Even after Zeenare returned to the class, Rhea remained standing, locked onto him.
"Rhea, what's wrong with you? Sit down," Tia whispered, tugging at the side of her dress, breaking Rhea's intense gaze from Zeenare's.
Rhea sat down as she began to scribble down absentmindedly.
How come he's here? All of a sudden? Whatever this is, I feel this is not a coincidence. We couldn't find anything about this guy, and all of a sudden he's here! In my school! As the replacement for Mr. Brian! Nah!
Rhea trailed her eyes through the crowd toward him, hoping he wasn't there. Or maybe she saw it wrong. But when she looked up, he was there.
In all his glory.
Her shoulders sank as she let out a sigh of frustration.
I will not, in any way or means whatsoever, have anything that would relate me to this man or make us be in close proximity alone.
She narrowed her gaze back on him, as the words coming from his mouth passed through her like a breeze.
Rhea couldn't pay attention throughout the whole class.
As the bell went, Rhea prepared her things to bolt out of that hall.
Then Zeenare called out to her from the podium. "Ms. George, I was told you had an assignment to submit? Bring it."
"Sir!" she called out as he was about to walk out of the room. "I'm sorry but I forgot it at home." She threw the assignment into her bag, using other books and her laptop to bury it.
Tia moved close to her. "But you brought it. I saw it earlier," she whispered, inches away from her ear as she stepped closer, going through Rhea's bag. "It's here," she informed Rhea gently, almost pulling it out.
Rhea slapped her hands off the bag, her eyes still fixed on Zeenare. Then Tia tried to retrieve it a second time, and Rhea snatched the bag from her, zipping it closed, holding it tightly.
For a split second, it was as if Zeenare was checking her out. But then he adjusted his glasses and spoke, "Bring it to the next class." And walked out, one of his hands in his pocket.
Rhea dropped into the chair as his silhouette vanished from sight and released the air, begging to come out about five minutes ago.
My life was on the line just now! She turned to Tia sharply. And this intelligent dumb friend of mine almost served as the catalyst!
Tia, who sat at the edge of the row beside Rhea, frowned. "Girl... what was that?"
"Nothing," she replied quickly.
"Then why didn't you submit it?" Tia asked, already confused.
Rhea wanted to reply but couldn't. Her mind was still stuck on him. A face she didn't think she'd see ever again. That calm demeanour that made her skin crawl.
He was now her lecturer.
I'm glad he acted as if he didn't know me.
Luke, sensing the slight changes in her, leaned in, one brow raised. "That doesn't look like anything. It was as if you saw a ghost or something."
She looked from Tia to Luke before answering, "Both of you should stop giving me those faces. It was because I noticed some answers weren't as correct as I want them to be," she stressed.
Luke leaned half of his body on the desk, directly facing her. "What do you mean by 'not as correct'? That phrase isn't meant for you, Rhea."
Rhea backed away from him a little, then stood up. "I... it's not truly c..correct, that's why?" she tried saying it in a firm voice.
"Why are you nervous?" Luke asked.
She gave him a blank look. "No, I'm not," she affirmed.
"You are stuttering." He chuckled.
"No, I'm not!" She raised her chin higher, straightened her shoulders.
"Yes, you are. You only stutter when you're nervous or anxious, Rhea. So why are you stuttering?" He brushed his hand through his hair, hoisting his bag on his shoulder, his attention still on her.
Tia, who had been watching her interaction with Luke, had also noticed the unease in her demeanour, and she could tell Rhea was lying.
But Rhea said nothing, brushing Luke off. As they walked down the aisle, with Tia and Luke flanking her.
When suddenly, a curly brown-haired girl ran through them, almost knocking Rhea over.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Luke grabbed the girl around her arms.
"Ah! Let go!" she winced. "You're hurting me." She stumbled back as Luke let go so forcefully that she stumbled again.
"Creep," she added as she hurried over to a red-haired girl.
Rhea scoffed, shaking her head. "Rude."
"Piece of shit! Is she blind?" Tia spat out.
"Let's just go." Rhea grabbed Tia and Luke by the arm, pulling them toward the exit, when she overheard the conversation between the two girls.
"OMG! Tiffany!" she said, stomping on the floor as she jumped, screaming, her hands over her mouth, grinning. "He's so damn hot! I'm glad he's the replacement for this module," she stressed. "Do you think he'd give me his number if I asked?" she added, brushing her hair.
"I don't know. He looks strict. But did you see how strong he looked through that suit? And that voice," the Tiffany girl let out a moaned sigh, crossing her legs.
*
"Rhea, what was that in class with the lecturer?" Tia asked, after shutting their apartment door and slinging her bag on the couch.
Rhea sprinted to the freezer, water in hand, hurriedly gulping it down.
Then she slammed the empty bottle on the table beside her. "That was him!"
"Him! Him who?"
"Zeenare!" she informed, the name rolling from her lips with no effort.
"What?" Tia exclaimed inquisitively, her eyes wide. "Are you saying that angel—" she coughed, clearing her throat, "Sorry, I meant that m... monster is HIM! OMG! He's so ho—, no, I meant so..." She didn't know how to describe him. "Masculine..."
Girl, if it were me, I'd let him bathe me over and over again, Tia thought.
"Tia!" Rhea's voice cut through the room. "Are you in support of me or him?"
"You, of course! You know I'll never support anyone else but you."
Rhea batted her lashes at Tia, arms folded. "Hmm, with that expression on your face."
Tia coughed, clearing her throat, walking into the kitchen across from Rhea, then suddenly poked her head out. "How come he's in our school? As a lecturer? He wasn't on any social media. For a lecturer with that look, he should be popular."
"Exactly!" Rhea slammed the table, moving toward Tia in the kitchen, "But he was not, and now he's here." She watched Tia pick up a pan and turn the stove on. "Not that I'm being too full of myself, but don't you think this is too coincidental?" She handed her some tomatoes and peppers.
"Yes and no," Tia tilted her head. "The sudden appearance is." Tia walked up to the fridge, collecting some eggs and hot dogs from it. "But these things do happen, and you guys met purely by accident, so this can be one of those too."
"You think?" she asked.
"Yes! What else could it be? That he followed you here?" She poured the whisked eggs into the hot pan, then turned to Rhea. "Don't tell me you actually think that's the case?"
"W…wweell! I did." She tilted her head just slightly, chin brushing her shoulder, elbow tucked close to her ribs, the angle of her arm drawing a soft curve across her front.
Tia chuckled softly. "Rhea!"
"What if he… what if he tries…" The words were stuck in her throat.
Tia handed her a plate of fried eggs and a hot dog, and they made their way back to the living room.
"Like what if he tries to—"
"He wouldn't dare. Does he want to lose his job? And besides, I'm here for you. Nothing will happen, okay?" They both sank into the couch, legs tucked underneath them.
"Okay," Rhea said, placing the food in her mouth. "This is delicious, by the way."
"Who is your five-star chef?"
"You are." Rhea replied playfully, "But how am I going to submit the assignment?" Rhea mused, her brow furrowed.
"It wasn't wrong, was it?" Tia asked, wiggling one eyebrow playfully.
"No! I didn't want to be alone with him." Rhea confessed, a shiver running down her spine.
Tia burst out laughing, almost choking on her food.
"Don't laugh!" Rhea exclaimed.