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Jennifer

Overall, the day has been lovely with a little chilly wind. I walked to the college listening to Unstoppable by Sia. I'm wearing sunglasses to avoid eye contact with him.

Hiten? No.

Mr. Reynolds? Hell yes!

I don't wanna look at him after what he did to me. He didn't look one bit guilty even after my outburst.

I am hoping that if I keep avoiding him, he will lose interest in making my life hell. I don't want to be a part of his stupid games, so technically if I avoid him, then it will be in the best interest of mine.

I spotted the last person I wanted to see on a pleasant morning, walking with an aura like the whole world revolves around him. I'm pretty sure with the gorgeous looks he got thanks to his parents, girls must always be lining up for him to get his autograph, photos and what not. But why am I thinking about him? Oops, what about ignoring him all day? At the last moment before he could have seen me, I rushed into the hallway and got in the nearest washroom that I saw. Phew, safe for now.

Monica and Kathy reached the college five minutes before the class, "It's time for the class." Kathy said and I quickly put on my sunglasses which I took off when I went inside the washroom.

"Why are you wearing sunglasses?" Monica asked casually, munching on her chips.

"Actually, Mr. Reyno—" Kathy cut me off with a squeal. What is up with them? They always cut me off when it comes to Mr. Reynolds. Will they ever let me complete it?

"I GET IT!" Kathy said excitedly, pushing her curls behind her ears.

"What?" I asked her, already knowing whatever is gonna come out of her mouth is null and void in every possible way. I stole the coca-cola can from Kathy to finish off the remaining contents.

"These are X-Ray glasses." Kathy said, pointing towards my normal sunglasses which I actually got on sale and it made me choke on my drink. Like seriously??

"Woah, I wanna try them." Monica said, extending her hand in order to take off my glasses so I instinctively backed away.

"You guys have been going insane since the day Mr. Reynolds entered our lives with his deceptive looks. I told you yesterday, I feel I'm allergic to his presence. And yes, I'm being serious. I was not joking." I pulled out my handkerchief to clean my mouth.

"What can we say, your parents have the number one, practically a gigantic technological company." Monica said with a shrug.

"And there are many developments in your company that didn't even make its way to the market as Lawrence saved the best for themselves." Kathy added.

"Oh my goodness, so how in the world did you come to the conclusion that I'll wear X-Ray glasses for that insufferable person?" I said giving pointed looks to both of them.

I added in case they didn't take me seriously yesterday, "As I told you yesterday, I feel I'm allergic to his presence. And yes, I'm being serious. I was not joking. If anything, I am mad at him for pulling that stunt of making me his Personal Assistant." I run my hand through my hair.

"Whatever you say sweetie but deep, deep, deep down, you are not even angry at him." Kathy said mischievously.

"And Kathy don't forget, he's hot and no one can hate a guy who is that hot. I mean, wow hot, nope like delicious ho—" Monica got cut off by Kathy smacking her head.

"Stop it Monica, look, he's reserved for Jennifer, so you better back off." I'm done, I can't listen to them anymore because if I do then I'm definitely gonna go crazy.

"Your favourite professor's class is going to start soon." I noted checking the time on my phone, hoping they would stop their rambling.

Throughout the class, he either mouthed something to me or passed looks—to be honest, I had no idea what's going on. It was too dark for me and I had no intention to take off the glasses—when nobody was watching which I highly doubt. After all, I wore sunglasses because of him.

After what feels like eternity, the class finally ended. I'll be able to take off the sunglasses now. However he stopped me in my tracks by calling me by the name he has given me ever since I was publically announced the Class Representative.

"CR, give me the attendance in my office." He said after taking his belongings and practically running out but I was quick to block his way. He looked confused for a moment but then he noticed that I had extended my hand with a paper on which today's attendance was very neatly written.

He doesn't know the power Monica holds—who could recognize people she has seen even from their back profile—as she knows everyone's name and all I had to do was pull up the class list to note down their roll numbers.

"You took it already." He said, taking the paper from my hand, inspecting if it was indeed attendance and not some random address and phone number like last time.

"Okay, so return the reference book that you stole the other day." He said and tried to walk past me, but me being me, I stepped in his way to stop him in his tracks leaving him with an incredulous look. I quickly took the book out of my bag and tossed it to him, which he managed to catch without any difficulty.

"So... you are not gonna talk to me? Huh?" He scrutinized my face to get any sort of reaction, but I have this special talent to keep a straight face just like my father. Unknowingly, I have picked up some habits from my parents. It's working when I need to get things done. So what's the harm?

"Are you still mad at me?" He asked, looking all serious. Oh god, I need to control my laughter. Now that I think about it, I guess I should've worn a mask to cover up my entire face. Yeah, like a monkey cap or something. Stupid conscience, shut up. I think he is the only exception where I need to think this much when I'm mad. Am I really mad? I seriously doubt that now. I turned in the opposite direction and coughed, trying hard to control my laughter.

"Are you okay?" His voice is laced with concern. In my peripheral, I noticed him taking his water bottle out of his bag. Was I wrong in judging him so quickly? He even did the same back on the first day and didn't throw me out for eating during class. He quickly handed me the bottle and I gulped the water in one go.

