25

I've never felt so awkward in my life, sitting here at the cafeteria all alone.

At least I have a sandwich to keep me company.

Sad reality is, I really have been talking to it and myself for the pass few minutes, since I have no idea where Iris is, and Eleanor is off to the café on campus to buy herself something.

I tried talking to Eleanor about a few days ago at the bar, because I don't even remember leaving.

My mind is blank, with no memory of that night.

She told me we just had a great time laughing and flirting with a super hot bartender, and that she saw a woman approaching me that I apparently knew.

Who that woman is, I don't know.

Thankfully, I know that I didn't do anything stupid.

My body is hickey free.

"You know what, no, I absolutely crushed the law test. Above 75, and I'll be set." I said quietly as I look down to my sandwich, like it's judging me,

"Woah, I'm really talking to bread right now."

Sighing, I pulled my phone out, putting down my sandwich, as it buzzed in my hoodie.

"Where the hell are you?" Iris texted me.

Curious, I frown and look at the time.

My eyes widen, "Oh, shit!"

I got concerned looks from other groups sitting at the cafeteria as I almost fell out of the seat trying to speed off.

My legs have never gotten a workout like this before. And the students in the hall has never seen someone run this fast like me.

My mind automatically got an image of Professor Garcia screaming at me for being late.

I can't just tell the woman I was on a break, eating and shit, while I have a goddam test to write.

I barge into her classroom, the door swinging open.

My chest raise and fell rapidly as I tried to control my breathing from sprinting this fast.

Some eyes fell on me, including Iris, who sent me a 'Oh, girl, I'll throw a funeral for you,' look. After scanning the room, and giving my embarrassed, red face chance to cool down, I look up front.

A shiver went down my spine.

She was leaning her ass against the front of her desk, facing the class, but her head tilted towards me. She had her arms folded over her blazer, and her feet crossed over each heel.

The silence started eating me out alive, and my flushed face returned.

Even the class kept quiet-- no coughing, no movement, no sneezing, no clearing throat, no nothing.

They, including me, just waited for professor to burst out any moment.

She looks calm, and intrigued, but I know I'm in for something worse.

I could see it in her eyes.

After a while she took a sharp breath in and stood straight up off her desk.

"Close the door." She said lowly.

I did as I'm told without hesitating.

"Professor, I'm so sorry." I started, but she immediately spoke afterwards.

"That's not good enough." She said, "But, you're here. And since you finally decided to join us, you'll speak now."

"Um, I'm just really so--"

"I'm not talking about your apology, Rivera." That made me freeze. She haven't called me by my surname in a while.

"Your speech. You'll be going first."

My eyes widen and my head turns to the rest of the class who seemed to be enjoying this.

I shook my head and walked towards her desk as she went to sit down on her chair, sorting some papers around.

My eyes land on an examination folder as she grabbed it and got out a paper.

She wrote my name at the top.

My life flashed before my eyes. I gulp dryly and lean in down towards professor so that the other students don't hear.

"I didn't know we had to prepare a speech." I whisper and I saw her death stare, "W-Well, at least forgot."

"Forgot about a formal speech, that counts marks?" She said sarcastically and pushed her chair out, crossing her leg over the other.

The panic in me just grew the longer I stared at the memo in her hands.

"Please, I can have it prepared by tomorrow--"

"If I can recall, I'm pretty sure today is your Spanish exam-- not tomorrow."

Is she really being a dick to me right now?

"Professor, please."

"I'm waiting." She warned, "I don't have all day, you still have a test to write."

I took a step back, staring at her in disbelief.

I've never felt so degraded in my life.

The students immediately looked down as I did a walk of shame down the rows to the open seat next to Iris.

Some were pretending to go through their speech notes on their desks, but some gave me some glares.

Iris looked up at me with sympathetic eyes, like she's embarrassed for me, and flashes me a reassuring smile when I threw my bags down.

Professor called my name again, and I took a second to gather composure and walk up front again.

I stood a few steps away from her desk, and I faced the class.

Elijah looked up from his notes towards me and gave a soft smile, but quickly looked down again when professor sent him daggers through her eyes.

"Alright, Rivera." She sighed, "Topics: Spanish revolution 1936; History about a Spanish artist, or some fun facts about different Europe countries. You know the rules, Spanish only."

My heartbeat sped up. "H-How am... how am I supposed to know any of that?" I stutter, blushing from embarrassment.

"Well, you should've done your research." She shrugged.

My eyes landed on the roof while thinking.

