Chapter 12
I arrived in Joransen after a two–hour flight. Before takeoff, Jessica had texted me. She’d told me that she’d arranged for someone to pick me up in case I couldn’t find the place.
The arrival hall was crowded, but I didn’t see anyone holding a sign with my name on it despite scanning the crowd several times. I was about to call Jessica to ask whether the person picking me up had arrived when I heard a voice coming from behind me. “Nerissa!”
I turned to see a young man with a bright and warm smile approach me. I said, “Sorry, but you are…”
He seemed familiar, but I just couldn’t remember who he was. He feigned anguish as he sighed, but I didn’t miss the joy in his tone. “It’s only been five years since we last saw each other. I’m your precious little junior, Nerissa. Have you forgotten about me already? It breaks my heart, you know.”
Slowly, things started to click. The tired, sleep–deprived face of a young man who’d spent 24 hours in the lab five years ago overlapped with the face of the man before me.
I looked at him in surprise. “Wait, you’re Ezra?”
Five years ago, just before my graduation, Professor Watts had taken on a new student named Ezra Grant. At the time, I’d been busy preparing for graduation, so I hadn’t had much to do with him.
The only thing I remembered was that something had gone wrong with his experiment and that he was unable to figure out the cause. He’d spent a whole day and night at the lab, trying to correct things.
I’d happened to drop by the lab to pick up something, and I’d noticed his bloodshot eyes when walking past his workstation.
I’d approached Ezra to ask whether he needed help, and I’d walked him through the whole process again after he’d told me the problem. We’d checked everything in detail before identifying the issue.
I never would’ve expected the worn–out young man from five years ago to change so thoroughly that I couldn’t even recognize him.
Ezra came to me and led me out of the airport, saying teasingly, “I guess you do still remember me. I thought you would have forgotten all about me after five years apart.”
I rubbed my nose. After spending the past five years with someone as cold and aloof as Eugene, it was a little hard for me to get used to being around Ezra, who was so warm and bubbly.
He didn’t seem to mind. All he did was reach out and gently tug my wrist, pulling me toward the parking lot. “Come on, Nerissa. Professor Watts has been counting the days to your arrival.”
We headed to the lab. When we got there, I stood before Professor Watts‘ office, feeling hesitant. I didn’t dare head inside.
Before graduation, he’d spoken to me in hopes of persuading me to stay on in his lab. But at the time, Eugene had just agreed to be my boyfriend. He was all I could think about, so I’d turned down Professor Watts‘ offer to be a teacher with Eugene.
The second time Professor Watts had extended an olive branch to me was when he’d just decided to set up a lab in Joransen. He’d spoken to me over the phone for a long time, but I’d turned him down again—I was even more reluctant to part with Eugene after five years together.
Professor Watts had been furious. I figured he was probably still mad at me since Jessica was the one who’d contacted me half a month ago.
When Ezra saw me hesitating, he decided to lend me a hand. He called, “Professor Watts, Nerissa is back!”
My eyes widened, and I reached out to clamp a hand over his mouth. He’d yet to shut his mouth, so I felt his lips press against my palm.
We were both taken aback. Then, I retracted my hand, feeling like I’d just touched a hot potato.
Ezra turned away, his eyes darting around in embarrassment. His ears turned red.
I was at a loss for what to do when Professor Watts‘ voice came from inside the room. “Come in, then. What are you waiting for?”
