I quickly text Anushka to inform her I have a few things I need to take care of and I'll catch up with her and Meilin later as I hurry up the stairs, making my way to Wright's office.

As I get closer, I slow down my pace and fix my hair, fan my face to make the flush go away. Just as I reach the narrow hallway leading to Wright's room, I catch him talking to a student. The guy struggles to keep up with him as he writes down whatever Wright is telling him.

Meanwhile, I stay afar and take this chance to study him. I can't tell in what sort of mood he is, but either way, if I want to seduce him and get the answers to the bits and pieces that are missing in my solution alongside having his name under the paper I have to get on his good terms. As soon as possible.

The way he spoke to me on Wednesday resurfaces in my head and weights down in my chest. It still hurts and I can't understand why his words affected me so deeply. I'm not only hurt but extremely confused too.

No, it's not a good combination.

Regardless, when the guy scurries away, the moment Wright looks up, his eyes land on me as I approach him.

"You wanted to speak to me?" I quietly ask.

He nods and turns, walking down the corridor towards his room. Silently, I follow him down the path into his messy office room.

"Sit." He motions to the chair in front of his desk as he places his bag on the only empty spot on the otherwise overflooding desk.

Wordlessly, I obey and flump down on the chair, crossing my arms in front of my chest and refusing to spare a glance in his way.

"I don't know what you did that caused today's... disturbance, but if you're planning on staying my student and working on a paper, you have to get your act together."

His words perk me up and I tear my gaze apart from his library and glare at him. "I thought I was too dim and thick-headed to write a paper," I snarl.

He has the decency to at least wince at my comment. 

He inhales sharply and runs his hand through his hair before walking to the other side of his room and dragging the lone plastic chair and placing it across from me.

I huff and fix my glare on the window.

"Okay," he sighs. "How about..." his voice trails down and I tap my foot, waiting for him to continue while still looking out the window. "Will you at least look at me?" he says at last; the exasperation draws my gaze to him for a split second.

"No," I snap and shift on my spot, crossing my legs and glare harder at the clear blue sky.

"I shouldn't have been that hard on you that day, it was wrong."

I scoff and turn to him. "Hard on me?" I echo with disbelief. "You outright called me stupid. I did everything you told me to do. Every little bit but the moment I stepped inside, you jumped down my throat." My hands fly as my voice raises an octave.

He gazes at me with an undecipherable expression. Pushing his glasses up his nose, Wright clasps his hands. "You're right. My behavior was wrong. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that." He calmly says, his eyes never leaving mine.

"I don't know what I did to deserve that sort of reaction from you!" My voice wavers and a deep frown creases Wright's forehead as he plants his elbows on the flimsy armrests.

"I wasn't in the right state of mind and I took it all out on you... I truly regret the way I acted out." He sits on the edge of his seat as if trying to get closer to me. His knees are less than an inch away from mine.

I huff and lean back into my seat. "Someone, not that long ago, was all about separating personal from professional life and taking control of what affects you and what doesn't and more importantly how much it affects you. What happened?" I arch an eyebrow and glare at him.

His lip twitches upwards as half breathy laugh rushes out of his nose. "I guess I deserved that, but-" he speaks but I interrupt him.

"No. No more buts. You say you regret what you said, but you didn't even apologize! Not even a text."

"I don't have your number Stewart," he shoots back with a pointed look.

Oh right. "But you have my email."

A grin breaks out on his face for a beat and he looks down to compose himself, when he looks back up, a small smile still plays on his full lips. "I'll keep that in mind."

I look down at my hands, fidgeting with my fingers. I lift my shoulders and tap my foot repeatedly. "The way you spoke to me really hurt," I mumble, avoiding to look at him but feel his gaze burning into me. "No one had ever raised its voice on me like that," I admit. Heat rushes to my cheeks and I don't dare to look up at him, feeling too vulnerable and exposed to able to handle his reaction.

It's unlike me to admit to something like this. Pointing out people's shitty behavior is what I always do... but the impact their actions have on me? Never. But for some reason, the urge of telling this piece to Wright was too much to handle, and now that I voiced it out, I wish I hadn't.

"I'm really sorry," he softly says. The tenderness in those three simple words draws my gaze to him and our eyes lock. "I never wanted to hurt you. I'm sorry."

My breath hitches at the intensity of the moment. My heart flutters at his sincerity and the butterflies in my stomach go wild.

A small smile curls my lips. "It's okay." The weight that had been crumbling and crippling me suddenly disappears, lifting my mood along with it.

Neither of us breaks eye contact. A sudden insane impulse takes over me to just close this gap between us. Anything to get closer to him. But I resist it and remain glued to my spot.

