âLUCA?â
I squinted my eyes. The sun's golden rays dripping into the room left me blinded. "What time is it?" I groan to myself as I rolled around on my bed, trying to locate my phone.
"Shit." I jolted up the moment, my bed hair crashing over my face with a slight sting. I was late for class.
I was on Archer's good side, or at least I think I was. The past week of classes, he had called me out at the end of every lesson to make sure I had understood the lesson.
He even continued coming into class an hour earlier just for my sake. He had said he was just paying off his debt since we started off on the wrong foot, an attempt to downplay the fact that he was helping me. But he was putting in the effort for me and I didn't want him thinking I wasn't trying.
I rushed to the bathroom where I got ready and ran into the living room to find my keys whilst running my fingers through my hair, trying to untangle the strands.
"Sorry, had to take your car, my tire's flat." The note on my table read.
My fingers curl around the paper, crushing it into my palm. "Seriously, Lina?" I yelled out of frustration even though she wouldn't be able to hear me. I left my apartment in a rush, stumbling over things as I locked the door. I rush towards the lobby and I see the lift doors closing.
"Hold the lift, please!" I ran towards the lift. The next second, an arm sticks out, setting off the elevator's sensor which reopened the doors.
"Thank you," I breathed out as I entered, trying to catch my breath.
"I see you're late too." The deep voice chuckled.
I turned around to face the male and noticed Archer standing, with his hand in the pocket of his coat while the other held a briefcase.
I simply smiled in acknowledgement. If I was being honest, I don't think I'd be able to hold a proper conversation with him considering how every muscle in my body is now tensed knowing he's right behind me.
I made it a point to keep our interaction strictly in school and only literature related. I didn't want feeding into the thoughts of my temptation as that'll just make sitting through his classes harder.
So, we've only ever been alone together on school compound. I'd come home right before he does, so I'd miss him by a few seconds. In the mornings, I made an effort to leave 10 minutes earlier just to avoid seeing him. The tension that the hour alone together after classes brought was enough to last a lifetime.
It didn't help that Lina's first response to finding out about my attraction was, "ride that professor." She even begged me to use him as a rebound but I wasn't having it. Moving out here was to find a simpler life. Not be in the centre of another scandal.
I fished out my phone to try and book an Uber but there weren't any cars available since it was rush hour. "Shit," I cuss under my breath. I couldn't afford to be later than I already was since my professor's seen me.
As we exited to the lobby, Archer walked ahead of me. I took in a deep breath as I prepared myself for what I was about to ask, hoping I wasn't making a mistake.
"Mr Kane!" I called out and he turned around, raising an eyebrow. "Can I have a ride?" And I wince when Lina's words come back to me like a taunt.
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"You should get off first. I don't want students to start talking." Archer says as he stopped the car in front of the campus and I stare at him with confusion.
"Why would students talk?" I ask but he doesn't say a word and then I finally get it. I didn't even think about how it would look if someone saw me coming out of the same car as Archer. So much for not being involved in another scandal.
As my eyes widen with realisation, Archer nibbled on his bottom lip, stifling a laugh. "R-right." I faltered, feeling heat swarm up my neck. I got out of the car quicker than I thought I could move.
I rushed into the lecture theatre, everyone's attention was focused on me once again. I hastily made my way towards my seat and slumped against it, trying to lay low.
The next moment Archer walked in and started the lesson as per usual.
As the class ended and everyone stood up to leave, Archer spoke out.
"Class, there will be a position at an arts and literature event available at the end of October, 2 months from now. You'll be working alongside me at a gallery. To be eligible, you would have to get an A for this assignment." He finished and packed his briefcase.
"Red, can I see you?" He asks soft enough that the other students walking out wouldn't have heard.
I slung my bag over my shoulder as I approached him, used to him calling me. But what I wasn't used to was the smirk he wore. "Do you need a ride back home?" He asked, crossing his arms over his shoulder as he leaned onto his desk, bringing him to my eye level.
"It's okay. A friend's waiting for me," I replied quickly. Maybe too quickly.
"Okay." He chuckled as he flashed me a smile. "Oh and," he paused and turned around right before walking out the door, "I expect you to get an A."
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"He is cute. Have you seen him?" Lina said as she fawned over her professor. Lina was never the crushy type so seeing this side of her was new.
"Lina, he's your professor," I said as my face scrunched up, feigning disgust even though I was having the exact same thoughts as her.
"He's our neighbour too." She cocks an eyebrow as she nudged me in the ribs.
"Hey! I'm driving." I said as I brushed her off with my right hand. My left hand tightens its hold on the wheel, my knuckles turning white with the pressure. My heart starts thumping against my chest.
