My Online Boyfriend Was My Professor

I thought my online boyfriend and my college professor were the two biggest disasters in my life.

One argued with me online almost every day.

The other loved making me suffer in class.

Until the day I was kicked out of the lab.

That night, someone followed me through a dark street,I dialed my online boyfriends number.

The very next second.

My professors phone rang.

Only then did I realize

That's when I realized I'd been dating my professor for the past six months.

Three minutes ago, I had just broken up with my online boyfriend.

Now, Julian Sterling walked down from the lecture stage, his face incredibly dark. He ordered all of us to stand up and clear our desks.

He seemed to be looking for something.

Then, he confiscated my Nintendo Switch and took my seatmate, Chloe, out of the room with him.

We all held our breath as we watched Chloe being led away.

Once they left, the classroom collectively exhaled.

Whispers immediately broke out among the students.

"What happened to Chloe?"

"Shes probably going to get ripped to shreds by Professor Sterling."

"Someone better prep some tissues for her. Shes going to cry a river."

Everyone had good reason to think so.

The Sterling family was filthy rich. Julian could have easily gone home to inherit a billion-dollar empire, yet he chose to pursue academia.

He used to advise Ph.D. students at a top-tier research institute abroad.

Rumor had it that because the academic atmosphere at our department had been declining lately, the Dean had personally begged him to come back and teach undergrads.

Handsome, brilliant, and with a killer physiquethat was our first impression of him.

For a while, Julian was the ultimate fantasy for every girl on campus. Students had to show up early just to fight for a seat in his lectures.

But on his second day of teaching, he gave us a brutal reality check.

Show up late? Automatic absence.

No phones allowed in class.

And the worst part: his final grading system was downright sadistic.

To put it in perspective, we used to be able to pull an easy B+ in this class with our eyes closed. Now, he graded on a strict curve where only the top 10% could get an A, while the bottom 30% automatically received an F.

When it came to grading research papers, he was ruthless.

He was like a cold, emotionless academic executioner.

Anyone summoned to his office might walk in with a smile, but they would definitely leave in tears.

If there was even a tiny logical loophole in your paper, his only response was a cold: "Rewrite it."

He was the ultimate GPA assassin of the entire department.

Under such immense academic pressure, I ended up getting an online boyfriend.

Our relationship started with a random matchmaking queue in a game.

One night, after being tortured by Julians paper draft until 2 AM, I completely snapped. I opened Steam and joined a random survival game.

The system matched me with a teammate who didnt say a single word but played with terrifying precision.

Meanwhile, I was running around like a headless chicken.

Finally, he couldnt take it anymore and turned on his mic.

"Your positioning is completely chaotic. Honestly, it's worse than an undergraduates final thesis."

That sentence instantly triggered my PTSD.

I aggressively typed back:

*Who asked you? I like playing this way.*

He replied coldly:

*Suit yourself.*

When the game ended, my stats were indeed a total disaster.

But to grind my rank, I had to swallow my pride and send him a friend request.

Fortunately, he didn't hold a grudge.

After playing together a few times, I realized this guy was a genuine gaming god.

It was that rare feeling of finding a soulmate without ever having met in person.

We didnt need to know each others names or what we looked like.

We were chasing a connection of the minds.

Naturally, we transitioned into an online relationship.

Even though we never met, we had a tacit agreement that we were exclusive.

He was actually really sweet, though his most adorable trait was his occasional pettiness.

For example, if I replied to his messages too slowly, or forgot to text him goodnight, hed get sulky.

Sometimes, if I snapped back at him, he would get genuinely angry.

And strangely, every single time he got angry, Julian would call on me in class the next day. It was the weirdest thing.

Once or twice was fine, but who could survive this happening every single time?

So, I broke up with him.

If I didn't, I was literally going to fail my finals.

Oh my god, who would dare to keep dating under these conditions?

There had to be some kind of curse on us. We were clearly not meant to be.

And now, poor Chloe was summoned to Julians office just because of the Switch he had bought for me.

He was the one who gave me that console and insisted I carry it with me.

Yesterday, I had lent it to Chloe.

Dating him was truly a hazard to myself and everyone around me.

After a while, Chloe walked out of the office.

She wasnt crying. She didnt even look upset. In fact, there was a faint, smug smile on her face.

Julians teaching assistant, Marcus, walked out behind her.

Marcus was just like Juliancold, unapproachable, and practically a grim reaper in a suit.

Marcus cleared his throat and made a solemn announcement: "The paper deadline has been extended by one week. Also, Professor Sterling is treating the entire class to dinner after lectures today."

He paused, then added, "Additionally, Chloe has officially been appointed as the Professor's new teaching assistant."

The entire room went dead silent.

Chloe had just transferred to our major this semester, and she was already Julians TA?

I had been practically living in the library just to get a shot at that position.

But who dared to say a word?

A cold, arrogant man like Julian was openly showing favoritism to Chloe.

More than jealousy, everyone felt pure envy.

Students immediately crowded around Chloe, showering her with compliments.

