Kyra’s POV
“You can go back to your dorm, dear. You have been very quick and efficient ! It is surprising to see that you managed to do so much that too on the very first day !! I am impressed, Ms Diaz”, the Dean praised while beaming.
“Thank you so much, Ma’am”, I politely replied, and kept back the organized files in their respective shelves. “You are very kind but the truth is that you are a good teacher. It was not difficult to pick up after you showed the ropes”, I genuinely appreciated with a smile.
She patted the back of my shoulder and smiled before starting to exit the room.
I suddenly remembered about my accommodation with Xyler and swung around sharply to ask the Dean about changing my room but then hesitated.
Will she listen to me ?
As if sensing my sudden moment, she caught me contemplating about blurting out my complaints and chuckled, “You are itching to tell me something, dear but you seem so indecisive about it. How about you spill out your worries and I will help you ?”, the Dean suggested with a warm smile.
“You caught me, Ms Sanchez”, I chuckled nervously. “I don’t mean any offence but I guess the system allotted me a room with a male teacher by mistake- with Mr Xyler Canary to be exact”, I voiced out my concern outright.
The Dean’s smile got even wider and she shook her head in amusement.
“It is not a system failure, child”, the Dean chuckled. “I deliberately accommodated you with my adopted grandson”, she added.
I looked up at her in shock and whistled an “Oh !” somehow.
Sensing the need to explain further, the Dean continued, “That child has surely gone through a horrific past before I took him under my care, which has sadly made him mature beyond his years. He has been trying to personally repay me by working here and has forgotten that he is a child too and needs to make friends of his own age. Since he never nurtured a friendship with any of the already admitted students, I saw your admission as a good opportunity for him to interact with someone of his own age and level of intellect. You are a credible student, Ms Diaz. I am sure you will take great care of my Xyler”, the Dean concluded on a hopeful note and left me stupefied.
The burden of taking care of the devil himself.
No thanks.
I would rather sleep on the road than get emotional about that spineless rascal and “take care of him”.
* * * * *
Kyra’s POV
“Motherfuckers”, a male voice muttered as the front door opened and closed, followed by angry footsteps and the consequent bang of the room door beside mine.
Whoa !
Someone is in a sour mood.
Wonder what got into his panties.
Everything went dead silent after that.
It was going to be dinner time in an hour.
I was raised to be a fine lady and a woman of word.
Might as well as start cooking and hold on to my end of the deal.
It would be better to not mess with Mr Grumpy tonight.
Pulling on my shorts and getting out of my room in only a sports bra, I decided to cook something healthy and filling and immediately set to work.
Everything in the fridge was well stocked and so were the kitchen cabinets perfectly organized.
This man really suffered from an extreme case of OCD !
Everything was perfectly managed in this apartment and I ain’t complaining coz I am just the same !
By the time Xyler’s room door finally opened, everything was ready to serve piping hot.
“Hmm. You cooked ?”, Xyler asked in surprise while immediately taking control of the garnishing ingredients.
“Yes, of course. Why are you acting so astonished ?”, I asked as I multi-tasked and got the kitchen back to order.
“Coz you are a brat and I don’t trust you. You eat first. I don’t want to be poisoned”, Xyler rudely snapped.
What the f**k is this man’s problem ?
Can’t he play nice even once ?
Asshole.
“You are such a jerk, teach. You know that ?”, I angrily glared and got an amused smug expression in return.
“Now chop-chop. Hurry up and eat”, he smirked and handed over a bit of everything to me on a plate, and if you think he served out the food randomly on my plate, then you are so damn wrong.
Everything was arranged in a spectacular, on-the-spot design and my eyes widened when he scooped a spoonful of the food and fed me himself !
What the hell ?
After blowing off the steam, he held the spoon near my lips and urged me gently to eat.
Staring at him in shock, I ducked my lips mechanically and tasted everything that he offered.
Satisfied with the “result” that I did not gag out dramatic puffs of green vomit or blue poison, the gloomy, moody man suddenly turned into a cheerful, happy go lucky boy and eagerly piled his plate with everything.
