Chapter 32: Boring

Vinorca Jona POV

Everyone stood up in class, me and Amanda included. “Good morning, sir.”

“Settle down, please.”

Chairs scraped and murmurs faded as everyone sat. The teacher’s broad back filled the front of the room, shoulders squared, his hand moving across the board in clean, confident strokes.

“I’m your new teacher, Masen Kato.”

The sound of his name hit me like a jolt. Masen? My pulse stuttered. Is he the same man who helped me yesterday?

When he turned around, my breath caught.

I’d been drunk, but I still remembered that face. How could I forget someone that generous, that… handsome?

“What happened, Vin?” Amanda’s voice cut through, dragging me back.

“Nothing.” The word slipped out too fast, too low. It didn’t even scratch the surface of what I felt. Nothing bad had happened, but sitting here with a man who’d literally seen me at my worst? Not exactly where I wanted to be.

“Let’s have an introduction session,” he said. “So everyone can introduce themselves.”

My heartbeat thudded loud enough to drown everything else.

Did he notice me? Probably not. He hadn’t looked in my direction, and my seat wasn’t exactly in plain sight—or maybe I just didn’t want it to be. But once introductions started, he’d have to look. That was going to be humiliating.

“Vin, you’re going pale.” Amanda’s hand pressed my shoulder.

“You remember the man I told you about this morning?” I whispered. “This is him.”

Amanda’s eyes went wide. “Masen? You mean the Masen who helped you?”

I nodded.

“Fuck, this man is so handsome,” Amanda emphasized, grinning hard.

He was. Unquestionably. But that wasn’t the point—and definitely not what I meant.

“How come he’s so young and already a teacher?” she asked.

“How would I know? I’m just as shocked. It’s… embarrassing.”

Amanda chuckled. “Why embarrassed? He helped you—that’s a good thing. And you’re an adult. It’s university, not school. We can join clubs, drink, have fun—it’s not a big deal.”

She was right, but still. “I know, but that doesn’t mean I’m not embarrassed about the way I met him.”

“Miss?”

Both of us straightened instantly. My eyes darted to Masen—he was looking directly at me.

Had he noticed me before, or just now? Either way, we’d completely missed that most of the students had already introduced themselves. Now it was our turn. Perfect timing.

Why did everything have to line up just to humiliate me in front of him?

“I’m Amanda. Nice to meet you, sir.” She shot up, introduced herself, and sat back down as quickly as she’d stood.

She nudged me. “Do it, girl.”

I stood up, trying to keep my composure. “Vinorca Jona.” That was all I managed before I sank back into my seat.

Masen didn’t look bothered—or half as tense—as I was. He only nodded once, calm, professional, like yesterday hadn’t even happened.

But I knew what I saw. That flicker in his eyes when our gazes met—recognition. Maybe even surprise. And yet he masked it so well it made me question if I’d imagined it.

Great. Now I look like a fool and he’s perfectly fine pretending we’re strangers.

Masen’s voice carried through the room, calm and steady as he began outlining the course. I tried to focus, really tried, but my thoughts kept circling back to him.

Amanda leaned closer. “You’re staring,” she pointed.

I jerked my gaze back to my notebook, pretending to write something—anything. My hand trembled slightly. Get a grip, Vinorca.

“Is something wrong, Miss Jona?”

His voice landed like a spark. Heads turned. My pen froze mid-scribble.

“No, sir,” I managed, forcing a thin smile.

Masen’s gaze lingered a second too long before he turned back to the board.

Amanda nudged me again, barely hiding her grin. “He totally remembers you,” she mouthed.

I sank lower in my chair. If he does, I wish he’d forget.

“He is so hot. I feel like my brother has competition—Lewis is really going to be mad when he hears this.”

I smiled, shaking my head. “He’s our teacher, and Lewis is just a friend.” Though Lewis does make me feel a lot of things, I’m sure it isn’t love. He isn’t even my mate, and I don’t want to think about him like that anyway.

Or maybe I’m just scared of Dante. That’s why I can’t see any man in any other way.

They could be perfect gentlemen, and I’d still only ever admire them from a distance. That’s as far as it goes.

“Teacher or not, he’s still hot. And my brother likes you—you know that,” Amanda murmured. “But it’s your choice, Vin. You decide what you want with Lewis.”

Sometimes I wonder if any of this could ruin our friendship.

Of course I like him, but loving him, or imagining him as my partner—that’s different. And then there’s the fear of losing Amanda too, if things ever got complicated.

Lewis had already been punished because of Dante being an arsehole. I really didn’t want to lose Amanda too.

The truth was bitter, and I didn’t want her to taste it—not when she was the only friend, the only family-like person I’d ever had.

“Girl, you know, right? Nothing changes between us, even if you reject my brother.” Amanda’s voice softened, like she could see straight through me.

“Thanks,” I mumbled. I appreciated that Amanda understood me more than anyone ever had.

“Can you both share what you’re whispering about in my class?”

Amanda stifled a laugh while I froze, heat creeping up my neck.

Shit!!

He stood at the front, eyes narrowing ever so slightly—not angry, just aware. That made it worse somehow.

“We’re sorry, sir,” Amanda apologized quickly.

“What are you sorry for, Miss Amanda?” His tone sharpened, calm but edged. “I’d love to know what’s so important that you’re discussing it in the middle of my class. Or is my lecture that boring for you?”

Okay, I had to admit—he might’ve been soft yesterday, but as a teacher, he was harder… and honestly, a little scary.

“I am sorry…”