"You're still so jumpy behind the wheel. It's been years since the accident, Elreda."
"It doesn't mean we have to stop being cautious, Adalina." I snapped, getting agitated with her dismissive attitude.
"Fine. Anyway thanks for letting me use your car today," Lina said cheerily as she steered the conversation towards safer waters. She kicked her feet up on the console and began examining her newly painted nails.
They were purple this week. Mauve to be exact since she wanted to match Mr Parker's briefcase. During the month of my 20th birthday, she had her nails painted red the entire month. It was how Lina showed her love. Weird, but it was her.
"Let you? You just took it." I narrowed my eyes, still looking ahead of me and she starts laughing. "You have to stop this. It's the second time this year. Plus, I was late today." She doesn't stop laughing and it distracts me for a brief second.
I glance at her but before I had a chance to say something, her expression drops and something in me sinks because it feels like I'm too late. Again. "Red, watch out!" She screamed the next second, pointing ahead of her.
My head swung to face the road as I jammed my foot onto the brakes. "Shit!" I yelled as the brown blur charged towards us and came to a halt.
"Are you okay?" Lina reaches out to me as she touches my arm. She's shaking just as much as I am. "Damn dog," she hissed, honking the horn of my car from the passenger seat. "Where the hell is its owner?"
Getting startled by the loud noise, the dog runs off of the road.
I continued my drive back to our apartment, slower than usual. Lina and I were oddly silent throughout.
"Are you okay?" Lina asked again as we got out of the car. I simply nod. "Are you sure? You've been awfully quiet ever since the dog came out on the road."
We walk to the lobby in silence again and I can tell she's still waiting for a response. "Just brought me back to the day of the accident, that's all." I sighed as I entered the lift.
"I felt that way too." She follows behind me. "Just remember, all of us were lucky enough to get out alive," she caresses my arm in comfort but the thoughts still gnaw at me.
"Not all of us did," I say under my breath, my eyes fixated on the floor. Images from the night of the party swarming me.
"Hey, look at me." She stood in front of me so that I'd face her. "What happened to that guy wasn't your fault. He was driving under the influence. He could've killed us." She said and I let my head bob into a nod in response.
I didn't want to argue with her on this but I could've stopped it. Sure, I wasn't drunk but I was an inexperienced driver then. I was too panicked to drive out of the way or stop in time.
The rumours from that night didn't help either. There were some saying I was drunk too and had caused the accident. My name in the news articles just made the stares from the townspeople worse.
We were from a safe, small town and our breaking news consisted of animals rampaging through someone's farm and destroying crops.
So when the news that a teenage boy had died behind the wheel after a high school party made the headlines, it only made sense that it spread like wildfire amongst the people.
I try pushing the thoughts from senior year out of my head as the both of us walk out the lift. I could tell Lina knew I was still affected but she gave me my space and I appreciated that. I stuff my hand into the pocket of my jeans to retrieve my apartment keys but freeze because I don't feel them. "Shit."
"What's wrong?"
"My keys. I must have dropped them in the rush when I left in the morning." I say, looking to the ground to see if I had dropped them anywhere and she sighs.
"It's okay, we'll just get a new one done for you." She pulls out her own keys as we reach the door. She lifts the key to the keyhole and pauses. "It's open." Her voice reaches a whisper.
"What?" And it's then that I realise our door was slightly ajar. Fear courses through my blood. I was certain I had closed the door when I left and we had a self-locking door that'll lock when the closing mechanism is triggered. I looked up to meet Lina's eyes which had the same fear tainting them.
I pushed against the door with caution, revealing our apartment that was trashed. "What the hell?" Everything was a mess. Tables overturned and pieces of glass scattered across the floor.
"Lina," I called out as I turned around and looked at her, she stood rooted to the spot with fear painted all over her face. I beckoned her towards me with a quick hand movement, not wanting to go in further myself. But she remained frozen. The fear on her face was different. It was close to terror.
That's when I realise her eyes weren't on me but something behind me and everything in my body tenses up. With a slow motion, I turn back and I come face to face with a man in a black hood. His face was shrouded underneath the hood but his familiar stance gave him away.
"Luca?" It comes out strained, my throat closing up. I've known him for years but I couldn't recognise the man that stood in front of me. He lifted his head, allowing me a glance at his face. With one look, I caught the rage that warped his once soft blue eyes. "What the hell are you-"
Not leaving me a chance to finish, he approaches me with aggression. He held something in his hand and before he could swing it to my head, I scream. It startled him, giving me a chance to duck and I drop to the ground. I tried my best to dodge his hit but I knew it would be futile.
As I braced myself for a hard impact, I felt a soft touch on my shoulder.
"Red?"