"Chloe, you're amazing! How did you manage to tame a cold man like Professor Sterling?"

"Thanks to you, we survived the deadline! And we get a free gourmet dinner!"

...

Chloe stood there elegantly, smiling shyly as she chatted with them.

I had no interest in joining the hype. I quietly opened my Snapchat.

It was completely empty. My online boyfriend hadnt tried to win me back. We were officially over.

Wanting some fresh air, I started to walk out, but Chloe pushed through the crowd and walked straight up to me.

"Avery," she called out politely.

"Yes?"

She hesitated, looking a bit sheepish.

"I just wanted to ask... that Switch you lent me, did your boyfriend give it to you?"

"Yeah."

"My online boyfriend."

Chloe pressed further, "Do you know what he looks like?"

"No. If I did, it wouldn't be an online relationship, would it?"

"Did the console cause any trouble with the professor?" I asked cautiously.

"No, Professor Sterling didn't say much." Chloe smiled, then added, "I really like the Switch. Do you think you could sell it to me?"

I did like the console, but I didn't care about the money.

Indifferently, I said, "No need. If you like it, you can have it."

We were broken up anyway. Keeping it would only annoy me.

"But... your boyfriend gave it to you."

"We broke up."

"Why?"

I whispered, "We weren't a good match."

Chloe looked thoughtful. "I see. Tell me more about him."

Realizing that sounded a bit intrusive, she quickly tried to soften her expression.

"Men are all pretty much the same, I guess," she mumbled, then lowered her voice significantly.

"To be honest, Avery... Professor Sterling and I are dating now."

"I know youve taken a lot of his classes. I just wanted to ask... is he always this cold?"

Holding my coffee, I smiled. "You're beautiful, Chloe. I'm sure you know exactly how to handle men."

"I'll head out first."

Julian treated us to dinner at the most expensive restaurant in the city.

It was obvious he was doing this so we would look after his new TA.

Chloe sat right next to him.

Julian looked at her with a remarkably soft, almost doting expression.

I never expected such a ruthless man to be such a fool for love.

After dinner, the weather turned bad, and a torrential downpour started.

Students with umbrellas shared with those without, and everyone gradually left.

I had forgotten my umbrella, so I was stuck waiting at the entrance for the rain to stop.

"I can give you a ride."

I looked up at the sound of the voice.

Marcus gave me a gentle look, holding his umbrella halfway over me.

"Professor Sterling left with Chloe. My car is parked over there."

"Thank you, Marcus."

Once we got into the car, Marcus glanced at me through the rearview mirror.

"Avery, do you have a boyfriend?"

"Just broke up."

Marcus wasn't usually a talkative guy.

Why was he being so warm and conversational today?

"Chloe just transferred to our department. Try to help her out more."

Ah. So that was why...

"Sure. She's Professor Sterling's girlfriend, after all. I get it."

"Avery, that's not what I meant." Marcus sighed. "On the contrary, there is an open spot in the main research lab. I was hoping it would be you."

What was Marcus trying to hint at?

With my grades, of course it should be me.

"Yeah, I'll do my best."

Chloe and I were in the same research group, working on a core NSF-funded project led by Julian. We were each responsible for 50% of the project.

She handled the first half; I handled the second.

Once completed, the report had to be submitted to Julian personally.

Chloe insisted on taking over the submission.

Usually, turning in data to Julian was no different from stepping into a minefield.

So we always passed the task around like hot potatoes.

Since she was Julian's girlfriend, I was glad to catch a break.

But after she turned it in, Chloe came back looking extremely pale.

She walked toward me, looking deeply troubled.

I got a bad feeling in my gut.

Could it be that even his girlfriend wasn't safe from his temper?

"Chloe, are you okay?" I stood up from my chair, asking out of concern.

"Avery, I need to ask you a huge favor. Please, say yes." Chloe begged, looking incredibly pitiful, as if she had been deeply wronged.

"What's wrong?"

"I made a stupid, basic mistake in the first half of the report."

"I really didn't know the data statistics had to be based on this year's latest standards. I thought last year's would be fine."

"I was so scared of his reaction... so I told Professor Sterling that you were the one responsible for that section."

I stared at her, completely dumbfounded.

"And?"

Chloe grabbed my arm, trying to pull me close.

"Professor Sterling wants you in his office right now."

"Please help me out, Avery. I'll buy you dinner next time!"

Maya nudged my elbow from behind, giving me a warning look.

I sighed and nodded helplessly.

"Thank you so much, Avery!" Chloes face instantly lit up.

Maya gave me a sympathetic look of solidarity. "She's the Professor's new TA. We can't afford to mess with her. Good luck, Avery!"

She clenched her fist in an encouraging gesture.

Bracing myself for the worst, I walked into the office with a sense of impending doom.

Julians private office.

The grey-toned decor gave off a suffocating, clinical vibe.

Julian himself was practically radiating a murderous aura.

Hearing me enter, he didn't even bother to look up.

"You took your sweet time. Are you physically incapable of walking faster?"

