017

017

Gaia
I clogged my eardrums with the earbuds I'd snatched from Olivia drawer the night before, and I let out a sigh of relief when all the noise faded into a quiet static. When she'd preached the goodness of the buds to me, I was skeptical, but now, if I had known it was this efficient in drowning out the cacophony of noises booming around me, then best believe I would have snagged it earlier. I was in the school's auditorium for a general class, one which I'd never attended in the entire three weeks I'd been here.

But here I was, in the middle row of the large auditorium, stealing glances at other students who were either showing off their latest designers, talking about the hottest guys and girls, and other things that irked the hell out of me.

"Hey, is this seat...." The words died in her throat, her makeup-caked face morphing into something from a freak show. “What the hell are you doing here?"

"Why hello to you too." I beamed, flashing her a sickeningly sweet smile, my chin resting on my hands. “Have you come back for more, eh?"

"You haven't answered my question." She snarled, her expression getting fouler by the minute. “What are you doing here?"

"This is college." I drawled. “And this is a class, what else would I be doing here?"

"But that's my seat." She stomped her foot on the ground so hard I feared her stilettos would make a huge dent in the tiles. "So get up."

"Nah uh, Beatrice." I clicked my tongue. “You should know by now that tone doesn't work on me. Unless you wanna take a little swim in the fountain again like last time."

"It's Bailey, Veronica Bailey!" She turned red, her nose flaring up. “And you'll pay for that! You made me trend for all the wrong reasons!!"

"That's life bitch." I smirked. “Now If you don't want to have a hard time getting ink out of your white rags, I'd suggest you leave. Right now."

"You don't have the right to..."

"I'm sorry I'm late class." The familiar buttery smooth voice I'd somehow gotten used to filled the room, its booming sound amplified by the speakers placed around strategically. “We've got less than thirty five minutes so let's make this count. I'd advise you to get seated or kindly exit the class. I'm going to get paid either way."

A few chuckles reverberated around me and I rolled my eyes. This was going to be a long thirty five minutes, I'm sure.

The class seemed to drag on for what seemed like an eternity. It wasn't as boring as I'd expected, but my heart just wasn't into it. Instead, I found myself staring at the way he gesticulated every point he made and how his muscles seemed to ripple under his skin tight navy green shirt. His lips on the other hand would always curl into a smile, now and then, his broad chest rumbling with pure laughter, its sound causing me to shiver involuntarily in my seat while flashing his signature one sided dimple.

I'd have gotten away without him noticing me until I stared too much and his gaze flicked in my direction and landed squarely on me. His eyes widened a bit in shock, before his other facial features relaxed, with him sporting his award winning grin.

"Miss Mila." He called out and winced internally. “Would you mind answering that question for us?"

"What question?" I raised my eyebrows to him in sheer panic, mouthing my thoughts. “I wasn't listening."

"Miss Mila?” A small part of me had thought that he was going to read my lips and at least help me out, but I guess I was wrong. It was pretty obvious he was fighting back a laugh. He was trying to make the class laugh at me. “Your answer."

"It's okay if you don't know it." An obnoxious Veronica jeered from behind me, earning a few catcalls and wolf whistles from some other jerks behind her. "I wouldn't expect someone like you to know the answer in a million years."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I whirled around barely colliding with the others around me. She seemed unfazed by the tough expression she was masking, but deep down I could see through her charade. “Don't piss me off, unless you want a rematch of what happened at the fountain the other day."

"Wait, it's that chick from the video!" Someone squealed in excitement from the back and a smirk made its way to my face. This is gonna be sooooo goooood."

"Silence." Cassian's voice bellowed in the auditorium, his air of authority forcing all traces of excitement to die down. “I believe I asked Mila a question. If you're not going to answer it, I suggest you do us all a favor and use the door."

"Now, you answer." He continued after no one else spoke. His eyes grazed over me, a look of amusement complementing his smug smile. “We're waiting."

"You see," I started confidently, even though I was feeling far from it on the inside. “The answer to your question....." The remaining words died in my throat as the bell chimed loudly, signaling the end of the class.

"...will be provided in the next class." I beamed, flashing my pearly whites. “See you next week, prof."

I hauled my bag over my shoulder and dashed out of the classroom, struggling with the other students who were trying desperately to escape through the same door.

"Mila." I'd barely caught my breath right outside the door when I heard my name. “Wait up."

"Oh hell no." I shook my head vigorously and dashed into the next hallway, the sound of my boots kissing the tiled floor bouncing in my ears. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Wait." The sound of his voice suggested he was close and I pounded on the ground faster. "I just need to talk to you."

I squeezed in between the bodies clustered around in groups in the lobby, knocking some of them out of my way and barely glancing back. I needed to get out of his reach at all costs.

"But I don't want to...owww!" He yanked my hand backward, tugging me so hard that I almost collided with his rock hard chest. “What the hell? Do you have a death wish or something?"

"If that's what it's going to take to get an audience with you." He heaved, his chest rising and falling with each word. “Then so be it. I really need to talk to you."

"You've said that a million times now, and It's a little desperate for a professor chasing down one of his students don't you think?" I huffed, folding my arms across my chest to widen the gap in between us. “And I said it already, I don't want to talk to you."

