The next day came, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was about to change. The rumors about the new history professor had spread like wildfire, and everyone seemed to have an opinion about him. Some whispered that he was extremely strict, while others couldn’t stop talking about how “hot” he was. As I made my way to class, I couldn’t help but overhear bits of conversation, even though I wasn’t interested in joining in. I didn’t need another distraction, not with everything else going on.
Still, there was a part of me that was curious. I’d heard his name, but I couldn’t remember ever seeing him around. Was he really as imposing as everyone said? Or was it just the usual gossip that came with new arrivals? My stomach twisted with anxiety. I was already overwhelmed with everything from Gabriel to Mia’s cruel words. The last thing I needed was another source of stress.
As I entered the classroom, my gaze quickly swept over the sea of faces, all eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new professor. The air was thick with anticipation. Some students were whispering to each other, and I caught snippets of conversation here and there. “He’s supposed to be impossible to please,” one girl said to her friend, her eyes wide with excitement. “But did you see his photo? He’s definitely worth the challenge,” another voice chimed in, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. It was just like them to get worked up over someone they’d never even met.
I took my seat quietly, trying to stay out of the chatter. My mind kept wandering back to Gabriel his strange, unexpected vulnerability at the beach the other day. What did it mean? Was it just the alcohol talking, or had I really seen a different side of him? The whole thing made my head spin, but I pushed the thoughts aside as I focused on my notes.
The class was about to start when the door opened. A hush fell over the room. My heart skipped a beat as a man entered, and all eyes turned to him. He was tall, his presence commanding, but there was something else about him that instantly drew my attention. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his sharp features gave him an air of mystery. He wasn’t just good looking he was striking, almost intimidating. The energy in the room shifted the moment he walked in, as though everyone was waiting for his next move.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice smooth and deep. He stood at the front of the class, his gaze sweeping over us like a practiced routine. “I’m Professor Stone Your New English teacher. We’ll be diving into the subject with a focus on both theory and real world application. I expect dedication and punctuality. If you’re not up to it, don’t waste your time or mine.” His eyes locked onto a few students who were caught off guard by his stern tone.
I felt my throat tighten. There was something about him, something in the way he spoke that immediately set him apart from the other professors. It wasn’t just his looks; it was his intensity. I noticed a few students exchange nervous glances, and I could feel my own heart racing a little faster. Was this the man everyone had been talking about?
I forced myself to focus, but I couldn’t stop watching him. He was every bit as intimidating as they said. His posture was perfect, his expression unreadable. But there was also something… captivating about him. I wasn’t sure if it was the way his voice commanded attention or the way he moved, but there was no denying the power he had over the room.
As he started talking about the syllabus, I felt a strange sense of unease settle in. It wasn’t just his strictness it was something else, something that I couldn’t quite place. I shifted in my seat, trying to shake off the feeling that I was somehow trapped in his gaze. Every time he looked in my direction, I couldn’t help but feel exposed, like he was seeing straight through me.
The class went on, and I tried my best to pay attention, but my mind kept drifting back to Gabriel. I couldn’t help it. The encounter at the beach had been too strange, too personal. I’d never seen him like that before so raw, so unguarded. It felt like a crack in the armor he always wore, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what it meant. Had I misjudged him all along? Was he more complicated than I had thought?
Professor Stone’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. “If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. But understand this: I don’t make exceptions,” he said, his eyes sweeping over the class one more time. “If you think you can slack off or slide by without doing the work, you’re mistaken.”
The room was silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air. There was no warmth in his voice, no kindness. He was all business, and somehow, that made him even more magnetic. I could feel the tension in the room as everyone tried to assess him, to figure out what kind of professor he would be. But I already knew-he was not the kind to be easily understood.
When the class ended, I quickly packed my things, eager to escape the intensity of his presence. As I stood up to leave, I glanced back at him one last time. He was already talking to a group of students, his tone as serious as ever. The conversation was low, too quiet for me to hear, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something about him was… off.
I didn’t know what it was, but I felt an inexplicable pull toward him, a curiosity that I couldn’t ignore. Maybe it was his mysterious nature, or maybe it was the fact that he seemed to be hiding something. But I knew one thing for sure: Professor Stone was not someone I could easily forget.
As I walked out of the classroom, my mind raced. The campus was alive with more whispers about him. “He’s even stricter than Professor Marcus,” one girl said. “But he’s got this vibe, you know? Like, he’s got control over everything.”
I didn’t know if I agreed with that assessment, but one thing was certain there was something about him that I couldn’t shake. The way he looked at everyone with those piercing eyes, as though he was sizing us up, made me feel like I was part of some game. But what was the game, and why did I feel like I had just stepped into it without realizing?
The rest of the day passed in a blur. I tried to keep my mind off Professor Stone, but it was impossible. His presence lingered, like a shadow that followed me wherever I went. I couldn’t escape the questions running through my head. Who was he really? What was he hiding? And most importantly, why did I feel like I needed to know more?
As I sat in my dorm room that night, trying to unwind, my phone buzzed. I picked it up, hoping for a distraction. It was a text from Amber.
“Did you meet the new professor today? No wait it’s not a History Professor , we got another new professor too of English too? He’s so intense, right? I heard he’s got a reputation for being tough on his students. Hope you’re ready for some hard work! Maybe we should grab coffee tomorrow and talk about it?”
I typed back a quick response, but my mind was already elsewhere. The last thing I wanted to do was talk about Professor Stone, but it seemed like everyone else was obsessed with him. And for some reason, I found myself pulled into that obsession, unable to look away.
I sighed and tossed my phone aside, staring at the ceiling. The day had been exhausting, and I felt mentally drained. But there was no escaping it. Gabriel, Mia, Professor Stone… they were all part of the chaos that seemed to surround me. I didn’t know how I was going to make it through this semester, but I knew one thing for sure: things were about to get a lot more complicated.