A week later.
A week of Lucy keeping her distance.
A week of polite greetings.
A week of conversations that never strayed beyond attendance sheets, laboratory schedules, and coursework.
Exactly as he’d wanted.
Exactly as he’d insisted.
So why did every interaction leave him with the unsettling feeling that something was... missing?
Like now.
She stood before his desk, attendance sheet in hand.
"The practical attendance for yesterday, Professor."
Kane accepted it, his eyes scanning the pages before setting them aside.
"Thank you."
"You’re welcome."
Silence settled between them. And Lucy made no attempt to fill it.
Instead, she waited quietly, hands clasped in front of her, ready to leave the moment he dismissed her.
Kane looked up. "How are your classes going?"
Lucy blinked, almost surprised by the question.
"They are going well, Professor."
Kane was silent for a while before he nodded. "Good."
Once again, silence settled between them.
Lucy shifted her weight to her other foot.
"If there’s nothing else," she said politely, "I’ll take my leave."
Before he could answer, she was already halfway to the door.
"Miss Bennett."
Her hand paused on the doorknob.
"Yes, Professor?" She turned.
Kane opened his mouth... then closed it.
He realized he had nothing to say.
"Nothing. You may go."
"Thank you."
The door closed softly behind her.
Kane remained staring at it long after she’d gone.
On the other side of the door, Lucy let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
She rubbed the bridge of her nose as she made her way to the cafeteria.
Another perfectly professional conversation.
Somehow, they were getting easier.
Or maybe, she was simply getting better at pretending.
By the time she reached the cafeteria, Chelsea was already waving enthusiastically from a corner table.
Lucy smiled as she walked towards her, adjusting her backpack.
She looked at the table, and warmth spread through her heart.
Chelsea had ordered for her.
"Finally!" Chelsea complained once Lucy dropped on the chair. "I was beginning to think your professor had kidnapped you. I was ready to barge into his office just to save you."
Lucy rolled her eyes. "You wouldn’t be able to do shit."
Chelsea gasped dramatically, placing her hands over lips. She looked around as though someone would listen.
"Did Lucy just let out a curse word?" She whisper-yelled.
"You’re dramatic."
"I’m surprised!" Chelsea exclaimed, then she narrowed her eyes. "Don’t tell me that your professor is influencing you?"
"Don’t be like that." Lucy grimaced.
"So, he’s influencing you then."
"Can we not talk about him?" She begged, then added. "Please."
Chelsea sighed, then nodded.
Just then—
Chelsea’s phone suddenly rang.
"Oh." She glanced at the screen before standing. "I’ll be back. It’s my cousin."
Lucy nodded absentmindedly. "I’ll be here."
Left alone, she pushed her rice around her plate with her fork.
She wasn’t hungry anymore.
"Lucy."
Her grip suddenly tightened around the fork.
She recognized the voice.
Slowly, she looked up and her eyes met with his.
Bryce. He was standing near her table.
The same Bryce she’d caught with another woman. On a bed. Over a week ago.
He smiled awkwardly. "Can we talk?"
"No." Her answer came without hesitation.
His smile faltered, taken aback by her assertive reply.
"Please."
"I said no."
He pulled out a chair opposite her anyway, and sat down. "You’ve been avoiding me."
"I’ve been moving on."
Bryce sighed dramatically. "You’re still angry."
She stared at him as though he had grown two heads. "Shouldn’t I be?"
"I already told you it wasn’t what it looked like."
"Really?" She let out a short laugh.
"You walked in at the wrong time." He continued.
"I walked in at the exact right time."
A few nearby students had begun glancing in their direction.
Bryce lowered his voice. "You’re making a scene."
Lucy almost laughed again.
"I’m making a scene?" She pointed to herself, sheer disbelief written all over her face.
"You won’t even let me explain."
"You had your chance." She countered at once.
"I made one mistake." He tried to defend himself again.
"You made your choice."
His jaw tightened. "It meant nothing."
"It meant enough for you to lose me."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Bryce leaned forward.
"You know what?" he muttered. "You’ll regret this."
Lucy pulled back her chair. "I don’t think so."
She picked up her tray, intending to leave.
Bryce caught her wrist immediately. "Lucy."
She froze. "Let go."
"Not until you listen."
"Is there a problem here?"
The calm voice cut cleanly through the tension.
Bryce turned.
Lucy did so as well.
Kane stood a few feet away, one hand tucked into the pocket of his trousers.
His expression revealed nothing.
Only his eyes had hardened.
Bryce’s brow pulled together. "And who are you?"
Kane ignored the question. His attention remained on Lucy.
"Miss Bennett." His voice was steady. "Are you alright?"
Lucy looked from Bryce to Kane.
For the first time since she saw Bryce today... she could finally breathe.
"He won’t let me leave," she admitted quietly.
A beat of silence followed. Only then did Kane shift his attention to Bryce.
"You heard her."
Bryce scoffed. "This has nothing to do with you."
"It does now."
Bryce laughed. "And why is that?"
Kane’s expression never changed.
"Because she’s my student."
Bryce’s eyes flickered between the two of them before a mocking smile tugged at his lips.
"Your student?" he repeated. "And here I thought you were her bodyguard."
Kane didn’t rise to the bait.
"She asked you to let her go."
"And if I don’t?"
"Then I’ll have no choice but to report you to campus security for harassment."
His voice never rose. If anything, it became quieter.
"I suggest you don’t make that necessary."
Around them, curious students fixed their gazes on the unfolding scene.
Bryce clicked his tongue before finally releasing Lucy’s wrist.
"Whatever," he muttered. "You’ll regret choosing pride over us."
Lucy met his gaze without flinching. "Don’t hold your breath."
Bryce shot Kane one last glare before turning and disappearing into the crowd.
Silence lingered between them.
Kane’s eyes drifted to the faint red marks on Lucy’s wrist. "Are you hurt?"
Lucy instinctively covered her wrist with her other hand.
"I’m fine, Professor."
Kane gave a single nod. "Good." Then he walked away.
Lucy watched his retreating figure until he disappeared through the cafeteria doors.
Somehow... his leaving stung far more than it should have.
And just like that... the distance between them returned.