The campus library was nearly empty, the faint glow of desk lamps casting elongated shadows. It was the perfect place for stolen moments—secrets whispered between bookshelves where no one dared to listen.
Sophie sat at the farthest corner, her fingers gliding over the pages of an economics textbook, though her mind was elsewhere. Her heart pounded in anticipation.
She wasn't alone.
Professor Raymond stood a few feet away, pretending to browse the shelves, but they both knew why he was there. They had been careful—glances stolen in the lecture hall, the brief touch of hands when passing documents, the unspoken understanding between them.
But now, the space between them was shrinking.
"You shouldn't be here," Sophie whispered without looking up.
"And yet, here I am," Raymond murmured, stepping closer.
The air between them was charged, thick with an unspoken desire neither had the courage to address. The rules were clear—professors and students were never meant to cross the line. But the line had already blurred long ago.
Sophie turned the page absentmindedly. "If anyone sees us…"
"They won't." His voice was steady, but his eyes betrayed him. He was losing control.
She finally looked up, meeting his intense gaze. "You're playing with fire."
Raymond exhaled sharply. "Then why do you keep coming closer?"
Sophie's breath hitched. He was right. She was drawn to him in a way that defied reason, in a way that could destroy them both.
A distant sound—footsteps approaching.
Raymond took a step back, his expression unreadable. "We need to stop this."
Sophie clenched her jaw. "Do we?"
He hesitated just long enough for her to know the answer.
The footsteps faded, and for a fleeting second, nothing else existed but them.
Then, as if waking from a dangerous dream, Raymond turned. "This is the last time," he said, more to himself than to her.
But Sophie knew better.
This was only the beginning.