"Well done, Karishma. I'm always impressed by your dedication. I heard your plea for financial aid in the email you sent me last week. I was on a family vacation, I'm afraid I could not reply on time but I've taken time to write for you a recommendation letter and hopefully they consider you for international students aid." Mr Clifford told her. As soon as he did he watched her blossom from pessimistic to hopeful. He was surprised by the way his heart almost leapt out of his chest when she smiled widely. He was aware of her situation for the past few months. He'd always see her at the library till dawn. Just after sunrise; library. She had even asked for him to allow her to stay after class if he did not have any lecture that way she could study and do her assignments.

He felt sorry for her.

"Thank you so much Mr Clifford, this means so much to me."

"Of course, you're one of my favorite students by far. I commented on your academic contributions to date, future goals, and research experience you've done. Hopefully it helps."

"It will, you have no idea." She sighed.

"Hey, why the sad face? Everything will be alright. You won't lose this."

"Sir, it's just... it's just I blame my parents. They knew we couldn't afford this. They knew we could only afford to pay for one semester, my dorm... the flights everything. I won't be going home for the next four years because a flight ticket is off the budget. My parents are in debt already as it is. All for the sake of wanting to be seen. I don't even have..." she kept silent embarrassed, this was not her friend, why did she feel so comfortable confiding in him. Perhaps it was his calm nature, he gave her this understanding aura. His smile made her want fumble and jitter. Karishma immediately dismissed her thoughts. She did not see him that way, he was a respectable member of the university faculty. Baby blue shirts looked so good on him, she thought... getting distracted. It was visible that he worked out. The way the fabric hugged his chest and biceps. For a moment she day dreamed away from her gloominess. He was leaning against his mahogany desk in the lecture room. Karishma thought he had a beautiful smile, it was hard not to notice. She told herself it was a harmless crush she wouldn't allow it to go too far. She liked the way he made her feel. She felt determined to do better, for herself and also to impress him. He always had this look on his face when he read her work. A look of admiration.

"I'm sure they meant well. They wanted to give you a big shot. If you had never came then you would always wondered what if? What if's are the worst thoughts to have, I can assure you that. You're here, everything will turn out okay. You're a very smart girl. I believe in you, it's only been three months and I'm always thoroughly impressed."

Blushing, she looked up only to see him already staring at her. Eye contact was hard to comprehend. She looked away quickly. He had a such a defined face, she assumed he was Ian Somerhalder's cousin. Perhaps she had binged a bit too much of Vampire diaries the night before. Regardless her stomach tingled. She felt as if this was her weakness, she would always mistaken kindness for... flirtation.

"Thank you sir..." that was her only ever response not knowing how to take compliments.

"You don't even have...? You never finished your sentence."

She shied away from the question. "It's not important. I have to—"

"Tell you what? Wait for me at 6:30pm at the library. We're going to shop for necessities and get you food. I understand, don't thank me. Just until you get financial aid, I know you do not accept such acts of kindness like how you utterly rejected my coffee."

"I—"

"You wouldn't want to bother your parents at this moment. Let me help. Rands to Dollars... is quite a lot."

Karishma smiled lightly, looking up at him. He smirked. "So yes, I one of the many ignorant Americans did a bit of research on South Africa. I'm embarrassed to say Nelson Mandela and apartheid was all I ever knew about it. As always I'm open to learning. If you're open to accepting help. Just until you get aid alright?"

She felt too fond of him.

She did not like it.

"Yes sir."

Letting out a hearty laugh, he stood up straight with his hands in his pockets. "You make it sound like this is the military. It's just Hunter, I'm not that old alright... I know a little bit of tik tok and renegade."

Karishma laughed. He joined in. "C'mon I've only turned twenty-nine as of recent."

In that small brief time period, he saw felt tempted to say that was his favorite sound. It caught him off guard, he watched he put strands of her sleek black hair behind her ear. She had a nose ring, he liked it on her. He liked it a lot. It was one of the few things he had ever noticed about her button nose.

"Your accent is changing too. I will miss it." He muttered.

"Is it?" She questioned, a little taken aback. She hasn't noticed that her accent was changing either. Her brother had briefly said this before and so had her friends. Four months and she was already being pulled into the New York rush.

"Yes, it is." He nodded, a glimmer in his eyes. They stared at each other briefly before she told him, she had a second lecture that she needed to prep for. He was understanding.

He wanted to yell.

"Hopefully I remain your favorite professor... right?"

He decided against it. Why did it matter to him? Why did he care so much about what she thought of him... he found himself searching through her Instagram. Stuck on one image, he could only admit to himself that she was absolutely breathtaking. She didn't have that much going on there but she had a few pictures here and there. Two friends one hispanic and the other black. Like the tourist she is new to the place. They had went out to a couple of local tourist sights. He could definitely tell that they were too ambiguous when it came to clothing and appearance as opposed to her.

He liked that about her, she was too simple. So was his wife... the reminder hit him like a truck. He had not been thinking of her as much in-fact a phone call from her annoyed him. He always pretended to be busy. He genuinely felt horrid for feeling the way he did.

—

Later that day as promised, he picked her up. She was shocked by the expensive car he drove in. She did not think professors made that much well at least not where she came from. He took her grocery shopping. She'd complain that he was doing too much and it was enough but he simply ignored. She did not want him to ask for certain things in return. It was her biggest concern. She did not want to be taken advantage of in a foreign country by a man who had so much power over her graduating at the end of the day.

Randomly throwing in pads, tampons-

"No." She said dismissively.

"I have two older sisters, I'm sure you need these. Unless if you're going to be pregnant for the next coming months." Hunter smirked, feeling his phone vibrate he immediately switched it off. This was around the time he got home. He told himself he'd tell her that he got caught up with work. Karishma was practically work. He was not doing anything wrong only helping her out until she gets back on her feet. The poor girl had no one except a supposed aunt in Texas. Her mother always made it sound as if Texas was next door and she could randomly walk and ask for sugar and return to her dorm.

"No... sir, I mean Hunter... I don't like tampons."

"Oh..." he replied. "Virgin?"

Realizing that was inappropriate he quickly drew back. Clearing his throat.

"No, it's uncomfortable." She told him.

"Uh... alright. My wife always prefers tampons."

It was then he realized he should not have said anything but he wasn't doing anything wrong. Why did he feel the need to hide his wife...?

"...oh..." they moved onto a different aisle.

He bought her dinner. After this encounter, it was hard to ever stay formal. It was hard to revert to being strangers. He knew so much about her. He loved learning more and more about her. Hunter was always intrigued, always. During dinner at a Chinese restaurant, something she had never had. He prompted she tried something new. They talked about her three ex boyfriends, the last one being the one who had taken her virginity and broke her heart. She gave him suggestions for South African movies mostly Leon Schuster. She promised that she would cook for him Durban Lamb curry. She told him about her high school experiences. It was all a banter until he didn't want to say good night. She didn't want to either.

Realizing they had broken boundaries, they attempted to be formal again.

'I'm just helping her out.' Hunter told himself driving off.

'He is just being a Good Samaritan, he is married he wouldn't do that. He is out of my league anyways... he is just helping me till I get my financial aid.' She told herself as she watched his car race off.

Let me know your thoughts, thanks. Pretty Please vote and add to reading lists  :D