Chapter Five

"He can't be that bad," Lucianne said, laughing nervously.

"Oh, he is," Harper said. "He's the most dreaded professor on this campus."

"Everyone is afraid of him," Abbie said. "I haven't heard one good word about him."

"Well," Jonas said as he raised a brow. "There is one good thing that is said about that bastard."

"What?" Lucianne asked.

"He's known for being the most bangable person in the entire school," Jonas grinned. "Every girl here wants to fuck him."

"I'm used to attractive men. I have three brothers who know they look good and are cocky about it. It'll be fine," Lucianne said.

"Sure, let's wait till you see him," Jonas huffed with scorn.

The four of them ate, and her other friends fired question after question at her. They were curious about her since she was a transfer student, and those were rare. She answered their questions readily, making sure to deflect the negative attention Joans was showing Abbie every now and then. Abbie gave her a small grateful smile and right then, Lucianne knew she would be great friends with her.

As they continued to talk, the bell for the next period pierced the commotion of the food hall and students slowly left their seats to head to their classes. Lucianne made her way to her class with the dreaded professor, and smiled when she found the correct classroom.

She pushed the door open and found several students already at their seats behind a row of tables that stacked upon one another like an oversized stairwell. She took a seat at the back row and took out the book that was assigned reading.

She ran her fingers across the glossy cover of the book. Lord Malice. A horror poetry classic that everyone loved and mutually regarded as one of the toughest, darkest reads of history. There was a red banner lining the bottom of the cover, with the words "Study Guide" emblazoned at the bottom.

Lifting her head, she looked down at the stage. Her eyes found her professor, who was leaning against the edge of his table and looking at his watch.

They weren't joking. He was attractive.

His hair was tousled, and dark. They were a tad too long, but framed his green eyes well. He had a set of wire-rimmed glasses on his nose bridge which suited him very much and his skin was porcelain. He had a sharp, gentle jaw and thin lips.

He was utterly beautiful.

Gabriel Blacken was his name. He lifted his head, his eyes glancing over her as he left the table. He stood at the edge of the stage and looked over every single student, kindness shining in his eyes. He seemed so fragile and sweet, she couldn't imagine him being feared.

Gabriel pointed to a book that one student had on his table. A copy of Lord Malice just like hers. "Is that your copy of Lord Malice?" he asked the student.

"Uh, yeah."

"Can I have it?"

The student stood up and passed it to him. "Here."

Gabriel held it up for everyone to see. "Look at this. Do you see this?"

The students nodded.

"This is the study guide version," Gabriel said, then flipped open the book. He tore page after page from the binding, tossing it towards the floor.

"Hey, do you know how much I paid for that?!" the student yelled.

Gabriel closed the book and held it up again. "I made it very clear in your book list to get the normal version, didn't I?"

"But - "

"In my Literature class, none of you will be piggybacked," Gabriel announced to everyone. "I don't need students who want to learn the easy way. I don't need fools who need a crutch. I instructed you to get the normal version because the language is not updated to modern times and it is as it is supposed to be. Unadulterated perfection."

The entire classroom listened in silence.

"The correct version is purple in colour," he said. "Get that one, or get out of my class."

Lucianne swallowed, her hand covering her red book. The student begrudgingly went forward to pick up what remained of his book before he returned to his seat.

The class went on without a hitch and the bell rang again. Students left the classroom, and she attempted to pack as quickly as she could but found herself to be the last student leaving. She held onto her red book at the side and descended the steps, making her way to the exit. She caught Gabriel staring at the book in her hands from the corner of her eyes and panic rose in her chest.

"Student, come here," he said.

She cursed as she faced the door, shutting her eyes tightly before she opened them again and turned around. She trudged her way towards him, stopping right before his table.

He was staring at her red book. "What's your name?"

"Lucianne," she said.

"You have the wrong version," he said, gesturing to her book.

She was about to apologise profusely for getting the wrong version when her attention snapped to a book he had on his table. It was a slim eucalyptus green clothbound book with hardly any design on the cover save for the words "Sublime" and the author's name at the bottom.

Gabe B.

She pointed at the book. "You know Gabe B?"

Gabriel glanced at the book. "Know him? I am him."

Her mouth fell open in surprise. "No way!"

"Gabe B. Gabriel Blacken. It's me."

"Gabe B. is my favourite poet!"

He smiled a little. "Thanks."

Lucianne reached into her bag and took her well-loved copy out. She held it out between them. "Could you sign my copy? Please."

The corner of his lips lifted. "Lucianne, right?"

"Yes."

"Lucianne, the door is behind you."