Odessa’s pov
I couldn’t stop staring at him; it was him.
“He’s hot, I know,” Naomi whispered.
I rolled my eyes at her; his bruises seemed to have healed.
He slouched in his chair with one arm resting on the desk, lazily twirling a pen between his fingers as though he couldn’t care less about being here.
Was he pretending?
Or was this who he really was?
“Miss Hopkins?”
I blinked, and the professor was looking directly at me.
Heat rushed to my cheeks.
“Oh.”
A few students chuckled.
“I’m sorry.”
“I asked if you’d like to introduce yourself,” he said.
Right.
The introduction.
I stood, adjusting the strap of my bag awkwardly.
“My name is Odessa Hopkins.”
The room grew noticeably quieter, and the change was subtle.
Someone whispered:
“Hopkins?”
“As in *those* Hopkins?”
“I think that’s her.”
I pretended not to hear.
“I recently transferred here.”
I forced a polite smile.
“I hope we all get along.”
A few students nodded.
The professor smiled warmly.
“Thank you, Miss Hopkins.”
I sat back down, and Maya leaned closer.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.”
The lecturer clapped his hands together.
“Now then.”
“My name is Professor Bennett.”
He was somewhere in his late fifties with silver hair and blue eyes hidden behind his rectangular glasses.
“I teach Principles of Business Management.”
He glanced around the room.
“This course isn’t difficult.”
Several students visibly relaxed, then he smiled.
“If you actually study.”
The room groaned, and Professor Bennett laughed.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
For the next thirty minutes, he explained the course outline, attendance requirements, grading system, and semester expectations.
I found myself scribbling notes automatically.
Beside me, Maya doodled flowers in the margin of her notebook.
Naomi had somehow already started eating cookies.
Meanwhile, the back row remained suspiciously quiet.
I looked over my shoulder.
Rune sat with his hood pulled halfway over his head.
His notebook remained closed, and one earbud rested discreetly beneath his hair.
Was he…
Listening to music during class?
The nerve.
As if sensing my gaze, he slowly looked up.
Our eyes met for the briefest second.
My pulse quickened.
Did he remember?
I’d run away before he even saw my face properly.
Still, I quickly looked away.
Smooth, Odessa.
“Now.”
Professor Bennett’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
“I’d like to discuss something important.”
He placed a folder on his desk.
“I’ve reviewed everyone’s entrance assessments.”
A few students exchanged nervous glances.
“There are students in this class performing exceptionally well.”
He smiled.
“And there are…” He paused dramatically, “…students who appear to believe passing exams is a myth.”
Laughter rippled through the room, and Professor Bennett adjusted his glasses.
“To help everyone succeed, the faculty has introduced a peer tutoring program.”
“Oh, come on.”
“I barely have time for myself.”
“This should be voluntary.”
Professor Bennett ignored the complaints.
“I’ve already selected the tutors.”
He opened the folder.
“The students with the highest assessment scores will each be paired with someone requiring additional academic support.”
Naomi leaned toward me.
“I suddenly have a terrible feeling.”
Maya sighed.
“So do I.”
Professor Bennett began reading names.
“Maya Collins.”
Maya groaned dramatically.
“I knew it.”
“You’ll be tutoring Daniel Foster.”
Daniel gave an awkward wave.
“Sorry in advance.”
The room laughed.
“Naomi Brooks.” Naomi dropped her head onto the desk.
“Nooooo…”
“You’ve been assigned to Lucas Green.”
Lucas looked delighted while Naomi looked devastated.
Professor Bennett continued reading through several more names.
Each announcement was met with varying levels of enthusiasm or despair.
Then, he adjusted the final sheet.
“Our highest overall score.” The classroom fell quiet.
“Miss Odessa Hopkins.”
Every head turned toward me; I stood up politely.
Professor Bennett smiled.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Professor.”
“I’ve saved your assignment for last.”
Something about the way he said it made the room suddenly feel expectant.
