The evening sun dipped low, spreading a soft amber glow through the large windows of the classroom. The usually busy hallways were now quiet, save for the faint echo of footsteps and the low hum of the air conditioner. Adrian Blackwood leaned against his desk, arms crossed, his sharp gaze fixed on Elena Harper, who sat stiffly at a desk near the front.
The extra class had been his idea-or rather, his excuse. Officially, it was for a small group of students struggling with math and English, but, unsurprisingly, only Elena had shown up. Adrian hadn’t mentioned it was optional, and knowing her interest or her desperation to stay ahead he’d expected her to attend.
“Ms. Harper,” he began, his voice cool and commanding, “you’ve been sitting there for ten minutes, and yet you’ve written nothing. Shall I assume you’re waiting for divine intervention to solve the problem for you?”
Elena’s fingers gripped the pencil tightly, her knuckles whitening. Her mind wasn’t on the equations in front of her. It was back home, where debtors had begun showing up at her father’s door daily, their demands growing louder and more aggressive. Losing her part-time job this week only added fuel to the fire. She felt like she was drowning, and now Adrian’s cold, relentless voice only pushed her further under.
“I-I’m trying,” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Adrian’s brows knitted together in irritation. “Trying, Ms. Harper, is not solving. Look at the problem again. It’s basic algebra. Surely, that isn’t beyond your capabilities?”
Her cheeks burned, both from his words and the way his dark eyes pinned her in place. “I can’t focus,” she admitted, her voice trembling.
He straightened, walking around his desk and stopping beside her. “Excuses won’t get you anywhere,” he said, his tone clipped. “Focus. Start again.”
Elena clenched her teeth, her frustration bubbling beneath the surface. But she bent over the paper again, her pencil hovering hesitantly above the numbers. Her hand trembled as she wrote down a few steps, but the solution didn’t come together.
Adrian let out a sharp sigh. “Enough,” he said, pulling the paper from her desk. “You’re distracted, sloppy, and wasting time. If you’re serious about improving, you’ll need to do better than this.”
Elena’s eyes stung with tears, but she refused to let them fall. “I’m sorry,” she muttered, her voice cracking.
He raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. “Apologies won’t solve equations, Ms. Harper.”
Adrian’s sharp gaze swept over her, his mind registering something else entirely. Her tie-part of the formal dress code for evening classes-was knotted incorrectly, sitting askew and loosely around her neck.
He frowned. The sight irritated him more than it should. “Your tie,” he said abruptly.
Elena blinked, confused. “What?”
“It’s crooked. And poorly tied,” he snapped, the irritation in his voice clear. “Are you a child, Ms. Harper? Must I teach you how to dress properly now, too?”
Elena flushed, her hand flying to the tie. “It’s just a tie,” she mumbled, her face growing redder by the second.
“Just a tie?” Adrian repeated, his tone almost mocking. “If you can’t even tie a proper knot, how do you expect to manage anything else?”
Tears welled in her eyes again, a mix of humiliation and anger swirling in her chest. “I didn’t come here to be insulted,” she said, her voice rising slightly. “I’m trying my best…”
“And your best,” he interrupted sharply, “isn’t enough. Sit still.”
Before she could protest, Adrian stepped closer, towering over her. She froze as he reached for the tie, his fingers brushing against her collar as he untied the crooked knot with swift precision.
“Watch carefully,” he said, his voice lower now, but still firm. “It’s not that difficult.”
Elena’s breath hitched as he leaned in, their faces mere inches apart. She could see the faint stubble on his jaw, the way his dark lashes framed his intense eyes. Her heart raced as his fingers worked expertly, the new knot forming quickly under his hands.
“There,” he said, tugging the tie into place. “Straight. Proper.”
Her cheeks burned hotter than ever. She looked down, unable to meet his gaze, but his proximity was impossible to ignore. His scent-clean and sharp, like cedar and mint-filled her senses, making her feel even more flustered.
“You’re blushing,” Adrian observed, his voice carrying a hint of amusement now. “Are you embarrassed, Ms. Harper? Or are you angry because I pointed out your mistake?”
Elena’s head shot up, her eyes blazing. “Both,” she snapped before she could stop herself.
His lips quirked into the faintest of smirks. “Good. Anger can be useful. Let’s see if it helps you solve this.”
He stepped back, returning to his desk and gesturing for her to try the math problem again. Elena stared at the paper, her emotions swirling. She was still humiliated, still furious, but there was something else a strange, inexplicable pull toward him, despite his coldness.
She bent over the paper again, determined this time to get it right. Her pencil moved with more confidence now, her mind sharper as her anger fueled her focus.
