The Chemist's Conundrum

Chapter Two: Day Two

The next night, Cate found herself standing in front of the mirror, carefully dressing up for a boy twenty years younger than her. She hesitated, staring at her reflection. The woman looking back at her felt like a stranger, someone she didn’t recognize or want to be. As she fumbled with the last button on her dress, the weight of what she was about to do overwhelmed her.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and before she could stop them, they spilled over, running down her cheeks. She had been holding it all in for too long—the shame, the guilt, the self-loathing—and now it was all pouring out uncontrollably. She didn’t want to do this. She hated herself for doing this. The mask she wore for the world, the one that projected strength and control, had cracked, revealing the fragile, tormented woman underneath.

Cate sank to the floor, her sobs echoing through the empty apartment. She cried for everything she had lost, for the person she once was, and for the desperate choices she felt forced to make. In that moment, she was just a woman trapped in a nightmare of her own making, searching for a way out but finding none.

She cried until there were no more tears left, until she was hollowed out and exhausted. Eventually, Cate forced herself to stand, wiping her face with trembling hands. She took one last look in the mirror, her eyes red and swollen, her heart aching. And then, with a deep breath, she put on the mask once more and prepared to face the night.

Suddenly, Cate heard a knock on the door. She stood up, quickly erasing her tears, and walked over to answer it.

When she opened the door, Ava was standing there. “Hi, Professor,” she said with a warm smile.

“Hey!” Cate replied, trying to match Ava’s energy.

“I just baked some pancakes and thought I’d bring some over for you,” Ava said, handing Cate a plate.

Cate smiled, accepting the plate. “Thank you.”

Ava glanced at Cate’s outfit and added, “You look good in that dress.”

Cate’s smile faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. “Thank you. I was just heading to a family dinner,” she lied, instantly hating herself for it.

“Cool. Have a nice night,” Ava said, still smiling.

“Thank you, and thanks again for the pancakes,” Cate responded.

Ava nodded and, after saying goodbye, turned to leave. Cate closed the door behind her, her thoughts swirling. She couldn’t help but think about how pure Ava seemed, especially compared to the wild environment of the university.

Ava stood behind the door, smiling at the interaction she’d just had with Cate. A beep from her phone distracted her, displaying a message from Thomas: "Hey, it's Thomas. I need to see you. It's urgent."

Ava quickly typed back: "why?"

Almost immediately, Thomas called. Ava answered, “Hello?”

“Hey, Ava. I need to talk to you,” Thomas said, his voice sounding serious.

“What is it?” Ava asked, puzzled.

“I need to see you. It’s about James,” he replied.

“Umm... who’s James?” she asked, confused.

“The boy, my friend,” Thomas clarified.

“Oh, okay? I’ll drop my place’s location,” Ava offered, still unsure of what this was about.

“Okay... that’s fine,” Thomas agreed.

Ava hung up and decided to head downstairs.

Meanwhile, Cate was still in her apartment, lost in thought. She began to think about James, about how she was the one who had initiated everything. She was the one who had kissed her own student in the library. She had been the one to invite James over to her place. Cate had cheated on her husband, not once but twice. She knew all of this was a consequence of her actions. She regretted starting it all.