Adrian Blackwood sat at his desk, staring at the empty classroom. The sound of the door closing behind the last student echoed through the room. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. His thoughts were a mess, and no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about her Elena Harper.
She was the most frustrating student he’d ever had. Not because she was incapable far from it. She was one of the brightest minds in his class. But her lack of focus and constant distractions drove him mad.
Adrian’s fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk as he thought about the previous day. Her tie had been crooked, and it had irritated him so much that he’d ended up fixing it himself. He could still see her flushed cheeks and hear her shaky voice as she tried to argue.
He shook his head. Why does this girl always throw me off balance?
It wasn’t just her messy tie or her incomplete answers in class. There was something else about her something that didn’t add up. She was clearly under pressure. The way her hands trembled, her tired eyes, and the way she zoned out in the middle of lectures all told him there was more going on than she let anyone see.
He sighed, standing up and walking to the window. The campus outside buzzed with life, but his mind was stuck on the girl who always seemed lost in her thoughts.
She’s slipping, and I can’t let that happen.
The next day, Adrian walked into class, his usual sharp and strict demeanor in place. His eyes immediately sought out Elena. She sat at the back, her head bowed, staring blankly at her notebook.
Her tie was perfect this time-clearly, she’d taken his words to heart-but her slouched posture and the absent look on her face told him she wasn’t fully there.
As he began the lecture, his focus kept drifting back to her. She wasn’t writing anything down, her pen just resting in her hand as if she didn’t know what to do with it.
His patience snapped.
“Ms. Harper,” he said, his voice cutting through the quiet classroom. “If daydreaming were a skill, you’d top the class. Too bad it’s not.”
The room filled with quiet snickers, and Elena’s head shot up. Her face turned pale, and she stammered, “I… I’m sorry.”
“Sorry won’t help you pass this class,” Adrian replied coldly. “Start paying attention, or you’ll regret it.”
Elena’s cheeks burned as she quickly nodded, her hands trembling slightly. The rest of the class continued, but Adrian couldn’t focus entirely on the lecture. He kept glancing at her, watching as she tried to write but barely managed a word.
After the lecture, Adrian stayed behind, pretending to go through some papers as the students filed out. He waited, his eyes narrowing as Elena quickly packed her things and bolted for the door.
She’s running.
Adrian leaned back in his chair, watching her leave. He didn’t like how she always avoided him, and he didn’t like the defeated look in her eyes.
He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. He was hard on his students he always had been but he wasn’t blind to their struggles. Elena was clearly drowning in something bigger than schoolwork, but she refused to ask for help.
If she’s not going to come to me, I’ll have to bring the help to her.
Adrian grabbed his planner and started marking out time for an extra class. He would arrange a session for the struggling students, but in reality, it would be focused entirely on her like yesterday.
Later that evening, the extra class began. Adrian stood at the front, explaining a complex math problem on the board. His sharp eyes scanned the room until they landed on Elena. She sat in the fourth row, chewing on her pen and staring blankly at the numbers on her page.
“Ms. Harper,” he said sternly. “Come to the front. I need you to solve this problem.”
Elena’s head shot up, her eyes wide. “Here? I mean… in front of everyone?”
“Yes,” Adrian replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.
She hesitated, then slowly stood and walked to the second row, sitting down as if that was enough.
Adrian’s eyebrows twitched. “When I say the front, I mean the front. Come here.”
Reluctantly, she got up again and moved closer, this time sitting at the second bench.
“Ms. Harper,” Adrian said, his voice colder now, “I won’t repeat myself again. Come here.” He pointed to the chair beside his desk.
Elena bit her lip, her face flushing red as the other students smirked and whispered to each other. With shaky hands, she picked up her notebook and bag and moved to the seat next to Adrian’s desk.
“Finally,” he muttered under his breath, pulling her chair closer to the desk. “Sit properly.”
Elena sat stiffly, her shoulders tense as he placed a sheet of paper in front of her.
“Here’s a problem,” Adrian said, his voice low and commanding. “Solve it.”
She stared at the paper, her mind blank. The numbers blurred together as the weight of everything crashed down on her, her father’s debts, the daily visits from debt collectors, and now losing her job.
“I… I don’t know,” she whispered.
Adrian frowned. “Try again. You’re not leaving until you get it right.”
Her eyes stung with tears, but she refused to let them fall. She picked up her pen and tried to focus, but her hand trembled too much to write.
Adrian’s sharp gaze softened for a moment, though his tone stayed firm. “You’re distracted. What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” she said quickly, wiping at her eyes. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine,” Adrian replied. He leaned closer, his intense eyes locking with hers. “If you want to improve, you need to focus. Whatever’s bothering you, leave it outside this room.”
Elena looked away, her face burning. She hated how weak she felt under his gaze.
Adrian’s eyes narrowed, noticing the small details… her trembling hands, her tired eyes, and the redness around them.
Before he could say anything, his OCD caught something else. Her tie was slightly askew.
“For God’s sake,” he muttered, leaning forward. “Your tie’s crooked again. Are you a child who can’t even tie a proper knot?”
Elena’s mouth fell open, her face turning bright red. “I…. what? I can tie it just fine!”
“Clearly, you can’t,” Adrian said, grabbing the tie gently but firmly. “Sit still.”
Her protests died in her throat as his hands worked quickly, fixing the knot with precise movements. She felt her heart race as his fingers brushed against her collar, and she tried not to look at his face so close to hers.
“There,” he said, pulling back slightly but still holding her gaze. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
Elena’s face burned as she looked away, mumbling, “Thanks.”
Adrian studied her for a moment longer before clearing his throat. “Now, solve the problem.”
This time, she managed to write something down, though her hands still trembled. Adrian sat beside her, watching every move she made.
For the first time, his strictness wasn’t about frustration. It was about something else-something he wasn’t ready to admit.