“Good,” Adrian said after a few minutes, his voice breaking the silence. “You’re finally paying attention.”
Elena looked up, startled. For the first time, there was a hint of approval in his tone.
“Now,” he said, sitting across from her and sliding another sheet of paper toward her, “we move on to English. If you thought math was hard, prepare yourself.”
Elena,” he called, his voice firm. “Come here.”
She startled slightly, her fingers tightening further around the pencil. “I’m fine here,” she said, attempting to keep her voice steady.
Adrian’s lips twitched, almost as if he was holding back a smirk. “I didn’t ask where you were fine, Ms. Harper. I told you to come here.”
Reluctantly, she got up, her movements slow and hesitant. She approached the second bench this time, her palms sweaty and her heart thudding in her chest.
“I’m here,” she said, her voice quieter now.
Adrian let out a short sigh, shaking his head. “You’re stalling. I didn’t ask you to move halfway, Ms. Harper. Come here,” he said again, pointing to the chair beside his desk.
Elena’s face flushed crimson. The idea of sitting so close to him sent her nerves into overdrive. She bit her lip, contemplating defiance, but his unwavering stare made her legs move on their own.
Finally, she reached his desk, and Adrian gestured toward the chair beside him. “Sit,” he commanded, his voice low and firm.
Elena hesitated, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her blazer. “I’m fine standing.”
“Did I ask if you were fine standing?” he replied, arching an eyebrow. “Sit down, Ms. Harper.”
Letting out a small huff, she lowered herself into the chair, feeling incredibly small under his sharp gaze. His desk was cluttered with papers, a laptop, and a pristine notebook with perfectly straight edges-a clear testament to his obsessive nature.
Adrian handed her a sheet of paper covered with equations. “Solve these.”
Elena stared at the page, her mind blank. The numbers swirled together like a jumbled mess, and no matter how hard she tried to focus, the weight of her father’s debt, the threats at home, and her recent job loss clouded her thoughts. She fumbled with the pencil, scribbling a few numbers before stopping abruptly.
Adrian’s voice cut through the silence like a knife. “That’s wrong.”
Elena flinched, her hand freezing mid-movement. “I was trying-”
“You’re not trying hard enough,” he interrupted, leaning closer to her. His tone was sharp, but his eyes carried a flicker of something deeper-frustration, perhaps. “This isn’t complicated math, Elena. It’s basic problem-solving. You’re overthinking.”
Her frustration boiled over, and she slammed the pencil down. “I can’t do this!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion. “I have too much going on, and I can’t think straight!”
Adrian’s brow furrowed, and for a moment, his expression softened. “What’s going on?” he asked, his voice quieter now, but still firm.
“It’s none of your business,” she snapped, though tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
Adrian leaned back slightly, his gaze studying her. “Fair enough,” he said after a beat. “But if you want to pass, you’ll need to stop letting your emotions control you.”
His words stung, and Elena bit her lip to keep herself from crying. She looked away, staring at the equations as if they might miraculously solve themselves.
Flustered, she looked back down at the paper, determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her react. “Just tell me what I did wrong,” she muttered, pointing at the equations.
Adrian pulled his chair closer, sitting beside her now. He leaned over the paper, his arm brushing against hers. “You’re overcomplicating it,” he said, his tone softer. “Look here.”
He picked up the pencil and circled part of the equation. “You’ve added an extra step. Simplify it instead. Like this.”
Elena watched as he explained, his voice low and steady. Despite her earlier frustration, his calm precision began to ease the tension in her chest. She nodded slowly, picking up the pencil and attempting the next problem.
When she got it right, Adrian gave a curt nod of approval. “Better,” he said.
A small smile tugged at her lips, despite everything. “Thanks,” she said softly.
Adrian leaned back, his gaze lingering on her. “You’re capable, Elena,” he said, his voice quieter now. “Stop doubting yourself. And stop letting distractions control you.”
She looked up at him, startled by the sudden sincerity in his tone. “I’ll try,” she whispered.
She groaned softly, earning a raised eyebrow from him. But as the lesson continued, she found herself slowly falling into the rhythm of his teaching, even if his strictness never wavered.
By the time the session ended, her head was spinning, but she had to admit she’d learned more in those two hours than she had in weeks.
Adrian stood, gathering his papers. “You’ll come again tomorrow evening,” he said, not bothering to ask if she agreed.
Elena frowned but nodded. “Fine.”
As she left the classroom, her mind still reeling from the intensity of the session, she couldn’t shake the memory of his hands adjusting her tie, the weight of his gaze, and the way he’d pushed her-both infuriating and challenging her in a way no one else ever had.