Teacher's Game (NC-17)

Two

Hayleigh did not know what to think of her Math teacher.

It had only been two weeks since the new term started, and although she'd had her fair share of strict teachers back in high school, they paled in comparison to her Statistics professor.

Professor Henderson had a reputation for being one of the most difficult teachers on campus, and now she was experiencing it firsthand. He was clearly not the type to cross the moment she arrived late to his class on her first day. Since then she'd been punctual, and yet for some reason he'd developed the habit of calling her out at least once every meeting. Math was never her strong suit to begin with, and she despised feeling embarrassed every time she couldn't answer his questions.

"I hate him," Hayleigh declared as she slammed her Statistics textbook on her desk. "What did I ever do to him? Just because I'm late to his class once, he decides to humiliate me in front of the whole class every single time?"

Hayleigh slumped to her bed and faced her dormmate Tara, who was on her laptop with her earphones on. Tara looked up at her and quickly removed her earphones. "Sorry, what?"

Hayleigh shook her head with a sigh. "Nothing."

"No seriously, what happened?" Tara asked, putting her laptop away. "Is your Stat professor bothering you again?"

Hayleigh collapsed to the bed and stared at the ceiling. "Yeah, and I've already failed three tests. I think I'm gonna be in trouble."

Tara shrugged. "Maybe you can ask him for like a special project to make up for it."

"I can't even stand the idea of going near him. He scares the hell out of me."

"This is Professor Henderson, right? The hot one?"

Hayleigh snorted. "Sure, until you take his class. Hardly anyone else is passing. He explains everything once and expects you to just get it. I think he's got something against students."

"Then he shouldn't have been a teacher." Tara laughed. "Thank God I don't have to take Stat. He's the only one who teaches it, right?"

"I know." Hayleigh groaned, closing her eyes. "God, what am I going to do?"

Tara didn't say anything. Hayleigh glanced up to find her dormmate already with her earphones back on.

Hayleigh sighed and buried her face to the sheets.

D plus.

It wasn't a bad consolation prize to take after studying two hours longer than usual, but after three fails in a row, Hayleigh needed to get at least a B from now on to stay afloat.

As the bell rang and students rose from their seats to leave the room, Hayleigh stared at the blood red mark on her paper. Professor Henderson was still up front fixing papers. She chewed on her lip and mentally counted to three before finally finding the courage to walk up to him.

"Sir?"

Professor Henderson didn't even bother looking up as he began slipping papers inside his satchel. "Yes, Miss Sullivan?"

Her mind drew a blank. She should've at least rehearsed what to say. For some reason, she could only stare at his hands, mesmerized at how much broader his arms and chest looked up close. Against his six foot frame, she had never felt any smaller.

"I'm waiting, Miss Sullivan."

Hayleigh blinked in surprise as her gaze refocused on his face. She didn't realize his eyes were a shade of stormy grey, which looked light against his dark hair. He eyed her with a bored, almost impatient stare.