Samantha raised an eyebrow as I walked back to her, my phone in hand. "What took you so long?" she asked, clearly curious.
"I... um... I was having a hard time looking for my phone," I lied, quickly showing her the device with a nervous smile. "But I found it now."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Was Professor Elsher still there?"
"No," I replied a little too quickly. "He's gone the moment I entered the room." I forced a casual shrug, trying to mask the sudden rush of guilt in my chest.
Samantha didn't seem convinced, but she let it slide. "Okay, if you say so." She gave me a teasing grin. "But next time, don't take so long. I thought you were getting lost in there or something."
I let out a nervous laugh, relieved that she didn't press further. "I won't, promise."
As we walked towards the exit, I couldn't shake the feeling that my heart was racing for more reasons than one. What exactly was I hiding from her?
We reached our favorite café, and while Samantha was waiting for our coffee, I quickly made my way to our usual table. I pulled out my phone and unlocked it, heading straight to my contacts. Without thinking, I clicked on Professor Cutie <3, the name I had changed his contact to, and was about to change it back when a new message from him popped up.
"Do not change my name on your contact :)" he wrote, complete with a smiling emoji.
My heart skipped a beat, but before I could respond, another message came through.
"I have a trial today. Just wanted to ask if you want to watch so you'll know how to properly defend your excuses."
I raised an eyebrow, half-amused and half-embarrassed, but before I could type a response, he sent another one:
"Just kidding. Anyways, you can come if you want."
I chuckled softly and decided to reply.
"Thanks, but I have other plans," I typed, trying to sound casual. The truth was, I really wanted to see him in action, to watch him work as a lawyer, but I didn't want him to think I was too eager or too easy to get.
Almost immediately, I received a sad-face emoji from him, followed by another message:
I couldn't help but smile at his playful message, but I tried my best to keep my cool. "Guess you'll never get a chance to call me attorney cutie here." The words made my heart flutter, but I quickly typed my reply.
"Maybe next time, Professor," I texted back, hoping my words didn't sound too eager.
I placed my phone down, trying to distract myself, but the thought of his invitation lingered in my mind. I wanted to go. I wanted to watch him in action, to see what it was like for someone as professional as him in his element. But I couldn't shake off the feeling that I needed to keep some distance, at least for now.
Samantha walked over with our coffee, glancing at my phone as she set it down on the table. "Still texting him?" she teased, a knowing grin on her face.
I quickly locked my screen, pretending to be casual about it. "No," I said, a bit too quickly, "Just checking my messages."
She raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh, sure."
I took a sip of my coffee to avoid her gaze, feeling a slight blush creeping up my neck. "What? I'm not even texting him that much."
"Yeah, right," she replied, smirking. "Anyway, do you want to join me for some shopping later? We could grab lunch too."
I sighed, trying to shake off the thoughts of Professor Elsher. "Sure, let's do it."
As Samantha and I chatted about our plans, I couldn't stop thinking about the conversation I had just had with him. What was I really afraid of? Maybe it was more than just keeping distance. Maybe I was afraid of what I was starting to feel for him.
"Hey! Are you even listening?" Samantha snapped her fingers in front of me, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I blinked, realizing I had been completely zoned out. "Huh? Yeah, of course, I am," I said quickly, taking a sip of my coffee to cover up my distraction.
Samantha narrowed her eyes. "No, you weren't. You've been acting weird all morning. What's going on with you?"
I let out a small, nervous laugh. "Nothing! I'm just... tired."
She scoffed. "Tired? Noa, you aced that quiz in, like, fifteen minutes. You're not tired-you're distracted. Spill it."
I shook my head, forcing a smile. "It's nothing, Sam. Really."
She leaned back, crossing her arms. "Uh-huh. If you say so," she said, but the smirk on her face told me she wasn't convinced.
I quickly searched for my phone the moment I heard the notification, my heart skipping a beat. But just as my fingers brushed against it, I realized-Samantha was staring at me, smirking.
She arched a brow. "Uh-huh... And what was that?"
I cleared my throat, straightening up as if I hadn't just acted like a lovestruck idiot. "What was what?" I asked, feigning innocence.
