Chapter 5

I’m furious at Killian. What the heck? I should be grateful it wasn’t the professor but what if I’d spilled everything out thinking it was him? What if I’d addressed him by his name and Killian got the whole story?

Bile rises in my throat and I force it now. Not today.

I give Killian the glare of a lifetime, hoping he gets my message. Leave me alone. I place my free hand on his chest and push him away from me.

“Quit it, Killian. It’s getting creepy.” I suspiciously eye him one more time, quickly turn on my heels and make it to my next class.

“Andrea!” He shouts behind me and I hasten my footsteps. Has Killian been a stalker this whole time and I didn’t realize? Oh my gosh. I have to tell Nicole when I see her.

Goosebumps rise on my skin as I think about all the times I’d felt someone behind me but turned back and saw no one. Honestly, what the heck?

The professor for my following lecture arrived ten minutes after I got to the class. And so, that’s how my day went. From one class to another until five p.m.

Being a college student is like having a full-time job but with little pay and just you stressing your brain.

The sun is exploded in all shades of orange and purple in the sky by the time I get out of the academics building.

The evening cool air carries the smell of pastries from a nearby restaurant not too far from the college. My mouth waters at the aroma of bread my nose catches a whiff of. I can’t wait to get my regular shawarma combo from the restaurant.

Nicole texted me earlier and told me she’d be late and I should head home without her. Why do I get the feeling that she’s trying not to talk about her cousin, the hot professor?

I grab an ice cream bar from one of the campus's famous dessert shops as I make my way to the campus gate. The red supercar from early in the morning is waiting by the side of the road across from the gate.

A new student who already has a girlfriend? Wow. The girl must be lucky to snatch such a man.

The glasses are tinted so I can’t tell who is in the driver’s seat. Other students like me who are walking are also trying to get a glimpse of the car owner but the door never opens. No girl comes forth either.

I have a double combo shawarma to catch so the identity of the driver or the mystery girlfriend is none of my business. The restaurant is just a minute's walk from the gate.

I go into the brown and black building. Aaron, one of the waiters smiles at me as he goes to attend a table at the corner.

“How are you doing today, Andrea?” He beams at me after serving the table their orders.

“Oh, you know. Trying to combat the school system.” I feign tiredness like a Victorian child who has been forced to milk cows as punishment.

Aaron laughs at my antics and shakes his head. He just graduated from our college last year and is looking for a regular job but decided to come work here as he continues to look.

He’s got this boy next door look and vibe about him which I like. Aaron walks with me to the counter and we continue to talk, catching up on our day.

Fiona, the sous chef is already preparing my shawarma order in the small kitchen behind the counter. I can see her through the open door.

“She saw you come in,” Aaron points out when he notices me staring.

“She’s so nice.” Which is true. I admire Fiona. It’s because of her I try to be nice to people, sometimes. No matter how much tempting a jail sentence is.

The door dings signaling a new customer. I don’t turn back to see the person but Aaron does.

“Another regular customer I have to attend to,” he says when he faces me again.

I still don’t turn back to see who it is so Aaron continues talking.

“He just became a regular like two or three weeks ago? He’s really handsome. If my sister wasn’t married, I’d have set them up.” That gets my attention.

I giggle at Aaron’s funny expression before I turn back to see who this regular customer is. I don’t see anyone near the door and most of the tables are filled up so I ask Aaron who it was.

Aaron glances back and points to his right, at the farthest corner of the restaurant. My breath hitches in my throat. I whirl to face the counter, hoping he didn’t see me. But he did because he was already looking in my direction before Aaron pointed at him.

Aaron doesn’t notice me panicking and leaves me at the counter to go attend to him. Two minutes later, Fiona brings my order in a package.

“Andrea, sweetie, are you okay?” Trust a woman who has two daughters to know when something is wrong with you.

I try to school my expression into something more comfortable and smile brightly at her. I hope it doesn’t look forced.

“Of course I am. It’s always good to see you and have one of your treats! I was dreaming about this the whole day during my classes,” I joke.

This eases the concerned frown on Fiona’s face as she laughs with me too.

"You’re always funny, my dear." She hands the packaged shawarma to me and I bring out my card to pay.

Fiona’s about to run it through the cash machine but a voice from behind me says, “Allow me,” stopping her in her tracks.

I know who the voice belongs to but I don’t dare look back.

I feel the heat of him surround me and his expensive cologne wafts into my nostrils. The expensive scent combats with the mouth-watering aroma of the restaurant but the cologne wins.

Fiona looks to me for confirmation and I nod meekly, not wanting to bring any more attention to myself. Knowing the kind of gossip Aaron is, he’ll be asking me about this tomorrow.

Fiona accepts Professor Lambert’s card and returns mine to me. She processes my payment and gives him his card.

“See you tomorrow,” I tell Fiona, sounding as if all this is normal. I even throw in a little wave just to be more convincing.

“I didn’t know you two knew each other,” I can hear the skepticism in Fiona’s voice as her eyes question me.

“He’s my professor in school!” I blurt out. It’s the truth. He’s my professor and I’m his student. As of this morning.

“Oh, how lovely. You mentioned you were going to start teaching soon. I didn’t know it was in her college. Congrats!” Fiona grins at the professor.

“Thank you, Fiona. We’ll be going now. Have a good evening.”

The professor takes my package from me and heads to the door. I smile at Fiona before following him out. Aaron is serving another table so I didn’t get the chance to tell him goodbye.

Outside, the sky has gone from the sun’s orange and purple spread to a pink and blue one.

The professor is walking with my package to the red supercar. My brain doesn’t make the connection until he opens the door to the driver's seat. Wait a minute!

He is the owner?

My feet screech to a halt when he puts my package in a compartment.

“Come on, get in.” He says when he notices my hesitation. I look around the area to see if there’s any student from my school lurking about. I don’t see anybody I know but it’s still a bad idea.

I shake my head at the professor, declining his offer. My heart breaks at the thought of abandoning my shawarma and making a run for it but the professor catches on to my escape plan.

“Don’t think about running, Andrea.” The smile on his face is malicious. Then I realize I never told him my name at the club or even during our class.

How does he know my name?