They say writing essays makes you smarter.
I say writing essays makes you question every life choice that brought you to this point, including why your English teacher thinks poetry analysis is the key to unlocking the universe.
Like really?
Last night, I sat hunched over my desk, glaring at my crumpled piece of notebook paper like it owed me money.
My topic?
A stupid plum blossom poem that apparently symbolizes life’s endurance. Or maybe death. Honestly, the whole thing could’ve been written by a pretentious fortune cookie, and I’d still have to write about it.
I hated poetry.
Not the kind that carved its way into your chest, forcing you to feel something real—no, that kind I could respect.
I hated this kind. The kind that was peeled apart under fluorescent lights, dissected and drained of all beauty until it lay limp and meaningless. Until it became nothing more than a rigid formula.
And I especially hated it when Cristiano Wright was the one grading my suffering.
Last night, I had sat at my desk, notebook open, mind empty.
The words refused to come.
I chewed on my pen cap, glared at the poem in front of me, and willed it to make sense—to tell me what it wanted, to whisper some hidden truth that I could shape into an acceptable analysis.
But my brain had offered me nothing.
From across the room, Mia had watched my slow descent into madness. She lay sprawled on my bed, scrolling through her phone without a care in the world.
“You know, this would be a lot easier if you just… stopped overthinking.”
I shot her a glare. “Oh, genius. Why didn’t I think of that?”
She smirked. “Look, it’s a plum blossom. It blooms in the cold. It’s a metaphor for resilience. End of story.”
I groaned, rubbing my temples. “It’s never that simple with Wright. He doesn’t want obvious. He wants depth. Emotion. The meaning beneath the meaning.”
Mia made a dramatic gagging noise. “So, basically, he wants you to suffer.”
I exhaled sharply. Exactly.
And the worst part? He was winning.
THE HOUR OF EXECUTION
The next morning, I walked into class with all the enthusiasm of a condemned prisoner.
The room buzzed with quiet conversations, papers shuffling, students murmuring to each other—pretending they weren’t all dreading the inevitable.
And at the front of the room, sitting with unshakable composure, was him.
Cristiano Wright.
His sleeves were rolled up, his glasses perched low on his nose as he flipped through a stack of essays with meticulous precision. The slow, deliberate tap of his fingers against the desk filled the silence. Rhythmic. Inevitable. Counting down.
I could already feel his eyes on me.
Pinning. Calculating.
I swallowed hard. Act normal. Don’t look affected.
“Alina.”
His voice—low, firm, unquestionably in control—cut through the air like a blade.
I forced my spine straight. “Professor.”
“You have your analysis?”
I did. Unfortunately.
With the grace of someone handing over their own death sentence, I placed my paper on his desk.
His fingers brushed mine—barely, accidently—but even that fleeting touch sent a ripple through me.
A sharp, unwanted thrill.
I jerked my hand back too fast, like I’d been burned.
He didn’t react. Didn’t blink. Didn’t flinch.
But I felt it.
And I knew he did too.
Once the essays were collected, the real torment began.
His gaze swept across the room, deliberate and slow, before landing on me with unnerving precision.
“Alina,” he said, tone almost… amused. “Since you had such unique insights yesterday, why don’t you begin today’s discussion?”
Oh, you sadistic bastard.
The air thickened.
Students turned, barely concealing their smirks.
I clenched my jaw. This was punishment.
I swallowed. My brain scrambled for something—anything—to say.
“…Stubbornness?”
Silence.
His brows lifted just slightly.
And then, slow and deliberate, he repeated, "Stubbornness."
The way he said it—it wasn’t a question. It wasn’t mocking.
It was something worse.
It was amusement.
My stomach twisted.
A few students snickered.
I wanted to cease existing immediately.
But then—something unexpected.
“Not entirely incorrect,” he murmured, turning to the board.
He didn’t laugh at me. Didn’t dismiss me.
Instead, he considered my words.
And for some stupid, ridiculous reason, that mattered.
Behind me, Mia nudged my back. “See? He doesn’t totally hate you.”
I shot her a glare. But beneath the humiliation, a small, traitorous part of me felt… seen.
The bell rang, and I bolted.
Almost.
“Alina Hart.”
His voice—low, steady, undeniably commanding—halted me mid-step.
I turned, heart hammering. “Yes, Professor?”
He gestured toward his desk. “A word.”
I was so dead.
