The senior lecturer's monotonous voice echoed through the lecture hall as he discussed the dry theories of their latest specialized course. Lucas couldn't care less about the lesson's content. He leaned back in his chair and twirled his pencil with practiced ease. A click, a roll over his index finger, a deft catch. He had perfected this nervous ritual to the level of a circus trick, its sole purpose being to kill time while his mind wandered.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Mark and Danny. His usual partners in skipping class had suddenly turned into model students today. They sat on either side of him, hunched over their notebooks, and with idiotic seriousness were taking notes on every word the lecturer said. This scene made Lucas's blood boil even more. How dare they focus on some boring lecture when he, Lucas, was going through a personal crisis right now? They should have been sharing his mood, not acting like nerds and turning down his offer to skip class and hit the slot machines.

But his thoughts kept dragging him back to the parking lot that morning. Their eyes met. It was the very look that, by all the rules of the genre, should have provoked a reaction. But Adrian didn't bat an eyelid. His face remained an impenetrable mask, and then, with a polite half-smile, he nodded to a couple of late students and greeted them warmly.

That banal politeness stung Lucas more than a slap.

He hated losing control of a situation. Lucas lived for the moment when his fleeting flings would fly into a jealous rage. He knew the perfect recipe for that thrilling sensation: all it took was a meaningful glance at another person, and his partner would start to lose her or his mind. Jealousy was his favorite tool. In that state, people lost their pride; they gave it their all, desperately trying to prove their uniqueness. They became submissive and predictable, allowing Lucas to fully revel in his power over them. He always won this game.

But with Adrian, his methods failed.

The professor had become a boring routine. Only the ties and shades of suits changed, and behind that impeccable appearance lay a man who had locked his emotions away tight. Lucas felt a hot, suffocating wave of irritation rising inside him. He, a master of manipulation, sat there seething with rage simply because the twenty-eight-year-old professor refused to play the role of a jealous lover. It was a personal insult.

"Lucas, are you even listening?" Mark hissed, without looking up from his notebook, nudging him in the side with his elbow. "He said it'll be on the midterm."

Lucas slowly turned his head. He gave his friend a cold, appraising look that betrayed his outright contempt for his friend's sudden diligence.

"If I fail this exam, I'll just sleep with the dean and sort everything out," he whispered with a lazy, smug grin. "Maybe it's a great idea to set my sights on a ripe piece of fruit next."

Mark snorted, deciding it was just another empty boast, and went back to his notes.

Lucas stared toward the lectern again, though he couldn't see either the board or the lecturer. All he could see in his mind was Adrian's face. If the professor wants to pretend nothing happened, so be it. Lucas would make sure that by the end of the day, this perfect man would have no choice but to break his own composure.

***

The bell signaling the end of class was the starting signal for Lucas. He didn't wait for Mark and Danny to gather their things but immediately bolted out of the classroom, not forgetting to grab his briefcase. Spotting Mia against the opposite wall of the hallway, he headed straight for her, grabbing her wrist as he went. The girl mumbled something after him, trying to ask about her next classes, but Lucas had already tuned her out. Only one thought was spinning in his head: to get to Adrian's office before he left for break.

The university hallway buzzed, filled with the noise of students changing classes. Lucas walked quickly, pointedly not letting go of Mia's hand. Her cheeks flushed deep red, and the female friends they passed exchanged meaningful, giggling glances. The perfect picture: a bad boy and a girl in love, heading to a secluded spot.

When he reached the heavy oak door of the ethics office, Lucas came to an abrupt halt. He stood facing the door, his back completely turned to Mia.

"Honey?" she asked hesitantly, trying to catch a glimpse of his face.

Lucas spun around in a flash and closed the distance between them, pressing her back hard against the wall right next to the doorframe. His knee pushed firmly into the space between her legs. Mia gasped sharply in surprise, her eyes widening.

At that very moment, Lucas's tense, angry expression transformed. His features softened, and a seductive, predatory half-smile touched his lips. He leaned toward her ear, his voice dropping to a velvety whisper.

"Those are really cute shorts, after all," he murmured, running his finger along her thigh. "I can't get them out of my head. And what exactly do you plan to do in them after class?"

Mia swallowed, her breathing quickening. She began to ramble, speaking incoherently and at length about how she was free tonight, how she had a bottle of wine, and how she'd wanted to invite him over for a long time, showering him with compliments and hints.

Oh no, just shut up already, Lucas thought with a dull irritation as he listened to this torrent of words. I don't even want to ask anything else. Just be the backdrop.

The click of the doorknob made him act on autopilot.

Lucas pulled Miya toward him in one swift motion, wrapping his arms around her waist, while his other hand gently, with an exaggeratedly possessive tenderness, ran through her hair.

The door swung open. Adrian was standing in the doorway, but he wasn't alone. Beside him walked another student: a young man with a pleasant, open appearance, wearing a neatly pressed shirt. A blush played on his cheeks, and in his hands he clutched a stack of graded papers.

"...and I'm truly grateful that you pointed out that mistake in my essay, Professor," the student said, looking at Adrian with genuine admiration. "Your comment about the argumentation clarified a lot."

Adrian smiled warmly, and that smile reached Lucas's eyes. "You did an excellent job, Noah," the professor replied gently. "Your analysis was exceptionally deep for a freshman. Keep it up; you have great potential."

That sincere warmth in Adrian's voice struck Lucas's nerves like a slap. Rage, hot and blind, instantly boiled up in his chest. How dare he look at someone else like that?

Without thinking of the consequences, Lucas clenched his fingers, digging into Mia's hair and unconsciously yanking it. 

"Ouch!" the girl cried out in sharp pain.

The sound made Adrian and Noah stop and turn around.

The professor's gaze swept over them. There was neither anger nor that much-desired jealousy in his eyes. It seemed as though Lucas was a complete stranger to the man. His eyebrows rose in genuine, slightly puzzled surprise. He looked exclusively at Mia, completely ignoring Lucas, as if the latter didn't exist in the hallway. 

"Miss… are you okay?," Adrian asked calmly, with polite concern. "Are you hurt?"

This absolute, icy indifference stung Lucas more than any scream. How dare he treat him like he was invisible?

Unable to bear this scene for a second longer, Lucas clicked his tongue loudly and irritably. He shoved Mia away from the wall without even looking at her, spun on his heels, and strode rapidly down the hallway, clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"I apologize for the commotion," Adrian said quietly to the student, returning to his previous calm tone. "Let's continue our discussion in our next class."

But before he took another step down the university hallway, the professor's gaze darted for a split second to the far end of the corridor, following the receding figure in the leather jacket.