The usual hum of whispered conversations and shuffling papers filled the lecture hall. Rhea sat beside Tia. Sunlight slanted through the tall windows, casting long, dusty beams across the rows of expecting students. Then, the heavy oak door at the front clicked open.
"Everyone settle down," Zeenare voiced, "it's been a week since the mooting class began, and some of you have brought in your research. Today you all will be presenting your mock mooting according to the topic that was given to each seven of you."
Zeenare's eyes locked onto Rhea, but he quickly shifted his gaze from her. " You all will come to the podium while I sit to assess as both the judge and your lecturer. Class begins."
Rhea's gaze followed Zeenare when he tread down as he made his way to the front row sitting close to Jane. She watched him as he observed the students.
As they made their cases within each group, some advocated and others rebutted, defending each of their clients.
"Counsel for the respondent you are avoiding the question." Zeenare corrected in a stern voice. "You're not engaging with the opposing argument. Anticipate it, address it, dismantle it. That's how you move forward. Work more on that." He turned to the other group, "You are doing a good job, keep it up."
The class went on till it got to Rhea's group.
As Rhea spoke, her eyes lingered on Zeenare's face; his gaze was fixated on her. Though her hands were sweaty and her heart was pounding in her throat, she spoke firmly. Pushing back down on her slightly trembling body.
Zeenare trailed his attention from Rhea to Tiffany as if he could see her trembling.
"Counsel, that's an emotional statement. Where is your legal support for that argument?" Zeenare turned towards Rhea, "Counsel for the plaintiff, calm down."
He said to Rhea. " You are being too emotional. This is not the appropriate forum for passionate rhetoric. The court values clarity over emotion."
He let out a soft sigh. "Ms. George, I get that your client was wronged. But I must remind you that courtroom advocacy requires composure. Emotional appeals must be grounded in legal reasoning. Please maintain a respectful tone."
Zeenare turned to Tiffany, "Counsel for the defendant, you are being too aggressive. You are bordering on badgering the bench. This isn't a debate. Refocus your argument on legal substance."
"Let's pause here today. Counsels, ask yourselves these questions: What exactly are you asking the court to do? What relief are you seeking for your clients? And be precise about it.
Zeenare stood up and walked towards the podium.
"Overall, some of you leaned too heavily on passion and not enough on precision. Law is about persuasion, not performance. Those of you who avoided confrontation altogether, you must learn to defend your position—clearly and confidently. A silent advocate loses their client's case.
Rhea and the other student walked back to the seats as Zeenare continued.
"Your submissions must be grounded in legal authority. Speak to the judge, not at them. Structure is key—issue, rule, application, conclusion. Follow these rules.
Zeenare picked up his tablet before turning back to the class, "Those of you who need further explanation can come to my office. Class adjourned.
"Today's class was interesting," Tia said to Rhea, who was watching Zeenare as he exited the class.
"Yeah. It was insightful." Rhea turned to Tia smirking. "And I'm glad you didn't sleep in today."
"What! Has it gotten to that extent? That I'd miss class because I want to sleep a little bit more." Tia replied, holding her waist as she shook her neck side to side.
"I didn't say that, you said it yourself." Rhea surrendered her hands in the air, as she giggled. "Anyway, I think I have to go to his office, I'm having difficulty with these parts of the moot, and he's the only person I can ask for help from."
"Okay then, let's go." Tia took a step forward, about to walk down the aisle when Rhea pulled her back.
"No, I would like to go myself," Rhea informed.
I honestly hope what I said last week got to him.
"Are you sure about that?" Tia asked, concern etched on her face.
"Yes, I can't always be afraid of him, he's honestly going to be my lecturer for the whole semester and the next to come, so I've to do this myself," Rhea replied as she glanced at the door, before taking a step forward.
"But what if he starts acting weird again?" Tia and Rhea walked into the hallway.
"I don't think he would," Rhea muttered.
"How are you so sure?" Tia questioned.
Because I told him off.
"Even if he starts acting crazy, I have to hold my ground. I can't always be scared of him, it's not like he's going to leave anytime soon." Her brow furrowed slightly as she tilted her head to the side.
Since that day, Rhea hasn't told Tia what she told Zeenare. She couldn't bring herself to say it and she doesn't know why.
"Okay then, if you want to do this yourself, I'm always here for you — to support you. But if you can't handle it, I'm just a phone call away. Okay?" Tia gave her a bright reassuring smile.
"Hmmm!" Rhea nodded. "See you then."
Rhea made her way to Zeenare's office, fervently praying that what she said to him affected him. Hoping that he would be professional.
Zeenare's hand twitched slightly, as Rhea stepped into the room, his jaw clenched for a split second, as his eyes drank in her appearance. Taking a deep breath, he asked, "How can I help you, Ms. Rhea?" He asked as he dropped his head to the book on his desk.
Rhea blinked back as she narrowed her eyes before speaking, "It's concerning the moot, Sir. I'm having issues with some areas."
He tilted his head upwards, meeting her gaze again, then suddenly averted his eyes, "Could you sit down and give me more details, so I can be able to provide you with better possibilities."
What was that? Was he just avoiding my gaze? What is he playing at?