The classroom emptied, leaving only the two of us. The silence stretched, heavy and charged, like a string pulled too tight.
He leaned back against his desk, arms folded. My essay sat in front of him, marked, judged.
“You have a habit of deflecting,” he observed.
I crossed my arms. “I do not.”
His lips twitched. “You wrote, and I quote, ‘Poetry is just nature showing off and people overthinking it.’”
Oh.
Oh.
I had actually written that.
My soul left my body.
“Creative,” he continued, too calm, too knowing. “But lazy.”
I bristled. “I’m not lazy.”
“Then prove it.”
He slid the paper toward me. “Rewrite it. Properly.”
I gaped at him. “Are you serious?”
“Tomorrow,” he said, voice firm. “Show me what you’re actually capable of.”
He didn’t ask.
He expected.
And the worst part?
I wanted to prove him wrong.
That evening, as I packed my books, something slipped out—a small, folded note.
My pulse skidded.
Crisp handwriting. Sharp. Precise.
Meet me in the library after class. I think you need to work hard for it.—C.W.
My heart stopped.
Mia, peering over my shoulder, gasped dramatically. “IS THAT A LOVE NOTE?”
I shoved it against my chest. “Shut up.”
She snatched it from my hands before I could stop her, eyes wide as she read.
Then, she grinned.
“Ohhh. Alina’s got a date with Mr. Intellectual.”
“IT’S NOT A DATE.”
She smirked. “Then why do you look like you’re about to have a stroke?”
I hated her.
But I hated the way my stomach tightened even more.
THE LIBRARY, A CRIME SCENE WAITING TO HAPPEN
I shouldn’t have come.
And yet, there I was.
Cristiano Wright was already there, seated at a secluded table, flipping through a book with infuriating calmness.
The moment I approached, he closed it.
"You’re late."
I scowled. "I had second thoughts about coming."
He smirked. "Yet here you are."
I hated that he was right.
I dropped my bag onto the table. “So? What’s this about?”
His gaze flickered to my essay. “I want to see you try.”
I crossed my arms. “I did try.”
“No,” he said, too soft, too steady. “You avoided.”
Something inside me twisted.
"You think I’m lazy," I muttered.
His gaze didn’t waver. "I think you’re afraid to be wrong."
The words hit too deep.
I exhaled sharply, grabbing a pen.
Fine.
Let’s play your game, Cristiano Wright.
When someone tells you to “meet them in the library,” you believe it’s going to be a straightforward, uninteresting affair—like a group project that no one’s prepared for or a tutoring session where the tutor quits up halfway through. But when Mr. Wright is the one leaving you a cryptic note, the stakes suddenly feel higher.It’s fine. Totally fine. I’m just going to meet him, get another lecture about “unlocking my potential,” and walk out with more homework than any human brain can reasonably survive. That’s it. Definitely nothing weird or worth overthinking.So why, I ask myself for the hundredth time, am I sweating like I’m on trial for arson?The library feels suspiciously quiet when I push open the heavy wooden door. I’m immediately greeted by the smell of old paper and furniture polish—like someone tried to bottle “intellectual vibes” as a fragrance. Sunlight filters through the tall, arched windows, hitting the dust particles in a way that makes the whole place feel dramatic, l
I could not describe the hostel as home, but for the time being, it was. The distinct scents of instant noodles and strawberry body spray greeted me like a one-two punch as soon as I walked into the room that I shared with Mia.There she was, sprawled on her bed with her headphones on, bopping her head to music that I could only guess was some hyper-pop nightmare.Our room was a “cozy” 10-by-12 box with two twin beds, a shared desk that wobbled if you so much as breathed on it, and a wardrobe that we had diplomatically divided right down the middle (though Mia’s side was constantly trying to invade mine).Above her bed was a collage of polaroids, fairy lights, and motivational quotes like “You got this!” and “Dream big!”—which, quite frankly, made me want to hurl.My side was... let’s call it minimalist. A plain white blanket, a pile of unread books, and a single framed picture of my mom from before everything fell apart. No frills, no nonsense—just the way I loved it.I dumped the bag
The coffee shop smelled like roasted dreams and charred realities—a fitting backdrop for my developing sense of gloom. Sitting at a small table across from Mr. Wright and my excessively exuberant brother Ethan, I grabbed my cup like it was the only thing tying me to this world. It was ceramic, warm, and not judging me—unlike my current company.Ethan, in his usual cheerful and oblivious manner, was talking a mile a minute. His enthusiasm was practically bouncing off the walls. “Man, it’s so good to see you again, Chris! Can I still call you that, or are you all formal ‘Mr. Wright’ now?”Mr. Wright—sorry, Chris, as Ethan insisted—leaned back in his chair, laughing. It was an easy, friendly laugh that made me wonder if he ever laughed that way during class. I wouldn’t know. The most I’d gotten from him was a polite “good job” when I accidentally solved a problem on the board.“You can call me Chris, of course,” he said. “I don’t think I could ever take ‘Mr. Wright’ seriously coming from
