The persistent, annoying buzz of Lyka's alarm clock pierced the early morning quiet, signaling the start of another day she wasn't ready for. She fumbled for it on her nightstand, silencing the incessant noise, eager for just five more minutes of blissful sleep beneath the warm covers. Those five minutes, however, stretched into thirty, catapulting her into a mad dash.

Sweat beaded on her forehead as she sprinted through the college hallways, a blur of motion ignoring the curious stares. She was late for Calculus, a class she prided herself on always attending promptly, especially given its handsome instructor, Mr. Harry.

Reaching the lecture room, breathless and disheveled, Lyka took a shaky breath and timidly knocked. The door swung open, revealing Mr. Harry, devastatingly handsome as always. His steely gray eyes, usually captivating, narrowed slightly as he took in her appearance—especially her Mickey Mouse slippers.

"Mrs. Moore, you are late," he stated, his voice a low, calm rumble. Lyka's face burned with embarrassment, the familiar orchid scent of his cologne doing little to soothe her frazzled nerves. Today was already proving to be a disaster.