Chapter Twenty One

Thursday;

The air inside the lecture hall was filled with the low hum of students settling in. Lea and I stepped into the room, heading for our usual spot for General Physics. I had barely taken a step toward the rows of seats when a sharp voice pierced the background noise.

"Ms. Wilson!"

I froze mid-step and glanced over my shoulder. There was Professor Montgomery, peering at me from over the rim of her reading glasses, her eyes locking onto mine with that same no-nonsense expression.

"Come here," she ordered, her tone leaving no room for hesitation.

I shot Lea a quick look before turning on my heel, the weight of my backpack shifting awkwardly as my fingers started to fidget. I approached her desk, heart racing slightly as I wondered what she needed this time.

Without so much as a greeting, she handed me a thick stack of papers. "Hand these out to the students," she instructed flatly.

I glanced down, quickly skimming the top page. It was yet another assignment, probably something that would make half the class groan silently in dismay once they saw it.

"Sure," I said, forcing a polite smile, though it seemed unnecessary. Professor Montgomery had already turned her attention to a different stack of work, her interest in the exchange clearly gone.

Clutching the stack of papers, I started down the aisle, weaving between the rows of desks. As I handed them out, I couldn't help but notice the tense silence that always lingered in Professor Montgomery's lectures. There was something about her presence that kept people punctual—no one ever dared come late or miss her class. It was like they feared that one withering glance from her could reduce them to dust. Honestly, I didn't blame them. She had that look that could pierce through steel, and no one wanted to be on the receiving end of it.

When I reached Lea, she accepted her paper with a dramatic flourish and immediately skimmed it. Her reaction was almost instant.

"Maaaaan!" she groaned loudly, making more than a few heads turn. "I never seem to have a weekend for myself," she muttered, shaking her head in defeat. Without a second thought, she shoved the assignment into her bag, crumpling the edges carelessly as if it had personally offended her.

I snorted softly, trying to stifle my laughter. Typical Lea. Always the dramatist. I continued down the row, passing out the remaining papers to the students who looked equally unimpressed by the weekend-ruining workload.

Once I finished, I made my way back to Professor Montgomery's desk, the remaining papers in hand. She didn't look up as I approached, her focus glued to whatever was on her screen. I quietly placed the leftovers on the corner of her desk, half-expecting her to bark some other task at me, but instead, she simply gave a small, barely perceptible nod.

I took that as my cue to slip back into the crowd, relieved to return to my seat for what would surely be another dense lecture.

A tense quiet had settled over the room, the kind that always comes before Professor Montgomery starts class. No one dared break the silence as we waited for her to begin. Lea, however, was the picture of boredom, her chin propped lazily on her hand, eyes glazed as she stared off into space. It was clear her mind was anywhere but here.

After a few moments, Professor Montgomery rose from behind her desk and strode over to the podium. She shuffled a stack of papers, her sharp, deliberate movements echoing through the room. Clearing her throat, she wasted no time diving into the details of our latest assignment, her voice firm and matter-of-fact.

I straightened in my seat, listening intently to every word. There were important deadlines and intricate details we needed to get right. Meanwhile, Lea barely blinked, clearly indifferent to whatever was being said. I could tell by the vacant look in her eyes that she had mentally checked out the moment Montgomery started speaking.

Suddenly, Lea leaned over towards me, her voice a low whisper, "What are you doing Saturday night?"

I blinked, caught off guard by her question, especially in the middle of the professor's speech. "Probably read a book or something," I whispered back, keeping my eyes on the front, worried Montgomery might catch us talking.

Lea's lips curled into a mischievous smirk as she leaned back in her chair, her eyes glinting with excitement. It was clear she was already plotting some way to drag me into whatever plans she was cooking up for the weekend, despite my clear preference for staying in.

"Well, ditch that book, 'cause we're going out."

I exhaled softly, already dreading the conversation. "Lea, I'm not going to the club with you." My tone was low, almost pleading.

Before I could say anything else, Professor Montgomery's voice cut through the room like a blade. "Ms. Wilson," she said, her sharp gaze locking onto mine, "am I boring you?"

My heart sank, and I quickly shook my head. "No, Professor," I stammered.

She clasped her hands together slowly, in a way that made me feel like I was being measured, judged. "Do you want to explain the assignment to your fellow students?" Her eyes never left me, unblinking and severe.

I swallowed hard. "No, Professor," I repeated, my voice quieter this time.

"Then shut up and listen," she said flatly, her words carrying the weight of finality. "I will not explain this to you again."

Feeling my face flush, I sank deeper into my chair and kept my mouth firmly shut as she resumed her explanation. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Lea still grinning, completely unfazed by the whole situation. But all I could focus on was the burning embarrassment of being called out in front of the entire class.

