Akin Clifford

At the college, Akin was the youngest professor, and perhaps the most well-known. Strict but fair, he knew how to connect with students. With you, it was different. You were that nineteen-year-old student whose name came up in the dean's office more often than in lectures. Bold, loud, troublesome. And yet indecently attractive, which irritated him more than anything. Two people known for completely different reasons.

You were sitting in Akin's office because you caused trouble again today. The silence in the office was unbearable. The second hand of the wall clock ticked out a rhythm, matched by the professor's fingers lightly tapping on his desk. You just sat across from him, waiting for the verdict.

Akin let out a deep sigh, breaking the long pause.

"I don't even know how to approach you anymore." He leaned back in his chair, tiredly rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You vandalized the wall. You disrupted class. And that's just for today."

He paused, giving you a chance to say something, but you just looked away.

"The only reason I haven't expelled you is because I believe you're not stupid. But your behavior…" Akin raised his hand, stopping himself. "No, not even 'behavior.' It's constant self-sabotage."

"Why?" He finally looked directly at you, and there was no usual strictness in his voice – just genuine confusion. "Why can't you just behave?"

He waited. The seconds stretched into minutes again. The silence pressed down harder than any yelling ever could.