Love Lessons by Cassie Mint

Three

Avery

I’ve made such a terrible mistake.

As soon as I got home on that first day of classes, I stomped upstairs, snatched up all my self help books, and threw them in the trash can. Leona and Paige, my roommates, came poking their heads into my bedroom, fussing over my flushed cheeks and watery eyes.

“Oh, Ave!” Paige stumbled into my room, wrapping me in her tiny arms. Paige is a ballet dancer, so small that she looks like she might blow away. “It didn’t go well with the professor?”

I shook my head, teeth gritted. “He didn’t want me there. He tried to force me to transfer. Threatened to fail me if I didn’t.”

Paige gasped, shocked, but Leona cocked her head where she leaned against the door frame.

“It bothered him, then.” I shrugged. She smirked. “So he does care.”

I can’t think of it like that. I spent the whole summer break kidding myself that Professor Kent and I really had something. All those mantras about going after what I want, all those long, hot summer nights slipping my hand into my pajama shorts and thinking of him…

It’s humiliating.

How did I get this so wrong?

The second class, I’m better prepared. I know now how he’ll look at me: like a nuisance. Like a chore he has to deal with. So I arrive ten minutes early, armed with a giant takeout iced coffee, and climb all the way to the back row. Professor Kent isn’t here yet—I hope he never comes, the jerk—but when he arrives, he’ll have no reason to even notice me.

I tug my black baseball cap down over my eyes, slink low into my seat, and lever open my laptop.

Perfect. Between the cap and my laptop, only an inch of my face shows.

I get a few weird looks when the other students file in, flopping down in the seats like it’s the crack of dawn and not 10am. But I force a smile for anyone who looks my way, and soon enough, I blend into the background. Once the rows fill with bodies, I’m invisible.

Or I thought I was. The second Professor Kent walks through the door, his gaze tracks to me. Fixes on the sliver of my face that he can see. I huff, sliding lower until my chin is on my chest and I’m completely hidden by the laptop.

“Nap time?” A guy a few seats over grins at me. I shrug, a smile tugging my mouth.

“I had a late night,” I whisper. I don’t mean anything by it, but the guy lights up. Like because I mentioned night time, I must have meant come nearer. He slides over until he’s sat in the seat next to mine, propping his elbow on the desk and staring right at me.

Um. Hello? Professor Kent is about to begin the lecture. And he does, his low voice cutting through the whispers. Everyone quiets down, shuffling in their seats. Even my nosy neighbor turns around, opening his laptop.

Everyone knows better than to piss off Professor Kent. Not because he’s a jerk—other than to me, apparently. But because he’s strict. Kind of a hard ass. He won’t suffer fools.

I loved that about him last year. But right now, it hurts to be near him. I wish I were anywhere else.

You did this to yourself, I remind myself. This was your big master plan.

It doesn’t help. I sigh, open up a document, and begin to type.

* * *

“Miss Jennings. Come here, please.”

For the second class in a row, he singles me out. Makes me stay behind. I glance around, sure that someone must find this suspicious, but no one even looks over.

I sigh and step up to the lectern.

“Yes, professor?” I’m not rude. I’m never rude. But I make my question as flat as possible. So he knows I’ve learned my lesson; that I’m no longer eager for his attention.

Far from it. I wish my cap had done its job.

A muscle tics in his jaw. Professor Kent flicks a glance at me, eyes narrowed.

“Next class, please keep your social life out of the lecture hall.” The words are dragged out of him. Reluctant and heavy.

“I… what?”

I don’t understand. I have friends, sure, but they’re not in this class.

“Your friend—” he spits the word “—barely wrote a single note. Was too busy drooling all over your bare legs. If you’re going to distract the other students—”

“Hang on.” I hold up a palm. “So the guy next to me didn’t pay attention. How is that my fault?”

He keeps talking like I never spoke. “—Then I will be forced to introduce a seating plan.”

I snort. I can’t help it. This whole situation is so ridiculous. He’s mad that some random guy didn’t listen properly, and somehow I’m to blame? And the big threat is a seating plan—like I’m supposed to care?

“Fine.” I shrug. “You’re the professor. You can do whatever stupid thing you want.”

I’m being outright rude now, but he started this whole mess. And if I stay here one more minute, I’ll do something worse. Like grab a fistful of his perfect, pressed shirt and shake him. Like let slip how badly his words hurt.

“Avery.” He says it like a warning. I turn on my heel, ready to leave.

Professor Kent catches my elbow again, just like last time. Only this time, he doesn’t drop me like he’s been burned. This time, he tugs me to a stop, his grip warm and firm.

His hand is on my bare skin. A shiver runs through me, from the crown of my head to my toes.

I ignore it, scowling at him over my shoulder. “I tried to transfer like you said. I sat at the back and kept my distance. You’re the one making this harder, professor.”

He inhales sharply, nostrils flaring. He still hasn’t dropped my arm.

“I know, Avery.” His thumb rubs a tiny circle onto my skin. Like he can’t help it. “You’re right. I know. I’m handling this all wrong.”

I didn’t expect that. His confession takes me by surprise, makes my lips part as I stare up at him. He’s so much taller than me, and I only really feel it when he’s close. When he has me in arm’s reach, towering against my back. His gray eyes are stormy, his dark hair curling over his forehead, and how the hell does anyone concentrate when he’s around? My heart patters against my rib cage, like it’s knocking to get out.

I wet my lip.

“Avery.”

“I won’t,” I promise, though I don’t really know what he’s afraid of. I tug my arm gently out of his grip and back up two steps. “I’m not trying to cause you trouble,” I tell him quietly. And I don’t know what comes over me, but I say the rest too. “I just… missed you. I wanted you near.”

Something dark flickers across his face. He opens his mouth to say something, but I pound down the steps and out of the lecture hall before I have to hear it.

I know he doesn’t want me. I know I got it all wrong.

But I can’t hear it from him.

I can’t.