Once Professor Montgomery finished her explaining, she waved a dismissive hand, allowing us to begin working on the assignment. Reluctantly, I reached into my bag and pulled out my laptop, feeling its familiar weight as I set it on the desk. The soft hum of the computer powering up filled the quiet classroom, and I drummed my fingers on the table, mentally preparing myself for the task ahead.

I wasn't exactly thrilled to dive into another grueling project, but I knew the sooner I tackled it, the sooner I could cross it off my growing list of obligations. I let out a small sigh as I opened the assignment again, my eyes quickly skimming the requirements. It didn't seem too complicated—definitely manageable if I focused.

Glancing sideways, I saw Lea, her head resting on her folded arms, her long hair spilling over the desk like a lazy waterfall. She had clearly checked out, looking as though she was ready to fall into a nap right there in the lecture hall.

Shaking my head with a quiet smirk, I returned my focus to the glowing screen in front of me, pulling up a few websites that looked useful. The gentle clicking of the keyboard filled the space as I began typing, my mind already piecing together how to tackle the assignment.

The lecture hall had fallen into a nearly oppressive silence, broken only by the soft clattering of keyboards and the occasional rustle of paper. The air felt heavy, the kind of quiet that made every small sound seem magnified—each cough, each sigh, echoing across the room.

And then, out of nowhere, a loud, unmistakable snore pierced the quiet.

Heads whipped around in unison, including mine, eyes darting toward the source. My gaze settled on Lea, slumped over her desk, her cheek pressed firmly into the crook of her arm. Another snore escaped her, louder this time, confirming what I already suspected.

She was out cold.

I blinked in disbelief, stifling a chuckle as another snore rattled from her. A few other students exchanged amused glances, but no one dared make a sound beyond that. Either way, Lea was completely oblivious, lost in her own world of sleep, her loud snores now a part of the background noise.

I glanced towards the front of the room and froze. Professor Montgomery was staring directly at Lea, her expression unreadable but intense. Her sharp eyes then flicked to me, and with a quick, almost imperceptible gesture, she pointed a finger at Lea.

I knew exactly what that meant.

With a sigh, I leaned over and gently shook Lea's shoulder. "Lea," I whispered urgently.

She startled awake in an instant, her arms shooting up into a clumsy karate stance as if she'd been yanked out of a fight in her dream. The room fell even more silent—if that was even possible. Her wide, groggy eyes darted around, taking in the scene.

Everyone was staring at her. Every single student. And then there was Professor Montgomery, arms folded, eyes narrowed behind her reading glasses, just waiting for whatever came next.

Lea's arms dropped to her sides, the realization dawning on her. She cleared her throat awkwardly and gave a small nod to the class, as if that somehow excused the whole thing. "Uh... carry on," she muttered, sinking back into her seat.

I pressed my lips together, trying not to laugh. First, it was the burp that echoed across the lecture hall last week, now the snores. What's next—a full-blown fart to complete the trifecta? Knowing Lea, nothing was off the table.

After the lecture, where Lea spent most of the time staring blankly ahead, still half-asleep, we made our way to the fountain. The warm sunlight hit us as we sat down on the stone bench, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"I can't believe you actually fell asleep in Montgomery's class," I said, still amused. Lea stretched lazily, her eyes barely open as she shrugged. "Her class is like an audio sedative," she muttered. "Also, why'd you wake me up?"

I raised an eyebrow, trying to contain my laughter. "You were snoring," I said, my voice teasing, "Loudly. Like, 'echoing-through-the-hall' loud."

Lea's eyes widened, disbelief written all over her face. "I don't snore," she said firmly, crossing her arms like she'd just been insulted.

"Oh, but you do," I snickered, nudging her. "You definitely do."

She shoved me playfully, rolling her eyes. "No way. You're making that up."

Laughing, I let it slide. We decided to head over to Midnight Mocha. With two more brutal lectures on Biophysics and Mathematical Physics looming, we needed all the sugar and caffeine we could get to survive the rest of the day.

✿

Friday;

It was finally Friday, and I couldn't be more relieved. As I made my way to Prof. Montgomery's office, I braced myself for whatever task she had lined up for me today.

Yesterday had gone surprisingly well. I'd finished her lesson plan early, just in time for her lecture later in the day. Today, though, I had no clue what to expect. Part of me hoped for something more exciting, but knowing Montgomery, I was probably about to spend the day marking quizzes.

I pushed open the door to her office, and immediately my eyes landed on my usual spot at the large wooden desk. A neat stack of papers sat waiting for me, a red pen ominously perched on top like a sentinel. Of course. Quizzes.

"Morning, Professor," I greeted cheerfully, trying to keep the disappointment from creeping into my voice.

As expected, she barely acknowledged me, giving a noncommittal hum, her sharp eyes focused on the stack of papers in front of her. Not a single glance in my direction.

