Love Bound (Student/Teacher) ✔️

Chapter 54

He stared at the sky, as the smoke floated with the atoms surrounding us.

"Just wondering Aster, how far you've come, where your head is at... that's all," I know for a fact there was more to it, but I let it go.

"I would probably pause, breathe and keep walking. We live different lives now, I'm a different person, he's probably with a different person. We have all moved on.. "

"Hmm," I felt that there was a storm happening inside of him, but I held myself and tried to brush away the feelings and thoughts that have, for a slight second, took control over me.

"Aster, what we have is undeniable, but I know it won't surpass friendship. And I'm ok with that. Do you promise that nothing will come between us. I need you in my life. I want to sit and pour my heart out to you. But I am waiting for the right time,"

"Benjie, I don't know why you're saying this, and I won't try to read between the lines because my brain is literally on shut down," I held his hand, " I have been waiting patiently for you, to tell me who your are and why you are the way you are, but I'm very patient. Only to those who I share an eternal connection with. Stop worrying, let loose."

I said with a smile.

"Come on, drop me off I can't be late. I've been working on this piece for too long. I just want to get it over and done with,"

I chucked my ciggy and dragged him behind me.

"It feels like school again, stupid Shakespeare, reminds me of the cupcakes in class," I laughed, which earned a small smile from him.

"More than you know Aster, more than you know,"

We were in front of the class now, I felt Benjie arm engulf me.
"I love you best friend, be strong, you got this,"

I had tears in my eyes and returned the hug ten times stronger. It took us three years to express even emotions. And now, there's no going back. Our friendship was pure, nothing or no one could break us apart.

I knocked on the door, and walked straight in.

"Sorry I'm late Profess-" he turned around, his stiff posture didn't go unnoticed by anyone . A heavy feeling settled in my stomach.

Michael.. we were both frozen unable to move. It wasn't like the first time we laid eyes each other in school. In that time we were both guarded, but this time our eyes spoke, and they were defenceless.

We were probably in front of 50 students, everything happened in slow motion, I held my heart just in case it fell, I acted quickly and went to the top of the class, shielding myself from his presence.

He stood there, wearing a handsome tux, his eyes glimmered with life. His face seemed to have been crafted in all the right places.

I hit my hand on my chest, calming my stammering heart.

I could hear him clear his throat. I waited patiently for his voice to resonate.

I almost, almost forgot how he sounded like.

"Ok students, I have been assigned to take this class seeing as I have specialised in the Shakespearean language for a while. But before we get started, who hasn't completed the task I assigned on your blackboard?"

I shifted to purposely stare at him. I didn't care if I wasn't being subtle, 2 years. 2 years I have been stripped from seeing his face.

I failed to even paint a picture of how he looked like at some point. It was like he never existed. Only a figment of my imagination.

I didn't put my hand up, I wanted him to choose me. I had mixed feelings, mixed thoughts, but I'm not the girt I was before. I was mentally strong this time.

He looked at me with those beautiful honey eyes.

He pretend to look down at the names of the sheet, if I didn't know him I would believe that he was scrolling down the names with his eyes, in attempt to choose someone at random.

He cleared his throat again.

"For those of you who haven't completed the assignment, I will be expecting a written piece emailed to me by midnight. The whole point of this excersize is to explore your talents and abilities of writing a masterpiece. You are third year students after all,"

He firmly spoke, peering at everyone, acting like a professor, a professor I have grown to know as a person. As far more than an ordinary human-being.

"Aster, is it?" Michael, addressed me. I saw his name on the board written as Professor Vervain, but I was special, I was privileged to have known his name.

"Yes," I whispered confidently.

"Would you come down to the front of the class and read us your piece..."

At this moment, I remembered sitting there writing down the poem effortlessly. Michael lingering in my thoughts as I formed the words, words that carried a message. A message I did not realise I would convey to the person who was supposed to receive it.

I gradually walked down, with my heart in my throat, and my paper in my sweaty palm.

Feelings are a natural part of human nature and can hurt you, or help you develop...

Feelings can have great power over you, especially if you keep them to yourself...

It was time to unleash them. I didn't know the extent of feelings I had for Michael up until now.

"Are you ready," I faintly smiled.

Everything stopped when he returned the gesture. His dimples sparkled... I knew then, that I was ready.

I cleared my throat, and opened my mouth..

"It hurts, it hurts, to stare at you for long.
If only our eyes could meet without intervention. If I could gaze into your direction and just touch the surface. I wouldn't have to look at you and pretend like the pain that runs deep within you isn't attractive. Or that the man behind the man in the outfit is the man that appears when our eyes fixate. And the lines on your face that my fingers have traced are slowly beginning to fade. I can't just look at you for the sake of conversation, when you're the one talking but you're not the one saying. I can't just look without being uncontrollably drawn, mesmerized, physically paralyzed, exposed, penetrated. I can't look at you. And still be strong ..it hurts, it hurts. To stare at you for long.."

In an instance of connecting our eyes, I felt mesmerised, more alive than I have ever been in my 20 years of life. I felt bound to him.