Lying on my rough hostel bed, I looked up at the ceiling and tried to interpret the chipped-paint Morse code’s mysterious messages. Sadly, all it said was an existential dread of a girl being unwillingly “cared for.” Ugh.Ethan’s voice still rang in my head from that day in the coffee shop.“I need you to look out for her, Chris. Treat her like your own.”First off all, I wasn’t an abandoned puppy in need of adoption.Secondly, what did that even mean? Like his own what? Sister? daughter? Responsibility? The ambiguity alone was enough to make my skin itch.And then there was Wright—or should I say Mr. Wright—who sat there, sipping his coffee with that maddeningly poised face. The kind of look that screamed, Don’t worry, I’ve got this under control, while simultaneously exuding But do I, though?He’d agreed so quickly, like the thought of taking on a bratty, sarcastic teenager was his idea of entertainment.Why?The ceiling offered no answers, only the faint outline of a water stain sha
I hate how much space he’s taken up in my brain. He’s like the unwanted roommate who just moved in, and now I’m stuck with him squatting in my head.He’s settled in comfortably, more like too much comfortably, like he’s paying rent for a penthouse, though no one actually asked him to. And let’s be real—I didn’t give him the key, either.It didn’t help that it was Saturday. Saturdays should come with a universal pass for being a lazy couch potato, binge-watching Netflix and pretending school doesn’t exist.Instead, I was stuck in a never-ending loop of overthinking. My brain was running in circles, replaying every embarrassing moment that led me to this point. Seriously, if there was a way to file for mental bankruptcy, I’d be first in line.I could’ve been napping. Or, you know, pretending to be productive. But no, instead I was trapped in my head, circling like a vulture waiting for my next mistake. And honestly?I didn’t even want to think about Mr. Wright. I wanted to think about l
It’s been exactly 2 days since the “don’t underestimate yourself” bomb dropped, and I’m still trying to figure out if I’m upset or just mildly ashamed.Honestly, I’d prefer to be angry, but something about the way Mr. Wright stated it made me feel like I’d just been seen—like I wasn’t the funny, sarcastic, rebellious girl I’ve carefully crafted. I was the girl underneath all of that, and I don’t know how I feel about that version of myself.I slouched back in my chair, the edges of my textbook blurring as my mind wandered where it shouldn’t. Once upon a time—okay, maybe last year—I was the Alina Hart. Top of my class. Captain of the track team. Teachers’ favorite. Parents’ pride.Now?I’m just... here.A “troublemaker.” A “distraction.” A problem to be fixed.Somewhere along the way, I stopped being the golden girl and started being the complication nobody wanted to deal with. You know how fairy tales have princesses? Yeah, that’s not me anymore. I’m the dragon now. The fire-breathing,
My day started with the sound of my alarm sounding like a bomb going off, yanking me out of the wonderful, dream-filled oblivion I had been desperately holding to.I rolled out of the bed, tripping over my own feet as if my body had already decided it was too tired for this whole “waking up” thing.Once I at last dragged myself to school, surprise test day hit me like the mother of all surprises. Apparently, the world had decided that my life needed a little more anarchy, and what better way to start things than by throwing an exam at me when I could hardly remember my own name?I should’ve known it was going to be a disaster when the only thing I had for breakfast was a half-eaten bag of chips I found in my backpack.Well, here I am. Sitting at my desk like a poor soul waiting to be sacrificed to the cruel gods of standardized testing.Today’s test was supposed to be one of those life-or-death moments, you know?The kind of moment where you feel like you’re either going to pass and f
