Professor Hemmings // lrh

Ⅱ

I couldn't possibly tell you how mortified I was.

I gulped and glued my eyes to the little foldable desk in front of me, and didn't have the guts to answer any of Angela's prodding questions.

I can't believe I talked to my professor like to some ordinary jock!

I cringed mentally before exhaling silently, and only then I managed to lift my eyes and peek at Mr. Hemmings. He had already written his name on the board and was talking about what we're going to cover this semester.

"Shut up!" I hissed to Angela who was still destroying my eardrums.

I was assured she's not giving up when I felt her nails dig into my thigh, making me muster all of my strength not to wince.

"I-I might've mistaken him for a student, okay?" I hissed back, as silently as I could. "You didn't tell me he was so young!"

"Duh? What would be the fun in telling you that?"

"It would've saved me this unbearable embarrassment."

"Oh, stop it. The worst thing is that you had the chance to say something unforgettable to him, like, 'Hey, cowboy, wanna grab a coffee?' or something like that, but you probably blew it."

"Thank God I did." I mumbled under my breath and finally took out the notebook.

"Gia Rose?" He called, making me realize that he's noting attendance.

"Here." I squeaked, raising my hand a little.

He paid me a glance and nodded his head ever so slightly before calling on another student. I had to control myself in order not to blush crimson red, because I swear, he almost smiled, like something was extremely funny. HAHA.

✕

For the rest hour and a half, I could barely lift my eyes from my notebook, into which I was noting almost every single thing he said, just to keep myself occupied.

Maybe someone else wouldn't have worried and fretted so much about a silly thing like mistaking your professor for a student. It's silly, right? But I am who I am and I almost always overthink things, which makes me this sensitive and sometimes timid person that I am.

Before I could realize it, the lecture was over.

"Right, our time has come to an end. See you on Wednesday."

As students were leaving and saying goodbye to our new professor, I seemed to have lost my motor abilities, what took me to get my things longer than usual.

I stood up to exit the line of seats to find out that Angela has already evaporated – she's probably waiting for me outside.

I also saw that I'm almost the last one left, so, as much as I didn't want to do this and possibly mortally embarrass myself again, I approached his desk.

He had a relaxed air around him as he was clicking something on the computer before his gaze landed on me, a corner of his lips upturning ever so slightly.

"I-I'm sorry," I choked out automatically.

I opened my mouth to continue my lamentation, but he beat me to it with a ringing laugh.

"It's the third time you're apologizing today."

"I'm s–" I sighed, mentally cursing myself. "I apologize for being... disrespectful earlier."

I could clearly see that he was suppressing his smile and showed me only a small part of it.

"I'm sorry I mistook you f–"