Teacher's Game (NC-17)

Nine

In less than seventy-two hours, Hayleigh's whole world had turned completely upside down.

Ever since that girl appeared, Hayleigh didn't know what to think anymore. Everything she thought she knew about Rowen was now one big question mark. It was bad enough to entertain the idea that she was just being used for sex, but if there was a bigger, more sinister motive...

Now, everything felt like one big puzzle she had to solve. If she cracked it, would she be able to escape from it? Was that girl the mastermind behind everything and simply delaying the inevitable to toy with her? But what was the endgame? Blackmail? In exchange for what? If it was simply to cause trouble the video would've been released by now. And yet to go out of the way to install a camera... None of it made sense.

Communication was also a one-way street. The unregistered number did not answer whenever Hayleigh tried to text or call back. She was beginning to feel trapped in a web too large for her to see. Was she just caught in the crossfire or a target all along? More importantly, what was Rowen's role in all of it?

The right thing would've been to confront him, but she didn't know what to be more afraid of: asking him or hearing the answer. She'd ignored him for three days straight and missed two classes in a row. It was irresponsible, but she wouldn't be able to focus either way. She could barely concentrate in her other classes at all.

Hayleigh nearly flinched in surprise as the bell rang. She hurriedly picked up her things and followed the throng of students leaving the classroom. Slowly, she waded through the crowd down the hallway until she spotted Rowen at the opposite end. She quickly turned around, but he had already seen her.

"Shit," she hissed under her breath as she pushed against the swarm of students. She needed to hide in the nearest bathroom and—

A hand grabbed her wrist. It was firm enough not to hurt, but strong enough not to break free from without causing a scene.

Hayleigh's pulse began to escalate as Rowen surreptitiously pushed her to an empty classroom. He gently pushed her to the wall right next to the door with one hand on the knob, effectively trapping her in place.

His hand remained unmoving just below her collarbone. Surely he could feel her heart beating wildly inside her.

The still silence in the room seemed to stretch on forever. Her ears strained to hear something from him, her lips raring to break the silence herself, but one wrong word was all it took to give everything away. His slate grey eyes scrutinized her face, wordlessly demanding the answers she'd avoided in the last three days.

"Where have you been?" he finally asked in an eerily calm voice. "Why haven't you been answering any of my calls?"

Hayleigh cleared her throat before swallowing to keep her voice steady. "I've been sick. I was just about to let you know."

"You could've informed me three days ago. A single text would've sufficed."

She forced out a weak smile. "I'm sorry."

It was nearly impossible to keep looking him straight in the eye. This man who she'd been with for over two months now felt like a complete stranger.

Do you know about the camera in the library? How many have been there before me? Who are you, really?

Try as she might, the words could not leave her. She couldn't find the courage to ask the questions out loud.

"I expect to see you in class on Friday," he said, finally releasing her. He left the room without another word.