Each second that goes by, and the class just becoming quieter if that's even possible, my nerves got higher.

My brain completely went blank, and I couldn't find anything on the topics.

Though, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Iris staring at me, subtly waving her hand under the desk so that professor doesn't see.

She pointed at her textbook on a certain page with a picture of the Spanish flag with specific words written over it.

It all clicks me and I froze, trying to remember every lesson we discussed about that page.

The Spanish Revolution.

My mouth opens to speak, but I can't form words.

I heard professor sigh and turned to her. "You can do it. Just relax." She said, her voice a lot more softer.

I take a deep breath in and face the class again.

"La Revolución Española de 1936 fue un momento crucial en la historia de España que marcó el comienzo de la Guerra Civil Española. La revolución comenzó cuando un grupo de militares de derecha liderados por el general Francisco Franco dieron un golpe de estado contra el gobierno de izquierda democráticamente elegido..."

Just as I hit the 1:30 minute marker, I ended.

"...La Revolución Española de 1936 fue un conflicto complejo y brutal que tuvo consecuencias de gran alcance para España y el resto del mundo."

There was a pause when I stopped talking.

Iris had a wide smile on her lips, nodding her head to me. I flash her a smile before turning to Professor Garcia who stared me down like a hawk.

She was frozen on her seat, pencil brought up to her lips. I could feel my body getting warm from the intense glare.

I messed up somewhere in my speech probably.

Professor nodded her head before lowering her pencil and writing down my mark.

"Good." She said, "Jayden, next."

I let go of a relieved sigh, walking to my seat.

After everyone was done with their speech, professor wasted no time and handed out the tests.

This never happened before, but my head was blank as I stared down at the questions, not being able to find the answers.

It's probably because I'm excited for Greece, especially Iris coming with hopefully.

She did better in this speech than every other semester, and now, I really hope she'll hit the nail on the head on this test.

But then again, I haven't spoken to my dad about going to the Olympiads ever since professor came to my house.

Ever since she saw me naked.

Thinking of that also reminded me of the kiss and how awkward things are still between us.

Each day I ask myself why I did that.

Accidentally, my eyes lands upon professor already staring at me as she walks in between the desks.

"Eyes on the paper." She mouthed to me.

Snapping back into reality, I look down again.

I picked up my pencil and wrote the first answers that came to mind, even if it made sense or not.

Fortunately for me, when I finally committed my mind to this test, I easily finished in the given time.

And glancing around, there were still a few heads bowed down and clicks of pens.

Realizing I've been looking around, and look suspicious, I look down to my desk again, reminding myself it's not allowed to look around in exams.

Though, if I'd ever get caught cheating (like I'd ever actually do that) professor wouldn't actually punish me for that, would she?

Clicks of heels against the wooden floor became louder as it neared me, and soon there was a shadow displayed over my desk.

I knew from the perfume it was professor.

She lingered next to me, making me feel a bit self-conscious.

She leaned down towards my level, "A word after class." She whispers against my ear, her breath bouncing off my skin.

Good thing I'm done with the test, because I wouldn't have concentrated after that.

The way her voice went so low, and the way it made me feel.

I watched her walk away to her desk and check her watch.

"Pencils down." Professor announced, and everyone lifted their heads up and placed their pens down.

"I trust that you all wrote honestly and didn't let your eyes wonder around." She said and started collecting the papers, "Since I won't see most of you after today because of the break, I'll mail you your marks. You may leave after I collected your paper."

Everyone started packing up and leaving the class after professor gathered everyone's tests.

"So, you think you'll come to Greece?" I ask Iris as we're packing our bags.

She sends me a soft smile, "I might be delusional, but this was easier than law. So, fingers crossed."

I smiled back, "I need to go persuade my dad into letting me go. Well, he doesn't really care. Adeline's more the problem."

"That cunt?" Iris scoffs, "She can't tell you what to do."

I sighed and we both stood up from our seats.

I glance at professor, neatly placing the tests down onto her desk.

"I'll see you at the café, okay?" I said, "I need to speak to professor."

Iris smiled, "Wooh-hoo! Last day of work!"

I laughed as she skipped happily out of the classroom with some of the last students following behind her.

I strolled towards professor's desk and stood there awkwardly as she continued packing everything neatly, almost like she's purposely ignoring me.

Though, I should be the one ignoring her, she embarrassed me in front of the entire class.

"Close the door." She said, her eyes not leaving the papers.

Shit, I'm in for it.

