Picture in media : Prof. Langdon's messenger bag. I know its weird to put a messenger bag of all things in the media...its just that I ve been OBsesSEd with messenger bags lately, don't ask why.
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" I know you were way too bright for me I am hopeless, broken, so you wait for me in the sky...you're so golden "
~ Golden (Harry Styles)
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E L L O R A
"The process inverse to particle annihilation can be called matter creation. To put it precisely, we are considering here the T-symmetry or time reversal of the annihilation process. This process is also known as pair production - which can be described as light particles or Photons converted into one or more Massive particles or particles with non-zero rest mass."
"But that challenges the basic laws of science." A girl somewhere in the first benches blurts out. "I mean, how can matter be created from nothing? "
Professor Langdon smiles, chewing his apple, as he stops pacing infront of the blackboard. He pauses infront of his desk and leans back on it, crossing his legs, making himself comfortable. "Nothing..." he says nodding his head slowly. Then without any warning he shouts,
"Mr. Taylor!"
The few students scattered in the front desks, including me, turns around to look at a lean, blonde boy dozing in the fifth bench. Said boy sits up with a start. "Uh? Me?"
"In the language of Physics what is 'nothing'?" Professor Langdon asks before taking another bite from his apple.
Taylor looks blank for a second and then slowly turns nervous on realizing every single eye in class is on him. "Um...void..er, vacuum?" He says, clearly nervous at the sudden attention.
"Fantastic!" Mr. Langdon bellows, as his grin widens. "Vacuum. And to be precise, what is vacuum?"
"Um...empty space..?"
"Brilliant. Now can you tell us according to Quantum physics what is empty space?"
Taylor's brows furrows for a fraction of a second, before his face lits up and breaks into a smile. "Yeah...its that principle by some German Physicist we studied last term. According to him, there's nothing such as empty space.....um, even vacuums aren't completely empty. There's these energy fluctuations that take place constantly."
"Thank you Mr. Taylor. Go back to sleep." Professor Langdon turns towards the class and begins." Its like a boiling sea of appearing and disappearing particle pairs. The pairs made of one particle and one anti-particle exists only for a few moments. This peculiar nature of vacuum is referred to as Quantum Vacuum. There's a principle by a German physicist which explains the energy fluctuations in vacuum simply."
It all rushes to me like a gush of cold water in a dry desert, as every thing starts making sense. "Werner Heisenberg." I mutter the name under my breath just before Professor Langdon bellows to the whole class,
"Werner Heisenberg. According to his principle, at any definite point in space there must exist temporary energy changes in time. These constant fluctuations in energy can spontaneously create mass, not just out of thin air...."
"But out of absolutely nothing at all." I whisper under my breath excitedly just as Mr. Langdon finishes,
"....but out of absolutely nothing at all."
And just as if on cue, the bell rings marking the end of the class.
Instantly there are shuffling sounds around the class, as the everyone packs up.
I sit there on my desk and close my notebook slowly in a trance, as I stare outside the window still lost in The Study of Nothing. Isn't it amazing how even nothing is something. There's absolutely no such thing called empty...this is so cool.
Stuffing my Notebook and pen inside my bag I pick the bag up throwing a glance at Professor Langdon.
This day so far has been just like other day - I didn't speak to him, he didn't speak to me. No words exchanged at all. As if nothing happened on the last day of my college - more like last evening of college. As if I hadn't landed myself within a group of drunkards and Professor Langdon hadn't come to save my damsel-in-distress self. As if in return I hadn't accused him of sexually assaulting me. As if he hadn't spoken to my mother like he knew her for eons.
As if none of this ever happened and we are back to square one - just two people who has never spoken to each other. Almost strangers....wait, did we ever even reach square two?
"Ellora....will you give me a moment?"
I freeze at the door, as the captivating voice that I've been hearing for the past hour drifts to my ears.
Okay, this voice is familiar to me for three whole years, then why on Earth do I feel my heart jump inside my chest everytime I hear it?
"Ellora...?"
