Chương 24: Wishes.

"Hehe... are you ashamed? Do you think I will catch you cheating on your husband someday?" May snickered.

"May, what the heck are you saying? Could you please stop making it sound like I am irresponsible? I am a married woman now, so be it!" Lena rolled her eyes.

"Are you saying... if in the future, a handsome guy catches your eyes, and he is really really interested in you the same way you are really really interested in him, you will remain 'responsible'?" May smirked.

"May!" Lena snapped, her teeth gritted and her nose flared in anger.

"Okay fine, I was just asking. Tch, I won't mention it again" May shrugged. Lena could not help but glare at her best friend before they continued on their way to the professor's office. Lena knocked on the door as soon as they reached the office and a response came through, ordering them to enter. May and Lena walked into the office in unison.

In an office that was appropriately suited for a university professor, a man sat behind the desk and his eyes were fixed on the book before him as he flipped through the pages that were filled with different kinds of jewelry drawings and designs. He heard the people walk into the office and he raised his head, his eyes fell on Lena, they were clouded with warmth, and he smiled. He was a young man of about twenty-eight years, his near-perfect sculptured face was his most exquisite feature. He looked neat and sleek in his white shirt and black trousers.

"Lena," he called in a gentle voice that was filled with endearment. May snickered when she saw the man's lovestruck expression. She tugged at Lena's elbow and winked mischievously.

"Professor Arlo" Lena said with a small polite smile.

"You are being distant again, huh?" Professor Arlo uttered, seemly displeased and discouraged.

"No, no... I am not. You should not think like that, I have always been this way!" Lena argued and shook her head. The man chuckled deeply, he stood up from his seat and walked towards her.

"Don't get worked up, I was just teasing you" he muttered and placed his wide palm in her head and ruffled her hair a bit. Lena's face flushed slightly with embarrassment, she held the man's hand and brought it away from her head.

"Professor Arlo, I am not a child" she voiced.

"I forgot again" he uttered, his thin lips curled up to form a small patient smile. However, the two girls missed the unnoticed glint that flashed through his ruby-red eyes. "Say, I heard you got married" he suddenly said and stared into her eyes.

Lena looked down, she let out an awkward laugh and shrugged. "It seems everyone had heard about it now" she muttered a response. She was not planning to hide this bit of information anyway.

Professor Arlo stared at her with emotions swimming in his eyes, his fingers curled into a fist for a moment. Then he placed his palm on her shoulder and said, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am fine. You do not have to worry about me, professor" once again, she removed his hand and even took a step back. She also missed the hurt that flashed through the man's eyes.

"Professor, did you forget something? I am standing right and you keep turning blind eyes to me. Am I that invincible to you both!" May complained and rolled her eyes. When she saw that the atmosphere was getting awkward with each second, she could only jump in to rescue the situation.

"Ah, May... I am sorry, I was distracted" Professor Arlo turned to May and apologized.

"Hehe... it is nothing," May waved her hand dismissively and added with a wide grin, "Professor Arlo is such a good-looking gentleman!"

"Only you will think that, May" the professor uttered with a smile.

"That is not true, prof. I can bet with you that all the girls in the school think so too!" May argued.

"Is that so?" Professor Arlo arched a brow, he subconsciously looked in the direction of Lena who seemed to be distracted as her eyes were fixed on the designs in the book.

"Yup! Even Lena here thinks so too" May bobbed her head in response. May had actually spoken the truth, in the school, professor Arlo was not just the youngest professor but he was also the best-looking one. Almost all the girls in the school had a crush on the young professor. That was not all, his gentle and polite mannerism served him with an air of mysteries.

"Very well then" Professor Arlo heard this and smiled, looking very pleased. Then as though he remembered something, his ruby-red eyes gleamed and he walked back to his desk. "That reminds me, Lena, you once mentioned that you wanted to participate in the national jewelry design competition, right?" Professor Arlo questioned seriously.

"Yes, yes!" Lena bobbed her head in enthusiasm, then she stood and looked dejected. "I heard today that the form is already closed. I probably won't be able to join the competition this year" she muttered.

"What are you talking about? Actually, I got two slots and saved a form for you. Are you still interested or..." Professor Arlo uttered.

"You kept a form for me! Does that mean that I can still participate?!" Her eyes brightened and she looked at the professor with excitement.

"Mm, you can still participate in the competition" professor Arlo nodded and smiled dotingly. He pulled a drawer and took out a white paper which he passed to her. Lena's eyes ran through the form as quickly as she could. As she read the form, excitement bubbled in her heart.

"Goodness! I really can't believe this, I thought I would not be able to participate anymore. Jeez... thank you very much, professor!" Lena voiced happily, her eyes gleamed and she hugged the form close to her heart.

"Silly, do you still need to thank me for such superfluous things. I could do more for you" the professor smiled, her excitement filled his heart with warmth as he started at the pretty little lady before him. He wanted nothing more than to keep her smile alive, maybe more... He shook the thoughts out of his head and maintained his smile.

"You have done me a huge favor this time, professor. I really should thank you!" Lena uttered sincerely and gave a small bow.

"You are really silly..." he mumbled and raised his hand. Just as he was a few meters away from touching her head, he remembered her words and pulled his hand back. "It is nothing, take it as I did what a teacher should do for his student" He uttered.

"Okay. But, I am really grateful" Lena voiced. The man nodded and simply smiled. He could tell that she was grateful, it was written all over her glowing face.

She was not just grateful but, she looked really happy too... Could it be that, he was able to make her happy?

He wished it was so.