I walked into Mr. Wright’s office, fully prepared for the usual. You know, the kind of chat where I’d be scolded for not doing my homework, or told how much potential I’m wasting because I don’t care about physics or whatever, or how I could’ve gotten an A if only I would have tried. It’s always the same, right? Just once, I’d love for someone to throw in a "You’re doing great, Alina!" or "Take a break from all the stress." But nope, I wasn’t so lucky.Instead, I got a curveball. No, scratch that. It wasn’t just a curveball; it was a full-on baseball bat or a full force punch on the face.I should’ve known that something weird was going to happen the moment I walked into Mr. Wright’s office. You know, like when you enter a room and instantly feel like you’re being watched, but it’s not creepy, it’s just… him.Mr. Wright always has this “I’m effortlessly cool and totally unbothered” vibe. He's the kind of guy who wears the same white shirt every single day like it’s a uniform. And le
Silence is a crueler punishment than words.I’d rather he yelled at me, scolded me, told me I was a reckless, impulsive girl who didn’t know what she was playing with. I’d rather he looked at me with disgust, with regret—hell, even with anger.But he gave me nothing.Not a glance.Not a word.Not even the barest acknowledgment that I existed.Cristiano Wright had vanished.Not literally, of course. He was still here, in the same classroom, standing at the same podium, his deep voice filling the space with lectures about history that I wasn’t listening to.But he wasn’t here.Not for me.And it was driving me fucking insane.It started the moment I walked into class.His eyes skimmed over the room, pausing on every student but me.I sat in my usual seat, watching him, waiting for the subtle smirk, the flicker of emotion, the challenge in his gaze that always made my pulse quicken.Nothing.He didn’t look at me once.“Alright, let’s continue where we left off yesterday,” he said, voice
The kiss was wildfire—devouring, insatiable, reckless. Cristiano’s hands gripped my waist, not forcefully, but with the kind of desperation that made my pulse stutter. It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t careful. It was raw and filled with something neither of us dared name.I knew this was wrong. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to stop, to pull away, to regain the control that had already slipped through my fingers. But how could I, when his lips moved against mine like he was memorizing me?His hands skimmed the fabric of my blouse, fingers flexing like he was trying to ground himself, to hold back. But I didn’t want him to hold back.I deepened the kiss, pressing closer, feeling the hard lines of his body, the way his breath hitched. My hands tangled in his hair—so soft, so inviting, so maddeningly perfect—and a shudder ran through him.But then, like a snapped thread, everything shattered.Cristiano wrenched himself away from me so fast it left me breathless. His chest heaved, his
Honestly, does it even matter anymore? Time’s just a blur, a fleeting concept that slips through my fingers, especially when I’m stuck in the suffocating hell of History class, pretending to care about monarchies and powdered wigs.I couldn’t focus on the lesson, though. How could I? My eyes were locked onto the back of Mr. Wright's head, as though it was some kind of magnetic force pulling me in. He'd insisted on being called Cristiano now—no longer ‘Mr. Wright,’ no longer the untouchable figure I once saw as my teacher. And every time he said my name, every time those deep brown eyes flickered to me from the front of the class, something in my chest twisted with a hunger I couldn’t ignore. The worst part? He knew it. And that infuriated me.The way his dark hair—messy, like he'd just rolled out of bed, trying to look all tortured artist chic—begged to be touched, ran my thoughts into a frenzy. Not that I wanted to think about touching him, of course. That would be... wrong. But ther
The door clicked shut behind me, and I exhaled, pressing my back against the wood. Silent. Still. Every move calculated. I was a ghost, a shadow, a fugitive in my own damn dorm room.Mission: Get to bed.Obstacle: Mia Carter, the world’s nosiest roommate.If she so much as sniffed out a secret, she’d gnaw at it until there was nothing left. And tonight? Oh, she was on the hunt. She’d been circling me all day like a damn vulture, eyes gleaming with the thrill of my supposed “date.”Too bad for her—I was slipping in unnoticed. No interrogation. No prying. Just sweet, glorious peace.I crept forward. One step. Two. Almost there—“I thought you weren’t coming back tonight.”HOLY FU—I sucked in a breath so hard I nearly choked on it. My knees buckled. My soul left my body.“MIA, WHAT THE HELL?!” I hissed, clutching my chest like a damsel in a 19th-century novel. “Are you TRYING to send me into cardiac arrest?!”She cackled. Not giggled. Not chuckled. The sound that left her mouth was pure
