The Runaway Professor

15. Secret Lover

Car stopping gently, Paige's frown hadn't softened one bit since Tuesday night. "You sure about this?"

I didn't appreciate to see the joyful Barbie this upset.

Her hand squeezed my wrist softly and I nodded in response. "Very. I need this coffee."

Rolling her eyes, she cocked a brow. "Will we meet the mysterious woman any time soon?"

Seatbelt unbuckled, I chuckled and grabbed my bag. "Who is 'we'?"

Tilting her head aside, her cool blonde hair fell over her shoulder. "What on earth is going on between you two? Leo rolls her eyes when I talk about you and you don't even want to acknowledge her."

I swallowed thickly. It seemed a pang to my chest was not even enough to describe the pain hitting me. "Hell do I know! She started this."

"If I can believe your word and it was not you." she exhaled and cocked an eyebrow. "Maybe it's something personal?"

There was no need for me to think about it. "Her dad. Did she mention anything?"

I remembered how beaten down she was about a year ago. Her dad was a difficult man at best, my dad and I had not even half as bad a relationship as they. After fighting for his approval for the first sixteen years of her life, she started to give up and that was when he decided to make an effort. It was too late however. Leo had never accepted his love and affection then.

"No..." Paige's brows pulled together. "I'll get some information on that. And you give me something on your lady." She pulled my face closer and planted a smooch to my cheek. "Call me if you need a ride home from your secret lover."

She drove off and I barely limped down the sidewalk, reaching the café with a heavier heaving torso. Heavenly aromas wrapped around my nose. A cinnamon touched latte and Frappuccino in hand, only moments after. I was much calmer, nevertheless, the thought of meeting up with Cate was an excitement making my heartbeat quicken. I was early in town, therefore I sat down in the café, trying to remind myself of reality.

A reality check was all I needed, but being delusional was so much more fun.

On the walk, which would have been fifteen minutes for an ordinary human, ten for a gay person and twenty for me, hence the knee thing, I had plenty of time to come up with a way to hide the limp.

I had covered up the bruise on my right temple, it was no challenge. My skin was barely injured, just a light green spot at this point. The pain faded slowly, day by day and when I woke up today, I almost didn't notice it anymore. Almost.

Chilly breeze hitting my face, my nose cooled down and reddened as did my cheeks. The wind howled gently when brushing along stone and ground and I walked in-between. Bushes, empty and brown, trees holding onto the last bits of yellow leaves and streets littered with few cars.

A woman with a stroller on one hand and a child on her other. The little boy smiled widely all while collecting pretty leaves.

Repeatedly checking the route my phone was sending me, I soon enough came face to face with a relatively large property, compared to the houses I had come across on my way. Students and professors were not exactly off poorly at FPU. Middle class was a rarity, mainly upper class were found on campus. This house? Oh hell, was it upper class. At least two stories, I figured from my position at the dark grey gate. Heavy, light colored stone walls plastered both the sides of the gate and the house. An old-money appearance, if the new Audi wouldn't be parked in front of the steps leading to the front door.

I carried myself towards the entrance and hold my breath for a little longer, the air around me growing chillier. The door, massive and elegantly made of mahogany wood. This was not where I believed her to live. Not Evelyn and certainly not Cate. I liked the idea of the unexpected as much as I despised it.