Swallow your pride

Last time

Yarra's Pov

The moment of connection and intense eye contact between Yarra and Sebastian was abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Professor Sharp. Yarra blinked and looked up, a slight flush still on her cheeks as both men's gazes landed on her. She quickly smoothed her skirt and tried to regain her composure. Her stomach fluttered when Sebastian's hand tightened around hers in surprise, but she did her best to maintain a neutral expression. When Professor Sharp spoke, Yarra took a steadying breath and nodded. "Yes, Professor," she replied, her voice slightly shaky.

Professor Sharp nodded in response to Yarra's reply. "Good," he said, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer before he gestured towards the door. "Follow me, if you will."
Yarra's heart pounded in her chest as Professor Sharp fixed his gaze on her. His intense scrutiny made her feel as if he somehow knew what had just transpired between Sebastian and her. When the Professor nodded and gestured towards the door, Yarra swallowed hard and cast a quick, nervous glance at Sebastian. She hesitated for a brief moment, torn between her desire to stay with him and the need to follow the Professor.
With one more breath to steady herself, she complied and followed Professor Sharp out of the classroom, glancing back once more towards Sebastian before the door swung shut behind her. 

Yarra tried to look composed, but her heart was pounding wildly in anticipation of what Professor Sharp wanted to discuss with her.

As Yarra followed Professor Sharp down the hallway, she tried to maintain a calm exterior, but her heart was racing. The silence between them was almost deafening, and every step seemed to echo loudly in the empty corridor. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Professor Sharp came to a halt in a quiet alcove, turning to face Yarra with a serious expression. "Miss Yarra," he began, his voice steady and firm. "I wanted to speak with you about something of a... delicate matter."

Yarra's heart rate quickened as Professor Sharp stopped in the quiet alcove, turning to face her with a serious expression. The tone of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. She swallowed nervously, her mind racing with possibilities, each one more worrying than the last. "Of a delicate matter, Professor?" she repeated quietly, her voice slightly shaking. Professor Sharp regarded Yarra for a moment, his eyes studying her carefully. "Yes," he said, his voice still stern. "I've noticed some...unusual behavior between you and Mr. Sallow. May I ask what the nature of your relationship with him is?"

Yarra's heart stuttered in her chest at the Professor's question. How did he know? Had Sebastian and her been so obvious? She looked down at the floor, gathering her thoughts and trying to keep her voice steady. "Well..." she began, her mind racing. "Mr. Sallow and I... we're... we're friends." She tried to sound casual, hiding the fluttering feeling in her stomach. "He's helping me... cope with going back to school. I have a bit of a problem fitting in with my classmates."
Professor Sharp raised an eyebrow at Yarra's response, his gaze still unwavering. "I see," he said slowly. "And this 'problem' you speak of, is it significant?" he took a step closer, studying her face, his gaze intense. "And how exactly is Mr. Sallow helping you?" he asked bluntly.
Yarra swallowed hard, her mind racing to find answers that would satisfy Professor Sharp's questioning. She kept her gaze lowered, not trusting herself to hold his intense gaze. "It's...it's significant," she murmured, her heart hammering in her chest, "I'm not... I'm not exactly popular, Professor. She paused for a heartbeat, trying to control the slight tremor in her voice. "As for Sebastian...he's just been...very kind to me," she said quietly.

Professor Sharp's eyes narrowed slightly as he listened to Yarra's response. He could sense that she was holding something back, but he decided to press onward. "Kind, hmm?" he said, his tone taking on a slightly doubtful edge. "But that's not why I came to you. I have a message for you from Mr. Gaunt." He handed her a folded card.
Yarra's heart skipped a beat. She took the folded card Professor Sharp handed her with trembling fingers. Her mind was spinning. Sebastian, Professor Sharp, and now Ominis? What was going on? Swallowing hard, she unfolded the card, her gaze falling on the neat, precise writing contained within. It said 'Meet me in the Undercroft'.