The footsteps stopped dangerously close—so close that I could hear the soft scrape of leather on the polished wooden floor. My breath caught in my throat. Gabriel gently pressed my head against his chest, shielding me completely behind the heavy velvet curtain. His arm curved around my waist, firm and protective, yet trembling ever so slightly.
I could feel his heartbeat—rapid, uneven, nothing like the calm, controlled man he always tried to be.
Something about that made fear and warmth crash violently inside me.
The footsteps shifted again.
Someone stood right outside the curtain.
Gabriel's fingers slid to the back of my head, covering my ear, as if trying to block any sound that might make me flinch. His other hand hovered close to the curtain, ready to move, to defend, to hide—whatever he had to do. He was a storm held together by sheer will.
A soft, uncertain voice broke the suffocating silence.
"…Professor?"
My stomach dropped.
It was one of his students.
Gabriel's jaw tightened above me. I felt the tension ripple through his chest. He didn't answer—not even a breath. He stood frozen, his arm locked around me, shielding me like the world outside was something I wasn't meant to face.
The student shifted awkwardly.
"Professor Gabriel? The practice room light is on… I thought someone forgot to turn it off."
My pulse hammered painfully.
If she pulled the curtain—
If she stepped inside—
If she saw us together like this…
Gabriel's hand found mine in the darkness. He didn't squeeze. He just held it—steady, silent, a promise in the middle of chaos.
The student sighed.
"…Maybe I'm imagining things. Sorry for bothering you, Professor. I'll lock up later."
Her footsteps faded.
The moment the door clicked shut, Gabriel exhaled—slow, shaky, like he'd been drowning and only now reached the surface. But he didn't let me go. Not yet. His forehead lowered to my temple, and he leaned into me like he needed a second to compose himself.
The air behind the curtain shifted. The faint scent of his cologne enveloped me—warm cedarwood mixed with something darker, something I only ever noticed when he was close like this.
"Are you alright?" he whispered, his breath ghosting against my cheek.
I nodded, though my heart was still a wild, uncontrollable thing.
He didn't move away. Instead, he let his fingers trace the side of my face, gently sweeping away a strand of hair that had stuck to my skin.
"You're shaking," he murmured.
"So are you."
He froze at my words.
A humorless breath escaped him. "I suppose I am."
Only then did he pull the curtain slightly aside, checking the room. When he was certain we were alone, he guided me out, keeping one hand at the small of my back as if I might disappear if he didn't touch me.
The room felt bigger now—cold, echoing, too bright after the darkness behind the curtain. Gabriel walked me toward the center of the room, but he didn't release me. His hand still rested on my back, warm through the thin fabric of my shirt.
I looked up at him.
His eyes were shadowed. Wild. Like he was fighting something inside himself.
"I shouldn't have let that happen," he said quietly, but his voice betrayed him—it wasn't regret. It was fear of how much he didn't regret.
"You didn't," I whispered. "I stayed."
His throat worked. He looked away, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "You stayed because you trust me. And I—" He broke off, shaking his head. "I'm supposed to be the one protecting your future, not ruining it."
"You're not ruining anything."
"You don't understand," he said, voice rough. "If anyone saw us—"
"They didn't."
"That isn't the point." His voice lowered, almost a growl beneath his breath. "I'm losing control, and you don't even realize what that means."
His words should've scared me.
Instead, they pulled me closer.
"Then don't lose control," I whispered. "Choose me instead."
He stared at me like I'd just cracked open the earth beneath him.
"God…" His voice broke. "Why do you say things like that?"
"Because they're true."
Silence stretched between us—thick, electric, almost unbearable.
Then Gabriel reached out, slowly, like he was fighting the urge with every muscle in his body. His knuckles grazed my cheek before he fully cupped my face.
"I can't—" His voice faltered. "I can't be what you want."
"You already are."
His breath hitched.
For a moment, neither of us moved. The only sound was the low hum of the lights and the faint echo of our uneven breathing.
Then his composure cracked.
He pulled me into his arms—sudden, fierce, like he'd been restraining himself for too long. My face pressed into his chest, and his arms wrapped around me with a desperation I'd never felt from him before.
"You terrify me," he whispered into my hair. "Not because of who you are… but because of what you make me feel."
I clutched his shirt. "Then feel it."
He buried his face against my neck, inhaling like he needed the scent of me to breathe.
"I shouldn't want you this much," he whispered, voice trembling against my skin. "I've never—"
He stopped himself again.
But I already knew.
He'd never felt this with anyone.
And that truth hung heavy between us.
After a long moment, he forced himself to pull back, though his hands lingered at my waist.
"We need to leave," he said, softer now. "Before someone else comes."
But he didn't move.
Neither did I.
His thumb brushed lightly over my hip.
"I'll walk you to your dorm."
I shook my head. "There are security cameras."
He stilled.
Of course he hadn't thought of that. He wasn't used to hiding.
"I'll go alone," I said.
"No." His grip tightened. "I'm not letting you walk back by yourself this late."
"You have to," I whispered. "For now."
His jaw tensed—but he knew I was right.
Slowly, painfully, he released me.
But just before I stepped away, he caught my wrist. His fingers slid down until only our fingertips touched.
His voice dropped to a whisper meant only for me.
"Tomorrow," he said. "I need to see you. Not here. Somewhere away from all this."
My breath caught. "Where?"
"I'll tell you in the morning." His eyes softened, though desire and fear still trembled beneath the surface. "Go. Before I change my mind… and do something we can't take back."
My heart pounded as I backed toward the door.
I opened it just enough to slip out.
And the last thing I saw was Gabriel's silhouette standing alone in the dim room—his hand still lifted slightly, as if he was reaching for me even after I was gone.