The computer program

7. Doorbell

I was unusually excited for his lecture.

I was always excited for when Hashirama was lecturing because of course I was. But this time, I was even more so since we hadn't heard from each other in a while.

We had this mental play sometimes, when he would ask a question to the class, and I would raise my hand, and he would look at me, raise an eyebrow, and choose someone else. Then, I would think about it as he fucked me.

I hadn't heard from him since I told him how to implant the chip, and he hadn't heard from me, either. I'd just been busy studying for my exams as well as reading more about neurology. I'd found an interest in the subject and I had noticed it came easily to me. That was an aspect of myself I did like; when completely absorbed in something, I didn't have to play hard to get; I just was. And I figured that would entail the tension between us would be extra wound up.

I was trembling a little with nerves. I had deliberately seated myself quite close to the front of the lecture theatre, without anyone next to me to make our playful exchange easier. Sometimes, I sat with others just to bother him. "I hate it when I don't have you all to myself", he would complain. But this time, I wanted to give him exactly what he wanted.

As he stepped onto the podium, I felt my heart burst. He looked stunning, in suit pants and a white linen shirt that was slightly oversized and not tucked in. I bit my lip, waiting for him to turn around and look for me as he always did.

He didn't.

He turned on the computer, made sure the PowerPoint slides showed on the screen, and started lecturing, looking everywhere but at me.

At first, I felt hurt. But then, I smiled. He was toying with me. Of course he was. He was trying to make me desperate for him. Well, two could play this game. I started taking notes on my laptop vigorously. When he asked questions, I deliberately kept my hand down which was terribly unusual for me. As the lecture drew to a close, I bit my lip; I was getting nervous about fucking him. The tension between us had never been like it was now. We had never ignored each other like this. 

As the lecture ended, I stayed put, my back turned to the stage where he stood, packing my bag slowly.

But as I turned round, he was gone.

I frowned. Really? Was this how we played? I slung my backpack over my shoulder, went to his office and knocked on the closed door, but there was no answer. I waited for a while, figuring he might have gone to buy coffee in the cafeteria before coming, but he never came. I waited for thirty minutes, then realised I needed the last fifteen of my break to actually eat lunch.

I took my backpack and left, terribly confused.

I didn't hear from him or see him all week. I kept studying, both for my exams but also about neurology. On the Thursday, three days after the lecture, I was seriously considering texting him, but I didn't, not wanting to nag him. Instead, I went to the building where his lab was. But as I blipped my card, it got rejected. I frowned, trying again. It got rejected again.

I went to the information desk, spoke to the lady there.

"I can't enter the lab where I work."

The kind lady behind the desk took my card, wrote the number on it in her computer.

"Your access has been removed."

My heart sank.

"By whom?"

"By professor Hashirama Senju."

I felt my heart sink

"Since when?" I asked.