Stay Away (The Beocraftian Gambit - Book One)

CHAPTER TWO: SOMETHING ABOUT THE STRANGER

The lecture was already in session when Natasha arrived. She walked past the bald old man who was putting down some notes on the board. She tried not to get noticed as she sneaked past him. Natasha hurried to an empty seat at the back, but then stopped midway into the lecture hall when she heard her name called from the front.

All eyes immediately fell on her.

She slowly turned—chest throbbing within her chest. Her eyes cast a guilty gleam on the old instructor whom she found still scribbling away on the board, too busy to glance her way. Natasha remained still, agitated from the sea of eyes watching from all directions. She rubbed her fingers together while she waited.

He spun to face her, his fierce gaze piercing through her. "You're late—" The tiny lens that sat on his pointy nose moved as he spoke.

"I'm sorry sir, but—"

"—again," he completed his sentence, cutting her short.

Dr Legolas was an old science professor known among the students as a disciplinarian who compelled fear and obedience. He always preferred to leave his lens suspended at the tip of his nose. His little white moustache made him look much older—and wiser—than he actually was.

Natasha's gaze moved from Dr Legolas and settled on the faces of her colleagues. Their intimidating gazes were fixed on her. She flushed and looked down. She breathed and turned to look at him, trying to look pitiful. "I'm sorry."

Dr Legolas looked at her with scorn, his facial gesture suggested he wasn't too happy about her barging into his class without permission. She could tell that her apology did more harm than good.

"Meet me in my office after this class is over," he said dismissively, slightly raising his voice. "Now go take a seat."

Natasha woozily walked down the hall and took an empty stool behind. Placing her bag and notepad on the table before her, she took out her books sluggishly, as if she'd been drained of her strength.

Glancing around, she noticed that her colleagues were still staring at her. She became flushed with embarrassment. Her pen dropped, and she bent to pick it. She unintentionally gave someone sitting right next to her a nudge with her elbow.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Her brows furrowed when her gaze met him, the person she'd bumped into earlier. Rosy-cheeked, she swallowed hard at the thought of him witnessing her earlier drama with Legolas. However, when she turned to look at him, he didn't seem to notice that someone had hit him—or maybe he did, but just didn't think she was worth the attention. His gaze was fixed on Legolas.

Natasha sat in awkward silence, recollecting the event that'd played out just a while ago. Although still upset about her phone, she realised bumping into him was totally her fault. If she hadn't been staring at her phone, maybe she wouldn't have bumped into him in the first place. Another wave of embarrassment washed over her when she remembered the cruel words she'd said to him.

Carefully rehearsing words of apology in her head, she whirled to face him. A feeling of restiveness grew within her, but she kicked against it. Pushing aside a few strands of hair that'd covered her face, she mustered the courage to talk to him.

"Hey, I'm sorry for earlier. Bumping into you was an accident and totally my fault. I know I acted so rude and unreasonable right after, so I just want to..." Her voice drifted off when she noticed he wasn't listening.

He didn't pay her any attention. She could've sworn he heard her apologies, but he kept a straight face, gazing at Legolas with unwavering attention, pretending not to see her. Natasha flushed, feeling totally humiliated.