I note his features. His slightly disheveled hair, dark blue eyes boring into me. A five o'clock shadow along with a dark green button-down shirt.

I try to read the unspoken thoughts swimming in his deep eyes but fail.

Wright abruptly gets to his feet as if he has been burnt.

"Almost forgot," he mumbles as he walks around his desk.

Disappointment jabs at me. For some odd reason, I didn't want him to move away from me. I shake my head and push aside my mixed emotions. I need to sort through them quickly before it causes trouble.

He rummages around his bag before finally pulling out a book and settling behind his desk. I try not to glare at his stupid wide desk.

"I thought this would make my apology more sincere," he says, holding out the book for me.

I frown with confusion. "For me?" I ask and a second too late realize how stupid I must have sounded. Regardless he nods and I take the book from him.

It's a considerably thin book compared to all my maths ones and as I scan the cover for a title, and fail to hide my surprise, a sticky note is taped on top of the title and in Wright's messy handwriting the words 'A-Z about business' are scribbled.

I glance up and catch him staring at me intently. I quirk an eyebrow before turning back to the book and flipping through the pages.

Page after page, I spot notes stapled to the pages of the book itself, or line after line highlighted and in blue ink explanations written in any free spot of the page.

"Wow," I breathe out.

"I thought it'll help you. Your brother knows all these things and definitely more, but... it'll give you an overall idea about business and everything... might help with the uh-" he pauses, and I glance up in time to see him rubbing the back of his neck. "Helping your family get back on track," he finishes and nods to himself, avoiding my gaze.

My mouth hangs open. Warmth course through my veins and gratitude swells my heart. I blink a few times to gather my thoughts as I run my fingers over the faded edges of the cover. "Did you write all these notes for me?" I shift on my seat to look at him directly.

"Bits and pieces." He shrugs and pushes his glasses up his nose. "I got the book a few months after entering college. Ever since then, I've been adding notes, I just completed those for you and hopefully, they'll be helpful for you."

I smile. "Didn't you say you don't lend your books?" I ask, arching an eyebrow, a desperate attempt of trying to get rid of the butterflies going wild in my chest and stomach.

A corner of his mouth lifts up. "I did, but I'm not lending it to you, I'm giving it to you."

My lips form an O and I nod. A thin strand of hair frees itself from the rest of my tied-up hair and tuck it behind my ear. "Thank you." A grin breaks over my face and I look up, meeting his dark blue eyes.

A question pops in my head and squint at him. "How do you know so much about business?" I tilt my head slightly.

He opens and closes his mouth before finally answering, "Curiosity."

I narrow my eyes further and he leans back into his seat and runs his hand through his hair.

"Well?" I probe and he rolls his eyes.

"I minored in business," he dismissively says, his features growing hard and distant.

I gape, leaning towards the desk. "That's why you and Mason had a few classes together." A beat of silence passes between us as I watch him with parted lips and planting my fingertips on my left cheek. "That's so cool." I lean back into my chair and fix my gaze on the library across from me. "And I can't even finish a single degree."

My comment earns me a light chuckle from Wright, a pleasant sound, drawing my attention back to his handsome face. He shakes his head with amusement and all I can do is admire him.

"Well, now that you're back to your usual self," he starts but I cut him off.

"Why business though? Why not something more related to maths?" I ask and angle towards his desk.

His face falls and his grow cold. I instantly regret my question but keep on staring at him, hoping for an answer.

After a prolonged silence he mutters. "Curiosity."

I tilt my head in confusion and squint but don't push the matter, even though I'm sure there's more to it.

He inhales sharply and straightens in his chair. "Anyway, since we're back on track... I was thinking, can you find and organize fifteen papers the way I told you to do? I want you to broaden your options."

I blink a few times, doing a quick calculation. "By which day?" I hesitantly ask.

"Friday?" he suggests.

"Okay." I nod, even though it sounds like an awful lot of work.

"Email me if you had any problems or questions," he offers and I fail to hide my smile.

Now, this is what I call progress. The next step will have to be getting on a first-name basis.

"Thanks," I brightly say and get to my feet.

The corners of his mouth twitch upwards into a small smile.

Hugging the book close to my chest I leave his office. Though I can't tell if my excitement and giddiness are caused by Wright's cute apology or returning to working on the paper.

I inhale deeply and Wright's faint cologne scent that seems to have left a permanent mark on the book, tickles my nostrils, making my heart race. I smile down at it.

Maybe getting Wright wrapped around my fingers won't be as hard as I'd imagined it being.

∞ ∞ ∞

Well, what do you think about Wright's apology? =)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to comment your thoughts and vote if you liked.

Next chapter will be up tomorrow.

Thank you for reading <3

Stay safe, lots of love, happy reading ^.^