"Let the storm rage on."
This is the line one uses when he either wants to test his patience limit that how much strength he has left to put up with things that continue to change from worse to worst or when he doesn't care anymore. Later was the case with the hapless professor. She was bored of fighting her rotten luck. No matter how hard she would try, what had to happen would always happen. She wouldn't make an effort to change it anymore.
The bad break of her Master's program started when she stepped five minutes late in the doctor's class and excuse herself saying that she would never be late again. And from that day onwards, neither a day went by when she wasn't late for his class. After putting forth a moderate effort for almost a year, she finally decided to call it quits today. That was how she ended up leisurely walking through the halls towards the first class of the morning, unlike all other times when she would be rushing, bumping into students, and finally making it to the class with fast and shallow breathing.
Knocking on the door, she opened it and walked over to where the teacher was delivering a lecture. More assignments? That was fine. She also had the assignment from the last week to yet post before midnight tonight. She would think of herself as a favourite, obedient patient of a doctor who would receive more than one lollipop for behaving well. The only difference was she was receiving more assignments instead of lollipops.
She heaved a sigh and opened help mouth to go on with the same apology when Doctor Gordon beat her to it.
"Professor? We thought you wouldn't come today", her teacher took off his glasses and addressed the girl as if he was incredibly concerned for her.
Why wouldn't she come? She wasn't one of those who would run from their problems instead of handling them. She would face them, fight them and then according to the current progress, would decide whether to keep looking for a solution or simply ignore them and move forward.
"You know that I don't turn my back on challenges", digging your own grave by being late and welcoming assignments with upcoming exams, wasn't it a challenge?
"Yeah, I've had a hunch that you wouldn't stay put. I might not know how it feels but I can understand your struggle while you're standing here", understand how it felt? He knew how it felt to miss an opportunity to kiss a hottie on lips? The professor thought.
"My wife also goes through it every month", this came as a bolt from the blue that had the girl's mouth going agape.
"His wife goes around kissing strangers on cheeks and regretting later on!", Scarlett's mind was pushing her in for a shock.
When she walked into the classroom, she had only two thoughts in her mind, assignments and the regret. Listening to Doctor Gordon's speaking, it was obvious that he wasn't mentioning assignments there. Consequently, her mind started relating whatever the teacher was saying with the other thought occupying the processing queue inside.
"I make her hot coffees and build a pillow's nest to keep her warm just like how werewolves do when they are in heat", now this didn't make sense at all to the girl. Your wife went around, throwing herself over others and there you were making coffee and thinking of ways to keep her warm? And what was that heat thing? What in the hell the teacher was talking about!
"Coffee?", the girl finally spoke. All the students in the class were staring at the two, some whispering and some passing the girl impish smiles.
"Yes, that's what every girl consumes in abundance on her menstruation cycle", menstruation! Where did it come from now! Did she step into a biology class!
The professor looked around. No, it was her class with the same students. Was she dreaming? To confirm it, she raised her right hand from the side and pinched on the left arm. It hurt. She wasn't dreaming.
"Dylan told me how painful it was for you to walk when you've had your period cramps this morning", and then everything became clear to the girl. She turned her head to find her stupidest friend of the century giving her a goofy smile.
"Since you're already here, you can take a seat if it doesn't make you uncomfortable", glancing at his wristwatch, Doctor Gordon looked at the girl who appeared flabbergasted and meteorite struck.
"That's fine. Thank you, doctor", she politely mumbled and walked to the end of the class to take a seat in the corner, where no one could look at her. Did she feel that all humiliating? No, it wasn't something to be ashamed of to talk about in public but standing in a class of all boys with your teacher discussing your imaginary period in front of everyone, how would she have felt?
The remaining minutes of the class went fast as Doctor Gordon walked out of the room. Scarlett got up from her seat, making her way out for another lecture when she heard Dylan screaming her name behind her.
"Is this how you repay an act of kindness, Scarlett?", catching up with her pace, the boy asked.
"An act of kindness? What an actual f*ck. You made me on my period when I'm all fine, can even run a marathon!", yelling at her friend's face, the girl gasped.
"Come on, I saved your a*s from the bunch of assignments Doctor Gordon would drop in your lap for coming late again", when Dylan arrived in the class and didn't find the girl, he thought she was on her way.
When the door opened and he saw Doctor Gordon entering instead of his friend, he instantly sent her a text about how long would it take for her to arrive. Receiving no response from her, Dylan created a story in his little genius mind.
"You know what? Never do that again! Your make-up stories always suck! F*ck it, you're 25! Jimmy was so damn right about age being just a number cause he's way more mature than you!", the professor walked off. She wasn't simply exhausted, she was nerve wrecked. Her dad found out that she came home half-drunk only because of the made-up lie of her friend.
The rest of the day went pretty fast. Students were slinging their backs, walking out of the university except the two. Dylan was following Scarlett like a lost puppy everywhere.
"Drop the act now. I know you're not angry anymore", sulking, he side hugged his friend who didn't push him off. The boy was right. Her anger had cooled down now and whatever she spat earlier was out of the heat.
"Fag", the girl huffed, letting the boy glue tight to her side.
"You never asked me about the night I went out with that hot meal", when the air between them calmed down, the boy finally pulled away, eyes glowing, face painting in the hue of pink.
"Oh please, I'm not interested in your sex positions", the professor shot him a disgusted look, making her way to the food corner in the university.
"Sex isn't the only thing in a relationship to talk about", relationship? Was he already into one? Wasn't it supposed to be a one-nighter? The girl wanted to ask but she knew that if she opened her mouth regarding the matter, the boy would go nonstop telling each and every detail to her that she wasn't looking forward to when she had an empty stomach
"I'll see you in the lab!", with that she ran off, leaving the boy sulking alone.
After buying herself a sandwich and Iced Americano, she went to the laboratory. Dylan's bag was there but he was nowhere to be seen. Scarlett put the the sandwich and coffee on the table and entered the attached room that had the time machine.
"What are you doing in here?", she asked the boy who looked stunned. When he didn't reply, the professor followed his line of sight only meeting the banana in the time machine.
But wait...there wasn't any banana but only its skin.