Chapter 8
Morning came with noise.
Kaela had barely stepped out of the bathroom when she froze. Lila and Jade were sitting on the bed, watching her like detectives who had already solved the case.
"Oh no…" Kaela muttered under her breath.
Jade crossed her arms, a slow grin spreading across her face. "Good morning, Kaela."
Lila tilted her head, clearly amused. "So… should we start with the fact that our professor just walked out of our dorm like it's his personal apartment?"
Kaela's heart nearly stopped. "You saw him?"
Jade laughed. "Saw him? Please. We practically greeted him."
"He even waved," Lila added, smirking.
Kaela covered her face in embarrassment. "Oh my God…"
Jade leaned forward immediately. "Explain. Now."
"It's not what you think," Kaela said quickly, though even she didn't sound convinced.
"Then what is it?" Lila shot back.
Kaela opened her mouth, then closed it. There was no safe explanation for this. Nothing that wouldn't sound insane.
Jade gasped dramatically. "You slept with him again, didn't you?"
"I did not.." Kaela stopped, groaning in frustration. "Okay, I don't know! It just… happened!"
Lila blinked, clearly impressed. "Kaela Anderson… losing control? This is new."
"I'm late," Kaela said quickly, grabbing her bag as if that would save her. "We are not doing this right now."
"Oh, we are definitely doing this later," Jade said, grabbing her arm briefly before letting go.
Kaela sighed. She knew she wasn't escaping that conversation.
The walk to class felt longer than usual. Every step came with a memory she couldn't shake his voice, his touch, the way he looked at her like she already belonged to him.
She tightened her grip on her bag.
This ends today.
It had to.
The lecture hall was already filling up when they arrived. Kaela slipped into her seat near the front, forcing herself to focus, forcing her thoughts into something normal.
Then the door opened.
And the air shifted.
Ryker walked in, calm and composed, like nothing had happened. Like he hadn't been in her room just hours ago. Like he hadn't turned her entire world upside down.
Kaela's chest tightened.
How was he acting so normal?
"Good morning, class," he said smoothly, placing his notes on the desk. His eyes scanned the room briefly before settling on her for just a second ,a small knowing look that made her stomach twist.
She looked away immediately.
"Miss Anderson."
Her head snapped up. "Yes, Professor?"
Ryker tilted his head slightly. "Since you're the class representative, perhaps you'd like to answer the last question from yesterday's lecture."
Her mind went completely blank.
"I… uh…"
A few students chuckled softly. Kaela felt heat rush to her face.
Ryker watched her for a moment, then smirked faintly. "I thought so."
The class laughed lightly as he continued, but Kaela didn't miss it.
He was teasing her.
Right in front of everyone.
Halfway through the lecture, someone slid into the seat beside her.
Edwin.
"Hey," he whispered.
Kaela glanced at him. "Hey…"
He studied her carefully, his gaze sharp. "You okay?"
She nodded quickly. "Yeah. I'm fine."
But her answer came too fast.
Edwin didn't look convinced. His eyes lingered on her for a moment longer before he turned forward again, though something about him had shifted. He was watching now. Not just casually but carefully.
Across the room, Ryker noticed.
And he didn't like it.
When the class ended, Kaela tried to leave quickly, but Lila and Jade caught up to her almost immediately.
"So are you gonna spill ?".Asked jade.
"I will at lunch first let get past general knowledge class first ok." Kaela replied, and both her friends answered ok in unison.
By lunchtime, Kaela felt like she could finally breathe, after explaining the current situation to her friends.
The cafeteria buzzed with noise as she sat between Lila and Jade, a tray of food in front of her that she barely touched.
Jade nudged her. "You've been staring at that food for five minutes."
"I'm thinking," Kaela muttered.
"About him," Lila said instantly.
Kaela didn't deny it this time.
Jade leaned forward, lowering her voice. "So what's the plan? Are you ending it… or continuing your secret professor romance?"
"It's not a romance," Kaela said quickly.
Lila raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because from where we're sitting, it looks exactly like one."
Kaela sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I don't know what it is. I just… I need to focus. This semester is important."
Jade smirked. "And yet you're thinking about him while holding a spoon mid-air."
Kaela dropped the spoon immediately.
"Hopeless," Lila muttered with a grin.
Before Kaela could respond
A shadow fell over their table.
"Well, well… if it isn't the perfect little bookworm."
Kaela looked up.
Nikita.
Tall, confident, and always dressed like she had something to prove. Her reputation on campus was well known and not for academics.
