Professor Series - Sebastian Stan 🩵

One

I answered the phone as I stepped out onto the sidewalk from the cafe, "hello?"

'Is this Anna?'

I stopped walking, staring up at the sky, "this is her. Can I help you?"

'Oh Anna, it's Ellen. It's your mom. You should get home as soon as you can.' I groaned, shaking my head as I held my phone from my ear for a moment. Fuck. What had she gotten herself into now? I left Connecticut to get away from my drug addicted mother. I was about to start my final year at NYU and didn't want to have to deal with my mother right now. 'Anna? Are you there?'

I sighed, trying to brace myself, "just tell me what happened."

Ellen started to sob on the other side of the phone, 'I'm sorry Anna, I'm afraid she's passed. You need to come clear out the trailer. The landlord wants to rent it out right away, but I thought there might be something you may want.'

Good riddance. "Okay. How did she die?" I shook my head, already knowing the answer to the question.

'She overdosed.'

"Yeah. Thanks." I laughed as I hung up the phone before Ellen could say anything else. "Of fucking course she did." I wanted to curse and scream and cry. But I stood in the middle of New York City and couldn't break down; not yet. I sighed, taking a few deep breaths as I started to walk towards my apartment. A few blocks from my apartment, I was looking at my phone, trying to find the soonest bus to Connecticut when I collided with a solid mass who only grunted. I dropped my phone on the ground, "fuck!"

I felt the man I had ran into watching me as he leaned over to grab my phone. I could feel the anger radiating off him as he handed it to me, his hand brushing mine as he did. I pulled my hand away quickly, feeling a spark where our fingers touched. "I'm really sorry, love. I wasn't paying any attention."

I rolled my eyes at the stranger calling me 'love' as I stood back up, locking eyes with the blue eyed stranger. His eyes were cloudy, obviously upset about something. I inspected his curly brown hair that fell slightly into his face, his beard dark and trim. I suddenly felt flustered, my face flushing as I offered him a small smile. "It's really fine. I was looking at my phone and not where I was going."

The man nodded, inspecting me. He could obviously tell I was upset and on the verge of tears. "Are you okay?" I shook my head, taking a step back from him.

I chuckled softly, trying to play off my feelings even though I had a strong urge to bury my face in his chest and let him hold me. "I'm fine." I held up my phone, "but I really have to go. I'm sorry." I rushed away from him quickly, turning back to him at the corner, taking one more look at him to find him watching me before I disappeared around the corner.

~~~~

I let myself into my mother's small trailer a few hours later. I looked around at the mess that was left as I let out a groan. I ignored the stuff in the living room, going straight to my old bedroom. "Fluffers." I grabbed an old stuffed brown bunny from the shelf, pulling it to my chest for a few moments. It was one of the few things that brought me any sort of comfort as a child. I found a bag in the closet, placing the small animal inside before looking around the room. I grabbed a few books before beginning to leave the trailer.

I stopped outside my mother's room. I had not been in it since I was a child. The room was torn apart with stuff everywhere. I opened the closet, finding an old box that was worn out that I knew my mother kept documents in. I plopped it onto the bed, finding a bunch of past due bills. I sighed, tossing them to the side on the bed. I finally came across my birth certificate, taking a look at it. I had never seen it before, inspecting it closely. Anna Marie Sloane, born September 3, 1998 in New York? I was born in New York? I skimmed a little further and just like I suspected, there was no father listed. My mother told me he had left us as soon as she became pregnant.

I shook my head, shoving the birth certificate in my bag. I dug through the box, finding an envelope that had been worn down, the letters shoved inside obviously having been read more than a few times. I pulled out the letters and opened them up, reading the one on top.

    Caryn-
    I know this is unexpected and we didn't plan for this to happen, but I assure you I have no intention of walking away easily. I want to know my daughter, in fact, we want to adopt her. Please stop ignoring my requests to talk.
    -TJ

    Caryn
    You can't just up and leave and keep my daughter from me because you're angry with me. You knew I was married the whole time and had no intention of leaving my wife. I made a lot of mistakes, but I don't intend for this to be one of them. Please.
    -TJ

I plopped onto the bed beside the box. I had a father, one that wanted to know me and be in my life? So why had my mother kept him away from me? I had more questions than I did before, shoving the letters into my bag. I looked through the box to try and find more about this TJ that was apparently my father, but found nothing, leaving the trailer more angry than when I had arrived.