As soon as he seated himself comfortably and attempted to eat the first bite, I suddenly shook out of my daze and screamed, “NO ! DON’T EAT THAT !!”
He frowned at me and asked tensed, “Why not ?”
“There is no salt in that ! Wait !!”, I exclaimed and Xyler burst out laughing and stuffed his mouth with the food I made eagerly and happily.
Looking at him, I couldn’t help thinking that eating like a child and radiating a glow of happiness like that suited this gorgeous man.
What a pity he had to be a cocky bastard too.
Adorable jerk.
Shit. What is wrong with me ? I called him adorable. Blergh !
“What are you doing there, Kyra ?”, Xyler’s deep voice suddenly broke me out of my dreamy reverie. “Come and join me. You know that I won’t bite you, right ?”, he added with a teasing grin.
“You eat. I will clean up everything and then eat”, I mumbled flustered and turned around to set to work, but suddenly my arm was latched to a warm palm from behind, forcing my body to jerk back.
Turning back, I raised my eyebrows questioningly and Xyler responded, “No. Let it be. Eat with me”, he softly said. “Eat before the food gets cold. I will clean after us. Don’t worry”, he added gently.
Sighing, I took a seat opposite to him and helped myself to serve.
“You cook well”, Xyler commented while helping himself with a generous second serving.
Does he eat that much every day ?
How does he even stay so fit then ?
Weird.
“And you look like a starved animal”, I responded back with a smug look.
I am a horrible person to mess with.
I know.
Can’t help it though.
He has behaved worse than me.
“Thank you for the dinner, Ms Diaz”, he suddenly said and shoved out of his chair. “I will do the dishes tomorrow morning and you don’t need to cook any meal for me from now on. Good Night”, he coldly said, and removed his filled plate from the table.
But he didn’t even finish !
Oh s**t.
That dark look on his face.
He is mad. Totally mad with me. f**k !
I hurried towards his direction and before he could place his plate in the fridge, I held his hand and took back the plate from him while leading him back to the table with the said hand.
“Hey ! What the hell are you doing, Ms Diaz”, he yelled angrily, but I still led him back to his seat and forced him back to sit.
“Please don’t go. I am sorry. That statement was totally uncalled for and thank you for appreciating my cooking. I don’t really mind cooking for the both of us every day. In fact, we can make a few arrangements with regards to our meals and allot duties to each other”, I sincerely said, and Xyler was thankfully back to his chirpy self in no time which warmed my heart for no reason.
“It’s alright and yeah, we can cook alternate days for breakfast and dinner”, he replied, and I nodded in agreement.
That was a fair proposal.
* * * * *
Xyler’s POV
Fuck !
I lost my cool.
It has been so long since I ate something so homely and filling.
The Dean had always been a loving Grandma to me ever since she took me under her care, but the warm feeling of my real home, stirred up emotions in me that I never felt before in the last 1 decade through something as simple as her food !
“So what do your parents do, Kyra ?”, I asked as I made casual conversation while we dined.
“I don’t have any. I am an orphan”, she replied.
What !?
But she said her parents had talked to the Dean !
Bitchy liar. Nghh.
“You lied then”, I coldly stated.
“No, I did not lie. You assumed when you were bad-mouthing me the other day”, she scoffed.
“I apologize then”, I replied and got up to take away the plates.
“Remove my duty with the Dean then”, she dealt.
“I am your teacher, Ms Diaz”, I sternly reminded her. “I might have been acting like a fellow student with you earlier, but let me remind you that we might be the same age, however, I am still your senior in status and I will appreciate it if you talk and act accordingly. Even in this apartment. If you have any other complaints, take them up with me in the class and what you did today was beyond unacceptable, so your hours with the Dean are justified”, I coldly declared and stormed back into my room after dumping the dishes in the sink.
Great !
Now I won’t be able to sleep at night.
Coz the dishes will not be done and the kitchen will be messy.
Might as well get up at midnight and clear off everything.
Till then I need to cool off.
I can’t even understand why the f**k did the Dean allot my private quarters to someone as annoying as that brat.
I just want this year to end quickly.
I want this stupid girl out of here.
Ughh.