(Lila's POV)
The sunlight peered at me as I walked to class. It was kind of hot today. I walked into class determined to stay focused. I've become more aware of how I feel whenever Professor Hale is around. I promised myself at the beginning of the semester I would stay out of trouble. But now I wasn't sure I would be able to.
Professor Adrian Hale was trouble — one I really needed to stop thinking about.
Several minutes later, he walked in and greeted the class as usual, his calm and composed tone filling the room. Yet I felt an unspoken tension when his eyes briefly met mine.
"Our lecture topic for today is Morality in Desire. Now, my question is—can desire ever be moral?"
Clara raised her hand to answer. I didn't hear what she said because my mind was elsewhere. I was losing it. Day by day, my attraction to Professor Hale was growing.
Then I heard my name.
"Miss Bennett, would you like to try?"
I steadied my thoughts and answered. "Desire itself isn't immoral. It's what people do with it...the choices they make that define right or wrong."
Murmurs spread throughout the class. He studied me carefully, his eyes brightening. He was impressed—it was so clear I could see it.
He pushed further, his gaze glinting with interest and curiosity. "So you're saying it's possible to want something forbidden… and still be innocent?"
I hesitated, then nodded slowly. "If it stays in thought, yes."
The room went quiet. There was an almost electric silence as our eyes met.
Ethan looked between us like he was already sensing the tension.
"Careful, Lila. Sounds like someone's talking from experience."
The class laughed lightly. I saw Professor Hale's jaw tighten before he quickly masked it.
I replied, "Just theories, Ethan."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Professor Hale's lips before he turned back to the projector. "Very well. Let's continue." His tone was even, but I could hear the restrained edge underneath.
He resumed the lecture, though I barely caught a word. Every time his voice lowered, I felt it deep in my chest. Every time he moved, I caught myself watching him.
Minutes later, the lecture ended.
As students began packing their bags, murmuring quietly, I stayed back, pretending to organize my notes. Maya and Ethan were already at the door waiting for me.
"Hurry, Lila. We'll be late," Maya called.
I knew we would be late and it was partly because of that strange moment earlier. I still lingered, rearranging papers I didn't need to rearrange, just to look at him again.
Professor Hale paused before leaving. "Interesting answer today, Miss Bennett. You think deeply...that's rare."
I replied softly, "I just… try to understand the human part of it."
His gaze lingered for a while before he turned away.
"Was it just me or—" Ethan began.
"Or what?" I asked.
"Professor Perfect. He seems weird. Shady kind of. Why's he giving you so much praise?"
"Are you jealous?" I teased.
"He's right, Lila," Maya added. "Not shady, though. I just feel he's giving you too much attention."
"Well, maybe it's because I answered his question well," I said. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I knew what I said was wrong—but I didn't want to admit it out loud. I think he felt that tension between us too. Maybe it was all in my head, but the weight in his eyes, the way his voice softened when he said my name—it felt different. And I wanted more.
"Smart ass," Maya teased.
*****
Later that day in my apartment, a call came in from my mum.
"Lila! How are you, sweetie?"
"I'm good, Mum. How are you?"
"I'm not good, I miss my baby."
"I miss you too. How's Daddy and Elvis? Is he still home?"
"Your brother's still home, sweetie. He should head back next week. He wants to spend more time with Shannon before leaving."
"I get it, Mum. Being a medical student isn't easy—he's always so occupied."
"I'll tell him you called when he gets back, okay? He went out with your father."
"Alright, Mum. Love you."
"Love you too, sweetie."
The call ended. I flopped back onto my bed and sighed. I missed my family dearly. The only time I saw them was during semester breaks. Last semester, I couldn't go back home because I had volunteered to help with a campus research project that ran late into the break.
Minutes later, I heard a knock followed by Maya's voice.
"Lila, open up!"
I opened the door and let her in. She was holding a paper in her hand.
"Hey, Maya. What's up?"
She walked in. "I found this outside, in front of the building. I think I'm going to check it out." She handed it to me.
"You're still about that part-time job?"
"Yeah, Lila. I need it."
"Alright, Maya, just be careful, okay?"
"I'm not going right now though. I just came to tell you, to see if you might be interested."
"No, I want to be on my A-game this semester. Working part-time and juggling school might be too much."
"Always so serious. Well, you don't even need the job anyway—unless you just want to keep yourself busy with something besides school."
Maya's a scholarship student. The only person she has is her mum and a few younger siblings to cater for, so she tries her best to earn what she can to support them.
"And that's exactly why I need to focus," I said. "I dropped a little last semester. If I don't fix that up, my father will be on my neck."
"Right. Goodnight, Lila."
"Sleep tight," I replied before she closed the door.
"You need to focus, Lila. Stop thinking about Professor Adrian—Hale, rather. Stop thinking about him," I scolded myself.
An hour later, I was in bed thinking about the same man I'd just told myself to forget. His eyes, his broad shoulders, his deep voice. I felt a strange warmth and tightness in my chest as I replayed his voice in my head, the way he said my name.
Oh no, Lila. You've gone too deep now.