"A Recipe for Disaster"

The next day, Maya found herself standing in front of the cafeteria, her stomach churning with anticipation. She had agreed to meet Eric for lunch, and now she was wondering if she had made a huge mistake. As she scanned the crowded room, her eyes landed on Eric, who was sitting at a table by the window, looking ridiculously handsome in a black T-shirt and jeans. He caught her eye and grinned, beckoning her over. Maya felt a flutter in her chest as she made her way towards him, trying to ignore the curious glances from the other students. As she sat down across from him, Eric pushed a plate of food towards her. "I got your favorite," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Chicken parmesan." Maya raised an eyebrow, impressed. "How did you know?" Eric shrugged. "I have my ways," he said, his voice low and teasing. As they ate, they talked about everything from literature to music to their favorite movies. Maya found herself laughing and joking with Eric, feeling more and more at ease in his presence. But every now and then, she caught him looking at her with an intensity that made her skin prickle. As they finished their lunch, Eric leaned back in his chair, his eyes locked onto hers. "So, what do you think of my paper on Shakespearean sonnets?" he asked, his voice low and husky. Maya raised an eyebrow, surprised. "You wrote a paper?" Eric nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "I did. I thought it would be a good way to get to know you better." Maya felt a flutter in her chest as she realized that Eric was more interested in her than she had thought. She tried to brush it off, telling herself that she was just being paranoid, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Eric was hiding something. As they left the cafeteria, Eric fell into step beside her, his arm brushing against hers. Maya felt a jolt of electricity run through her body, and she knew that she had to be careful. She was already walking a tightrope, balancing her feelings for Eric with the demands of her job and her personal life. As they walked down the hallway, Maya's phone buzzed with a text from her best friend, Rachel. "Hey, girl, what's going on? You've been MIA all day," Rachel wrote. Maya smiled, typing out a response. "Just had lunch with a student," she wrote. "Don't ask." Rachel responded immediately. "Spill," she wrote. "I need details." Maya hesitated, unsure of what to say. She didn't want to get Rachel involved, but at the same time, she needed someone to talk to. As she typed out a response, Eric looked over at her, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Who's that?" he asked, his voice low and teasing. Maya felt a flush rise to her cheeks as she realized that she had been caught. "Just my best friend," she said, trying to brush it off. Eric raised an eyebrow, his eyes locked onto hers. "I think I can handle it," he said, his voice persuasive. Maya hesitated, unsure of what to do. But as she looked into Eric's eyes, she knew that she was in trouble. Big trouble.