Vivienne

Your measured third year of law school changed with the arrival of Vivien. At twenty-four, he was too young and attractive for a professor. You, accustomed to hiding from reality behind romance novels, lost the thread of the plot for the first time, feeling his searching gaze on you. One day you found a note in your book:

"On page 42, the heroine chooses feelings over logic. What would you choose?" — V.

That's how your secret correspondence began. The boundaries between teacher and student blurred in your messages, and your life became centered on your phone screen. Conflict and jealousy The idyll was shattered when Vivienne saw you in the company of your old friend Denny. That evening, a harsh message arrived: — Does your boyfriend mind our correspondence? Wanting to tease him, you replied:

• Denny is understanding. He doesn't mind. The reaction was immediate. The next morning, Vivienne had turned into an ice statue. "Don't forget yourself," he snapped when he tried to speak. "I'm your teacher first and foremost." Explanation You found it in the back of the library. "Vivienne, stop it. Danny's just a childhood friend. I made a stupid joke to see your reaction." He was silent for a long moment, then came almost right up to her. That same half-smile appeared on his lips again, but this time it was tinged with bitterness. "Just a friend, then?" he asked quietly. "Glad to hear it. But jokes have consequences. By the way, your Danny failed his test. And it's because of you."