The door clicked shut behind me, and I exhaled, pressing my back against the wood. Silent. Still. Every move calculated. I was a ghost, a shadow, a fugitive in my own damn dorm room.Mission: Get to bed.Obstacle: Mia Carter, the world’s nosiest roommate.If she so much as sniffed out a secret, she’d gnaw at it until there was nothing left. And tonight? Oh, she was on the hunt. She’d been circling me all day like a damn vulture, eyes gleaming with the thrill of my supposed “date.”Too bad for her—I was slipping in unnoticed. No interrogation. No prying. Just sweet, glorious peace.I crept forward. One step. Two. Almost there—“I thought you weren’t coming back tonight.”HOLY FU—I sucked in a breath so hard I nearly choked on it. My knees buckled. My soul left my body.“MIA, WHAT THE HELL?!” I hissed, clutching my chest like a damsel in a 19th-century novel. “Are you TRYING to send me into cardiac arrest?!”She cackled. Not giggled. Not chuckled. The sound that left her mouth was pure
Mr. Wright's POVThe clock ticks.A steady, methodical sound. A sound that should be comforting, grounding.But tonight, it’s deafening.I sit at my desk, back stiff, fingers curled into the polished wood as if holding onto reality itself. The glow of the lamp casts long shadows across my apartment, but none of it—none of it—feels real.Not when my mind is trapped in her.Clara.The rain.The dress.The way the fabric clung to her like a second skin, exposing her in ways she didn't intend.I shouldn’t have looked. I know that. But knowing and doing are two very different things.I close my eyes, exhaling sharply, forcing myself to retreat into logic, into discipline—the very things that have always anchored me. But she is there, waiting in the darkness behind my eyelids.Her hair, dark and wet, slicked against her skin. Her lips, slightly parted, trembling from the cold, from the sheer weight of what had just happened.And that dress. God, that fucking dress.The rain had betrayed her
The car stopped suddenly — he actually parked the car and stepped out into the darkness — to give me privacy — that was when I realized…I didn’t even know how to open the bag.I was doomed.I don’t know how to address these feelings! I sat there, in the car, like a pile of human embarrassment on top of existential dread. My entire body was frozen — a mixture of cold sweat and a warm blush I couldn't seem to shake. Mr. Wright stood outside, too cool, too composed. The typical him! His figure against the streetlights was like the calm before a storm, but which storm? Oh, that was my inner turmoil which was about to drown me.---I sighed, staring down at the bag in my hands, willing myself not to flip out. Just change, Alina. You’ve been through worse. You can handle this. It’ll be over soon!‘Never trust a man’s choice when it comes to clothing’—that was a universal truth! And I knew it. So, I hadn’t expected much either. Now, I just needed something—anything—to cover myself. That
The car was moving steadily.I sneaked a glance at him. His hands gripped the steering wheel—firm, steady, capable. His jawline was sharp, his expression unreadable.What was he thinking? It couldn’t be about me, right?Alina, you idiot! He’s not thinking—he’s just driving!I looked away so fast I might’ve given myself whiplash.Stop it, Alina. Don’t be weird. You’re already wet and miserable — don’t add “creepy” to the list.We drove.And then, without warning, the car slowed.He pulled up in front of a brightly lit mall — with too many lights and too many people, all dry, clean, fancy and judgmental.“We’re here,” he said, like I’d asked to stop at an emotional torture chamber.He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to me.“Do you want to come in, or…”Before I could find my voice, he added,“Actually, stay in the car. I’ll get it. No need to go out.”I didn’t argue.Didn’t nod.Just acted like a statue, clutching his coat tighter.As if I’d go into a mall right now.Looking like this
His coat lay forgotten on a stone by the riverbank. He reached for it, shook off the dust, and without a word, draped it over my shoulders. The heavy fabric swallowed my shoulders, covering every inch of me that I wished had never been seen.His hands lingered on the edges for a second too long, his knuckles brushing against my damp skin before he pulled away like he was electrocuted.I swore I could feel his warmth through the rain.The coat was warm and smelled faintly of him — he really smelled different, something unique and something impossibly comforting.I stared at him, my lips parting, my breath caught somewhere between embarrassment and gratitude.“Th-thank you,” I stammered, pulling the coat tighter around me.He didn’t say anything. His eyes softened as they met mine, steady and unreadable. Rain trickled down his temple, catching on his lashes. He looked heavenly!Then, with a slight, almost imperceptible smile, he murmured, “It’s nothing.”But it was.It was a shield. A k