With a sigh, I took my seat, eyeing the stack of quizzes as if they were some sort of punishment. Maybe today would surprise me. But if not, I'd just have to get through it.

I was nearing the end of the stack of quizzes when I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. Prof. Montgomery leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms high above her head. The motion caught my attention, pulling my gaze away from the papers in front of me.

As she stretched, her shirt lifted slightly, revealing a small glimpse of her stomach. My eyes immediately darted back down to the quizzes, not wanting to get caught staring and risk one of her sharp reprimands.

She straightened up, grabbing a few books, her phone, and her handbag before heading toward the door. The sound of the door clicking open reminded me there was something I needed to ask.

"Professor, what am I supposed to do—" I started, but she was already out the door before I could finish my sentence. I sighed, my words trailing off, "—when I'm done with the quizzes." Guess I'd have to figure that out on my own.

I finished the last of the quizzes with a sigh, slumping back into the chair. Well, that's one task off my plate. But now what?

Glancing around the office, I searched for something else to do. My eyes landed on my bag. Oh, right—the assignment she gave us. Perfect.

I pulled out my laptop and the assignment sheet, getting back into the work I'd started last night. I wasn't anywhere near halfway done, but at least there was progress. Slowly, the quiet office faded into the background as I focused, time stretching out while I chipped away at the task.

I was so engrossed in the assignment that I didn't even hear the door creak open when Prof. Montgomery returned from her lecture. It wasn't until she walked past me, setting her books back on the shelf, that I realized she was back.

"What are you doing?" Her voice broke my concentration, making me jump slightly.

"Oh!" I glanced up, holding up the assignment. "I'm working on the paper you gave us."

"Are you done with the quizzes?" she asked, settling into her chair. I nodded, "Yes, all finished."

She gave a small nod in response, her attention already shifting back to her own work. "Carry on," she said, leaving me to dive back into my own world of equations and analysis.

A few minutes passed, and I found myself glancing up from my computer, eyes lingering on Prof. Montgomery as she worked. Okay, let's try this whole "getting to know you" thing again. I took a deep breath, feeling a bit foolish, but I pressed forward.

"Do you prefer going to the ocean or camping in the woods?" I asked, trying to sound casual. It wasn't exactly the most groundbreaking question, but I just wanted to break the ice a little. We spent so much time in this office together, and the silence was suffocating.

"Ocean," she replied flatly, her eyes not leaving the papers in front of her.

I perked up, happy to find something we had in common. "Me too!" I said with a smile, eager to keep the conversation going. "There's something about feeling the sand between your-"

"Once again, I didn't ask," she cut me off, her tone as cool as ever. My shoulders slumped, the spark of excitement quickly snuffed out.

So, this is how it's going to be for the rest of the year, huh? Just endless, suffocating silence between us. I let out a quiet sigh, turning my attention back to the assignment, the weight of her indifference settling in around me like a heavy blanket.

As the clock ticked closer to the next lecture, I glanced around the cluttered desk strewn with textbooks and notes. It was nearly time for my lecture with Prof. Martin.

I glanced over at Prof. Montgomery, who sat at her desk, her sharp gaze fixed on her own stack of papers. I didn't even bother to ask her if I could leave my laptop here, I already knew her answer would be a curt no, accompanied by that icy stare that made the air feel thick with unspoken rules.

With a resigned sigh, I gathered my belongings, sliding my laptop into my bag and zipping it up. As I slung the strap over my shoulder, I walked toward the door, the sound of my shoes echoing slightly in the otherwise quiet room. "See you later, Professor," I said, stepping outside, fully expecting her to remain silent, lost in her own world of academic rigor.

The lecture hall was buzzing with energy as I entered, students settling into their seats and exchanging laughter. I spotted Lea waving enthusiastically from her usual spot near the front.

I made my way over, and she greeted me with a wide grin, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief. "Soooo," she began, propping her chin on her hand, her expression conspiratorial, "want to go out with me tomorrow night?"

I raised an eyebrow, a smirk creeping onto my face. "If we're going to a club, then no," I replied, shaking my head playfully.

Lea rolled her eyes, the playful exasperation evident in her voice. "No, we're not going to a club. We're just going to chill in the park or something."

"Sounds good," I smiled, feeling a flicker of excitement at the thought. "Do I meet you there, or...?"

"Nah, I'll pick you up." Just as she finished her sentence, Prof. Martin strode into the room, his presence commanding immediate attention. "Just text me your address," Lea whispered, her eyes darting to the front as the professor began his lecture.

I settled into my seat, pondering the prospect of an evening out with Lea. Maybe it would be good to break free from my usual routine of curling up with a book.

A small part of me couldn't help but wonder if Lea might be secretly planning a trip to a club, but I brushed that thought aside.

Oh well, I guess we'll find out tomorrow.