my professor, my obsession || cillian murphy

chapter fourteen

The next morning, as I opened my eyes in Cillian's bed, a rush of memories flooded my mind, jolting my body upright. I recalled the events of the previous night vividly - from the nerve-wracking moments of stalking him, to the horrific encounter with a group of guys, to the unexpected intimacy we shared. Now, waking up beside him, I felt a surreal sense of fulfillment. Spending the night in his bed felt like a dream, a moment I never imagined could happen, making me believe that life couldn't possibly get any better than this.

As I stirred awake, I noticed my phone resting on the bedside table, plugged in, likely courtesy of Cillian. Checking it out of habit, I found no new notifications, a common occurrence that didn't surprise me. My social interactions were limited to occasional texts from Rufus or Alexandra about homework, and the weekly calls from my parents. Beyond that, I don't hear from anyone else. In high school, I was part of a large group of friends, yet I always felt like I didn't quite belong. Loneliness had been a constant companion throughout much of my life, until right now.

Glancing around the room, I noticed Cillian was already up, making coffee. The neatly arranged pillow and blanket on the couch hinted that he had graciously allowed me to enjoy the bed all to myself. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes about his thoughtfulness. Though I did secretly wish he slept in the bed with me.

"Morning," he spoke when he turned around, smiling at me while holding his coffee mug. I smiled back, hopping out of his bed. He kindly offered me a mug of coffee, which I don't usually drink, but I took it anyways.

"Thank you," I said, smiling back at him.

"I have a class to teach this morning," he told me.

"On a Friday?" I asked, disappointed.

"Yes," he said, "on a Friday," he chuckled a little, looking down at me with a grin. "You'll survive without me," he teased, but I genuinely didn't believe that I could.

"Yeah," I mumbled, looking down at the floor.

"I'll make us some breakfast and then I'll drop you off," he told me, "you won't go around telling all your friends about us, correct?"

I laughed, almost a little too hard. "Like I have any friends to tell anyway," I joked, but he seemed a little more serious. I dropped my smile and instead nodded. "Um, I mean yeah. I'd never say anything to anyone."

His approving nod and another one of his charming smiles reassured me. "Good," he affirmed.

After a shared breakfast with Cillian, we hopped into his car for the ride back to my dorm. It was difficult to tear myself away from him; I could already sense an unhealthy attachment forming. But how could I resist? He felt like a dream come true.

Cillian didn't bother with discretion when dropping me off. He boldly parked right in the dorm complex lot. Before parting ways, he handed me his number, leaving me with a warm feeling despite the chilly air. Back in my dorm room, I attempted to focus on my homework, but my mind kept wandering back to him. Like it always does.

***

Mondays are typically something I look forward to. Weekends tended to drag on with little excitement, especially this past one, as I'd been unable to spend time with Cillian since Friday morning. As Monday dawned, I found myself awake a good two hours before my first class, eager to see him again.

Although I used to enjoy doing my makeup, I had fallen into a lazy routine over the past few months. However, today felt different. With the prospect of seeing Cillian in just a few hours, I was motivated to make an effort.

Seated at my desk, I applied my makeup. First, I dabbed on some concealer, attempting to hide the stubborn dark circles that seemed to have taken up permanent residence under my eyes. Then, I carefully lined my waterline with eyeliner and coated my lashes with mascara. Normally, I'd add a touch of blush to my cheeks, but today I decided against it. After all, Cillian had a way of making me blush plenty already.