The ringing of the bell echoed through the classroom, signaling the end of the lesson.
Jeanne quickly started packing up her things, but slowed when she noticed that Odeus was taking his time.
"Odeus," their professor called out just as he stood up.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"I believe your classes end at four today, you…" She coughed lightly. "You should come see me in my office. I'll give you pointers on what you've missed, having joined us two months in." Olivia turned toward the blackboard, above which hung a slab that gleamed faintly. "We'll also take the opportunity to measure your Ether levels and place you on the class ranking."
"Sure," Odeus nodded. 'I can't let her get an accurate reading. I'll need to think of something.'
"Should we get going?" Jeanne asked, already standing at his side. Her hand casually tapped his arm.
He nodded again before sending Olivia a charming smile. "See you at four."
The two walked out of the classroom, elbows brushing.
"To be young, huh…" Olivia sighed once they had left.
The rest of the day went smoothly.
Jeanne kindly introduced Odeus to her friends and gave him a quick tour of the Magic Academy. He had already received three tours in the past two days, but she was so excited about showing him around that he didn't have the heart to tell her.
Before Olivia Del Rey knew it, 4:00 pm was approaching.
'Only a couple of minutes before the end of class.' She thought to herself, already at the desk in her designated office. 'He should be here by 4:15…'
Gulp-
'It'll be the first time we're alone in a room.'
Olivia shook her head to chase away the thought, but it was a real battle.
Minutes passed.
Four thirty.
"I-Is he not coming or something?" she muttered to herself, crossing the room to peek through the half-closed blinds. "Making me wait like this… What kind of student makes his professor wait?!"
Despite her agitation, Olivia proved remarkably patient, perhaps because of the whirlwind of emotions and desires she was struggling so hard to repress.
Each additional minute felt necessary, like another chance to steady herself.
She spent the time rehearsing the coming encounter. She thought about what to say, where to stand or sit, and, more importantly, what not to say, what not to do, no matter how much she wanted to.
Her career was on the line after all.
Many had lost their positions or the respect of their peers by dipping a hand into the taboo cookie jar. Olivia wouldn't become one of them. She never thought it was even a possibility, until (Asm)Odeus' arrival.
5:00 pm.
Olivia Del Rey sat upright at her desk, hands folded on a stack of graded papers she had already reviewed twice.
"He's unacceptably late," she told herself with clenched teeth. "This isn't some casual meeting, it's an academic obligation!"
How she wished it were a casual meeting though.
5:30 pm.
Olivia rose from her chair and moved toward the window, peering through the blinds.
Students passed by in small groups, laughing and chatting. Nothing but unimportant and inconsequential students.
'Maybe he forgot, yes, that must be it…' she told herself and started packing up. 'I'll give him an earful tomorrow!'
Despite having packed and being ready to leave, Olivia continued waiting minute by minute.
The only things that remained on the desk were the manual that held the portion of the curriculum that Odeus had missed, copies of the lessons, as well as the Tri-Grade Ether Level Reader.
At this point, she was ready to leave at any time, but found herself getting lost in wonder.
Since he wasn't coming anyway, Olivia stopped fighting her thoughts and desires, letting them paint the image of what she truly wanted to happen…
Olivia imagined him knocking on the door shyly and politely, before dropping all pretense and opening the door without being given permission.
She imagined him having the same passion she had, the same fire burning inside.
Perhaps he wouldn't even come in from the door, but would enter through the window instead.
He was as mysterious as could be, showing up after the term had already started with strength seemingly above that of most students of the Altreim Magic Academy, despite each one of them having been hand-picked for their prowess and potential among Nobles.
He wasn't a Noble, yet he seemingly held more Ether than most.
His long purple hair gave him a rough yet comely aura, perfect for the kind of bad boys Olivia used to dream about as a teenager. Unfortunately, she had never met one that suited her tastes, until now.
He was the perfect black sheep, beautifully sticking out of the crowd.
So, yes. Olivia thought it fitting that he would knock on the window instead of the door.
She would rush to the window, fearing that he would fall, open it, and he would leap in, stepping close enough for her to feel his breath on her neck.
Olivia saw herself stepping back and acting as unbothered as she could before asking if everything was alright, like the diligent professor that she was.
He would answer that he wasn't sure whether to come or not, that he thought it would be better for them not to be alone in a room, but that, in the end, he had found himself unable to stay away from her.
She would act confused, as if what he was saying didn't make any sense to her, despite her feeling the exact same way.
Olivia pictured him laying a hand on her cheek, and another on her side, pulling her closer, taking matters into his own hands to make sure she understood what he was saying.
Finally, she would stare into his deep, purple eyes, whisper that they shouldn't.
He would answer that it wasn't a question of should or shouldn't, but rather of what can be done and what cannot.
He would pull her closer, and Olivia would understand that neither of them can do what they should, that neither of them can stay away from the other-
Just as her hand made its way to her inner thighs, throat dry as ever,
Knock- Knock-
Her eyes leapt at the door. She gulped, stood up, straightened her pencil skirt, and walked to the door.
Olivia took a deep breath, gulped again, and opened the door.
"...?"
There was no one there.
Knock- Knock-
A shiver went down her spine, and she turned towards the window.