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She seemed unable to stop herself from staring, and he wondered idly if she was aware of how her doe eyes had once again started eating him.
If you want to eat me so damn bad, then don't leave me.
He took his seat, and at his nod, the fourth-year student he had assigned to moderate went up to the podium. Introductions were made, and soon the first student to defend his or her thesis was called.
"May I ask Ms. Diana Leventis to present herself before the panel?"
Diana's jaw dropped. The last time she heard, the order of defense was supposed to be random. Her gaze swung accusingly to the professor's, but his leonine gaze only met hers in bland challenge.Yes, it's deliberate. Are you going to do anything about it?
Her teeth gnashed even as she forced herself to stand up. Since the professor wasn't the petty type, she knew he was doing this for a reason, and that waswhat?Did he want her rattled? Did he want her so nervous that she'd blurt out the first thing on her mind?
Oh, Saint M, save me.
Diana's knees bumped each other under her skirt as she came up the dais and face the panel.
Her face whitened.
The panel, which was made up of every single individual that had once attended her mock defense.
Dear God.
Had she somehow gotten all of this wrong?
Her gaze swung back to him, but his handsome face was a blank, hard mask, and her heart shriveled at the sight of it. She felt sick and cold with fear, but she couldn't make herself back out. This was her purpose, dammit, and not even the professor would ruin this for her.
She managed a smile for the crowd. "Good morning everyone." She could barely hear herself over the hammering of her heart. "My name is Diana Leventis. As with all the students here, we've been tasked by Professor de G-Graaf—-" She could feel her cheeks heating up at the way her tongue suddenly stumbled over his name, and her color deepened when she heard Pepper snicker.
Clearing her throat, she tried again, saying, "We've been tasked by the professor to propose a novel approach in resolving the growing suicide rate among Catholics."
"The last time we spoke," the priest murmured, "I mentioned a few concerns you had trouble addressing."
"Yes, Father. And one of the adjustments I've made was to redefine the limitations of my thesis."
"With regards to what?"
"My thesis will not cover the rare and special instances in which an individual may be called upon God to end his life and serve His purpose, as was such in the case of several biblical figures—-"
A rude, scoffing sound interrupted her, causing her to stop speaking.
The moderator cleared her throat. "I, err, believe Professor de Graaf has something to say?"
Diana's astonishment turned into consternation at the older student's words.That was the professor?Her head snapped to his direction, in time to see his golden eyes mock her as he drawled, "No surprise there, that after all the time you've been given to improve your thesis, and all you were able to do was add a fucking limitation—-"
Nervous laughs erupted from the crowd even as the Carmelite nun seated next to Matthijs let out an affronted gasp. "Language, Professor!"
"Apologies, Sister Dorothy." But his mocking gaze remained on the trembling, red-faced figure of his target. She was hurt and confused, but she was also visibly angry, and it was exactly what he wanted.
"I simply had to express my disappointment," he murmured laconically. "I was hoping Ms. Leventis would have significantly improved herself, but perhaps I was expecting too much from someone like her."
"Professor de Graaf..." Mr. Bakker looked distinctly uncomfortable. "It's best not to make things personal..."
"If I had wanted this to be personal," Matthijs drawled, "then I should have said from the start that trash is what one's likely to expect—-"
Diana jerked.
"Coming from a student whose admission essay singled out a teen TV show as her reason for wishing to study in Helder Meer." The professor's gaze swung back to her. "13 Reasons Why, wasn't it, Ms. Leventis?"
Diana could feel everyone staring at her, judging her, laughing at her, and all she could do was gaze back at the professor.Why was he doing this? Why was he being cruel? Why?