Early morning, my phone started buzzing non-stop. I groaned, blindly searched for it, and saw Mira's name flashing.
Me: "Why, Mira? Don't fuck my sleep, it's 5 a.m."
Mira: "Elina, you're now our Asael Fan Club's hot topic!"
My eyes half-opened. "What?"
Mira: "A bunch of girls are really saying nonsense about you. That you got called to his office because you flirted or something....
ugh, pure drama."
I rubbed my forehead, still half asleep.
"Let them. I don't have energy for idiots this early."
Mira: "You're way too calm for this!"
"Because I just want sleep," I mumbled. "We'll talk in college. Please let me die in peace for another hour."
Before she could reply, I hung up, rolled to the other side of the bed, and buried my face in the pillow.
Sleep was already slipping away though… and that faint scent of lilies again
still there, softer this time.
---
I woke up late, dragging myself to college like it was a normal day
just coffee, cramps, and a low battery soul.
But my phone wouldn't stop buzzing. Notifications stacked one after another.
Instagram mentions.
Tags.
And then the comments
Slut.
Drama queen.
Teacher's pet.
She probably seduced Asael sir.
I froze for a moment. My chest felt tight.
What the hell? I didn't even know Asael existed before that class.
He called me to his office. That's all. What's my fault?
But the internet didn't care.
They never do.
It wasn't new though.
When Ryle-my charming ex and principal's favorite--spread crap about me, everyone believed him.
I told myself I didn't care. But I did.
And now again…
I silenced my phone. I refused to let them win twice.
When I entered the classroom, Lily turned immediately.
"Say na, Elina! What you did? Why did Asael sir call you alone?"
Before I could breathe, Mira snapped,
"You all saw sir called her. She wasn't even going first! Stop spreading nonsense!"
I touched Mira's arm.
"Let it be, Mira. It's their nature."
My tone was calm but sharp enough to slice the air.
They quieted for a second.
Then Asael entered.
Every head straightened.
Every whisper died.
He started the lecture like usual, chalk in hand, cool as ever.
Then he asked,
"Which hand muscles help us hold things?"
Some idiot laughed and said,
"Sir, Elina knows!"
I lifted my head to answer but then that familiar, disgusting voice came from the back.
"Sir, Elina only knows how to hold men in office. She probably knows what muscle helps with that."
My blood froze.
Mira gasped.
And the whole class went silent.
Asael's jaw clenched tight, the chalk snapped in his hand.
His calm broke.
That moment ,he didn't look like the polite professor anymore.
He looked dangerous.
The chalk piece snapped clean in his fingers.
That tiny sound echoed louder than the laughter that followed the insult.
Asael turned slowly, his gaze slicing through the room until it landed on the boy who said it.
The air shifted like every molecule decided to hold its breath.
"What did you just say?"
His voice was soft. Too soft.
That kind of calm that comes right before destruction.
The boy's smirk faded.
"I… I was just joking, sir."
"Joking?" Asael repeated, setting the broken chalk on the desk.
He walked toward the boy, slow, measured steps.
Each one heavier than the last.
"You find it funny to humiliate a woman in front of everyone?"
The boy didn't reply.
Asael leaned down, his tone colder than ice.
"Let me educate you, since jokes are part of your syllabus now ..."
He slammed his hand on the desk, the sound sharp and violent.
The entire class flinched.
"This is a medical school," he continued, his voice steady again.
"Not a playground for cheap talk. If you can't respect your colleagues, get out.
Because one day, someone like her will save your life when you're bleeding on a table."
No one spoke. Even the air seemed terrified to move.
He straightened, turning to face the class.
"Laughter's over. Back to the topic - hand muscles."
Then his eyes flicked briefly toward me.
Just one glance. But it said everything.
Anger. Protection.
Something else something unspoken.
I swallowed hard, heart racing.
Mira whispered,
"Holy hell… he just destroyed him."
But even as the class continued, I couldn't focus.
Because under that calm, I saw something dangerous flicker in Asael's eyes
like he wasn't done yet.
And somehow, I knew this wasn't the end of it.
---
No one ever defended me before.
Not when Ryle dragged my name through the mud,
not when the whispers in corridors turned into knives.
So when Asael spoke up
cold, composed, merciless
I should've felt victorious.
But instead… my throat burned.
My eyes wanted to cry.
I hid it though.
I wasn't weak. I've learned that tears only make people hungrier to hurt you.
I looked down, pretending to take notes, while my mind screamed
why now? why him?
He didn't even look at me after that
just kept teaching like nothing happened.
Maybe that's what this was.
Bare minimum decency.
He's the reason they started talking nonsense anyway
because he called me to his office, because he looked at me once longer than he should've.
So, maybe he wasn't protecting me.
Maybe he was protecting himself.
His clean image.
His perfect reputation.
People like him don't defend girls like me.
They just fix what they accidentally break.
The class ended, and whispers followed me like shadows.
"Teacher's favorite…"
"Look at her pretending to be innocent…"
I wanted to walk faster but my body wouldn't listen
half because of cramps, half because of that stupid ache in my chest.
Then
A voice behind me. Deep, steady.
"Elina."
I froze.
It was him.
He stood by the door, holding my notebook.
"You left this," he said simply.
But the look in his eyes
that wasn't simple at all.
I walked up to him, trying not to meet his eyes.
My fingers brushed his as I took the notebook
warmth shot through me, sharp and unwanted.
"Thanks," I muttered, my voice barely holding steady.
He didn't reply.
Just looked at me, quiet, unreadable
like he was studying something only he could see.
That stare burned more than the whispers ever could.
I turned quickly, clutching the notebook to my chest.
My heart thudded too loud, my legs weak
not because of fear, but because everything around him felt like gravity.
As I stepped out of the room, I exhaled shakily. At least I didn't look back.
My phone buzzed the moment I reached the corridor.
Unknown number ... no, not unknown. I didn't need to check.
A: Your tears aren't free, Elina. Every drop has a price....!!!"
I froze mid-step.
Every hair on my body stood up.
He knew. Again.
He always knew.
And yet… instead of fear, something dangerously close to calm slipped into me.
"Creepy bastard,"
I whispered to myself, sliding the phone back into my pocket
but my lips curved, just a little.
---