I went to close the door and stood in front of her desk again, this time she turned to me.

A visible gulp went down my throat as her green eyes gave me a death stare.

"Look, I understand that you wrote law yesterday... and that you were hungover, but that isn't a valid reason to forget about my subject, Victoria. You knew dam-well about the speech today."

I clench my jaw before my eyes widen. "You knew I was hungover?" I whisper, and then it clicked me. "You were the woman at the bar that day."

"Don't change the subject." She said, "I'm really disappointed. Not only did you 'forget' about your speech, but also came in late? Unacceptable."

"Okay, yeah, I'm sorry!" I mumble, "But- but was it really necessary to embarrass me like that in front of everyone?"

"Don't raise your voice at me."

My lips part and I stare at her blankly before scoffing and shaking my head.

"Really?" I ask, "Why- why... why are you being like this?"

"Victoria, you don't talk to me like that." She said, "And if you just listen--"

"Oh my gosh, you sound like my mom."

She was taken aback, "I'm sorry, what?"

There was a moment of silence and I couldn't form words. It went on to a point where we just stared at each other, us both speechless with tension in the air.

That was until she walked around her desk and stood in front of me. Her body towered above me, like a queen sitting on her throne looking down to her slaves.

"Don't take your anger out on me because you're grieving." She said, "If you'd just let me finished talking, I wanted to say good job. You got full points for your speech."

My eyes soften. "I-I did?"

She nods, "Still doesn't make you forgetting about it alright though."

I sigh, looking down. "I know. I'm sorry." I whisper.

Professor placed a hand on my shoulder, causing me to look up at her. "Okay, what's going on?" She asks.

We're talking again?

"It's exams, you know my mind is everywhere."

"Alright, well," She takes a deep breath in and let go of my shoulder, "Tell me where your mind is at, what are you thinking about?" She went to lean her butt against her desk as she folds her arms over her chest, waiting.

I chuckle awkwardly, "We don't have to do this."

"I think we do." She said and nodding to the desk in front of her, "Sit."

Hesitantly, I sit down on the chair, throwing my bag down next to me.

"I know things between us are a bit off, but you know I'll always listen when you speak, right? But then again, I am your pro--"

My heart sunk, knowing where this is about to go. "Is this a lecture now, professor?" I ask a bit harshly.

She furrowed her eyebrows before closing her eyes. She tilts her head down a bit, like she's trying her best to stay calm.

But unlike her, I'm not calm, I'm very fucking angry at the world.

"I'm just trying to clear the air." She said, opening her eyes and staring right into my soul.

"No, no, a student and professor shouldn't have such a relationship, right?" I asked dramatically and stood up.

"Victoria." She sighed.

I grabbed my backpack. "You know what, no." I laugh, "Why the hell do you care about me?"

"It's my job as a teacher to help our students."

"Oh yeah?" I scoff, "And outside class? All the car rides you gave me, helping me outside campus, even taking me to your home. I don't think you do this for any other student. Do you give this princess treatment to Iris? No. To Elijah? Sure as hell not. You even went out your way to tell him to back off. Yeah, I know you said something to him, because he looks like he's about to piss himself whenever you look at him, and, and..."

"Are you done?" She asked with a sigh.

"Am I done?" I repeat with a scoff, "Yes, I'm done with the conversation."

"I just want to help you, Victoria." She said, pushing herself away from her desk towards me.

I step back, "I want to know why you want to help me."

She opens her mouth to speak, but like earlier when I did my speech, nothing seem to come out.

"Exactly." I said quietly, "Everyone feels the need to give the girl with no mom love."

"That's not what this is about." She said.

I shake my head, taking a few steps back until I stood at the door.

"Then what is it?" I ask, opening the door and looking back, "I want to know why you try to help me."

Leaving her standing there and staring at the now closed door, I walked away.

Tears started to form in my eyes as I speed walked down the hallway. My head was held low, so that I didn't make eye contact with anyone.

Eventually, I sucked in all my emotions and feelings and went to work. Iris easily cheered me up by the slightest funny jokes she cracked to the customers, even though she didn't know I was crying.

Whenever nobody entered the café, we'd get a few seconds to talk before jumping back to work. It seems like she has a high chance of being invited to come to Greece with us.

Hell, I don't even know if I'll be able to go.

Do I even want to go anymore?

Was it because of me doing something stupid the night at the pub to Daniela that she acted so strict and formal today, maybe.

She's a professor, which I understand, she needs to be serious. But for some reason, it really hit a sensitive spot in me.