Rescue Me *Completed*

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"Professor Chapman." A male voice announces through the door. "We need to have a word immediately."

My arms tighten around Michael, panicking at the thought that he was going to be escorted off campus.

"Don't worry." He whispers quietly. "Just hide."

"Where?" I whisper back.

"Under my desk, quickly."

I do as I'm told and remained quiet.

Only the sound of his deep sigh was the only thing to remind me to stay calm.

If only I can tell that to my trembling hands.

I hear him unlock the door, greeting the person at the door politely as the guy cut him off.

"Cut the crap Chapman. Just who do you think you are to commit such an immoral act?"

"This was not supposed to get out James." He closes the door. "If anything, our relationship was supposed to remain off campus. That was not the case due to a group of girls who decided to make it a big deal."

"This is a big deal!" James exclaims angrily. "Do you have any idea how this can ruin our reputation at our school?! If this gets out fast, do you have any idea how the parents are going to react?!"

"I understand how... improper all this seems. Believe me, I have thought about it for many months."

"Then why did you do it?" James pressed. "Tell me and maybe I'll spare you an earful of a lecture."

Michael sighs again, walking over to his desk where he takes a seat before me.

"Have a seat James."

From the sound of his feet growing closer and the leather on the chair expelling air, he takes his seat as he's told.

There was the sound of a click, something slightly humming over me and then a moment of quiet; Michael leaned forward, knees nearly touching mine when he says, "I fell in love James."

"Oh please." He scoffs. "Not another taboo romance story."

"Does it look like i'm joking around to you?" Michael's tone becomes angry.

"It doesn't matter what I think you look like." He says. "What I care is how everyone else thinks about our department. About the University as a whole!"

"You came here for an explanation right?"

"Right—."

"Then shut the fuck up and let me talk."

Oh... My heart fluttered. Holy shit he's mad.

I place my hand on his knee, carefully leaning forward to hold him tightly as he continues.

"I fell in love just as she fell in love with me. It is consentual; nothing taboo and most certainly nothing like a five minute storyline from a porno film. This is a real relationship we both agreed to keep a secret. My mind and most certainly her grades were not affected by this. I kept it fair from the day I started this job up until this point. We don't want any trouble and we most certainly didn't want this to spread all over this little town. Be that as it may, we are trying to prepare for the worst outcome.

In the beginning of all this, she confessed her feelings to me. I was shocked, flattered even that a girl like her would've anything to do with me. She was so upset about her feelings towards me that she knew the consequences for even just admitting it to me."

"Consequences such as what?" James said.

"Suspension, expulsion, you tell me." He says. "She knew all that. She knew my position and yet she confessed."

"Did you reciprocate in that moment?" James asked.

"Not exactly no." Michael clears his throat. "She was very distraught and needed comfort at the time. As much as I wanted to give her a chance, my position at this university was important to me and I couldn't exactly let that go.

I held her, letting her calm down from her burst of emotions and took her home. It was late, she took the bus to get here, and due to some unfortunate events on her end, I wanted to make sure she went home safely.

From there on out, we remained neutral."

"So then why give your morals as a professor up? What's so great about this girl that you let yourself end up in this position now?"

"That's the thing James. I'm more than just a Professor outside these academic walls. This 'girl' that you say so carelessly is the woman that has been with me thick and thin. She knows me better than my own mother. She's a handful of course," he scoffs. "But she's not overbearing. She's loyal, honest, wears her heart on her sleeve. If there's anything I'm grateful for is that she's taught me how to be honest with my feelings. At the end of the day, isn't that who we want in a soulmate?"

Michael... My eyes grew misty. I love you so much...

"Hm." James says. "At least it's not a relationship for favors."

"I'm not someone to be easily persuaded like that. If anything, I find that quite insulting for you to think so."

"Chapman, I've only known you for how long— Only a few years? And while I think you are a very smart man, it is a bit suspect to see a man of your age to fall into this predicament."

"Keep my age out of this and treat me like the other old men who are here to do their damn jobs. That's all I'm here for in the end, to do my damn job."

"We'll see after we conduct our investigation." James rises. "We will be interviewing Miss Adams as well. Looking into some records and going over this with the dean. Until then, let's keep both of your presence in the same room to a minimum."

"As much as I know you want me to take your recommendation, I refuse. My partner is very shaken up by all this. She needs any type of comfort she can get, even if it means holding her hand."

"It's just a piece of advice Michael. Take it for what you will."

There was another click, followed by the end of the humming sound.

Michael rises from his desk, walking over to open the door for James when a few words caught me off guard.

"I'm sorry for recording you. If anything, I believe you Chapman." James says. "From the moment you assisted me on your first day at this academy, I know you were meant to do great things. I also know it takes a lot for you to open up to people, myself included. So if this girl— Miss Adams, is that important to you, I believe it. But I do hope you take my advice and keep your contact with her to a minimum. I'll... do what I can to help."

"Thank you James. I'll leave you to it."

The door finally closes, Michael locking it behind him to finally let us breathe in peace.

"You can come out now, he's gone."

I don't want to come out... I wanna stay in the safe space...

"Darlin'," he peeks under the desk. "Class is going to start soon. You need to get going."

"Mm-m." I shook my head.

"Sweetheart—."

"I don't wanna go." I curl up even tighter. "I... I don't wanna make anyone mad..."

"Baby," he kneels before me. "I don't want to sugar coat it, but people will be mad. Our relationship is none of their business, but I did break a moral code. It's sadly going to be like that for a while."

"So what do we do?"

"What we are going to do?"

He brings his fingers to my chin, lifting it so we met eye to eye.

"What we are going to do is keep our chins high. We are a couple, so what? At the end of the day, it's not student and professor. It's nothing taboo or friends with benefits. It's Winter and Michael. Two humans of age that happen to love each other for them."

He releases my chin and holds his hand for me to take. My body accepted his gentle approach without any hesitation.

"We can over come this Love. I got you."