Kaela's expression hardened slightly. "What do you want?"
Nikita crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. "I think that's my question."
Jade frowned. "Excuse me?"
Nikita ignored her, focusing on Kaela. "It's only been two days into the semester, and you're already causing problems."
Kaela blinked. "What are you talking about?"
Nikita let out a short laugh. "Don't play dumb. Your little frequent office visits aren't exactly subtle."
Lila and Jade exchanged a quick look.
Kaela's grip tightened around her tray. "That's none of your business."
"Oh, but it is," Nikita replied smoothly. "You see, I had plans for Professor Ryker."
The table went quiet.
"And now," she continued, tilting her head slightly, "it seems like the school's number one 'I only care about books' girl has suddenly changed tactics."
Jade scoffed. "You're being ridiculous."
Nikita smirked. "Am I? Because from what I've seen… Kaela here might be trading her usual study habits for something a little more… effective."
Kaela stood abruptly, anger rising in her chest. "Say what you actually mean."
Nikita leaned in slightly, her voice dropping just enough. "Are you done being a nerd, or is this just your new way of getting good grades?"
The insult hit.
Hard.
For a moment, Kaela said nothing.
Then she straightened.
"I don't need to do anything for my grades," she said calmly. "And unlike some people, I don't chase professors for attention."
Jade snorted.
Lila smirked.
Nikita's expression darkened.
"Stay out of my way," Kaela added, grabbing her bag.
Without waiting for a response, she walked off, closely followed by her friends.
They were heading for their last class of the day when professor Ryker's clerk called jade, Kaela immediately knew he wanted her and her heart started beating rapidly then jade returned.
He said you should meet him in his office.Now," Jade said, nudging her forward.
"What!!, really fuck," Kaela sighed.
"Kaela," Edwin's voice called from behind.
She turned to face him.
"You've been off since morning," he said quietly. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine," she replied quickly.
Again too quickly.
Edwin's eyes narrowed slightly. "Alright," he said, though it was obvious he didn't believe her.
A few minutes later, Kaela stood outside Ryker's office, her heart pounding harder than she wanted to admit.
She knocked.
"Come in."
She stepped inside, and immediately felt it that same heavy presence from the night before. The door clicked shut behind her, and the sound seemed louder than it should have been.
Ryker leaned casually against his desk, watching her like he had been expecting this moment.
"You wanted to see me," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he straightened and began walking toward her slowly, his movements controlled, deliberate.
"You said this ends today," he said quietly.
Kaela froze. "How did you..."
"I know more than you think," he interrupted.
Her chest tightened. "That doesn't change anything. What we're doing is wrong."
Ryker stopped in front of her, close enough to make her breath hitch.
"Is it?"
"Yes."
"You didn't seem to think so last night."
Her face burned. "That was a mistake."
He studied her carefully. "Then why are you still thinking about it?"
She had no answer.
Because he was right.
Before she could respond, the door suddenly opened.
"Kaela!"
Both of them turned.
Edwin stood there, anger clear in his expression.
"What's going on?" he demanded, stepping inside.
Kaela frowned. "Edwin, what are you doing here?"
"I've been looking for you," he said, his voice tight.
"Why?" she asked, crossing her arms. "Since when did we get that close? I'm fine, Edwin. Why the hell are you acting like I belong to you."
The words hit hard.
Edwin went still for a moment before his gaze shifted to Ryker.
The tension in the room thickened instantly.
Ryker's expression darkened slightly. "Mr. Edwin, this is my office."
"I'm talking to her," Edwin replied, not backing down.
"And I'm dismissing you," Ryker said smoothly.
Silence stretched between them, heavy and dangerous.
Then, slowly, Edwin stepped back.
But his eyes never left Ryker. "This isn't over."
With that, he turned and walked out.
The door shut behind him.
The room felt different now charged.
Kaela exhaled slowly. "That was unnecessary."
Ryker's gaze returned to her. "You think so?"
"Yes."
He stepped closer again, slowly, deliberately.
"Would you like him gone?"
Her breath caught. "What?"
His voice dropped, darker now. "I can make him disappear."
A chill ran down her spine.
Kaela stared at him, unsure whether he was joking.
"That's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
Silence fell between them.
Her heart pounded harder.
There it was again that feeling. That he wasn't normal.
That he was something else entirely.
He leaned closer, his voice brushing against her ear.
"You can fight it all you want…"
Her breath hitched.
"…but you'll be waiting for me to come back tonight."
Kaela stood frozen.
Because deep down
She knew he wasn't wrong.