The moment Professor Blackwell dismisses me, I hightail out of his office hating the oppressive energy threatening to suffocate me just for falling asleep in class.
I really do feel bad for sleeping in class but he didn't have to make me feel like dirt. I sigh and start walking out of the building, and not for the first time, I'm grateful that our apartment is really close to campus. As I walk home, I replay what just happened and shiver a bit at the memory of Professor Blackwell towering over me and asking me to look at him while he speaks.
He's really intimidating with that permanent scowl on his face, it also doesn't help that he is about a foot taller than me. I will myself not to cry and remember my aunt's words that crying does nothing but irritate the people around you. I speed up my steps and exhale when our building comes into view, I'm pretty sure none of my roommates are home. I love them but I need to be alone right now.
I fall face flat on my bed the moment I step into my room, letting my bag fall on the ground and exhale loudly. This might just be the worst morning I've had this year. I yawn and rub my eyes, a bit surprised that I'm still sleepy. I reach out for the giant stuffed rabbit by the side of my bed, crawl under the covers and in seconds I'm asleep.
"Aria?" I ignore the voice calling me, not ready to get up yet.
"Aria, wake up", is that Elena?
"Common Aria it's time to get up, I know you haven't eaten today." I slowly open my eyes and sure enough it's Elena's kind brown eyes staring back at mine with a mix of concern and fondness.
"Ughhhh, let me sleep some more I'm really tired", I mumble and bury my head under the blanket.
She gently pulls it away, "Aria it's almost six pm, and if you don't eat, your stomach will feel terrible soon." I hate that she makes a good point, I really don't need my stomach ulcer acting up again.
"I'm awake", I mumble and start to get up.
"I made dinner, come on", she takes my hand and drags me to our little dining set up in our kitchen and my stomach immediately growls at the smell of the food. I spot Sienna already eating, she smiles at me and waves me over.
"You have dark circles", she points out and I nod and dig into the food on the plate Elena set in front of me. She smiles and shakes her head,
"How was school today?" Elena asks conversationally as she sips her juice.
I shake my head and they both stare at me expectantly, when I don't say anything, Sienna asks;
"How's your new professor? I heard some people at the café talking about a student he made stand throughout his class. Is he even allowed to do that?"
My eyes widen in horror, I've never been the subject of any form of gossip and now people are talking about me. I desperately need the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
I stare hard at my plate but Sienna isn't letting up, "Do you know who it was? It must have been terrible."
Elena is quiet, when I sneak a glance at her she's already staring at me. Her stare goes from meaningful to conclusive the moment we make eye contact and her eyes widen a bit.
"Oh no Aria, how could he do that to you?" Elena gives me a sympathetic look. Sienna looks confused and alternates between glancing at me and Elena till I guess she reaches the same conclusion because now she looks really angry.
"Who does he think he is? How dare he do that to our Aria!" she's furious now and Elena who is usually a beam of light has a small scowl on her face.
"I fell asleep" I shrug,
"So? Students sleep all the time it's no big deal, why did he have to make you stand for the entire class!" Sienna exclaims and Elena nods.
"It wasn't the entire class, just about thirty minutes" they stare at me like I'm crazy,
"And besides, it was my fault. His rules were clear and I broke them on the first day, he's strict like that" I finish and stare my soup, no longer hungry.
"It doesn't matter, he can't make you stand for thirty minutes Aria, you aren't a child", Elena chides.
"He didn't make me, he gave me a choice to either leave or stand" I clarify, "It was my choice"
Sienna stares at me with her mouth open and Elena shakes her head slowly.
"That's not a choice Ari, both options were terrible" Sienna says and I'm already over this topic, I don't like how they are both staring at me, like I'm a wounded animal.
"It's no big deal, I learned my lesson and won't sleep in class. It won't happen again so there's no need to keep talking about it"
They look at me hesitantly like they still have a lot to say but drop it and I release a breath and get up.
"Thanks for dinner El"
I smile and she nods, I take my dirty plates to the sink, wash up and go back to my room.
I don't have time to think about what happened today, I have a lot of work to do. Being a tutor and teaching assistant means I not only have to prepare study materials for the students I tutor but I have to grade papers and still have to study to keep up my own grades.
Luckily I finished grading the papers for Mr. Lockwood this morning and only have to worry about finishing up the study materials tonight and working on my assignments.
I go to my study table and start sorting out my work for the night, ignoring my not so organized desk. I start working on my assignment and feel a sense of calmness, I've always liked numbers and patterns and studying Statistics and Economics gives me a weird sense of peace. Elena says I read social cues a bit differently whatever that means, but it doesn't matter with math because there is always a formula.
By the time I'm done, I check the time and it's almost twelve am. I don't want today repeating itself so I get up and take a shower. Once I'm comfortably dressed in lounge shorts and my favorite sweater, I set my alarm, climb into my bed and try to sleep.
I close my eyes and try to sleep but I can't, my mind wonders back to this morning in Professor Blackwell's office, it smelled nice, masculine and spicy. His cold gaze on me as he forced me to look him in the eyes, he stared at me like he couldn't stand me yet he wouldn't look away, with his permanent scowl etched on his face. I yawn,
I wonder if Professor Blackwell ever smiles, he's really handsome. I yawn again and this time I close my eyes, the last thing on my mind being Professor Blackwell staring intently at me.
Today is going to be a long day, I have three classes and a session with the students I tutor. I'm on my way out of the apartment when Elena calls after me,
"Remember to eat breakfast Ari!"
Breakfast, got it.
It's eight thirty when I finally reach campus, the class starts at nine so I have thirty minutes to kill. I decide to go to the café to get some coffee which totally counts as breakfast.
I make my way to my go-to café on campus, The Real Bean and I'm grateful it's not too packed. Once it's my turn, I place my order for my favorite latte and I notice the barista looking at something behind me in with awe and interest. I start to turn around and freeze, I know that smell.
I slowly look up and I'm once again, face to chest with Professor Blackwell. He's staring down at me with a bored look on his face and I really hope that by some miracle he doesn't remember anything from yesterday.
"Do you mind?" Huh?
I blink at him, confused and he scowls at me.
"If you're done placing your order miss Lee, please move out of the way."
"Oh, I'm sorry", I say and quickly move out of the way, feeling stupid. I sigh and stare at my shoes waiting for my order, it's going to be a long day.