Professor F

Chapter 9: Coffee Stain

"G—Good morning!" She tried her best to act as normal as she can. She even tried to chuckle a little.

"What makes you say that? I was just moved to an earlier shift."

"No. Not just that. I haven't seen you in a while."

She forced a smile as she tried to flee the situation. "Enjoy your coffee."

He looked at her as she left with an empty tray. As she walks back, she saw Gail glaring at her again.

She sighed inside. Man! I'm trying my best here!

She finished her shift that morning and was grateful that Flynn left after ordering his coffee. She left the

coffee shop and walk straight home. Feeling tired and sleepy, she yawned as the lift dinged to the 6th

floor and the doors opened. She was about to step out when she saw Flynn standing there in his usual

preppy look as a young handsome professor, waiting for the elevators.

They both looked shocked to see each other. This time he tried to avoid her as well. She tried to go to

his left but he stepped to that spot to give her the right path to pass through and then she stepped to

the right to use it but he also stepped on that side, blocking her way.

"I'm sorry." They both said awkwardly. She looked at him and she feels bad, making her apology sound

more than the situation asks for.

He smiled genuinely. "I'm sorry." He stepped aside and let her pass, gave her enough time to walk past

him before he stepped inside the elevator.

The lift dinged, warning that the door will be closed when she turned around. "I'm sorry for ignoring

you." She said as the door finally closed with Flynn's shocked face.

She sighed, still standing and bowing down when she heard the lift dinged and the door opened. Flynn

was smiling at her. "Wanna grab lunch together?"

She got worried. "Is that alright? I mean—"

"Yeah. You're right. I forgot." He stepped out of the lift and walked towards her. "I'll cook breakfast."

"What about your class?" She asked.

"I don't have a class today. I'm planning on reviewing some books at the library but that can wait."

She blushed at the thought of him making her breakfast instead of going straight to the library. So, I'm

finally seeing his place?

"Come on." He invited her as he walks back to his apartment. He unlocks the door and invited her in.

He went straight to his kitchen, folded his sweater up his elbows and prepped the things in the kitchen

for cooking.

She can't help but feel amazed of how his place looked like. He's got shelves of books on every corner.

He also got the latest game console connected to his big smartv. And he's got collections of games on

a shelf too. His iPod sits on a Beats by Dr. Dre sound system.

"Wow."

"Do you play video games?" He asked as he whisks eggs on a bowl.

"No. Not really." She walked towards it to check the games and then walks to the shelves of books.

She found a shelf of engineering books and then collection of Harry Potter and other famous novels.

"Just wow."

He chuckled on his throat. "Hey, you can borrow anything you like instead of just having the dust cover

them."

"Really?" She gleamed. She never had a collection of novels. Although her parents want to buy them

for her in the past. She told them not to because she has access to the library to borrow them when

she wants to read them.

He nodded smiling and started cooking scrambled eggs and bacon. He also prepared cups of coffee

for both of them.

She joined him in the kitchen. "How many times do you usually have coffee?"

"Twice or three times a day. I get sick when I don't have them." He teased.

"That's insane!"

"I'm kidding. Of course I don't get sick because of not drinking coffee. But I feel like my day is

incomplete without it." He explained as he prepares their table.

"I can understand that." They sat on his dining chairs and he continued to amaze her when he uses a

table napkin like a rich kid. She looked at him as if he's acting so weird with what he just did.

"What?"

"N—Nothing. I just kinda feel like I was watching a royalty preparing to eat his breakfast." She joked as

she reaches for the food. "Let's eat. Super hungry." For some reason, she feels comfortable around

him. And then she realized it's because no one is around and they can be themselves.

She suddenly remembered those times she gave him a cold shoulder. She felt guilty. "I'm really sorry

for ignoring you."

He looked at her. "It's okay. I'm pretty sure you have a good reason for that."

She sighed. "You do realize how famous you are in campus right?"

He looked interested, more intrigued. "I've heard stories. Especially the bad ones. But I don't really

think it matters so much."

She looked at him, he talks like a real mature guy. It's as if he's an old wise guy living in a young, hot

and handsome guy's body. "Yeah. The bad ones don't matter. I think you already know why they call

you Professor F or Professor of fucks or whatever—"

"What?" He chuckled as he swallowed his food.

"What—you don't know that?" She looked surprised when he shrugged his shoulders. "When you say

especially the bad ones, what are those?"

He sips on his coffee. "I heard they hate me because I give few students an F mark every school year. I

mean, they get what they deliver. I didn't want them to graduate not understanding the course at all."

She gets his point. "What else do you know about the bad stories about you?"

"Well, I know they don't like me giving tests almost everyday." He scratches his chin as if thinking for

something else. "I'm a professor. Not everyone especially the students would understand my ways in

teaching my subjects but as long as I follow the University protocols... I'm fine."

"Is that all you know?"

"Well, I've received some threatening letters that I just find funny. And some uhm—" He blushed as he

looks away.

"Love letters?" She recalled that one instance he saw him reading a crumpled paper and smirked. Oh,

that sexy smirk on his face!

She blushed but managed to get a grip. "My reason exactly is somehow related to that, you being

popular to women."

"Not all women, I guess. You clearly don't like me."

Really? He can’t tell? Was she able to make it look like she's not interested in him at all? Or is he

messing with me?

"Y—Yeah." She laughed nervously. "Anyway, my colleague, Gail likes you and she glares at me every Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

time you talk to me at the coffee shop. So, I had to—"

"Ah! That's why.”

"That's why? That's all you could say? You didn't think she liked you and connected the dots?"

"I'm not really good at reading people especially women."

How naive can you be with women?

"Really? You looked like you've dated a thousand women in your lifetime. Didn't you see how they

wanted to lick the path you walk on?"

He choked on his hot coffee and spilled some on his pants. He jerked in shock and pain from the hot

coffee on his khakis. "Fuck! Sorry. Excuse my lang—"

She reached for the napkin and quickly helped him clean his damp crotch. "Oh my God! This would

stain." She continued to wipe the coffee off without realizing what she's doing until she looked at his

face.