ARIA
"Dad!"
I screamed and groaned as a splitting headache assaulted me.
"Muffles", his muffled voice sounded from behind my door, "Are you alive?"
"Yeah. And very hungover and late", I sobbed.
He opened the door and he sauntered into my room. His scent immediately filled my nostrils as he sat on the bed beside me.
His fingers were warm as he brushed my hair from my face. "You still remember your test right?"
"Fuck". I sighed and huge tears sprang to my eyes. "I can't do it. I feel terrible".
"Yes you can Aria. You're your mother's warrior".
My throat tightened at the mention of my mother. "I'm weak, dad".
"Who ever told you that? Don't tell me Josh has rewired everything I taught you".
I closed my eyes and the tears came freely now. "Why would he cheat on me? Am I not good enough?"
"Muffles", he cooed and gathered me into his arms, rubbing circles into my back, "You're the best".
"I'm not dad", I said into his chest, "I'm failing at school . I broke up with Josh, who I always spelt forever with. My heart is broken into teeny tiny pieces and I've got a bad hangover because I couldn't grieve the breakup like a big girl. With ice cream".
"People grieve differently Aria. You went out with a bang because that's exactly who you are. A firecracker. Intense and beautiful".
"Why?", I cried and flailed my arms, "Why am I intense? Why can't I be normal?"
"What's the fun in being normal? Dress up, you've got a test. I'll drop you off".
"Thanks dad. For last night. I knew coming home was gonna help me. My hangover's not as nasty", I gave him a watery smile.
"You said you can't remember who dropped you off".
I shook my head and immediately regretted it. I winced when it aggravated my headache.
"Get ready muffles. You've come so far. You can't give up now".
° ° ° °
My white sneakers squeaked on the tiles as I ran to my Business Economics class. I ignored the nausea I felt and kept running.
The test was scheduled for 8am and it was nine thirty. I was fucked. I felt tears spring to my eyes. Professor Hedgegrove was gonna have my head. I heard he was the strictest professor on campus.
But I'd never seen him.
I stopped at the door of the lecture hall and blew out a deep breath. I ran my fingers through my ponytail and adjusted my ribbed vest. And then I opened the door.
The whole class immediately turned to look at me. Even Josh.
Oh Lord. Just take me now. I'm ready.
Professor Hedgegrove turned too. His eyes widened in surprise.
Darien? Darien was professor Hedgegrove? Am I cursed? Or some sorta universal prank? Please Lord, take me now.
"Aria?" He said softly so the class didn't hear.
"Pr… I'm s… sorry I… I… I had… I'm late. I had a rough night".
"I can see", his rich baritone melted my insides.
He looked good in the cream shirt and pleated trousers he wore. He had black glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. His dark brown hair was messy like he'd run his fingers through it.
"Goddamn", I breathed.
He smirked faintly. I knew he heard me. Something told me he had good hearing.
"You missed your test Miss Winters".
His sharp tone made what was left of my heart plummet. I was scared of him, but I was also drawn to him. That was a dangerous combo.
"Is there anything I can do?" I said desperately. My heart pounded in my chest. I couldn't miss this test. It'll affect my GPA horribly. That was just how deadly Professor Hedgegrove's course was.
"My office. Twelve pm. Don't be late", he said roughly. It brought up the memory of his growl last night and I gulped.
I turned and watched as the class bristled. The mysterious, yet horribly strict Professor Hedgegrove gave a student a second chance.
I just made history. The whole of campus would hear about it.
"I'd be quiet if I were you all. I can easily subtract hefty marks from you. It's my course. I show mercy to whom I will".
"And of course why wouldn't it be sunshine girl, Aria Winters?" Someone said from the back.
Darien raised his brow and a hush fell over the class. It was always said that any facial expression from him always ended badly.
"Who said that? I've got good hearing, so I know that it came from the fifth row on the left".
The class gasped.
I was right.
He brandished a red marker. "Y'all better start talking or else… Fifth row on the left stand up. Write your names down on a sheet of paper. Miss Winters, go collect the names".
I gulped. I tried to move but my legs were glued to the tiles.
"Miss Winters", he said and cocked his head to the side.
I nodded and walked up to…
"It was me sir".
Darien smiled and I quaked in my sneakers. That was the most evil smile I'd ever seen.
"Name?"
"Felix Gallardo".
"That'll be 10 marks", Darien said and rifled through the test sheets and scribbled something on one of them, "Thank you for your time. You all may sit. Or not, that's my time. I'll see you next week".
He arranged the test sheets and put them into a file. Then he leisurely walked out of the class like he didn't just slaughter someone's GPA.
Everyone packed up and walked out of the class in a single file, giving me death glares while I kept a crooked smile on my face.
° ° ° °
"Dayummm girl, how'd you bag Professor Hedgegrove?"
I spluttered the water I was glugging down. "Bag? Lucia please. The walls have ears".
She cackled. "I agree. How else would I have found out? But seriously girl, Professor Hedgegrove never gives second chances. Like never. So how'd you do it?"
I looked away, feeling my cheeks heating up. "I didn't do anything".
"Liar".
I turned to her. "Did you say anything?"
"No", she paused a bit ,"You okay? Is it the breakup or you still hungover?"
I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for calling me crazy".
"Ari, that's not what I meant. You asked me if I said something. I didn't, and this place is quiet. So you must be hearing things".
"Again, thanks for calling me crazy. To answer your question, I saw him at the bar I got wasted at last night. When security tried to touch me, he literally went feral".
Lucia narrowed her eyes. "Professor Hedgegrove? As in Professor Darien Hedgegrove went feral because of your shit drunk ass? And what was he doing at a bar? He's very principled".
" I don't know, but it's crazy right?"
"Definitely. It's not like you're an A student".
"Wow. Ouch".
"I'm being honest. You said that you haven't seen him before, how's that even possible? How don't you know the hottest and youngest professor on campus?"
"I don't necessarily attend his classes. I hate Business Economics".
"And he's gonna give you a mop-up test?"
I shrugged.
"Unbelievable. But be careful Ari. You just experienced a bad breakup, don't go falling for a man you can't ever have".
"Why can't I?"
"Why'd you keep playing dumb?"
I cleaned my ears and looked around, searching for the voice that said that.
"Crazy girl", Lucia slapped me at the back of my head.
"Owie", I pouted.
"Grow up".
"Don't wanna", I smiled.
Lucia groaned. "Do you remember Professor Heath and Kyrie?"
"Yeah?"
Lucia gave me a knowing look and I shivered. I know I wasn't doing good in college, but I couldn't destroy it.
My phone beeped. It was eleven forty.
"I need to go now", I said and stood up and adjusted my white tennis skirt
"Aria, it's eleven forty", she said and looked up at me with a concerned look.
"I know but you know my running late problem".
Lucia laughed and I flipped her off. "I see you when I see you Luce".