"Are you feeling alright now?" He asked, looking concerned. I nodded looking in his eyes.

"Just come to my office around 2, I need you." He said and my eyes went wide in shock.

"For some work." He clarified and I heaved a sigh of relief.

The whole time I kept thinking about his statement in the wrong sense.

I need you.

My brain is automatically repeating the scene from this morning on repeat like a broken record.

Gosh, wasn't I seething yesterday? How can one look change everything? I assured myself that there is a clear misunderstanding on my part. There is nothing he can do which would make me change my mind about how he treated me yesterday.

The tower clock reads two o'clock in the afternoon now.

Even though he told me that he needs me for some work, I highly doubt that. I mean he had pulled the same stunt and it turned out he was acting. Pushing all the thoughts aside, I braced myself for whatever awaits me in his office.

I knocked twice on his door and waited for him to say 'come in'. Shockingly, he pulled open the door for me to enter. Well, that's brand new. He closed the door afterwards and I raised my eyebrows to express why-the-hell-did-you-called-me-here look. He moved towards his desk and that's when I noticed that there was a box wrapped in gift wrap sitting on his desk table which was indeed packed nicely.

"That's for you." He said pointing towards the gift with his eyes.

"You've got to be kidding me." I replied completely perplexed. I wasn't expecting it at all. I realised that I forgot to wear my sunglasses in the nervousness I felt. What about all the plans about not looking at him at all? Well, it goes out of the window I guess.

"I am not kidding. I purchased it especially for you." He said as he placed one hand on the back of the chair and another held a pen. I have never seen him holding a pen.

For that matter I just realised he always used markers to write on board and marks attendance in his laptop. This is the first time I have seen him hold a pen. What is he doing? That's out of character. I'm once again out of track. This is not the time for this. I should deny any gift considering what happened when the gift was involved the last time.

"I mean... WAIT, is this a clown box?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. He looked at me for like five seconds before shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

"Okay, is there a rat in this box?" He shakes his head, so I added, "Or a lizard? Spider? Snake? Bees? Crab?" I have to think about the worst case scenarios because it's him.

"Why would I bring such things?" He chuckled, shaking his head. Why am I always the reason behind his amusement?

"Still, I don't want it." I took one more glance at the box and it is huge so it couldn't be a clown box but other possibilities still remain, making me cross my arms in front of my chest.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have behaved like that. It was uncalled for. And I should not justify it for doing so because you slipped in that psychiatrist contact. Please take it." He said sincerely, I can't believe he said please and sorry in the same sentence. Am I hallucinating?

"WHAT?" I asked in order to confirm. He picked up the box from the table.

"You heard me." He extended his hands with the box and I can't deny, after what he just said to me.

I can't forgive him just like that. He needs to earn it in a proper way. But again, what about the chit? Even though he started the games by putting me in the spot for CR, I fanned the flames by handing him that chit. If it were anyone else, they must have reported me for improper behaviour. I can't supposedly be that rude! That's not me.

But before I accepted his apology, I added to clear things up, "I really didn't want to become the CR and it felt like you trapped me one way or the other. So I slipped in that slip. Forgive me." I looked in his eyes and found him gazing at me intently.

"Alright." He mouthed.

"Can you open it up for me?" I asked hoping it wouldn't come off in a wrong way after the apologizing session. To my surprise, he actually complied. Once the wrapping paper and all the decorations were gone, I took a look at it, and it turned out it was boxes of chocolates. Not one but multiple.

"Chocolates? Are you sure that these are for me?" I inquired because this surely seems like a scene inside the fantasy world of Monica.

"Of course" He replied and handed me five freaking boxes of my favourite Godiva chocolates. Oh my god, am I dreaming?

"How do you know that I'll like these?" I wondered out loud.

"I took a guess." He proclaimed but it seemed as if he wanted to say something else but stopped himself.

I looked up towards him and noticed him staring at me intently. His eyes were appearing a lot darker than they were earlier. I realised that we are standing quite close in proximity, that if I want, I could easily count the number of his eyelashes. Wow, I mean it's not fair that he got such long lashes. I'm jealous of his eyelashes, but he's looking more handsome up close.

"You are mesmerised by my eyes, aren't you?" He smirked. Handsome or not, he is still the same person. I shook my head to answer his question.

"Your eyes are not that special, I have seen far more fascinating one's." I remarked even though his ocean eyes are clearly gorgeous.

"I'll see you around then." He replied as he took a seat back at his table. It holds a promise of more interactions between us which fluttered something in the depths of my heart.

"See you around." I confirmed and started to walk out but stopped in my tracks as I was about to open his office door.

He looked up at me in an instant. I mouthed him a quick, 'Thanks for the gift. Good choice' with a thumbs up.

He mouthed back 'Glad to hear that', with a full blown smile that blinded me overwhelmingly. He looks a million times better with that smile. I got out of his office and went straight towards the lawns and sat down. What just happened? Something was so unusual about the whole situation. Why do I feel like something is going to change this moment onwards? That's new and most importantly, it feels so good.

Thank you to all the people who have voted and commented. It means a lot to me.

xoxo