Stay

Chapter 6

The morning sun caressing my face, waking me up. The ocean, tapping my window waking me up, ready to give me small morning kisses. Complying to the request of the ocean, I get up and get ready for work. I head to the restroom to wash up. I get some black slacks, a white button-up shirt, a simple leather belt. I grab a brown coat from a hanger and a light brown knit scarf. I go to the bathroom and I see my reflection. My cheeks becoming hollow, skin becoming pale as the days goes by, dark circles hugging the part underneath my eyes reminding me of the nightmares I've been having recently. I try to pull all my hair back into a low bun but some strands escape to frame my face.

I head downstairs to grab my glasses from my back and wear them. I look at the time reading 9:10 am. I sigh knowing that I wouldn't be able to stop by to get some tea. I get my bag and rush out the door to my car.

It's 5 before 10 and I walk into my class, a string of good mornings fills the air. I go to sit on my desk and drop my bag on my chair. "Alright students. Can anyone tell me if they know who Oscar Wilde is?" I look across the class. I see a lot of heads shaking.

"Okay well. Apparently not a lot of people like classic books, anyways, he will be the first author we will be officially reading. You will have to research him and his life-" I hear some groans and I give a small chuckle.

"As I was saying, it has to be a minimum of 250 words-" Interrupted again I hear some sighs of revilement from some of the students.

I continue, "It will be due by the next class. We will have a small discussion about Wilde so you can get a little introduction of who he is." At this point I have gotten up from my desk and started to walk around, talking a bit with my hands. "Next class I will be assigning an assignment after the discussion, so be ready for that. Any question?" I sit back on my desk.

I look up to see a hand up. Aliah, a 5'6" girl, curly hair that goes just above her shoulders adorned with some bangs that frame her face. Sometimes she wears glasses other days she doesn't, sun-kissed skin that just makes her glow, even in the darkest days. "Yes professor, will this be a graded assignment, the discussion I mean, along with the writing part?" I look up at her a bit confused. She's a smart girl, I don't understand why she would ask such an obvious question. I look over her right. A timid boy looking down, blond hair, pale skin, very skinny for his size. I come to realize that maybe it's not her who she is asking the question for but for Robin.

"Yes, it is. You may also work together but please do not copy each other. At least try to rephrase it differently." I look at my watch seeing it is already the end of the class. "Alright, you may go." Students pass by me bidding me a good day. I sit back watching the students flood out of my class. Having one class left at 2 pm, I head off to the campus coffee shop.

I walk in, amazed by the interior design. Books filling the left side wall of the coffee shop from the ceiling to the ground, paintings dotted all over the right wall. Booths and tables perfectly spaced out, plants being the last touch. I walk over to the bar and order a mango green tea. I wonder how John is doing- No. I stop myself. Why the hell would I be thinking of him right now? Confused, I get my order and go back to my class. I walk in to see the devil himself sitting in the first row. Dressed in all black except for his white turtleneck. His hair styled but somehow natural. Glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. I didn't know he wore glasses.

"Mr. Kim, What are you doing here?" He stands up, a paper bag in his hands.

"I brought you something to eat. I didn't know if you've eaten breakfast yet." He points at the cup in my hand. "By the looks of it, I don't think you even had time in the morning to even go to get coffee." I look down at my hand forgetting I was even holding my tea.