Students exchanged knowing looks, and Maya quietly whispered,
“Oh no,” she said.
“What?”
She winced.
“I think I know who’s left.”
Professor Bennett glanced toward the back row.
“Mr.
Landon Harlway.”
Landon?
He tried again.
“Mr.
Harlway.”
A long pause, then finally, a deep, uninterested voice drifted from the back of the room.
“What?”
I looked back; it was Rune—his name is Landon?
Professor Bennett folded his arms.
“I’m pleased to inform you that you’ll be participating in the peer tutoring program.”
Landon didn’t even bother sitting up.
“I’m not.”
A stunned silence swept across the classroom.
Professor Bennett raised an eyebrow.
“I’m afraid that wasn’t a request.”
“It sounded like one,” he said.
A few students snickered, and the professor remained calm.
“You’ve failed two quizzes already.”
“I wasn’t trying to pass them,” he said in a bored tone.
More muffled laughter, and I blinked.
Was he serious?
Professor Bennett closed the folder.
“You’ll begin tutoring immediately.”
Landon finally lifted his head, and he looked mildly interested.
“Who’s the unlucky volunteer?”
The classroom went silent.
Every pair of eyes shifted between Professor Bennett and the back row.
Professor Bennett looked down at the attendance sheet one last time.
“Your tutor…” He adjusted his glasses.
“…will be Miss Odessa Hopkins.”
“What?”
The word escaped both Landon and me at the exact same time.
Professor Bennett smiled as though this had gone exactly as planned.
“Miss Hopkins achieved the highest score on the entrance assessment.”
He turned to me.
“Congratulations once again.”
Then back to Landon.
“And you achieved the lowest.”
The room erupted into laughter.
Landon didn’t even move.
Instead, he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.
“I’m good.”
Professor Bennett sighed.
“You are not.”
“I’ll survive.”
“Your grades won’t.”
“They’ve survived this long,” he argued.
“They’ve barely survived.”
More laughter.
I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling.
The professor rested both hands on the desk.
“Mr.
Harlway.”
“What?”
“Do you plan on graduating?”
Landon shrugged.
“Eventually.”
“At this rate, eventually means ten years from now.”
“I’ve got time.”
A boy in the front row snorted so loudly that several students turned to look at him.
The professor exhaled slowly.
“This isn’t punishment.”
“Feels like it.”
“It’s an opportunity.”
“For her, maybe,” he said, and his gaze slid toward me for the first time.
Before I could think about it further, he looked away.
“I don’t need a tutor.”
Professor Bennett folded his arms.
“Your grades disagree.”
I snickered and Landon noticed, his eyes shifted back to me; then he spoke.
“I’ve seen you somewhere.”
My heart skipped.
“What?”
Before I could answer, Professor Bennett clapped once.
“Excellent.”
Both of us looked at him.
“If you’re already talking, that’s progress,” he said.
“We’re not talking.”
Professor Bennett ignored Landon completely.
“The tutoring sessions will begin this week.”
Landon let out a slow breath before standing up.
The legs of his chair scraped loudly across the floor
He slung his backpack over one shoulder.
“I’m leaving.”
Professor Bennett looked at the clock.
“Class isn’t over.”
“I’m aware.”
“So sit down.”
“I have somewhere to be,” he said.
“I imagine you do.”
The professor’s voice remained calm.
“But if you walk out that door, I’ll mark you absent.”
Landon reached the doorway.
“Then I guess I’m absent.”
Without another word, he shoved the classroom door open.
It slammed shut behind him.
Professor Bennett stared at the closed door for several seconds, then, to everyone’s surprise he smiled.
“I’ll give him until tomorrow.”
Someone near the front laughed nervously.
“You think he’ll come back?”
Professor Bennett looked toward me.
“Oh, he will.”
And somehow, I had just become responsible for the most impossible student at Blackridge University.
I wasn’t sure whether to feel honored or completely doomed.