"Okay, Sir." Rhea sat down bringing out a note, as she explained to Zeenare what she'd jotted down and how difficult it was for her to assert some points earlier during the moot.
Zeenare took the note and glanced through it. "I see your point, you jotting these down is excellent prin— Ms. Rhea. He coughed, clearing his throat, as he explained to Rhea.
As Zeenare continued, Rhea occasionally glanced at him.
Is this a new game? Is he testing me or something? She pondered. Well, it doesn't matter. I'm glad he is being professional anyway.
But she didn't pay attention to it; she was going to get the explanations and leave. As Zeenare adjusted his glasses, he continued.
They exchanged ideas as minutes stretched into an hour, then into hours.
Rhea felt a knot loosen in her stomach; she hadn't realised it was there. He wasn't looking at her the way he usually did. Not with that unsettling hunger. Her eyes narrowed. This had to be a new trick. A bait. She kept her gaze fixed on her notebook, only daring to steal quick glances at him.
Every professional word Zeenare uttered, every impersonal gesture he showed, fueled Rhea's suspicion.
He was playing a new game. But what was it?
"That should clarify things for you, Ms. Rhea," Zeenare stated, closing the notebook and handing it back to her. His voice was perfectly level, betraying his inner thought.
Rhea took the notebook, her fingers brushing his for a fleeting second. Then suddenly pulled her hand back quickly, a jolt going through her. "Yes, Sir. It's much clearer now. Thank you for your time." She stood up, gathering her bag, her movements precise, almost stiff.
She turned towards the door, her hand reaching for the handle, but she hesitated for a second.
A quick, almost tiny pause as if something held her back – a lingering curiosity, a sliver of unasked question about this new, contained version of him bothered her mind.
As her gaze flickered over her shoulder, she directed a brief glance at him.
Zeenare was sitting perfectly still, his eyes fixed on the spot where her hand had rested on the notebook. His jaw was clenched so tight a muscle pulsed visibly in his cheek.
His fingers, resting on the desk, twitched once, a barely controlled tremor, as he traced his fingers on the spot her hand had touched, before clenching into a tight fist. He didn't look up, didn't speak, but the tension radiating from him was a clear hum in the suddenly silent office.
But before Rhea could step out, he spoke. "If you have other issues like this, you can always come find me." His gaze locked on her.
Rhea quickly pulled the door open and stepped out, the click of the latch echoing loudly in the quiet space. She didn't look back again.
*
Rhea walked through the apartment door, dropping her bag with a thud she didn't usually allow. The familiar scent of their home, mixed with the faint aroma of Tia's perfume, was a welcome relief after the intensity of Zeenare's office.
"Hey! You're back!" Tia's voice chirped from the kitchen. "How'd it go? Did our extraordinary professor turn into a raging lunatic or did he finally decide to act like a normal human being?" She emerged, wiping her hands on a dish towel, a hopeful yet wary expression on her face.
Rhea kicked off her shoes, leaning against the wall. "It was... different."
Tia's eyebrows shot up. "Different good, or different Zeenare different?"
Rhea sighed, pushing off the wall and walking towards the couch, collapsing onto it. "He was... professional. Calm. Almost too calm." She ran a hand through her hair. "He didn't do anything weird. He just... explained things. Like a normal lecturer."
Tia dropped onto the couch beside her, her expression shifting to genuine confusion. "Seriously? No creepy staring? No weird soulmate talk? No 'I own you' vibe?"
Rhea shook her head slowly. "Nothing. He barely even looked at me, not directly anyway. It was like... he was fighting it. You could almost feel him pulling back."
"Well, that's a relief, isn't it?" Tia offered, but her tone was hesitant, picking up on Rhea's lingering unease.
Rhea stared at the ceiling. "I don't know, Tia. It was almost more unnerving. It's like he's playing a new game, and I have no idea what the rules are."
"But it doesn't matter if it's a new game or an old one. All that matters now is that he's not pushing you into a wall anymore. Isn't that right?" Tia asked.
"Yeah, you are right. And I truly hope it stays that way." Rhea agreed.
"But why had he suddenly changed? Does he not want his 'soulmate' anymore?" Tia asked before heading towards the kitchen.
"I told him off," Rhea said flatly.
"YOU TOLD HIM OFF?" Tia suddenly turned to Rhea. "How? When? Where? Why was I not aware of this big news?" Tia folded her arms, "Rh-ea." She stressed. Glancing at Rhea from a corner of a squinted eye.
"Well," Rhea shrugged slowly, "it was last week," Rhea informed, as she related everything that had happened that day to Tia.
Tia clapped her mouth shut as she kept gasping and giggling. "Since when did you get this mature?" She asked Rhea.
"What do you mean?" Rhea tilted her head to the side, looking at Tia from the rims of her eyes.
"If you were this forward, that fucker wouldn't have done to you all that he did," Tia said in a sad voice
Rhea's brow slowly rose as her face became serious. "I guess you are right."
Tia turned to Rhea, "I'm sorry, that wasn't what I meant." She said seeing the seriousness in Rhea's face.
"No, you are right, Tia." She stood up, facing the direction of her room, "That was why I became a laughing stock for the entire campus even after, he broke up with me."