The weekend had finally arrived, and Estelle was more than ready to shake off the stress of the past week. Between the mock trial preparation and being humiliated in front of the entire class by Professor Celeste Thorne, she was in desperate need of a break.
Mia had wasted no time in organizing a night out for them. “It’s Friday. We deserve to let loose a little,” Mia had insisted, practically dragging Estelle out of her apartment. “There’s this new bar downtown. It’s supposed to be chill but fun—exactly what we need to forget about your unfortunate moment with Thorne.”
Estelle rolled her eyes but followed Mia’s lead. She was nervous, of course, but spending the night overanalyzing every word of her embarrassing encounter with Celeste wouldn’t help. Besides, Mia had a way of forcing fun out of any situation.
They were joined by a couple of mutual friends, everyone eager to let off some steam. The night was cool, the city buzzing with the weekend energy, and Estelle found herself gradually relaxing as they made their way to the bar. Neon lights glowed in the distance, and the hum of laughter and conversation filled the streets.
“Here we are,” Mia announced as they approached the entrance. The bar was lively but not packed, the perfect mix of cozy and upbeat. Music played in the background, and the warm lighting made the space feel intimate and relaxed.
The group grabbed a table near the back, and drinks were quickly ordered. Estelle took a long sip of her cocktail, already feeling a little of the tension from the week start to melt away. She listened as Mia and the others cracked jokes, telling stories of their own professors and crazy class moments. For the first time all week, Estelle found herself laughing genuinely, the weight of law school briefly lifting from her shoulders.
“Can you believe the way Professor Vaughn tried to use memes in his presentation yesterday?” one of their friends, Tyler, said, shaking his head. “I thought I was going to die from second-hand embarrassment.”
Mia snorted. “He’s really trying to be ‘the cool professor,’ but it’s just—no. Never works.” She grinned, nudging Estelle. “At least he doesn’t call you out in front of the whole class.”
Estelle shot her a look but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. “Thanks for the reminder.”
As they settled into their drinks, Mia leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Speaking of professors, do you ever wonder what they do outside of class? Like, do they even have social lives?”
“I doubt it,” Tyler chimed in. “They probably just go home and read law books for fun.”
Mia smirked. “Maybe Thorne has a secret life. Who knows? Maybe she’s in some underground poker ring or something, with that whole ice queen persona.”
Estelle laughed, but the thought of seeing Celeste outside of school was… odd. She couldn’t even imagine the woman in any context other than being in front of a lecture hall or ruling her courtroom. Celeste Thorne in a bar? Impossible. The image didn’t fit.
But, as fate would have it, that very image was about to become a reality.
The door to the bar swung open, and the light from outside illuminated two figures walking in. Estelle, mid-laugh, froze when she saw the unmistakable silhouette of Professor Celeste Thorne walking in, accompanied by another woman.
“No way,” Mia whispered, her eyes widening as she followed Estelle’s gaze. “Is that…?”
“Professor Thorne,” Estelle muttered, her heart jumping into her throat. The cold, aloof professor who ruled the law school with her sharp tongue and iron fist had just stepped into the very same bar where Estelle was trying to forget about her.
Celeste Thorne was dressed in a sleek black coat, looking just as polished and intimidating as she did in class, despite the more casual setting. But there was something different—her posture was a little more relaxed, her hair down in soft waves instead of the usual tight bun. She didn’t seem quite as distant or untouchable in this environment. She seemed… human.
“Holy crap,” Mia hissed. “I didn’t think she had a life outside of torturing students.”
Estelle quickly grabbed her drink and took a long, nervous sip. “I don’t think she’ll notice us. We’re fine,” she muttered, though the heat rising to her cheeks said otherwise.
“Are you kidding? There’s no way she doesn’t notice you,” Mia said with a grin. “You’re her favorite victim.”
“Shut up,” Estelle hissed, but she couldn’t deny the nervous energy swirling inside her. As if the humiliation in class hadn’t been enough, now she had to contend with seeing Celeste Thorne outside of school, in the same space where she was supposed to be relaxing. The universe had a cruel sense of humor.
Celeste and the woman she was with made their way to the bar, thankfully not noticing Estelle or her friends yet. The woman with her was striking—tall, confident, with dark hair and a sharp look about her that almost matched Celeste’s energy. They spoke briefly with the bartender, then took a seat at one of the high tables near the center of the room.
Estelle tried to focus on her friends, on the conversation, but she couldn’t help sneaking glances at Celeste, wondering what in the world the woman did in her free time. Did she ever relax? Laugh? Was she as cold in her personal life as she was in class?
Mia, of course, was quick to notice Estelle’s distraction. “You’re staring,” she said with a smirk.
“I’m not,” Estelle shot back, a little too quickly.
“Uh-huh. Sure. Totally not fixated on the fact that your icy professor just walked into your chill night.”
Before Estelle could respond, Mia’s eyes widened as Celeste and her companion glanced in their direction. Estelle’s heart skipped a beat as she realized Celeste had definitely noticed them.
For a brief moment, their eyes met across the bar.
Celeste’s gaze was cool, unreadable as always, but there was a flicker of recognition. Estelle quickly looked away, feeling a sudden heat rise to her cheeks. The last thing she needed was to draw any more attention to herself, especially in front of Celeste outside of the classroom.
“I think she saw you,” Mia whispered with a grin. “Maybe she’ll come over.”
“Don’t even joke about that,” Estelle muttered, trying to keep her cool. She could feel Celeste’s presence across the room like a gravitational pull, making it impossible to fully ignore her.
But then, to Estelle’s surprise, Celeste stood from her table and began walking toward them. Estelle’s heart pounded in her chest, each step Celeste took feeling heavier than the last. Mia’s grin widened, clearly enjoying every second of this awkward encounter.
When Celeste finally reached their table, she stood with the same rigid, commanding presence she always had, but there was something different about seeing her up close in this casual setting. It was almost disorienting.
“Miss Brooks,” Celeste said, her voice even, but with the slightest edge of amusement. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Estelle opened her mouth, but nothing came out at first. She quickly cleared her throat, scrambling for words. “I—uh, just… out with friends.”
Celeste’s gaze shifted briefly to Mia and the others, offering them a polite but distant nod. Then her eyes were back on Estelle, studying her with that same intensity she always had in class. But this time, there was something else in her gaze, something less… professional.
“I hope you’re finding time to prepare for the upcoming trial,” Celeste said, her tone calm but unmistakably pointed.
Estelle felt her stomach twist. Of course she’d bring that up. “Yes, of course. Just taking a short break tonight.”
Celeste raised an eyebrow, a subtle challenge in her expression. “Good. I expect you to come back focused.”
Estelle nodded, unable to find anything else to say. The moment stretched, tension thick in the air as Celeste’s gaze lingered on her. Finally, Celeste gave a small, almost imperceptible nod and turned away.
Estelle let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding as she watched Celeste return to her table.
“Well,” Mia said, her grin practically splitting her face. “That was… intense.”
Estelle groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Can we please talk about something else?”
Mia just laughed. “Nope. This is way too good.”
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