions she didn't have the answers to.