When the Stars Burn

Chapter 3: τρία

There was a shadow she could never make out of in front of her. There was a pull she could never deny as her legs found a life of their own, moving one step after another. It was dark, but there was a minute hint of light at the end of the path. Billows of a cold breeze danced along her feet, her gait turning heavier and heavier, breathing becoming laborious as colors slowly returned to the pale, astral figure. She was almost there and there was a promise at the end of the tunnel that she couldn't figure out. All she knew was that she had to follow the figure out of the darkness. The light was almost at hand, but then he turned around. She caught a glimpse of his face. She was certain she recognized him but at the same time, she didn't. She saw his eyes widen in fear, saw how he reached for her as she faded away.

She had just entered the faculty room when she found it empty and devoid. She glanced at the wall clock suspended above the commode by the far left corner of the office, adjacent to the bookshelf.

3:30 P.M.

She didn't have classes for the day so she came straight to the museum, before deciding to go to the faculty room in the hopes of seeing someone. She walked to the corkboard where the schedules were posted and saw the name of the person she was just looking for highlighted in yellow. She folded her coat and slung it over her arm, before trudging out and along the hallways in search of the Audio Visual Room 3. Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she hurried along until she reached the gigantic double doors towering over her. Carefully swinging the door open, she endeavoured to make her presence as inconspicuous as possible as she sat on the corner, upper-left seat of the lecture hall. She propped her arms on the table and watched as he enthusiastically continued with his lecture.

"They were almost out of the Underworld but before they could actually get out, Orpheus turned around to check if Eurydice was there. He shouldn't have," he remarked with sadness in his tone. This drew her curiosity.

He really is invested in his class, she thought silently and continued to listen. Until his eyes caught hers, and he grinned at her, his face lighting up. He must have gone silent, frozen on the spot, while holding her gaze that his students turned around to see what caught their professor's attention only to burst into a bout of teasing when they realized Professor Defensor was there, attending Professor Lizares' lecture.

He shook his head, a smile etched permanently on his face, and continued his lecture, all the while stealing glances at her. It didn't take long for the hall to be overtaken by the peal of the bell and the students rushing out, leaving just the two of them in the enormous cavern, sharing a smile. He moved to sit on his desk, hands leveraged against the corner edges, as she climbed down the platforms and strode towards him.

"Nice lecture, Professor," she commented lightheartedly while smiling at him.

He shrugged and chuckled. "I'm glad you enjoyed it professor," he jested and gathered his things, shuffling them in his suitcase. Fixing his glasses that were askew on the bridge of his nose, he swung the strap of his bag over his shoulder, and led her out of the room.

"What can I do for you madam?" he asked, a certain lightness audible from his tone.

"I just wanted to see you." Her words came stumbling out of her mouth before she could think them through and what had been uttered couldn't be taken back. If he was gobsmacked, he sure did a good job in hiding it as she turned away to hide her flushed face. She believed she was tactful. Perhaps beliefs were meant to be disproved.

He gently poked her arm. She turned to look at him, eyebrows arched in faux contempt. "What?" she exclaimed.

He shook his head. "I was wondering if nagugutom ka? Tara kain tayo sa tabing dagat," he invited.