He looked so innocent reading his book, almost peaceful. I stopped in the frame, admiring his face. His brows were pulled together in a concentrated manner. His jaw was defined, leading up to his musculine body. I couldn't take my eyes from him unti...
"So, where do we start Professor?" -------------------- "Hmm, so I thought that we could start with a little bit of brainstorming. Reasons people might like poetry or why they might not?", he said but made it more seem like a question.
I nodded:" Yes, sure".
For the next thirty minutes we collected some arguments for both sides but focused on arguments against poetry as these were the probable thoughts of people we wanted to convince.
"As a Professor, I get the impression quite a lot that students don't like poetry because you often have to think about it to find the true meaning behind a text", Professor Cullen added and I wrote it on our word document on his laptop. Meanwhile I slowly shook my head and pulled my brows slightly together.
"What is it?", he asked me immediately. Had he just looked at my face the entire time?
"Oh, uhm nevermind", I quickly said but he didn't let it go.
"No, please, what were you thinking about, Miss White?", he asked more fiercly.
I looked into his eyes and knew that he needed to hear an answer so I gave in:
"Well, I know it's stupid but I just thought that, for me personally, that is something that speaks for poetry. There isn't just one right answer. That makes it more free...", I mumbled.
He listened closely and shook his head at my words.
"Look, I know that it makes no sense. That's why I didn't want to say it. I'm - ", I tried to explain while looking at my hands on the table when he suddenly interrupted me. He usually never did that.
"Miss White. Look at me" His hand reached for my face to lift it up again. "That's not stupid. I agree with you to 100%. I truly believe that this argument can be used from both parties. Please don't question yourself so much. You are a wonderful and highly intelligent woman", he stated calmly while looking me intently in the eyes.
I had to swallow.
"I'm sorry. I'll work on that. It's just...sometimes it's a little bit intimidating when your in a discussion with someone who is clearly more advanced", I told him honestly, still recovering from the fact that he had touched my face.
But he, again, shook his head. He leaned back and studied me with a small smile dancing around his lips.
"I disagree with you Miss White. Honestly, I think we're on the same level. And if not, than it's the other way around. I can hardly have much more experience than you. We're almost the same age. I've studied but that doesn't mean that I know it all", he countered.
I looked at him and scaned his face. It was true, he couldn't be much older than me. I blushed as the thought of us as a couple entered my head.
"How old are you?", I asked to distract myself.
"28", he replied gently.
"Then you're six years older than me", I stated.
"That hardly makes a difference in anything", he said lowly.
I wanted this moment to freeze as we looked at each other and I couldn't take my eyes from him. His eyes revealed honesty, a certain seriousness and something else I couldn't quite make out. I wondered if we were still just talking about each other's knowledge about poetry or something way different...
After what felt like an hour I looked away and on the computer to continue working. In that moment Professor Cullen coughed before he slowly closed his laptop so that I had to look at him again. His hands were barely away from mine and I really wanted to touch them. But before I could do something that I'd probably regret, he broke the silence:
"Maybe we should take a little break and just talk..to clear our heads".
I nodded but then the silence started again. I felt a sudden tension between us and all I wanted was to grab his face and seal his lips with mine. I quickly looked around to find something to talk to when I saw the book that was laying next to him.
"What have you been reading before I came?", I blurted out.
"Robert Frost actually, Nothing Gold can stay. You know it?", he answered.
"I shake my head. "Would you.. would you read it to me?", I asked.
He smiled and nodded: "Of course. Your wish is my command". And with that he started reading:
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
His voice was so beautiful. It was, like everything with him, glorious. I felt goose bumps all over my body and bit my lip while I watched him.
So dawn goes down to day,
Nothing gold can stay.
When he was finished he looked up at me with a curious but also slightly burning look in his eyes. I felt naked, like he could look right through me and was still unsatisfied. Like he was longing to know everything about me, even the things that I didn't know myself.
"What do you think about it?", he murmured.
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-------------------------------------------- And that's chapter 8! How did you like it? And what do you think will happen next?
Please leave some feedback in the comments !
Maybe the next chapter will be like this one but out of the perspective from Professor Cullen..would you be interested in that? Have a nice day :)
