Bound by law

Chapter 6: Teasing and Tension

Estelle sat at her usual spot in the lecture hall, nervously tapping her pen against her notebook. It was Monday, and despite her best efforts to forget about the weird tension-filled encounter from Friday night, the memory of Celeste Thorne's intense gaze—and Victoria's unsettling interest—was impossible to shake. The idea of seeing Celeste again in the cold, professional setting of the lecture hall felt... awkward. Very awkward.

Mia, of course, wasn't helping.

"Hey, don't look now," Mia whispered, leaning over with a barely suppressed grin, "but the Ice Queen just walked in."

Estelle's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't stop herself from glancing toward the door. Sure enough, there was Professor Celeste Thorne, sweeping into the room with her usual sharp, controlled grace. Dressed in her trademark perfectly tailored suit, hair pulled back into a sleek bun, she looked as untouchable as ever. But something in the air felt different—charged, even.

Estelle quickly averted her gaze and tried to focus on her notes, but Mia wasn't about to let the moment slide.

"So, what's the plan?" Mia continued in a low voice, nudging her. "Are you going to pretend that whole thing on Friday didn't happen? Or are you going to make a move and thank her for swooping in to save you from the terrifying Victoria?"

"Mia," Estelle hissed, her cheeks burning. "I'm not thanking her for anything. She was just... making sure Victoria wasn't distracting me. That's all."

Mia raised an eyebrow, her grin growing even wider. "Right. Because Celeste Thorne is known for going out of her way to stop 'distractions' for her students. Face it, Estelle, she was jealous. It was like watching a lioness defend her territory."

Estelle groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Please stop. I have to get through this class without dying of embarrassment."

Mia chuckled. "Relax. I'm sure she's just as icy as usual. Maybe she's cooled down since Friday."

Before Estelle could respond, the lecture hall quieted as Celeste stepped to the front of the room, her commanding presence filling the space with an air of tension. Estelle's pulse quickened. God, why did she have to look so composed all the time? It was maddening.

"Good afternoon," Celeste said, her voice as smooth and precise as ever. "I trust everyone has been preparing for the upcoming mock trial."

There it was—that quiet, authoritative voice that could slice through a person's confidence in an instant. Estelle forced herself to focus, but her thoughts kept wandering back to the way Celeste had looked at her in the bar, the subtle undercurrent of something that had passed between them.

She felt Mia nudge her again and glanced over, only to find her best friend smirking. "She totally just looked at you."

"She did not," Estelle muttered, her face heating up.

Mia's smirk only widened. "Oh, she did. And let me tell you, it was not a 'just another student' kind of look. More like a 'let me remind you who's in charge here' kind of look."

"Mia, I swear—"

"Miss Brooks," Celeste's voice cut through the room, startling Estelle out of her whispered argument. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she realized the entire class had gone silent, and Celeste's cool blue eyes were fixed directly on her.

Oh no.

Estelle swallowed hard, trying to push down the rising panic. "Y-Yes, Professor?"

Celeste arched one elegant eyebrow, her expression unreadable. "Would you care to share your conversation with the class? I'm sure we'd all benefit from whatever insight you and Miss Anderson find so... amusing."