First Meet
“Tell me again why we woke up at six in the morning for this?”
Sara dropped her bag on the cafeteria chair and glared at her friend.
Nisha grinned unapologetically. “Because today we meet the hottest professor this university has ever hired.”
Across the table, Riya nearly choked on her coffee. “Not hottest. They said young. There’s a difference.”
“Same thing,” Nisha replied confidently.
Sara rolled her eyes and opened her notebook.
“You two are unbelievable.”
“Oh come on,” Nisha said, leaning closer. “You didn’t hear what the seniors said?”
Riya nodded dramatically. “Apparently half the girls in the final year attend his lectures even though they’re not in his class.”
“That’s creepy,” Sara muttered.
“That’s dedication,” Nisha corrected.
Sara ignored them and checked the timetable again.
Advanced Analytical Chemistry – Dr. Adrian Verma
“See?” Nisha pointed at the page. “Even his name sounds attractive.”
Sara closed the notebook.
“You both need help.”
Riya smirked. “Wait until you see him.”
---
Ten minutes later they walked into the lecture hall.
Students were already filling the room.
“Front row!” Nisha declared, dragging them forward.
“No,” Sara said immediately.
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Before Sara could argue again, Nisha dropped her bag onto the third-row seat.
“Perfect view.”
Sara sighed and sat down anyway.
The room buzzed with conversation.
Behind them, two girls whispered loudly.
“I heard he studied abroad.”
“No way.”
“Yes! My cousin saw his faculty profile.”
Another voice joined.
“And he’s single.”
“STOP,” Sara said, turning around. “How do you all even know that?”
The girl shrugged.
“Research.”
Nisha leaned toward Sara and whispered dramatically, “See? National investigation already started.”
Sara shook her head.
“This is ridiculous.”
---
Suddenly the classroom door opened.
The chatter died instantly.
Sara looked up.
A tall man stepped into the room.
And for the first time that morning…
Nisha stopped talking.
Riya stopped breathing.
And Sara forgot what she was about to write.
The man walked calmly toward the desk, carrying a folder under his arm.
Dark shirt. Rolled sleeves. Confident posture.
But what caught Sara’s attention most were his eyes.
Sharp.
Observant.
Like he noticed everything in the room within seconds.
He placed the folder on the desk and looked at the class.
Complete silence.
Then he spoke.
“My name is Adrian Verma.”
His voice was calm but firm.
“I’ll be teaching Advanced Analytical Chemistry this semester.”
Behind Sara, someone whispered dramatically,
“Oh my god.”
Nisha leaned forward and whispered into Sara’s ear,
“I would major in chemistry for this man.”
Sara elbowed her.
“Shut up.”
At the front, Adrian picked up a marker and wrote his name on the board.
Dr. Adrian Verma
Then he turned back to the class.
“I have three rules.”
The students sat straighter immediately.
“No phones.”
He paused.
“No late submissions.”
Another pause.
“And no unnecessary talking during lectures.”
At that exact moment—
Nisha giggled.
Sara froze.
Because Adrian’s eyes lifted from the board.
And landed directly on their row.
Nisha instantly looked down at her notebook like the most innocent student alive.
Sara bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
Adrian studied them for a second longer.
Then continued the lecture.
---
Twenty minutes later the class was fully focused.
Even Nisha.
Adrian explained complex formulas with surprising clarity, writing equations quickly across the board.
Sara found herself writing faster than usual.
He was… good.
Very good.
Halfway through the lecture, Adrian suddenly turned around.
“Can anyone explain why this reaction becomes unstable at higher temperatures?”
Silence.
Students glanced at each other.
No volunteers.
Sara quietly wrote the answer in her notebook.
Adrian noticed.
“You.”
Sara looked up.
His gaze was fixed on her.
“Third row.”
Her heart skipped.
“Yes?”
“You seem confident about your notes.”
The entire class turned to stare at her.
Nisha whispered excitedly,
“YOU’RE BEING CHOSEN.”
Sara inhaled slowly.
“The reaction becomes unstable because increased temperature accelerates molecular collisions beyond the catalyst’s control.”
The room went quiet.
Adrian studied her for a moment.
Then nodded once.
“Correct.”
Nisha squeezed Sara’s arm.
“Genius!”
Sara whispered back, “Stop it.”
But Adrian’s attention remained on her a moment longer before he continued the lecture.
And strangely…
Sara felt the weight of that gaze even when he looked away.
---
When the lecture finally ended, the room exploded with chatter.
“Oh my god he’s terrifying.”
“He’s hot.”
“He’s terrifyingly hot.”
Nisha grabbed Sara’s arm dramatically.
“I think I’m in love.”
“You say that about every professor,” Sara said.
“Not like this.”
Riya leaned closer.
“But did you see how he looked at Sara?”
Sara frowned.
“What?”
“He literally scanned the entire class and then stared at you.”
“That’s because you two were giggling.”
Nisha smirked.
“No, darling. That was interest.”
Sara ignored her and started packing her bag.
But as she stood up—
A voice called from the front.
“You.”
Sara looked up.
Adrian was watching her again.
“Yes, Professor?”
“What was your name?”
Sara hesitated slightly.
“Sara. Sara Mehra.”
He nodded thoughtfully.
“Good answer earlier.”
“Thank you.”
Then he added calmly,
“Sit in the front row next time.”
Nisha’s jaw dropped.
Sara blinked.
“Why?”
“Students who know the answers shouldn’t hide in the third row.”
The class burst into quiet laughter.
Sara felt heat rise to her cheeks.
“Understood.”
Adrian gave a small nod.
“You may go.”
Sara walked out of the classroom with her friends.
The moment they reached the corridor—
Nisha screamed.
“OH MY GOD.”
Sara covered her mouth quickly.
“Are you insane?”
“You’re already the professor’s favorite!”
“He asked my name.”
“Exactly!”
Riya laughed.
“First lecture and Sara already has main-character energy.”
Sara shook her head, but a small smile appeared anyway.
Behind them, inside the classroom, Adrian Verma watched the last students leave.
His gaze drifted briefly toward the empty third-row seat.
Sara Mehra.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
