Page 6 of Stranger to Love

I headed into the Business building early, finding the Economics classroom. It felt so weird—like being back at school, but everyone was an exhausted adult who actually wanted to be there. Not wanting to look like a creep lurking outside, I walked around until just before nine.

When I headed back, the room was starting to fill up. I joined a random table next to a girl who was already neatly straightening her notebook.

“Hey,” I said, sitting down.

“Hi!” She beamed, offering her hand instantly. “I’m Holly.”

“Alex.” I shook her hand and chuckled. “Are you a local, or did you move here for uni?”

“Oh, I moved. I’m staying at Liberty.” Her smile was soft and charming. She had gentle features, curly blonde hair in a half-up, half-down style that framed her face beautifully. Her light blue eyes were captivating, but there was a softness in them that screamed precious and fresh eighteen. I was glad to see she went smart casual, too: a soft, flowing pink blouse over jeans.

“That’s cool,” I replied. “I’m local. No uni accommodation for me.”

She sighed dramatically. “You’re lucky. The rooms are tiny, and my bed is a single! Like, what adult sleeps in a single bed?”

Me. Unfortunately.

I just scoffed, offering a dry, "Sounds rough."

A couple of guys slid into the seats across from us. Each offered a hand as they introduced themselves. “I’m Mo,” the taller one said, with a confident, cocky smile. The other offered, “I’m Abdul.” Holly and I shook their hands, offering polite smiles.

I tilted my head, taking them in. They shared the same grin, similar noses, and rich dark brown skin, but they also looked distinctly different. I raised an eyebrow. “Are you brothers?”

They laughed simultaneously, a synchronicity that was genuinely a bit creepy. I managed to keep the weirdness off my face.

“Yeah,” Mo confirmed with a nod. “Twins, actually.”

“Ah,” I said, nodding slowly, feeling clever.

“Obviously not identical,” Abdul chuckled, pulling out his notebook.

Mo rolled his eyes. “Obviously. I’m way more handsome than you.” He shot a cheeky grin my way, and I did my absolute best not to sneer. It wasn't his fault he was a man.

I shared a quick look with Holly, who was biting her lip to stifle a laugh. Okay, good. She gave me straight vibes, but I was relieved to see she wasn't already fawning over their charm.

At bang on 9:00 a.m., the sharp click-clack of heels cut through the low classroom murmur, drawing every pair of eyes to the front.

Fuck me sideways. Was that our teacher?

At that moment, I was profoundly grateful I was sitting down. The woman was absolutely striking; she looked less like a professor and more like a high-powered villain in a spy film. She was wearing a fitted pencil skirt that instantly drove my pulse wild, paired with a crisp light blue shirt tucked in tight. Her cuffs were folded up to her elbows, and she pushed them higher as she set up her laptop. Her dark hair was tightly secured in a claw clip, with only a few deliberate strands framing her sharp, beautiful features.

I don’t think I’d breathed since she walked in.

She glanced up from her successful connection to the projector. I wasn’t surprised to realise the entire class had gone silent. We were all thinking the same thing; she gave off the distinct vibe that we’d be scolded for breathing wrong. But honestly? That was fine.

I still hadn’t managed a proper breath since I laid eyes on her.

She pulled up a PowerPoint slide displaying the heading: ‘Economics Year 1.’ Below it, in a stark, professional font, was her name. Dr. Carter.

Oh, yeah. That suited her perfectly.

She stood at the front of the class, folding her arms. My pulse quickened again as her eyes met mine for a fractional, searing second while she scanned the room. Her heels clicked sharply as she took a couple of measured steps forward. Her voice was clear, cutting, and carried the distinct weight of someone who never wasted a word.

“This class can be difficult for those new to the subject. For the first couple of weeks, we shall run through the baseline knowledge I expect you all to grasp before we dive into the real world of Economics.”

She began to walk through the aisles, every step purposeful, every glance laser-focused. “My name is Dr. Carter. I shall be conducting your seminars and lectures in Economics. My office time is 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., every Tuesday. You will find my office location on your portal.”

She passed our table. Every head in the room followed her movement, hanging on every syllable—me included.