Samantha leaned in, resting her chin on her hand. "Oh, nothing... just that you nearly dove across the table for your phone. But, you know, totally not suspicious or anything."
I forced a laugh, casually picking up my phone like I wasn't just dying to see who texted. "It's probably just some random email or something."
"Right," she drawled, still smirking. "Go on, check it. I won't judge. Much."
I hesitated, then slowly unlocked my phone, already preparing myself for whatever was waiting for me on the screen.
And there it was, a message from Professor Cutie. My stomach did an involuntary flip.
I hesitated before opening it, fully aware that Samantha's eyes were practically burning holes through me. With a deep breath, I clicked on the message.
It was a photo.
I blinked, confused at first. The image showed a courtroom, his desk, some documents neatly stacked, and in the corner, just barely visible, a glimpse of his suit. Was he... showing me where he was?
Then another message popped up.
"This could've been your view today. Too bad you had other plans. ;)"
My breath hitched. This man... he knew exactly what he was doing.
"Well?" Samantha asked, clearly dying of curiosity. "Who's got you looking like that?"
I quickly turned off my phone. "No one."
She gasped dramatically. "Oh my god. It's him, isn't it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, taking a sip of my coffee, hoping she wouldn't notice how my hands were slightly shaking.
Samantha leaned back, arms crossed, smirking. "Yeah, sure. Keep lying to yourself, Noa. I'll be right here when you finally admit it."
Samantha wasn't letting this slide. I could feel her eyes burning into me as I kept my expression as neutral as possible. But before she could press further, my phone buzzed again.
Another message from Professor Cutie.
"You're really not curious at all? Thought you wanted to see me in action."
I swallowed hard, but before I could even think of a response, another text popped up.
"Or maybe you're just scared you'll get too distracted watching me?"
I nearly choked on my coffee.
Samantha raised an eyebrow. "Oh, this is getting good."
I shot her a glare before typing back quickly.
"Wow. Confident much? Maybe I just didn't want to spend my free time in a courtroom."
I barely had time to put my phone down before another text came in.
"That's fair. But just so you know, I look really good in my lawyer suit today. Would've been a shame to miss it."
I gaped at my phone.
Samantha, who had been watching me closely, gasped. "Oh my god, what did he say? Why do you look like you're about to pass out?"
I locked my phone and cleared my throat. "Nothing. Just something about the case."
Samantha leaned in, eyes narrowing. "Uh-huh. Let me see."
"No." I clutched my phone to my chest.
She burst out laughing. "Noa, you're so down bad."
"I am not," I protested, but my voice wavered.
Another text came through.
"I'll be done in a few hours. If you change your mind, you know where to find me. ;)"
I groaned, covering my face with my hands.
Samantha smirked. "You so are."
I stared at my phone, debating if I should really send that message. But before I could talk myself out of it, I hit send.
"Isn't this somewhat illegal, Attorney Elsher? Asking your student out, right?"
The three dots appeared almost instantly. Then disappeared. Then reappeared. Oh god.
And then his reply popped up.
"Illegal? No. Unethical? Maybe. But technically, you're not my student in a direct mentorship. Just one of my students. Big difference."
I blinked at my screen.
Another message followed.
"And who said I was asking you out? I was simply extending an educational opportunity. You're the one making it sound scandalous, Miss Schmid. Should I be concerned?"
I nearly choked on my coffee.
Samantha, who had been watching me way too closely, leaned in. "What? What did he say? Your face is doing that weird thing where you look panicked but also like you want to giggle."
I shot her a glare. "I do not want to giggle."
She snatched my phone before I could react. "Oh. My. GOD, Noa!"
"Sam, give it back!" I hissed, reaching for it.
She grinned. "Oh, you so like him."
I groaned and snatched my phone back. My fingers hovered over the keyboard. What the hell was I supposed to reply to that? I took a deep breath and typed:
"Concerned? About what? That your student might expose your educational invitations for what they really are?"
A beat passed. Then his reply came.
"Careful, Noa. That almost sounds like you're asking me out."
I froze. My heart skipped. My grip on my phone tightened.
Samantha let out an actual squeal. "Oh my god, I am living for this!"
I swallowed hard and stared at the message.
