The Campus Killings {#LGBTQ #HORROR}

Chapter Fourteen

Petrović's office felt as if it had somehow gotten smaller as Jake stepped inside, his eyes trailing over to the window before darting back to the desk when he heard the door lock.

"Take a seat." The man's accent seemed to grow thicker when displeased, his pronunciations sharp and clipped.

Jake obeyed, ducking his head away from his icy gaze.  Ever since walking in on him and Willa, he had struggled to look at him, just so completely uncomfortable.

"You didn't come to study last night." Petrović stated, sitting across from him.

Jake replied uneasily, "I— I forgot."

It was a complete and utter lie that the other man clearly saw through.

"Jake, I've seen your SAT scores." Petrović sighed, "You're a smart kid, have a passion for music, are you sure computing is what you wanna do?"

Jake then asked, "Is it what you wanna do?"

"Excuse me?" Petrović narrowed his eyes, the sharp blue cutting into Jake's soul.

Jake regretted his words instantly, a reply tumbling out of his mouth, "Nevermind.  It doesn't matter.   I've had a bad night, my mind is all messed up."

"Of course.  Mali." the mention of her name sent a shiver down Jake's spine, "Were you two friends?   I knew you hung around with the same clique."

Jake confessed, "She hated me.  Not sure why, really, but she did.  I guess it's because I'm an outsider."

"Come, Jake." Petrović shot him a look, "I've seen you with your friends, they seem to like you at the very least." there was a brief pause, "How are you holding up?"

Jake bristled at the question, "I'm okay."

"You don't have to be." the other man advised, "I'm advising you to take a day away from class, I can send everything to you to catch up on.   Then you can come study again tomorrow night, if you're up to it."

Jake then asked, "She was your student, the second to die in the past month."

Petrović nodded solemnly, "Indeed.  And like Laura, she had her entire life ahead of her."

"Laura, what was your relationship like with her?" Jake couldn't help but ask.

Petrović seemed taken aback by the question, almost choking on air, "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know, call it curiosity." Jake's thumbs twiddled together awkwardly.

Petrović steadied himself, "Well, she was a smart, yet troubled girl.   I didn't— she was my student, it was never personal."

Liar, Jake wanted to say, it wasn't professional with Willa.

"Really, why do you ask?" Petrović prodded, "It can't just be a passing folly." he leaned forward across the desk and Jake suddenly felt very intimidated, "If you think you know something about Laura..."

Jake's breath shuddered a little, shrinking back from the steely, suffocating glare, "It's nothing." he burst up from the chair, avoiding the man's eyes, "I should go.   I'll be back in class in a few days, sorry."

He rushed to the door, attempting to open it only to be harshly reminded of the locking mechanism as it clicked but refused to let him out.  He felt Petrović come up behind him, taking the key out as he fell back against the wall, still avoiding his eyes.

"You can go." There was clear concern in the man's voice as he opened the door.

Jake didn't waste a second more, practically leaping free from the office and rushing down to the library, his typical place to calm down.   He threw himself back down in the window seat, looking outside to where he had seen Mali prior to her death, with the track team now taking precedence there.