I let out a shaky breath that I didn't know I was holding. Why does my name, coming from this man's mouth sound different? I've heard trillions of people call me by my name before, but never has it felt this.....good.
It's just my freaking name for God's sake! It's not like I am a fan of my name or anything..sometimes I've even wished I had a..normal name. But right now, this name coming from Prof. Langdon's voice makes my name feel it's a world wide worshipped name....or something. And he isn't even saying it differently....
"Ell-llora..." I whisper my name, trying to see if it sounds the same coming from my mouth, as I turn around slowly to face Professor Langdon.
He is leaning against the blackboard with his messenger bag crossed over his shoulder, all ready to go to his next class with an amused smile plastered on his chiseled face. My eyes linger shortly on his bulging arm muscles, which are folded across his broad chest, before getting back to his chocolate brown orbs behind black-rimmed glasses.
"Um, sorry Professor....I was lost." If being embarrassed was a currency, I would have been a billionaire by now. I face palm myself mentally before continuing, "I mean lost in thoughts..."
If right now the expression on Proffesor Langdon's face isn't the epitome of amusement, than I don't know what else is.
"By all means, continue - getting lost in your thoughts I mean." He pauses to look at his wristwatch, "I am free for the next twenty minutes or so." He says looking up and stuffing his hands inside his pockets. There's that light smile and mirth in his eyes as he looks at me....which once again makes the pumping organ on the left side of my chest flip.
Wait...did Professor Langdon just tease me? Like, tease ME?
A loose strand of hair has escaped my braid and rests on my forehead. Tucking it behind my ear, I purse my lips tightly before removing my eyes from him. Although there is a glee in his stare, it is intense. And my eyes aren't yet prepared to outstare such intensity.
The floor suddenly seems quite interesting as I realise every ounce of his attention is on me.
On hearing a soft, deep chuckle after a few seconds, I look up.
"Come here. " he says, standing upright.
Without wasting a second, I walk towards him. Carefully so that I don't trip and embarrass myself again. You know how some people trip out of the blue without any obstacle? I lead that group.
Just as I reach him, the second and final bell for my next period rings in cue.
For the love of God why! This is the first freaking time I am speaking directly to this man, the only one other time doesn't count because I didn't know it was him then, - and on top of that, he wants to tell me something. For the first freaking time....if he doesn't now, I am going to get an anxiety attack.
But I have a test this period....
Life freaking sucks.
Probably noticing the regret on my face, Prof. Langdon lets out a sigh.
"You have a class?"
I nod.
"I have too." He says quietly. After a moment he tilts his face downwards, probably to get a level look of my face,"Come to my office after classes?"
He is almost a foot taller than me which causes me to look up.
"Okay." I reply nodding my head.
"Excellent. " he says just as quietly.
I look at him for a moment. He looks right back.
When he says nothing else, I take that as my cue to turn around and walk towards the door.
Just like everyday, I turn back on the threshold.
And for the first time in three years, Professor Langdon is looking at me as I leave his class.... however his expression makes my heart skip a beat - but this time due to fear.
He isn't amused anymore, there's no more that mirth behind his eyes that was there just seconds ago. His brows are furrowed now and his jaw is clenched. His stares at me in the most intense stare I've ever seen - as if..as if he is in a lot of pain. Wounded even.
I turn back around and exit his sight, frowning.
~
As the bell rings marking the end of geophysics, I leave my seat immediately and leave for the door. The parting look on Proffesor Langdon's face is still etched clear in my memory. Basically it's all I have been thinking of since then.
What can be the cause for such....hurt? And what's with the sudden change in behaviour? What could have happened in the few seconds that I took to walk from him to the classroom door? Was it me?
This thought causes my heart to clench.
With a pair of brown orbs occupying my thoughts, I walk towards my locker.
I notice a small crowd outside a classroom, mostly of girls. I peek my head a little to have a look at what new thing has interested MU girls.
Of course....
