“I teach.”
“Phys Ed?” I was only half joking.
“Funny.” He winked at me. “Physics,” he said. His eyes were darting all over the hall like he didn’t want to be seen talking to a student.
“Seriously? That’s hilarious. My first class today is physics. I absolutely adore science, but it’s always the math that holds me back. I’m actually a little apprehensive to take this class because of the calculus. I mean, I’m doing the calculus class simultaneously, that’s what the counselor recommended…”
Professor Fighter wasn’t looking at me, he was scanning the halls as he guided me, hand on my back, toward the wall. “I should see who the teacher is. Maybe it’s you!” I laughed. Recovering my schedule, which was now upside down due to the scattering, I flipped it around and put my finger to the first listing.
“Let’s see, Dr. E. Lawson. Is that you?”
“I’m the only Monday morning physics lecture in all of Castlebrook University, so that would be me, yes. You’ve aced your first lesson,” he said. As he talked, he kept his hand on my back and ushered me through a door. We entered into a gigantic lecture hall and I was the only student at ground level, while hundreds of others were seated in the stadium style purple seating. The carpet was purple too and it made me feel like I was inside a giant beating heart with a whole bunch of other people. There were no windows, just a massive screen where I presumed Professor-Doctor Fancy Pants would enlighten us so much, we wouldn’t need natural lighting.
“Take a seat, Celia. There are a ton to choose from,” he said. With that, he handed me my textbook and focused his attention on the rest of the room. I kind of wanted to live forever in the giant purple heart just with him. But he was too pretentious and too secretive and concerned about what everyone else was doing.
I trudged up the stairs of the aisle trying hard not to put too much significance on whichever crappy purple chair I stuck my ass in. It felt like everyone was staring at me.
But they were probably just looking at Lawson because he was pretty fucking gorgeous. They probably all thought I was a brown-noser and already trying to impress the professor with my pre-lecture interview.
I sat next to a blonde girl who halfheartedly smiled at me. It was as close as I could get to an invite to sit next to someone in the giant purple-felted space.
I watched Lawson arrange his notes and began to feel a little giddy inside wondering if anyone else in the room besides me knew what Professor’s little hobby was. If anyone else had seen this man with his shirt off, sweat and blood trickling down his sculpted abdomen—okay Celia, stop.
“I heard this guy is a total prick,” the blonde whispered to me.
Oh he totally has a prick, I thought back to my purple heart seat-mate.
He took off his suit jacket, tossed it casually on a chair nearby, and proceeded to roll up the sleeves of his white dress shirt. He then went and locked the door to the auditorium and I wondered if that was some sort of live shooter policy at Castlebrook.
“If you’re going to arrive late, might I suggest you refrain from coming,” he said. He was so dry when he addressed the class. No warmth. No bright eyes dancing under the recessed lights of the auditorium ceiling like they had been in the flood lights of Louie’s gym.
I immediately decided I like gym Lawson better than classroom Lawson.
He walked back to the podium and his shirt clung to him while his muscles moved under the rich fabric. The man was combustible, a fire waiting to happen.
He stared directly at me before he spoke, "I’m Doctor Emery Lawson, and this is Physics 101. If you aren't supposed to be in this class, please leave now.”
A couple of people rustled papers and creaked seats as they got the fuck out. I began to sweat at the tension building around the room.
"If you’re lazy and plan on complaining about the workload at any point in this course, please leave now."
No one got up.
Then two guys who looked like they might be on the football team stood up in unison and scurried out, letting the doors bang closed behind them.
He turned to me again, his words were directed toward the entire class, but I felt somehow like he was specifically speaking to me.
"I am tough, but I am fair. Do what you're told, and don't get on my nerves, and this should be a breeze. Cross me, and I'll become your worst nightmare. If this credit means nothing more than a check off of your prerequisites? Take another section with another professor. Stay here if you love to learn. Stay if the natural laws of the Universe excite you. Stay if you want to get your mind blown by a force more powerful than you’ve ever imagined."