Was I? Was I actually asking him out?
I stared at my screen, rereading his message like it would suddenly change if I blinked enough times.
"Careful, Noa. That almost sounds like you're asking me out."
Oh my God.
This man is really a lawyer. He twists words so smoothly, so effortlessly, that I almost feel like I just walked into my own trap.
Samantha was still losing her mind across from me, clutching her chest like she was witnessing the greatest romance novel unfold in real time.
"Oh my god, Noa. He ate with that reply. He ate and left no crumbs!"
"Shut up," I hissed, my face burning as I clutched my phone. "I need to think!"
"What's there to think about? He wants you."
"He does not-"
My phone buzzed again.
"You seem quiet all of a sudden. Did I win the argument already?"
I exhaled sharply, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. This man. This smug, infuriating, stupidly attractive lawyer.
I needed to regain control of this conversation. I straightened, cracked my knuckles dramatically, and typed:
"Win? Please. I was simply giving you time to enjoy your false sense of victory before I take it away."
A few seconds passed. Then his reply came.
"Now that sounds like an invitation."
I dropped my phone on the table and buried my face in my hands.
Samantha gasped, grabbing my arm. "NOA. YOU'RE FLIRTING."
I groaned into my hands. "I know."
I barely had time to recover when my phone buzzed again.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you enjoy arguing with me, Miss Schmid."
I bit my lip, trying and failing to suppress a smile. Before I could reply, another message popped up.
"But since you refused my invitation, I suppose I'll have to find another way to test your debate skills."
I exhaled sharply.
This man was relentless.
Samantha leaned in, practically vibrating with excitement. "What exactly are you two talking about?"
"Nothing," I said quickly, locking my phone.
"Nothing?" She raised an eyebrow. "Then why do you look like you're about to combust?"
Before I could answer, my phone buzzed again.
"Too bad. I had a whole evening planned out where we could debate over dinner. But I suppose I'll just argue with myself instead."
I choked.
Samantha snatched my phone before I could react. She read the message, then screamed.
"NOA. THIS MAN IS FLIRTING FOR HIS LIFE."
"Give it back!" I hissed, reaching for my phone, but she held it out of reach.
"Oh, this is so good." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Are you finally going to admit you like him?"
I snatched my phone back, face burning. "I do not-"
Buzz.
Another message.
"I'll let you make it up to me. Saturday. 7 PM. No debates this time."
I stared at the screen. My heart was pounding.
Samantha grabbed my arm. "NOA. DID HE JUST-"
I turned off my phone. "We're leaving."
She shrieked. "YOU DIDN'T EVEN SAY NO."
Samantha crossed her arms, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "Oh, really? That's what we're calling it now?"
I groaned. "It's not a date, Sam! His sister invited me to play at her birthday party. It's just an invitation."
She squinted at me like I had personally offended her. "Okay, let's break this down, shall we?" She held up a finger. "One, his sister adores you. Two, he personally made sure you accepted the invitation. Three, he's picking you up."
I opened my mouth to argue, but she cut me off.
"Four, No debates this time?" She mimicked his message, her voice dripping with amusement. "Girl. That's a date in a tuxedo."
I rubbed my temples. "It's not..."
"Oh my God," she interrupted, grabbing my shoulders. "Do you hear yourself? Just admit it! You're totally into him."
"I am not into him!" I shot back, ignoring how my pulse betrayed me.
She gasped dramatically. "Then why aren't you rejecting his very obvious advances?"
I opened my mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
Samantha smirked. "That's what I thought."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the rapid thoughts in my head. No, this is just a friendly invitation. He's being nice, professional even. He's just a good person, that's all.
I told myself that, again and again.
It made sense, right? He was my professor, after all. He wouldn't cross that line. The whole thing was probably just him being polite, or maybe he was genuinely excited for his sister's party and wanted me there, as a friend. It wasn't anything more.
I picked up my phone, trying to look at his messages more objectively. He was just being courteous, asking if I wanted to join her birthday celebration. That's all.
Still... there was that little voice inside me, whispering doubts. But no, I wouldn't listen to it. I couldn't let myself get caught up in overthinking this.
It was just a party. Nothing more. Right?