The centre of attraction of the crowd is Mr. Blackwood. The girls are giggling, smiling and laughing and talking to him about God only knows what. He is replying to some and there is that panty clenching smirk plastered on his face. Clearly he is enjoying the attention.
Of course...
Sighing I turn away from the group and start walking as I remember the last time I spoke to him. After breaking the news to him in Gretel's that day, his smile had dropped of his face completely. After he paid for the food, we left the place to take a walk back home. All through the road, he had kept staring right ahead at the horizon, lost in thought. When we turned the block, he turned towards me with a smile back on his face. I didn't know what to make of the fact that he was so relaxed, while a tornado of emotions was wrecking an havoc inside me.
"I will take my leave from here." He had said in the same relaxed manner with the same smile once again glued to his face. "Tell, Mrs. Davis I enjoyed her company. "
Not knowing what to say, as freaking usual, I had simply nodded.
And then, leaving me shocked he had outstretched his hands to take both of mine in his. "And Ellora, don't worry. We'll make it."
Leaving me complete baffled, he had turned around walked away the opposite side. Before turning the corner, he had turned back and waved. I had simply nodded. And then he was out of sight.
Without saying anything about the marriage.
I have no idea, what exactly he meant by 'we'll make it'. Did he mean, we'll make it as in our relationship as teacher and student even after this little date, or did he mean we'll make it as in our relationship as husband and wife?
This thought bothered me greatly for the next few days and nights. Finally not being able to make head or tale of anything, I had stopped thinking about it altogether.
Back to present, I shake my head off these thoughts. And instantly a pair of chocolate brown orbs behind black rimmed glasses replaces my previous thoughts.
Right. Prof. Langdon.
My last period for the day has been ended fifteen minutes ago. What if Prof. Langdon leaves thinking I wasn't planning to visit him? Like heck I wasn't.
I almost rush to my locker and rush through everything.
And its then a dangerous realization takes place.
I have no idea where Prof. Langdon's office is....
I stop dead in my tracks. Where am I supposed to go now? What am I supposed to do now? I haven't ever been called to his office, it's only fair that I don't know its location.
Why didn't I ask him where his office was?
Well, because you were busy being excited about the fact that your favourite teacher of all times was finally talking to you. My inner self chimes.
I heave a sigh. Yeah, right.
I look around myself. The corridor where presently I stood is completely empty.
Well, I could ask Mrs. Wilkins, the woman in the registrar. Oh God! Mrs. Wilkins....
The first and hopefully the last time I had spoken to her was on the day of my admission. She is one Devil of a woman! But right now she is my only hope.
Without wasting any time, I head towards the registrar's office.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Wilkins." I greet her in my sweetest voice.
She is a plump woman with huge round glasses. She gives off Dolores Umbridge vibes, which usually keeps students in their tracks and mostly steer clear of her.
She looks up from the fat book she was peering at, and looks at me over her glasses.
I wait for her to greet back. When she doesn't and tilts her head sideways, I clear my throat.
"Um, can you tell me where Prof. Langdon's office -"
"Abraham's office?"
What other Langdon exists in MU?! I hold my tongue the last minute from blurting out my thought.
"Yes ma'am." I say instead.
"You're not allowed." She peers down at the fat book once again.
I told you she is the mother of Lucifer!
Taking a breath, I try to gather patience and try once again. "Mrs. Wilkins, he had asked me to visit -"
Her glare over her glasses makes me stop dead.
"Nothing happens in Moonsville University after class hours. Do I make myself clear?" She asks curtly.
The little flare of hope that I had of meeting Prof. Langdon finally, died out instantly. Another day of anxiety....I sigh. Before I can respond -
"She's with me Tulip. Thank you."
> > > > > > > > >
If any person is liking my story, please share it. I'll be forever grateful to you. :-)
Its a double update! Chapter 09 - 'A very pleasant walk' is up as well. Do check it out.
And do click on the little ☆ button at the bottom....pretty please with a nutella on top?
Yours truly,
Ms. ObsessedWithNutellaAndMessengerBags