"Not really." He smirked, finally catching his breath. "Look around, I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. You say you don't want to talk to me, but you're running directly into my territory."

I let my eyes wander around and the all too familiar lobby of the lecturer’s lobby on campus stared back at me. I glanced backward and realized I had my back pressed to be double doors of Maxim's office, with both of us in a really compromising stance.

"You've got to be kidding me." I groaned. “I had no idea..you didn't let me...you just started chasing me... ugh!" I let out incoherently, frustration gripping me at all sides.

"Next time, don't just take off running." He chuckled, his laughter surprisingly sweet to my ears. “Now, will you allow me to take this discussion inside? As much as I'd love to be in this position with you, it wouldn't exactly be great for my image."

"Asshole." I turned and pushed open the double doors, praying silently that at least one of them would smack him in the face but unfortunately it didn't.

"Your assistant isn't in?" I sneered, my voice laced with as much sarcasm and jealousy it could carry. “I thought she'd be plastered to your body by now."

"Jealous, eh?" Cassian smirked, hanging his jacket behind his swivel chair. “I wouldn't be if I were you, you're wearing my shirt after all."

"Ha." I scoffed, plopping down into the seat before his. “I'd rather die than be caught dead in your clothes."

"So why are you rocking my shirt from the other night then?" He propped himself up against the desk with him towering over me, his blue orbs taunting me from underneath his glasses. “I must say it looks good on you though."

"It's not your shirt..."

"Really?" His hands found their way to my chair, gripping it tightly with his face pressed against mine mere inches away from each other. His musky scent filled my nostrils, threatening to send my brain into overdrive. He leaned in closer, his lips grazing just beneath my ear and I felt my breath hitch in my throat. “Then why does it have my signature right underneath its collar?"

He was right, it was his shirt. I don't know why I wore it. I'd almost set it ablaze the moment I got home the other night but decided against it and I have no knowledge why.

"Fine." I let out queasily, fighting very hard to calm my thumping heart. “There was an accident with Olivia and this shirt was my only option."

Liesssss. The voice in my head snarled. You low key wanted to show him you could pull off his shirt.

"An accident involving all your clothes? I find that hard to believe." He grinned, satisfied he'd gotten the exact reaction he'd wanted from me. He stared at me for a few seconds, before resuming his former stance on his desk..”But I meant it. My clothes definitely suit you."

"Is that what you wanted to talk about?" I glared at him. “I have other important things to do than be here right now."

"Patience my student." He clasped his hands together, imitating some sort of yoga pose.

"I seriously don't have time, sir. " I yelled, the word “sir” carrying an air of sarcasm, but out of the corner of my eye, I watched him shudder a bit.

Was that because I yelled or something else?

"Fine." He nodded, his face growing serious all of a sudden. “What were you doing at my apartment late at night the other day?"

"Oh." I gulped, my throat going dry almost immediately. This was one of the reasons I'd been avoiding him. I thought he'd have forgotten about it by now but I guess I was wrong. “Why do you want to know? "

"Just answer my questions first and you'll know why." He cocked his head to the side, his eyes taking in my every reaction. “I'm listening."

"I was out for a jog." I blurted out and he cocked his eyebrow. He obviously wasn't buying my bullshit. “I needed to clear my head actually so I went for a jog that night. And I'm actually new to this area, so I stumbled upon your house accidentally. I had no idea you lived there."

"In a balaclava?" He pointed out and I groaned internally. “At night. Mila, do I look stupid to you?"

"Yup." I popped the 'yup'. “You're actually more stupid than I give you credit for."

"Don't change the topic." He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily. “This is really serious and I need you to answer my questions."

"Fine." I rolled my eyes. “I wear balaclavas at night because..."

"Because?" He pressed.

"Because I have a skin condition." I rolled my eyes. “I have really sensitive skin and the moon's light gives me really yucky rashes."

"Do I look stupid to you?" He pouted, looking extremely cute and serious at the same time. “How old do you think I am?"

"I'm serious." I barked. “It's really rare, I shouldn't have told you about it. I knew you wouldn't believe me."

"Fine." He finally let out, after what seemed like hours of staring at me. “I'll believe you."

"Yeah." I nodded remotely, feeling a teeny tiny amount of awkwardness seeping in. “Just don't look it up, you're not going to find it ."

"What the??!" He jumped." How am I...."

"Would you look at the time?" I jerked out of the chair, glancing at my invisible wristwatch. “I have another class right now so I'll see you later. Buh bye."

I dashed out of his office and slammed the door shut, its hinges rattling a little bit. I didn't stop walking till I was exactly out of the block. I paused to catch my breath and if the way my chest was heaving meant anything, it definitely couldn't mean anything good.

"This is getting complicated." I let out wearily.
I'd lied to him, and in broad daylight too. Like that wasn't enough, I'd given him a completely foolish excuse. Who the hell was going to believe that?

My stomach churned, as a million and one thoughts made its way to my head. I tried so much to convince myself, but the more I tried, the harder it became.

If Cassian had easily cracked that it was weird for me to show up at his place, how much longer did I have before he would find out the entire truth?

Shit. What the fuck was I going to do now?