Professor André

Chapter 7

Annoyed I stuff my phone into my bag and leave the bus stop. I'm about to walk back to Kacy's house when a black Tesla rushes by and splashes me from head to toe.

"This day couldn't get any fucking worse! Could it!?" I shout.

Just as I say, this I notice that the car is reversing. Filled with rage I turn around ready to yell at the asshole who splashed me.

"Are your fucking insane!? Are you blind? How can you drive this carelessly do you not have any conscience you fucking p-" My eyes widen when I see who is in the driver's seat.

Just as shocked as I am, André stares back at me with his hands on the steering wheel. I am so taken aback and embarrassed that I don't even notice my umbrella floating away in the wind.

"Miss Singh. I'm so sorry about splashing you. It wasn't intended." He says breaking the silence.

I try to speak but my mouth refuse to move. Instead of replying I stand frozen in the pouring rain with an empty brain.

"Where are your headed?"

I look at him still not being able to respond.

"Which way are you going?" He asks once again as if I hadn't heard him the first time.

"Brompton Heights." I manage to say.

"Okay. Get in." He says opening the front door for me. He then stretches his arms to me.

"Give me your bags."

I hand him my bags and he puts them on the back seat. I get into the car and close the door. He rolls up the windows and drives off.

" I really didn't mean for that to happen. I was driving and I got phone call. My eyes weren't on the road." He says turning too look at me.

"It's fine. Accidents happen." I reply. The anger has disappeared and I'm more embarrassed at the fact that I just cussed at my professor than I am mad that he splashed me with his car.

"You're shivering." He says in a concerned tone.

"It's fine. I'll be home soon anyways."

He doesn't seem to buy my response.

"I have a blanket in the back seat. Use it to cover up. I don't want you catching a cold."

Deciding not to protest because I do feel cold I take the blanket from the back seat and use it to cover myself. He turns the heater on and the car begins to get warm.

"I'll be making a stop at Starbucks. Do you want any thing?" He asks turning into the Starbucks drive thru.

"Yeah any hot beverage." I tell him.

"Okay." He rolls down the window as he drives up to place his order.

"Welcome to Starbucks. Can I take your order?" A woman says.

"Hi. Can I get a large hot coffee with lots of whipped cream and large Frappuccino?"

"Is that all?" The woman asks.

"Add two croissants."

"Okay."

We drive up to the window and I turn around to get some money from my bag.

"Hey. I'll pay for mine." I say still shuffling around in my bag.

"No, no I'll take care of it."

"But-"

"It's the least I can do. I'm the reason you might catch a cold later." He says taking his card from his wallet.

I give up and turn to sit back down. I feel bad because I don't want him to be paying for stuff for me but he is the reason I'm soaking wet so he's right, it really is the least he could do.

He collects the stuff and pays for it. He hands me the coffee and a croissant while he waits for his card and receipt. After collecting them he rolls up his window and drives off.

"Do you easily get sick?" He says furnish to look at me for a brief second.

"Not really." I reply.

He exhales lightly and takes a bite into the croissant. I watch as he lick the chocolate that drained onto his lips. I turn away and sip on my coffee.

  I spend the next ten minutes contemplating asking him to allow me to charge my phone in his car. After battling with my inner thoughts, I finally decide to ask him.

"Can I charge my phone in here?" I ask him.

"Sure." He says pointing to the charging port.

I take my phone and charger from my bag and plug the charger into the port. I return to silently sipping my coffee and looking at the cars in front of us.

  The car becomes silent, and I start relaxing a little. My headspace, which was a chaotic mess, starts to clear up, and I allow my self. to exhale and inhale without struggle. After the first exhale, it is as if a block is lifted from my shoulder. I am not as cold as I was earlier but my clothes are still damp.

I slowly look around the parts of the car that I can see.  The inside of the vehicle is dark purple with blue outlines. The seats are leather but very comfortable. I want to look around some more, but I don't want to make eye contact with André, so I decide to look out the window at the rain droplets falling on the window.

  I notice that the more he drives, the darker the time gets. I look at the time being displayed on the clock on his radio and see that it is already 6:30 pm.

"If you don't mind me asking. How do you like Camburgh university?"

  "It's ok so far. Much better than I expected."

  "That's good." He says, smiling.

"If you don't mind me asking. Do you live far away from campus?" I ask.

"Actually I live in Brompton Heights. I live close to the neighborhood where I picked you up."

"Oh! You live pretty far away."

"Yeah."

    After what felt like forever, he finally drives through the gates of the scheme where I live. I direct him to my destination, and he parks out front.

"Here you are." He says, placing his hands on his lap.

  "Thank you." I tell him.

"Again. I apologize for earlier."

  "It's fine. No hard feelings." I reply.

  I wave him goodbye and hurry inside the apartment.  I notice that he doesn't leave until I am inside.

  After ensuring that the door is locked, I turn on the lights and hurry to the kitchen. I wash my hands and reheat some pizza rolls, and pour myself a glass of orange juice. While waiting on my pizza, I begin searching for my phone to call Jessica to check up on her. I can't find it anywhere then I remember where I left it.

"Shit! I forgot my phone in André's car." I say to myself.

  I get my laptop from my room to FaceTime Jessica. After the second call, she picks up.

"Hey! Are you on your way home now?" I ask.

  "Yeah, I am. Where've you been? What happened? I've been calling you all day!" She says.

  "My phone died, and now it's left in André's car."

  She takes her eyes off the road to look at me.

  "Yeah, you heard right," I tell her.

"Girl, I'm almost there."

  "Don't speed. The road is wet."

  "Yeah, I know. I'm being careful. See you when I get there." She replies.

I end the call and put my pizza rolls on a plate. I take them to my room with my orange juice and undress to shower.

  After showering, getting dressed, moisturizing, and combing my hair, I turn on Netflix choose a movie, and relax in bed with my food and drink. A message appears on my laptop screen but I ignore it and close my laptop.