My Professor's Secret Identity

Emerald was silently observing the lively scene around her when she caught sight of the enthusiasm sparkling in the young girl's eyes as she eagerly decided on her preferred cake. A small smile graced her lips. However, a voice broke through her thoughts, drawing her attention back to reality.

"Ugh, can you believe school starts next week? I haven't made nearly enough money," a voice lamented behind her. Emerald swiveled around in her seat to face her friend Annie, whose companionship she'd cherished for nearly eight years. Never once had she regretted having Annie by her side.

"It's our final year," she reminded her gently. "Once we graduate, you'll have plenty of time to earn more money."

The tall brunette gave a dramatic pout as she leaned on the marble counter. Her job at the confectionery-slash-café was just one of several she had taken up over the summer holidays, seeking independence from her parents.

"Can't we just swap lives, Emerald?" Annie's large eyes gleamed with mock pleading, as if Emerald held the power of a fairy godmother capable of granting wishes. Emerald couldn't help laughing at the comic expression her friend wore.

"I'm serious," Annie insisted. "You're so lucky. Your father doesn't expect you to lift a finger, let alone get a job."

That comment brought back the memory of the argument Emerald had with her father before the break began, almost causing her irritation to resurface. "I don't understand why I can't get a job," she huffed.

"Because you're Emerald Fajardo, his daughter," Annie quipped, instinctively handing her a plate of chocolate cake from the warmer below. Thankful, Emerald began enjoying the treat.

"Have you seen Justin today?" Annie ventured, observing Emerald's meticulous positioning of the plate.

"That handsome devil?" Emerald shrugged with a smile, using her tongue to clear the chocolate off the spoon. "He's probably basking in all the attention from the girls."

"He should really start dating one of them. I don't want to spend another year sharing car seats with annoying and eccentric girls."

"I know you don't really mean that," Emerald replied, giving Annie a knowingly teasing look. Annie responded with a playful sneer.

Though Annie hadn't explicitly confessed her feelings, Emerald sensed her friend's interest in Justin, who was like a brother and a protective guardian to them. Justin's rugged charm had a way of drawing female attention while warding off unwanted advances from other boys, something both she and Annie appreciated. More often than not, the boys at school seemed to operate entirely on impulse.

Annie straightened up, grabbing her phone. At a height noticeably taller than Emerald's five foot three inches, Annie's stature sometimes made Emerald feel slightly self-conscious.

"Uh... Emerald?" Annie's voice held a curious tone.

"Yeah?" Emerald answered between bites of her lunch. "Could you hand me a bottle of soda?" She noticed the puzzled look on Annie's face as she obliged.

"Why the face? Did something happen?"

"Did you go to the mall yesterday?" Annie asked, her tone mysterious.

"Yes, why?"

"Then you'll want to see this."

Annie held her phone up to Emerald, whose eyes widened at the headline. It splashed her identity across the screen—Emerald, the daughter of billionaire Dustin Fajardo, long shielded from the public eye. The article didn't stop with mere revelation; it included numerous pictures of her and divulged other personal details.

Everywhere Emerald went—her school, her hometown, and even the violin classes she attended—was suddenly in the spotlight.

"I can't believe this..." The cake sitting in front of Emerald was completely forgotten as the gravity of her current predicament weighed heavily on her mind. "This changes everything."

"What are you going to do?" Annie slipped her phone back into her patterned apron pocket, her worried gaze locked onto Emerald's.

"I have no idea. How am I supposed to handle this? I can't even imagine how things will unfold from here on."

"You should talk to your parents."

"But that would just give my dad the excuse he needs to send me to a boarding school. He will find out eventually anyway."

Annie let out a sigh. "So what's your plan now?"

"Running away isn't an option," Emerald joked lightly, shrugging her shoulders. "I guess I'll have to adjust to this new reality."

"It won't be an easy journey."

Emerald sighed deeply, louder this time. "I realize that. But there's one thing that worries me more..." She cast her gaze to the plain wall behind Annie, lost in thought.

"What is it?" Annie asked.

"High school," she replied simply.

...

"Hey, rich kid."

Emerald hoped the day was about to end peacefully. She was almost home, distracted by thoughts of the bowl of ice cream waiting for her in the fridge—a little reward after enduring the varied looks and stares she'd received all day. But then Robert Stand decided to ruin her plans.

Emerald didn't bother to turn around and acknowledge the fool attempting to provoke her. Frankly, she lacked the energy to deal with loud people like him, so she continued walking.

"You know I'm talking to you," his irritating voice carried over, drawing everyone's attention towards her. "Are you going to ignore me now?" He was getting closer, yet Emerald still refused to look back. "Emerald..." His voice dripped with mockery. "Why didn't you tell us you're Dustin Fajardo's daughter? Did you think we'd all start gold-digging or something?" He laughed to himself.

She sighed and resumed her path to her locker.

"You're still a nobody!" he shouted. "Just like you've always been, no matter how smart you are."

"Is there a problem, Robert?" Justin's firm voice interrupted the silence that Robert's antics had created. "Do you need me to hang you up by your locker with those oversized underpants you have?"

"Just back off, man."

"Get lost, jerk," Annie added, jumping into the conversation.

Emerald felt a wave of relief with the support of her friends, knowing she wasn't alone in this overwhelming situation.

"Yeah, yeah. You're just hangers-on anyway. I'm sure you're only with her because of her father's money."

As Emerald arrived at her locker, she took a moment to close her eyes, trying to quell her growing frustration. Despite the temptation to be the one to hang Robert Stand up by his trousers, she dreaded the thought of her father sending her off to boarding school.

"Emerald, you shouldn't let people like that jerk talk to you any kind of way," Annie said as she finally reached her side.

"Hey, are you all right? I noticed how uneasy you seemed in Chemistry class," Justin asked.

