Bound by law

Chapter4 : Unexpected Encounters

The weekend had finally arrived, and Estelle was more than ready to shake off the stress of the past week. Between the mock trial preparation and being humiliated in front of the entire class by Professor Celeste Thorne, she was in desperate need of a break.

Mia had wasted no time in organizing a night out for them. "It's Friday. We deserve to let loose a little," Mia had insisted, practically dragging Estelle out of her apartment. "There's this new bar downtown. It's supposed to be chill but fun—exactly what we need to forget about your unfortunate moment with Thorne."

Estelle rolled her eyes but followed Mia's lead. She was nervous, of course, but spending the night overanalyzing every word of her embarrassing encounter with Celeste wouldn't help. Besides, Mia had a way of forcing fun out of any situation.

They were joined by a couple of mutual friends, everyone eager to let off some steam. The night was cool, the city buzzing with the weekend energy, and Estelle found herself gradually relaxing as they made their way to the bar. Neon lights glowed in the distance, and the hum of laughter and conversation filled the streets.

"Here we are," Mia announced as they approached the entrance. The bar was lively but not packed, the perfect mix of cozy and upbeat. Music played in the background, and the warm lighting made the space feel intimate and relaxed.

The group grabbed a table near the back, and drinks were quickly ordered. Estelle took a long sip of her cocktail, already feeling a little of the tension from the week start to melt away. She listened as Mia and the others cracked jokes, telling stories of their own professors and crazy class moments. For the first time all week, Estelle found herself laughing genuinely, the weight of law school briefly lifting from her shoulders.

"Can you believe the way Professor Vaughn tried to use memes in his presentation yesterday?" one of their friends, Tyler, said, shaking his head. "I thought I was going to die from second-hand embarrassment."

Mia snorted. "He's really trying to be 'the cool professor,' but it's just—no. Never works." She grinned, nudging Estelle. "At least he doesn't call you out in front of the whole class."

Estelle shot her a look but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "Thanks for the reminder."

As they settled into their drinks, Mia leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Speaking of professors, do you ever wonder what they do outside of class? Like, do they even have social lives?"

"I doubt it," Tyler chimed in. "They probably just go home and read law books for fun."

Mia smirked. "Maybe Thorne has a secret life. Who knows? Maybe she's in some underground poker ring or something, with that whole ice queen persona."

Estelle laughed, but the thought of seeing Celeste outside of school was... odd. She couldn't even imagine the woman in any context other than being in front of a lecture hall or ruling her courtroom. Celeste Thorne in a bar? Impossible. The image didn't fit.

But, as fate would have it, that very image was about to become a reality.

The door to the bar swung open, and the light from outside illuminated two figures walking in. Estelle, mid-laugh, froze when she saw the unmistakable silhouette of Professor Celeste Thorne walking in, accompanied by another woman.

"No way," Mia whispered, her eyes widening as she followed Estelle's gaze. "Is that...?"

"Professor Thorne," Estelle muttered, her heart jumping into her throat. The cold, aloof professor who ruled the law school with her sharp tongue and iron fist had just stepped into the very same bar where Estelle was trying to forget about her.