Spencer Wright, the mega asshat, turns to the door with surprise. Did he really forget I was supposed to come today? Is he really that entranced by her?

I swallow a growing lump as I ball my hands at my sides trying to ignore the sharp pang shooting through my heart.

He glances at his wristwatch. "You're late." With one hand he motions me to enter the room and I do as I offer a tight-lipped smile.

"Sorry professor," I mutter through gritted teeth, and the small smile on his face instantly falters.

I stride to the chair I usually sit on and glare at the redhead's bag placed on it.

Deep breaths Gracie, deep breaths. Do not lose your shit.

I scan the redhead as I drop my bag next to the foot of the chair. She has bright blue eyes that appear like glass, her lipstick matches her hair color. The best word that fits her and pops up into my head for describing her is, bold. Even though her coat doesn't fit her quite right, the black shirt she's wearing doesn't hinder her curves.

She offers me a sweet smile which I fail to return.

The sickening truth sinks in, as much as I hate to admit it, she is pretty. And a few years older than me.

After a few minutes, they wrap up their little talk. She gathers her belongings; with a wave and a sultry smile, she saunters out of the office.

I roll my eyes and hang my coat on the hanger, ignoring Spencer Wright entirely as I walk back to the chair and place my bag on top of it, rummaging for my textbook.

"So... how have you been?" he asks. My back faces him but I can feel him inching towards me.

I press my lips into a flat line. Curiosity and annoyance get the best of me and I give in to my impulsive thoughts and ask, "Good. And who was she? I'm pretty sure haven't seen her in our department." I pull out my textbook and mutter, "Quite hard to miss her in any place."

I turn in time to see him lift a corner of his mouth upwards. "She's from the physics department."

I feign interest, nodding my head as I grip the book tighter. So she's not even his student. Well, at least not technically.

Now I hate her even more.

I study the whiteboard, covered in neat handwriting, clearly hers. My muscles tighten, even her handwriting is better than mine.

I tilt my head in concentration, trying to make sense of the equations scribbled across the board. Mathematically, I know what's happening, but why and to what it's supposed to lead to are a mystery to me.

"If she's not a math major... then what was she doing here?" I successfully manage to hide the bitterness in my tone, replacing it with intrigue.

"She had a few questions... about the research she's doing." He glances between me and the spot I'm scrutinizing.

Research! You gotta be freaking kidding me.

I purse my lips. "I thought you don't do researches with students."

"I don't lead researches with students. Her thesis adviser is someone else."

With a single nod, I move towards the board. "That means her research is on physics, yet she came to you for answers?"

"She did."

"Because you'd definitely know," I huff and roll my eyes, placing my textbook on the nearest shelf as I study the equations more closely.

"Excuse me?"

And now he sounds pissed. Great.

I shrug, not sparing a glance in his way. "You specialize in maths. This is not maths. It makes no sense coming to someone who you don't know, asking questions that's not part of their expertise."

"She had a problem in the mathematical area... and why are you interrogating me?"

I gasp dramatically and spin on my heels, facing him. "I'm not interrogating you, I'm making small talks and if you cannot tell these two apart, then you need to work on your social interaction skills." By the end of my little outburst, my voice has gone up an entire octave.

"Okay." He holds his hands up in mock defeat.

I roll my eyes and turn around.

"You're in a... peculiar mood today."

"No, I'm not," I snap.

"Did something happen?" he asks with a kinder tone, instantly melting my heart.

But I shake off the effect and pull myself to my full height crossing my arms in front of my chest. "No."

"You can tell me." He walks to me but stops a pace away.

"Everything is perfectly fine." I glower at the whiteboard.

"If you're not in a good headspace... we can meet another day."

"No." I scrutinize the whiteboard, trying to figure out what's happening. A question springs to my head, reaches the tip of my tongue but before I can voice it out, Spencer answers it.

"Quantum field theory." With a long stride, he places himself next to me. From the corner of my eye, I catch him glancing at me as my mouth shapes an O.

Again, curiosity tickles my oh-so-nosy brain, making my irritation melt away momentarily. I prepare myself for another question, to understand what the hell Quantum field theory is, I slightly turn to him and notice the corner of his lips lifting upwards.

"It's a complicated matter, combining special relativity and quantum mechanics."

My eyebrows jump up. Sourly I recall the numerous books revolving around physics, especially in quantum, he had stacked up in the library in his bedroom.

"It's a tough thing to go after, usually the stronger students dare to thread in its way, especially for their thesis topic. And it heavily relies on maths," he pauses just to give me a pointed smug smile and I roll my eyes.

"So just because she's going after a hard topic, she's a good student?" I arch an eyebrow at him, desperately trying not to scowl at him.

Hesitantly he nods and I throw him my harshest glare. "Oh, so she is an awesome student for choosing this." I wave my hand in the board's direction. "But when I said I want to work on Reimann, I was being unreasonable and had to prove myself."

He releases a rush of air and pushes his glasses up his nose. "Because you're an undergrad, anyone would say you're not being rational, but she's a Ph.D. student. You cannot even begin to compare yourself with her."

I ball my hands at my sides. "You are being unreasonably partial."

"What? You can't be serious right now."

I storm away from him, moving to the desk on the other side of the room as I mutter. "I am." Planting my palm on the small open space on the desk, I turn to him as he nears me and stands across from me. "Fine. Then I want to solve something instead of analyzing and comparing."

He watches me with exasperation. "How about we talk about this another day?"

I take a step to him and crane my neck to meet his eyes with a steely gaze. "No."

"You're not thinking straight, and arguing with you it's useless right now. I don't even know where this is coming from. Two days ago, you were fine with what you were doing."

I interject, "Well I changed my mind. Am I not allowed to do that now?"

He rubs his brow. "I don't understand, we've been through this already. The topic you've decided to work on is way harder than anyone in your level should be pursuing, given the timeline and everything, even analyzing and offering a new solving method is out of your legue-"

I interrupt him, "So you're saying I'm not smart enough?"

He throws his hands up. "I never said that! I don't know what's happened to you or who has given this stupid idea to you to solve something in a matter of two months. I really don't know how else to tell you, but it's not possible. Unless I do the majority of the work, which again won't benefit you because to anyone who you send your resume to, will figure out it's not your work and you won't get the result you want."

I narrow my eyes, glowering at him as he moves his hands while talking. But I also note how close we have subconsciously moved towards each other.

"But you need to understand you cannot compare yourself with other students, Gracie, especially not a Ph.D. student who's years ahead of you."

I keep watching him, all logic and practicality are thrown out of the window. For the first time, I dare say, he looks hot when he's getting riled up. Too hot. An undeniable urge shuts the rational part of my brain

He goes on, "You're mad at something else and you're directing it all at me and our work, which is wrong." I give in to my impulse as he keeps on talking. "So far, I've only helped you and supported yo-"

I crash my lips on Spencer Wright's soft warm lips.

∞ ∞ ∞

I did say things will start to heat up soon lol =D

Tell me your thoughts (especially on jealous Gracie xD I sure do like writing it lol), vote if enjoyed it (sorry it's a short chapter, but I promise from this coming week onwards, the chapters are going to be way longer).

Thank you for reading this chapter *.*

Well, as promised, the next update will be up tomorrow ^^ [Update: I published the next chapter =) ]

Stay safe, lots of love, happy reading <3