Professor

The Interview

𝙹𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎

Once I fell asleep, I assume Professor Jones left. I woke up just a few minutes later and saw him outside talking to someone. I couldn't quite see who it was, I tried pushing myself up in the bed and looking through the window but I couldn't see who it was. Then I saw him walk away, which made me a little sad. I lay back down in the bed and reach for my phone, shaking as I turn the camera on I gasp and shiver at the way I look. Tears fill in my eyes, I click my phone off and slam it faced down on the mini table near my bed.

I can't believe Tyler did this to me, yes he has hurt me before, a lot. But never this bad, I almost look unrecognizable. I stare out the window when I hear the door open. I look over and see a police officer by the door.

"Hello Miss Gilbert. I'm Officer Martinez, you probably know why I'm here. I just need to ask you a few questions, if you are up for that right now?" He says

"Sure, I just want to get this part over with. I knew it was coming" I say clearing my throat sitting myself up

"So how did this whole event start?" He says sitting in the chair pulling out his pen and notepad

"I came back to my dorm room after having to speak to.. one of my professors. When I arrived to my dorm room I saw my boyfriend Tyler waiting there for me. He hasn't been here that long, he was only visiting me from New York where I used to live. At first I thought he was going to hurt me, like he's been doing since he arrived here in Chicago.." I say beginning to tear up

"So you two are long distance? And he has hit you before this incident?" He asks

"We have been together for a long time, 2 and a half years. And he started abusing me after the first year of our relationship. So yes he has hit me before, many times." I say looking down

"Alright Miss Gilbert, please carry on. To the best of your ability" He says

"Okay.. here we are standing in my dorm room. He tells me that he wants to go on a drive with me before he leaves to go back to New York. So I assume that everything will be fine, we leave and we get in my car. As I'm driving out of the parking lot I feel this weird vibe from him.." I start to say but the officer cuts me off

"Sorry to interrupt, but what do you mean by weird vibe?" He says putting one leg on the other getting ready to write down what I'll say

"He was pretty quite. He didn't say anything for a little bit in the beginning of the car ride, until I spoke up and asked him if he was okay. Looking back at it, he lied to me about his response, he told me how he just wanted to spend as much time with me as possible before he leaves. I drive for about 20 minutes, and he hasn't said anything again. I ask him where he wants me to go or what he wants to do. He just tells me he wants to be alone with me in some secluded area. So about 10 minutes later I see this area that's completely secluded. I park there and we sit there looking at each other. But once again, I felt a weird vibe. I ask him once more is he was okay, and all of a sudden his mood switches within a second and he just starts hitting me, he grabs me by the neck and starts screaming in my face. I start crying and begging him to stop. He shoves me back in my seat which prompts me to hit my head. He gets out of the car and comes to my side opening the door and yanking me out by my hair. He starts kicking me, hitting me. Then I started to cough up blood. I felt myself beginning to black out when I hear someone slam into Tyler and start to punch him. This person ran up to me and I noticed it was my professor before blacking out." I say

"Mhm, do you mind answering me this with complete honesty?" he says staring at me

"Um okay?" I say confused 

"Are you and Professor Jones having an affair?" He asks bluntly causing me to lose my breath for a second

"Oh god no. I could never do that, that's so weird. The only reason my professor was there, was because he knew about my abusive relationship and he saw my boyfriend and I in my car leaving the college campus. So he followed, I guess to make sure my boyfriend didn't hurt me or anything. And when he saw that my boyfriend was beating me he just took action" I say starting to feel nauseous from his question

He nods writing everything down, he takes a few minutes going over everything with me making sure he didn't miss anything. He puts his things away and stands up reaching his hand out to shake mine. I extend my arm out and shake his hand

"You will no longer have to worry Miss Gilbert, we will find your boyfriend. But for now we are issuing a restraining order. Tyler Branson is not to come within 50 feet of you, if you see him or he tries to contact you in any way, call me. Here is my card, and I promise that I will catch him, he will not hurt you anymore."  he says handing me his card

I nod and give him a small smile. He exits my room and in the mist of my hospital room door being open I see my mom and.. Tyler's mom and Professor Jones together causing me to gasp loudly and call out for my mom. She turns her head towards me, eyes filled with tears. She rushes in my room with Tyler's mom and Professor Jones following behind. My mom sits next to me in my bed placing her hands gently on my face.

"Oh my God honey! Look at you, I can't believe this. Tyler did this to you?" she says crying

"Momma I'm sorry I never told you, I was too afraid. I'm sorry" I say starting to cry

She pulls me into a hug rubbing my back. I dig my face in her shoulder and sob, she kisses the side of my face moving my hair out of the way. I turn my face noticing Professor Jones saying something to Tyler's mom, Gina. They nod and step outside clearly letting my mom and I have alone time. My mom, Amy, pulls away from the hug wiping my tears with her thumbs. She stares at me with sorrow and sympathy.

"Since when? Since when was that bastard hurting you?" she says with a slight tone of anger

"1.. 1 year after we started dating. I don't know why, we were so good, so happy. Then all of a sudden, things just went downhill. This time, it was the worst." I say sadly feeling so empty

"Why did he do this to you?" she says

"He thought I was cheating on him, the second or which ever day it was he threatened to kill me if I cheated on him. And he did, he really tried to kill me because.. I did.." I say sniffling

"You did? Are you saying that you cheated on Tyler?" She says looking at me shocked

"Yes I did, but not with just anyone.." I say getting nauseous again

"What do you mean?" She says slightly confused

"It was um.. it was" I begin saying but she cuts me off

"Your Professor" She says 

"Wait.. how? What? How did you know mom?" I say confused

"Oh come on honey, your professor is here in the hospital for you. He followed you because he felt like something was going to happen, and he saved you. The way he looked when I saw him, it was so clear that he feels something for you Josie." She says

"What? Are you serious?" I say

"You'll see it eventually honey" She says

"You aren't mad? I cheated and it was with my professor mom." I say confused

"I know but you're alive. And right now that is the only thing that matters to me. The relationship between you and your professor isn't right yes, but you are alive baby. That's the only thing that matters to me right now. Ask me that in a day or two" She says laughing

I shake my head laughing, I pull my mom into a hug and squeeze her. As we are hugging I look out the window and see Professor Jones staring back at me through the window. I mouth the word "thank you" and smile at him. He nods smiling back at me, causing my cheeks to heat up. I can't help but think about what my mom said to me about Professor Jones, it keeps replaying in my head over and over again. I look away and take a deep breath pulling away from the hug looking at my mom.

"Mom maybe you're right about my professor or maybe not. But one thing I know for sure is.. I'm starting to feel something for him." I say