I chanted in my mind: *He's yelling at Chloe, he's yelling at Chloe.*

"How long have you been in my research group?" Julian asked, his voice dripping with impatience.

"Two years," I said, my voice trembling slightly.

"Two years? And this is the kind of garbage data you compile?"

Julian threw the report right at my feet.

I bent down to pick it up, locking eyes with his cold, ruthless gaze.

His sharp eyes felt like they could rip me to shreds.

"Two years in my lab and you still make such amateur mistakes? Do you think theres any point in continuing your research stipend next month?"

Terrified, I blurted out, "Yes, yes, it's my fault."

Marcus knocked and walked in, carrying a stack of files. He glanced at me, frowning slightly.

"The latter half of this report is actually excellent, but the beginning is a complete disaster. If you don't want to do the work, you can leave the project," Julian continued to hammer down on me.

"Avery has been in the group for two years, and shes always been the most meticulous. This doesn't make sense. I heard she worked on this report with Chloe?" Marcus tried to speak up for me.

Julian shot him a freezing glare.

In that brief distraction, my eyes fell on the fountain pen Julian was holding.

That pen looked incredibly familiar. It was almost identical to the one I had gifted my online boyfriend.

I had handpicked it at a vintage store, and the owner had assured me it was a one-of-a-kind piece.

On some weird instinct, I blurted out, "Is that pen nice to write with?"

Julians already icy expression hardened even further. "Mind your own business."

"You're pulling an all-nighter in the lab tonight. You don't leave until the data is fully corrected."

Julians word was law. If I didn't finish, I definitely wouldn't be going home.

Chloe was nowhere to be found in the lab all afternoon.

Since I couldn't reach her, I had to completely redo her half of the report myself.

Collecting data, searching through literature...

I worked through the entire evening. Soon, all the other lab members left.

I was the only one left in the lab, illuminated by the glow of my computer screen.

Alone, keeping company with the dark night.

I took a massive gulp of my mint-infused cold brew to shock my brain awake.

Once finished, I took the updated report back to Julians office.

He had a mountain of his own research to do, so he hadn't left his office all evening either.

Julian suddenly looked up, his brow furrowing. "What is that smell on you?"

"Mint cold brew. I was too tired, so I used it to wake up."

"I hate that smell." He stopped, his eyes narrowing. "It smells like..."

He seemed to struggle to find the words.

Without thinking, I finished his sentence: "Like burnt tires."

I suddenly remembered my online boyfriend using that exact description with me.

That's why it was on the tip of my tongue.

Julian looked momentarily dazed, rubbing his temples with his fingertips.

He stared at me intensely, his eyes locked onto mine. "Who did you hear that from?"

"I heard it from..."

Before I could answer, Chloe pushed the door open and walked in.

"Julian, you must be exhausted. I bought you some..."

Seeing me there, Chloe froze.

She was carrying several designer shopping bags. So that was where she had been all afternoon.

"Oh, Avery, you're still here."

*Yeah, thanks to you.*

Julian casually flipped through my report. "I don't expect to see such amateur mistakes again."

"It's late. You can go home."

As I turned to leave, I heard Chloe ask Julian in a sweet voice, "What were you guys just talking about?"

I didn't care to look back at her expression.

At lunch the next day, Maya quietly slipped into the seat next to me.

She looked around suspiciously, then whispered, "Avery, everyone is gossiping. They're saying you stayed late in the lab last night to try and seduce Professor Sterling."

I nearly choked, spitting out my food.

"Who said that?!"

"Everyone is talking about it. But don't worry, I know you wouldn't do that."

Only Chloe and I had been in the office last night. What reason would she have to spread such a rumor?

I chose not to let the baseless gossip distract me and went back to work.

Later that afternoon, when I went to hand in some new data, I overheard Chloe and Julian talking inside his office.

"Professor Sterling, you've heard the rumors going around the department," Chloe was saying. "I think removing Avery from the research group is actually for her own protection."

Julian replied, "Shes been in the group for two years. It's not appropriate to just kick her out."

"But her academic performance is pretty average anyway. Most of the work we did together on the project was actually done by me," Chloe lied smoothly. "Removing her won't hurt the project, and it'll stop the negative rumors about her."

Hearing this, I quietly walked back to my lab bench and started packing my things.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, an automated email popped up in my inbox.

*System Notification: You have been removed from the NSF Research Project roster.*

"Avery, can you organize this file for me?" Sylna, another lab member who didn't know I'd been kicked out yet, handed me some papers.

I quietly finished my tasks for the day.

Suddenly being forced to leave made me feel a heavy pang of sadness.

By the time I finished packing up all my personal belongings, it was already 8 PM.

With my backpack loaded with my things, I walked alone through a dimly lit, quiet street just off campus.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. They were getting closer.

I could even hear heavy, ragged breathing.

Instinctively, I quickened my pace, my heart hammering against my ribs. I pulled out my phone and went to my contacts.

The first contact was the phone number my online boyfriend had given me.

He had told me: *If you're ever in danger, call this number. I'll show up instantly.*

With no other choice, I dialed the number.