Chapter 3: Professor

“Your eyes are… interesting.”

Leila blushes and replies while staring at the grass, avoiding further eye contact, “Are you... hitting on me? You’re the one with purple eyes.”

The strange man chuckles and answers, “No, just taking note.”

“Ezra! There you are!” A student calls out, garnering the man’s attention. He gives a small smile and responds as the student breathlessly reaches him, “I was just having a discussion with miss…”

He tips his head to the side waiting for her answer. She quickly looks up, answering, “Oh, I’m Leila.”

The student shakes his head and states, “Well, you’ve been nominated for the talent show. The girls heard about your violin skills, and now they’re forcing you into the program.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose, seemingly in frustration, and Leila’s ears perk up at the mention of the instrument. She asks softly, “You play the violin?”

His eyes wander over to hers and he nods. “Yes, I’m an instructor for it as well.”

Her eyes light up, and she urges, “You should play a piece for the show then. Shouldn’t be too hard.”

Ezra gives her a dry smile. “I’d much rather watch the show, not be a part of it. It’s meant for the students.”

He focuses on the male who had approached him and states, “Tell them no.”

The male runs a hand through his brown locks and counters, “You know the girls are going to hate this.”

“If they want to listen to me play, they can come to a showing or take the course.” he responds matter-of-factly.

Leila asks with a small grin, “Then I’ll get to see you play?”

He casts her a sharp gaze, questioning, “Are you in my class?”

“Every Monday and Wednesday night for the semester, yes. Nice to meet you, Professor Ezra.”

He balks at the title and states, “Please, just call me Ezra.”

Leila leans back into the grass, feeling much more at ease and replies, “Sure thing.”

The dark-skinned student waiting for Ezra speaks up, “So then it’s definitely a no? I don’t want to disappoint those girls. They’ll hang me.”

Ezra chuckles. “Surely not.”

He points to the crowd, Leila’s eyes following his finger to a larger group of women watching the trio, and she comments, “Wow, you’ve got a cult.”

“He really does.” the student agrees. He questions, “So it’s definite no?”

Ezra sighs and leans back onto the grass. “It’s a no, Mike.”

He gives a two-fingered salute to the pale man and walks off towards the group of anxiously waiting girls. Leila watches as the scene unfolds from afar. Mike’s shoulders fall as he explains to the girls the situation, and several of them storm off.

Leila can’t help but laugh to herself at the scenario. Ezra glances at her and asks, “You aren’t the cult gathering type, are you?”

She places a hand to her chest feeling offended and quips, “Do I look like I enjoy that sort of thing?”

He sits up, looking her up and down, and with a small chuckle he answers, “No, you don’t seem the type.”

She smiles at him and silence falls between the two. Leila gazes out at the crowd. The students partying seemed like they were having so much fun. A piece of her wants to join in on the festivities, but she’s much too shy. Instead, she just watches from afar until a familiar face pops up amongst the bodies and rushes towards her.

Excitement is plainly written across the young woman’s face. Mirth fills Leila’s eyes, and she asks as Hayley finally gets within hearing range, “Having fun I assume?”

Hayley nods her head vigorously. “I’m having a blast, and you finally came outside.”

She notices Ezra beside her, and her eyebrows raise in curiosity as a grin spreads across her face. “Looks like you’ve even made a friend.”

Leila inhales sharply. “This is Ezra, and he’s the professor for the violin course I’m taking.”

Hayley’s eyes light up as curiosity radiates from her. She plops down beside the man and asks at a million miles per minute, “You play the violin? Are you any good? You’d have to be to teach a class, right?”

He chuckles at her enthusiasm and replies smoothly, “I do, and I’d like to think that I play it quite well. If you’d like to see and judge for yourself, I’m performing later this week in the Ball Hall music auditorium.”

Ezra stands and stretches, muscles rippling beneath his black top, and states as he bids farewell to the women, “Ladies, I must go. I have lesson planning to tend to before classes start. You two have a good night, and Leila...?”

She meets his gaze. “Hm?”

“Stay safe.”

Her heart skips a beat at the tone in those words, but she gives it little thought, believing it to be her anxiety as per usual, and she watches as he fades into the throng of students before completely vanishing from sight.

Hayley releases a cheeky grin and states towards Leila, “You have my approval.”

Her cheeks redden, and she stutters, “I-I don’t need your approval. We aren’t dating.”

“But you could be.” she responds in a sing-song voice.

Leila huffs and counters, “We’ve only known each other for an hour at most.”

“People hook up knowing each other for less time.”

She exhales noisily in frustration, emphasizing, “But I’m not one of those people, Hayley. There’s no way I’m hooking up with a stranger.”

She nudges her shoulder, “But you won’t be strangers for long.”

Leila narrows her eyes at the insinuation and responds blankly, “You’re very determined for whatever reason.”

“You need a man or woman in your life.”

She can’t help the depressed sigh that escapes her mouth. “I really don’t need a relationship in my life right now. Maybe in a few years or something when I’m out of school.”

“Girl, you need to explore. This is the perfect place for it.”

Leila rolls her eyes. “You’re starting to sound like a mother.”

Hayley giggles. “Maybe, but really though, you should explore a bit.”

Leila stands and stretches her arms. She states lightly, “Alright, I got it, mom. I’ll keep it in mind.”

“You really should. What are you going to do now?”

She pulls out her wallet and replies as she begins walking towards the dormitory, “I’m going to bed. We have classes tomorrow. I don’t want to be late on the first day.”

Hayley puts a finger to her chin, thinking and finally nods in agreement, following the woman into the building not far from the party. Once they arrive at their dorm, Leila rushes to her bedroom and collapses on the bed, kicking her shoes off in the process.

She shouts into the small hallway just before Hayley enters her own room for the evening, “Goodnight, roomie.”

A small giggle resonates throughout the mini apartment, and she returns, “Goodnight, Leila.”

The brunette turns over in her bed and sighs. “Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

With that final spoken thought, she closes her eyes and drifts off into a fitful sleep.