Innocent Temptation

[2] Great Gatsby

“Leave me your lists on the way out, they will give me an idea of what to expect from you”- Mr. Emerson indicated with his gaze eying every student leaving.

I sighed scared of what he might think of my none-existent lists, as his eyes travelled to me with hunger for destruction. With a firm posture I walked towards him and deposited the piece of paper in front of him, holding my breath and looking right into the blue of his eyes.

“What’s your name again?”- He wasn’t impress nor in the mood of dealing with the situation of scolding an eighteen year old college student.

I couldn’t help but analyse his face, somehow his sight full of pride was deeper and bluer from a close perspective getting me lost in them. The freckles on his face made his tough attitude tenderer, such a sweet face damaged with a horrible self-centre personality. For a second I forgot he was waiting for an answer.

“Allie, Aliana Rodgers”- A trembling fraction of my voice escaped from my mouth, I bite my lower lip as an involuntary act when he looked down at them. Standing so close to him made me a nervous wrecked and I was confused as to why my professor, an unpleasant human being due to his personality, had such an effect on me.

“Miss Rodgers, did you proclaim the quote out of memory?”- Mr Emerson rested his hands on his desk and slightly pushed himself towards my direction, making me jump backwards.

“Y-yes”- My mouth felt dry and my voice cracked right at the start, making me sound pathetic.

“You must really love stories like Darcy and Elizabeth’s then. I’ve learned a lot about you today, Miss Rodgers.”- His cocky smile behind his words, remembering the previous events of his first class were the last drop I could stand.

As he packed his books and the classes’ notes into his binder I felt my range raising, anger boiling and my mind ready to explode. I wasn’t going to stand there and not defend ideas and thoughts about myself, Mr. Emerson didn’t even know me and he was already judging me, I was good at managing my anger an impulses but I felt so insulted, so trashed that I was granted with a firm sassy posture.

“What’s your favourite book?”- The words flooded out of my mouth faster that what I intended making him stare at me with doubly eyes.

“The Great Gatsby”- He answered still confuse on what that had to do with any of our previous conversation.

“Then I guess you’re right, books do reflect someone’s personality”- Before I could stop myself, the words came out of my mouth. For a second my confident expression changed to worried what-have-I-done face, but the regret left leaving me with a slight smile on my face.

“Are you calling me Gatsby, Miss Rodgers?”- His arrogant personality became clearer when he tried to compare himself to Jay Gatsby, a man who fought for the love of his life even by changing his life style.

“I meant Daisy. The love Gatsby felt for her and the things he was willing to do to finally be with her reminds me of the overcoming obstacles Elizabeth and Darcy went through; then again, Daisy couldn’t recognise true love.”-

“I could stand here and talk about literature all day Miss Rodgers, but I have more interesting things to do”- The smug smile on his face said more than a thousand words, somehow he found my feisty reaction amusing as he stared at me for a few seconds, blue eyes piercing my gaze and sending electricity through my body. Then he excused himself and left the room before I did.

I walked towards the exit of the building feeling proud of myself and no regret on my words as my mind remembered Emerson’s cocky smile and his eyes looking at me, making me feel a buzz inside. How could such a horrible attitude still be found incredibly tempting? Something behind his arrogant smile, self-centred personality and intense gaze were disguised by his stunning features. Mr. Emerson was a beautiful man and I couldn’t deny that, the way his shirt hugged his body and how his muscles were define with every move he made…