The Virgin and the Whore

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

I was the first to arrive in class in the morning, sitting alone at my and Esther's usual table.

Professor Connor was looking at me like I had grown a second head.

"Should I be worried, or should I be pleased that you're so early?" he asked me as he was setting up his things.

This wasn't the first time I was on time in class. It wasn't the first time I was early either.

It wasn't a good thing that my professor still saw this as an odd behaviour. It shouldn't feel weird to not have fucked up for once.

I'd spent most of my life not fucking up. It should have been my default setting. Fucking up should not have become so usual.

"Not worried at all. I'm the picture of a model student," I replied with a grin, before taking a sip from my coffee.

He looked at me with narrowed eyes. "Suuuuure. Did you do something wrong? You know you had a short critique to hand in today, right?"

"Yes, all ready," I replied and grabbed it out of my bag, shaking it.

"You know what they say about people suddenly changing. That it means they're gonna die," my professor said, after I got up and walked up to his desk to give him my work.

It wasn't that sudden.

So, maybe I was in a good mood today, and maybe I was early, but he really shouldn't be making that much of a deal out of it.

"Who's they?"

"You know, the proverbial they," he replied, making a general waving hand gesture, while taking a quick look at my report.

I shook my head. "Never heard this. Who says this?"

"They."

"You mentioned."

He rolled his eyes. I was annoying him. This was slightly pleasing. Old-Nik never would have enjoyed annoying his teacher like this, but I was a new man.

"You know what I mean," he said.

I wasn't about to make this easy for him. "No."

"Yeah, these responses make more sense. Smartass," he replied, shaking his head, but he was smiling a bit too.

I grinned. "Thanks."

"That critique better be good," he said, while I went back to my seat.

"If you enjoy reading about someone shitting on a performance art piece, you're gonna have a grand time," I replied as I sat down.

"Why didn't you just pick another one of the art pieces then, if you didn't like this one?"

"Oh, no, no, I love shitting on things I don't like. It's my bread and butter."

"You know, I had one of you teachers from when you were pre-med telling me you were a quiet, non-confrontational, model student. I can't believe anything that teacher says now."

I grinned, trying to hide the pang I felt being reminded of my pre-med years. "What can I saw Professor Connor, you brought out the best in me."

The class started to fill out slowly after that.

Every time someone came in, I'd sort of jump and looked back, waiting for someone in particular.