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The tension on campus didn’t ease up over the next few days. Though I tried to ignore the whispers and sly looks, they became harder to brush off. Carla noticed my frustration and did her best to cheer me up, but the situation weighed on me.
The only solace I found was during lectures, where I could immerse myself in the material and forget everything else. That was, until the most embarrassing moment of my life decided to make an appearance.
---
It was a Wednesday afternoon, and I was running late for Professor JM’s lecture on behavioral patterns.
I’d overslept after pulling a late-night study session, and in my rush to get ready, I spilled coffee all over my shirt.
With no time to change, I threw on a jacket to hide the stain and bolted out the door.
I arrived at the lecture hall, panting and disheveled, just as the class was settling in. Professor JM glanced up from his notes, his expression unreadable.
“Glad you could join us, Junno,” he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Sorry, sir,” I muttered, hurrying to my seat.
---
The lecture began, and as usual, Professor JM commanded the room with his calm, confident demeanor. He introduced a case study on learned behaviors and posed a question to the class.
“Imagine you’re observing a child learning to tie their shoes. What factors might influence their success?” he asked.
A few students offered hesitant answers, but none seemed to satisfy him. He turned to me.
“Junno, what’s your take?”
Still flustered from my rushed arrival, I scrambled to gather my thoughts. “Uh… I think it would depend on the child’s environment and the kind of reinforcement they receive. Like, if their parent—”
I paused, struggling to articulate my point. “If their parent… uh… or teacher…” My mind blanked, and before I realized it, I blurted out, “Like if you were their dad!”
The room went silent.
For a split second, I thought I could play it off as a normal statement. But then I heard a muffled snort from Carla, followed by stifled giggles from the rest of the class.
I froze, my face heating up so fast I thought I might spontaneously combust.
Professor JM raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching as though he were fighting back a smile. “Well, that’s an… interesting perspective, Junno,” he said, his tone far too amused for my liking.
“I—I didn’t mean it like that!” I stammered, waving my hands as if that would erase what I’d said. “I just—oh my God.” I buried my face in my hands, wishing the ground would swallow me whole.
The class erupted into laughter, and even Professor JM let out a soft chuckle. “It’s all right, Junno,” he said, his voice laced with amusement. “You’re not the first to mix up words under pressure.”
---
The rest of the lecture was a blur. I barely managed to focus on anything, my mind replaying the moment over and over. As soon as class ended, I grabbed my things and bolted for the door, avoiding everyone’s eyes.
“Junno, wait!” Carla called after me, catching up as I speed-walked down the hall. “Oh my God, that was hilarious!”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” I muttered, keeping my gaze fixed on the floor.
“Come on, it wasn’t that bad,” she said, clearly trying to stifle another laugh. “Okay, maybe it was, but at least JM didn’t get mad. He actually seemed to find it funny.”
“Great,” I groaned. “Now he thinks I’m a total idiot.”
“Or,” Carla said, nudging me playfully, “he thinks you’re endearing.”
I shot her a look. “Not helping.”
---
That evening, as I sat in my apartment trying to recover from the humiliation, my phone buzzed with a text.
“Junno, I wanted to say thank you for the unexpected humor in class today. It was a good reminder that even in serious discussions, there’s room for a little levity. Don’t dwell on it too much.”
I stared at the message, unsure whether to laugh or cry. After a moment, I replied:
“I’m glad you found it funny, sir. I’ll try not to let it happen again.”
His response came almost immediately:
“No need to apologize. Moments like that make learning more memorable.”
I set my phone down, a reluctant smile creeping onto my face. Maybe Carla was right—maybe it wasn’t that bad.
Still, I made a mental note to think before I spoke in class from now on. One slip of the tongue was more than enough.