{Elira}
~**^**~
For a mont, I thought about letting it ring out. Pretending I hadn’t seen. But my thumb betrayed , sliding across the screen before I could think.
I pressed the phone to my ear. "Hello?"
His voice ca through, deep and clipped. "Elira, co to my office in the administrative block imdiately after your second class today."
I opened my mouth—"But, Professor—"
The line clicked dead before I could even finish my statent.
I stood still for a mont, staring at the phone, the silence in my ear louder than anything else.
Up ahead, Nari was laughing at sothing Juniper had said. Cambria patted Juniper on the shoulder, while Tamryn walked with her usual asured calm. None of them turned back to ask any questions.
They knew well enough not to pry.
I slipped the phone back into my pocket and forced my legs to move, falling into step behind them.
But inside, panic twisted through because my second class would end just before kitchen duty for dinner prep.
If I skipped the punishnt, the Council would brand a disobedient and disrespectful student, and then, they might take advantage and increase my punishnt.
But if I skipped Zenon’s summons... I wasn’t sure what he would do.
Either choice felt like a trap, and I didn’t know which one to choose yet.
---
The cafeteria was alive with the midday rush, the sll of roasted ats and fresh bread filling the air as students lined up with their trays. My friends and I carried ours to our usual table, the noise around us a blur.
I tried to eat, but my stomach churned too much for more than a few bites. Every clock tick seed louder than the chatter around us, pulling closer to the inevitable.
Finally, I set my fork down and spoke quietly. "I won’t be able to do my kitchen duty after school today."
The four heads turned toward at once.
"Why?" Nari asked, her brows shooting up.
I hesitated, then forced the words out. "Professor Zenon... summoned to his office. After my second class."
Cambria’s spoon clattered softly against her bowl. "What? Did he say why?"
I shook my head. "No. But it might be because he caught almost... dozing off during his lecture this morning." Heat crept into my cheeks at the admission.
Juniper exhaled through her nose, leaning back. "Good luck with that, Elira. Out of the three professor brothers, Professor Zenon is the anest."
Nari bobbed her head imdiately. "Absolutely. His brothers aren’t even ans. He is just the only one who doesn’t smile with students. He is cold as a stone wall."
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. Their words, so full of certainty, made want to tell them they didn’t know the half of it. But instead of making the revelation, I only smiled faintly and let them talk.
Cambria tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Although he doesn’t know about this, it’s unfair for him to drag you away when the Student Council already forced you into this punishnt. What are you going to do?"
Before I could answer, Juniper shrugged. "Simple. We will cover for her."
Nari snapped her fingers. "Exactly. We will tell the kitchen staff Elira was delayed by a Professor, and we will take on the work today."
My eyes widened. "You’d really—?"
"Of course, Elira," Cambria said softly, giving a reassuring smile. "This is what friends are for."
Sothing warm flickered in my chest at her words, making wonder why I only saw them as my roommates for so long.
In fact, they were more than friends to . Just like Selene said, they are sisters.
I breathed in deeply, my nerves still tight, but steadied by the warmth in their eyes. "Thank you. Truly."
"Don’t thank us yet," Nari said, jabbing her fork at a roll. "Wait until we survive the kitchen chaos without you."
Laughter bubbled around the table, easing the tightness in my chest. But as the bell rang and students began packing away their trays, the weight of Zenon’s summons returned like a shadow over my shoulder.
I would honour his call. But I couldn’t shake the nervous thrum in my veins.
I couldn’t wait for my second class to end.
---
The second class passed in a blur I barely absorbed. Every ti the professor’s voice rose or the clock hands shifted forward, my chest tightened a little more.
Finally, the class ended and slowly, I packed up and left the classroom for the locker room.
I glanced around, trying to see if I would spot Cambria or the others but failed.
Letting out a deep sigh, I stopped in front of my locker and unlocked it with the code. Next, I grabbed my backpack and packed the books I needed into it, before shutting the door.
I wondered how my friends were going to cope in the kitchen without . But already, I planned to join them as soon as I was done with Zenon, if only ti would permit.
And with that, I found my way to the Administrative block.
---
I stopped outside Zenon’s office door, the polished brass plate gleaming faintly under the enchanted lights.
My hand hovered mid-air for a long second before I finally knocked, my knuckles sounding far too loud against the wood.
"Co in," Zenon’s voice called, low and clipped.
My pulse jumped. I turned the handle, the door opening with a soft click, and stepped inside.
Zenon sat behind his desk, pen poised over an open ledger, but his gaze lifted the mont I entered. Those sharp black eyes fixed on , unreadable, weighing.
"Professor," I murmured, bowing my head slightly.
He gestured toward one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Sit."
My legs carried forward stiffly. I lowered myself into the seat, placing my backpack carefully at my feet, though my fingers lingered on the strap as if it might anchor .
The silence stretched heavily.
Then Zenon set his pen aside, folding his hands. "I noticed how exhausted you were this morning."
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