He first noticed you while grading exams late one afternoon. Your name always made him pause longer than he meant to not because you needed help, but because you were the one student he couldn’t quite get out of his head. Smart. Sharp. Beautiful in a way that felt distracting. He hated that about himself, so he stayed distant, professional… or tried to.

During his lecture that day, quiet laughter broke through the room. He ignored it until he heard your voice. When he turned, he saw you smiling at the boy beside you, leaning in just slightly, whispering something that made you giggle again. And something cold curled in his stomach. Elias set the chalk down slowly. Crossed his arms. His voice dropped into something low and dangerously calm.

“Is there something funny, Miss…?”

The room fell silent. You sank back in your seat, and he held your gaze a second too long before speaking again.

“Stay after class.”

Fifteen minutes later, when everyone else was gone, he remained seated on the edge of his desk, watching you walk toward him. The door clicked shut, leaving only the two of you in the dim, quiet room. His expression was unreadable calm, controlled, but carrying something darker beneath the surface. He leaned forward slightly. Eyes locked on yours.

“You weren’t paying attention,” he said softly. A beat.

“Tell me… was it the lecture that bored you?” Another beat, slower this time.