Once Emerald retrieved her things, she shut her locker and turned to her friends, making sure to offer a small, albeit weary, smile.

"I'm fine. Justin, could you drive me home today?"

"Of course." His stylishly combed hair bounced as he moved to her side and gave her a hug. "I'll be your bodyguard today, too."

"Look at you. You've always been our protector," Annie teased him before he excused himself for a moment. "Anyway, Emerald, you should give people like Robert a comeback to shut them up. It's not your fault you're your father's daughter."

"That's just a waste of time and energy."

"And putting up with the shouting and staring is healthy?" Annie fixed Emerald with a serious, almost motherly look. "I don't believe this is a situation where you should stay quiet. You could get hurt."

"Come on..." Emerald rolled her eyes. "It's not like any of them would actually go as far as kidnapping me or something."

Annie swiftly clamped her hands over Emerald's mouth, her eyes darting around attentively. Startled, Emerald frowned, attempting to speak but producing only a muffled hum. "Annie?" she tried to say.

Even then, Annie didn't release the temporary hold she had on Emerald's mouth.

"Eww." Annie pulled her hands away, hastily reaching for some wipes in her bag. "Why did you lick my palm? That's just gross."

Readjusting the strap of her backpack, Emerald replied, "Next time, don't cover my mouth like that."

"Well, next time, don't say things like kidnapping," Annie retorted.

"Why?"

"You ask why?" Annie was ever so dramatic. "What if someone overhears and decides to run with the idea? If your dad pays a ransom, that person hits a jackpot. Come to think of it..." She struck a thinking pose. "Maybe your dad should hire a bodyguard. Yesterday, I could've sworn I saw someone following us. He looked bald and—"

"Okay, Annie, I get it. I'm not as safe as I used to be, but I'll manage." Emerald reassured her. "But please, don't bring up the idea of a bodyguard with my dad. He'd be all over it."

"Your dad? No way. He intimidates me." Annie shivered slightly, as if recalling his stoic demeanor outside the home. "I'll talk to your mom. I'll make sure to present the idea with strong arguments."

"I don't need a bodyguard following me around like a kid," Emerald said. Her eyes drifted to a group of girls watching them and whispering among themselves, prompting another sigh.

"Are you guys ready?" Justin asked, smiling as he returned.

"Yes, we are." They began walking toward his car. "Where did you disappear to, anyway?" Annie inquired.

"Well..." A mischievous grin spread across his face as he draped his arms over their shoulders, pulling them closer. "It's a secret." Annie rolled her eyes and kicked his knee.

"Ouch," he exclaimed, laughing through the mock pain.

.....

As Emerald was preparing to step out of the car, Annie's voice stopped her. "When's our next movie night?" she asked, her curiosity piqued by the prospect of another fun evening together. Although Emerald longed for the familiar comfort of her home's walls, she recognized that Annie's question was quite pressing.

"Uh... How about this Friday?" Emerald replied after a brief moment of thought.

"Your place or Justin's?" Annie continued. They never planned gatherings at her own house because her father believed strongly in self-reliance and had almost discouraged her from making friends, if not for a miraculous intervention.

"Mine. My mom is making popcorn for us," Emerald confirmed, offering a comforting thought of home-cooked snacks.

"Yes!" Justin cheered, meeting Emerald's gaze with enthusiasm. "I love it when your mom makes food."

Emerald's smile grew even larger. "I appreciate the compliment, but..." Her expression turned serious for dramatic effect. "You'd better not say that around my dad, or he might decide to turn you into our new floor rug."

The discomfort evident in Justin's dancing green eyes sent both Emerald and Annie into fits of playful laughter. "Bye, guys," she finally said, heading toward her house.

Emerald's family used to live in a hotel, where she spent her formative years in a penthouse. However, shortly after they relocated to New Orleans, circumstances changed, and they all returned to New York. Unlike their departure, they came back with her younger brother, Zack Fajardo.

Even before she entered the house, Emerald could already imagine Zack's enthusiastic greeting. Approaching his tenth birthday, he was the little ray of joy in her life, fulfilling her long-held wish for a sibling. The first time she saw his charming face and captivating ocean-blue eyes, her smile couldn't have been wider.

Upon opening the door of the stylish bungalow, the first name she called out was, "Zack." Tossing her bag onto the nearest couch, she raced to the kitchen and flung open the refrigerator. "Zack!" she exclaimed, her eyes widened, "Where are you, and where's my ice cream?"

"Lower your voice, young lady."

"Hi, Mom," Emerald greeted, not taking her eyes off the refrigerator. "Zack!"

"He's sleeping." Her mother's voice carried a gentle, yet firm tone as she shut the fridge door. Her gaze remained fixed on Emerald. "I took your ice cream."

"What? Why?" Emerald asked, bewildered.

Her mother shrugged and motioned toward the kitchen island. "Come have a seat. Your father and I need to speak with you."

"But Mom..." Emerald groaned, her shoulders slumping. "My ice cream."

"Sit down."

Her father's voice announced his presence, instantly distracting Emerald from her lost treat. Despite their close relationship, she always felt the need to present herself properly in front of him. "Hey, Emerald," he greeted.

"Hey, Dad." Emerald took a seat opposite her mother.

"Hi, sweetness," he said, giving her mom a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"School went well today. Thanks for asking," Emerald answered with a hint of irony, prompting a burst of laughter from her mom. Her dad settled into the seat beside her.

"Emerald, we have something to share with you," her mother's voice softened in a way that piqued Emerald's suspicion.

"What is it?" Emerald wondered if Annie's outlandish suggestion of a bodyguard might have somehow reached her father. She furrowed her brow at the thought.

"Emerald..." Her mother's smile broadened. "I'm pregnant."