007

007

Gaia
Rubbing my clammy palms together, I sighed and shoved them back into my pockets. I'd been standing outside this huge mahogany door for almost an hour now with no motivation whatsoever to step inside and face whoever was on the other side.

I hadn't been myself since I bumped into that jerk this morning. It'd only been a few hours and here I was hyperventilating like a broken record player. How the hell was I supposed to protect him all semester?

Just grab the doorknob and go in. I told myself. It's not a big deal.

"Are you going to keep on standing out there,” The hellspawn's voice boomed behind the door. “Or actually come in?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I pushed open the doors, my eyes adjusting to my immediate environment. The office was partially huge with rows of books lining up on all four bookshelves in the room. The lightning was a tad dark, but with just enough shade to actually read in. At the center of the room stood a semi huge desk, and my breath hitched as I took in the being behind it.

His signature glasses were propped daintily on his nose. He'd lost his black vest and a few buttons on his plaid shirt were now undone. His blue eyes on the other hand never left mine as I walked towards him and sat opposite him.

"I didn't ask you to sit." His eyebrows raised. “And why have you been standing outside my door for the past half an hour?"

"I didn't think I needed your permission." I crossed my arms over my chest. “And I wasn't…

"There's a camera out there and I can see everything that happens in that hallway.” He cut me off, and believe me when I said I'd never been more embarrassed. “So what can I do for you? I didn't see you in class…”

“Why do you care?"

"Oh, you know." He shrugged, and I didn't miss the sly smile he wore. “Just checking up on my favorite stalker."

"For the last time,” I shook my head. “I'm not stalking you!"

"But here you are." I watched him recline in his swivel chair, propping his arms behind his head as his taut muscles rippled under his shirt. “Two nights after..."

"Has anyone told you you're an egotistic prick?” Red clouded my vision, but it almost didn't matter, because he didn't give two fucks about it. “You reek of the stuff.”

"If that's the case then why are you here?" He didn't look impressed. “Tell me."

"I'm here because I want to talk." I rubbed my hand over my temple. “Don't you feel weird after that night?"

"Not really." He shrugged nonchalantly. “I already told you, I don't do repeats. So I think you need to get your mind straight that it's never going to happen again."

Wait, what?

"What?" I had no idea the question had slid past my lips till it did. “What did you just say?"

"You heard me." I watched him shuffle some papers on his desk. “I don't mix work with pleasure."

"Oh really?” My lips curled. “You didn't think about that when you were moaning deep inside me about how good I felt!"

He paled immediately the words escaped my lips and I'd never been so much happier.

"Watch your tongue" His voice was dangerously low. “Sit down."

"Hell no." I roared, an octave higher. “You didn't think about work and pleasure when we were dry humping did you?"

"That's enough!" He jerked out of his seat and grabbed my arm roughly." Get out."

"Why?"

"I said get out!" He pulled his glasses from his face, and I was temporarily stunned at how different he looked.

"Gladly." I brushed off his hand with a sneer. “I don't care if you're my professor or anything but you're an ass!"

I didn't wait for a response, before I walked out of his office and slammed the door shut, making sure to rattle its hinges.

"Well, that didn't go as planned," I muttered to myself with each step I took farther away from his office.

My mind was a whirlwind of emotion, and no matter how hard I tried to keep them under control, they just didn't budge. I wanted to yell, scream and cuss him out all at once, but I found myself trailing back to how deep his eyes had been when he flared up.

I'd never seen eyes so blue and….

"Penny for your thoughts?" Someone spoke up, pulling me out of my thoughts. I jerked my gaze up, just to come face to face with a girl who couldn't be more than two years younger than me.

“Can I help you?” My tone came out harsher than expected, but you couldn't blame me. “Whatever it is you want to ask, the answer's no.”

“I didn't mean to, but you looked kinda distraught and…” she trailed off, recognition shining in her eyes. “It's you.”

“Do I know you?” I was getting impatient, and her sparkly hair wasn't helping matters at all.

"This is you right?" She flipped open her phone and brought it closer to my face. I tapped the play icon and the video of me totally dunking smoothie on that girl from earlier came to life. “This is soooo cool."

"Did you do this?" I laughed, really laughed, before handing her phone back to her." And yes, that's me."

"That is so cool." She squealed and I winced at how loud her voice was. “You're like a celebrity. I'm friends with a celebrity!"

"Whoa, easy.” I took a step back. “First off, I have no idea who you are, and why does it matter that I dumped a smoothie over some random girl's power suit?"

“I'm Olivia.” She stretched her hand, one I took after a minute's worth of hesitation. "That's because you practically embarrassed Veronica Bailey!"

“She runs the school and no one has ever stood up to her like that, except you.” She was obviously enjoying this more than I was.

"Really? That doesnt exactly make any sense.” I shook my head. “What are we, high school students?”

“Well, this is just one of the pros or cons, of a uni funded by the elites.” Olivia shrugged.

I allowed a minute of silence pass before I added. “Exactly how many people have seen this video?"

“A lot.” She couldn't even bother hiding her grin. “A whole lot.”

"What's your name?" She asked out of the blue." You didn't tell me yours."

"Mila." I let out wearily, hoping that was the same name Chief has written out in the file I'd refused to go through. “Mila Sanchez.”

"Are you doing anything tonight?" She pocketed her phone. “Any plans?"

"Not really." I mentally checked my to-do list. “Nothing that I know of. Why?"

"Why don't you come to a party tonight?” She grinned. “With me..."

"I'm not sure." I drawled. “It's my first day here and.."

"The perfect opportunity to meet new people." She finished for me. “Come on, I'll come to pick you up."

"You don't even know where I live."

"I can always find out." She shrugged. “I stay not far away from campus. The fourth house on the next street."

"Wait." I stood straighter. “That's where I live too, which means...."

"You're my roommate!" She clapped excitedly. Literally. “I was so bummed I didn't get to meet you earlier and here you are. This is perfect, now I can literally drag you to the party."

"Lucky you," I said with little enthusiasm.

"Don't be like that." She pouted, putting on puppy dog eyes. “Please say yes."

Chief's parting words to me rang loudly in my head.

Remember Kid, you're treading on dangerous waters. Be careful.

But he did tell me to live life a little and what other way to do that than a party?

But you have to give him a report tonight. My goody-two-shoes voice jumped in. Don't you remember?

It's just one night. Another voice chimed in. And it's not like the stalker would try anything stupid in just one night, right?

"Earth to Mila." Olivia snapped her fingers in front of me, bringing me back to the present. “What do you say? Are you in or are you in?"

"Well.." I drawled, ignoring the nagging feeling kicking in my guts. “Fine, I'll come with you."

"Yaay." She shrieked in pure Bliss. “This is going to be fun."

"Yeah." I nodded enthusiastically, my guts turning painfully at the choice I'd made. Hopefully, I'd done the right thing and I wouldn't regret my actions.