Shades of Redemption

12

I somehow managed to drag myself out of bed. My head was pounding, and my eyes were swollen from crying, but I had to go to class. I'd already missed a few, all because I was busy putting out fires with Gavin, and I knew I couldn't afford to skip any more. My academic life was hanging by a thread, and if I didn't pull myself together, everything I had worked for would slip through my fingers.

I looked in the mirror, sighing at my reflection. My eyes were puffy and red, my skin pale and drawn. No amount of makeup could fix this. I grabbed a pair of oversized sunglasses, hoping they would cover the evidence of my emotional wreckage. They didn't do much for my face, but at least they hid the worst of it.

I threw on a loose sweater and jeans, not bothering to put much effort into my outfit. My mind was somewhere else. Still stuck on Gavin. Still stuck on how everything felt like it was spiraling out of control.

By the time I got to the university, Emma and Kristie were already waiting for me outside the campus café, their faces lighting up when they saw me approach. Emma, with her ever-observant eyes, immediately noticed the sunglasses.

"Why are you wearing those?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

I shrugged, trying to act casual. "I just... didn't sleep well. My eyes are a mess."

Kristie gave me a sympathetic look but didn't push it. She, too, knew better than to dig into things when I was like this. They both knew it had something to do with Gavin. They always knew. My relationship had become a recurring topic of concern, one we danced around too often because I couldn't admit how bad things had gotten.

"Let's get to class," Emma said, giving me a soft pat on the back. "We'll talk later."

The three of us made our way into the lecture hall, the air around me thick with unspoken tension. I was grateful for their silence, for not prying into what had clearly been another Gavin-related disaster. But no matter how hard I tried to focus on the present, the echoes of that morning's fight lingered in my mind like a dark cloud.

As I took my seat, I stared blankly at the front of the class, trying to shake off the fog. It wasn't working. All I could think about was the message on Gavin's phone, the way he had deflected my questions, and how small I had felt when he turned the blame on me. My chest tightened, and I had to remind myself to breathe. I wasn't here for Gavin. I was here for me, for my future, for the life I had planned before everything got so complicated.

Halfway through the class, Professor Ellis called my name, snapping me out of my daze.

"Sophie Turner," he said, looking down at the attendance sheet. "Stay after class for a moment, please."

My stomach dropped. The tone in his voice was sharp, and I knew this wasn't going to be a friendly chat.

For the next hour, I struggled to focus on the lecture. Every word the professor said seemed to pass through me like a dull hum. My thoughts were too scattered, too consumed by everything that had happened. The minutes dragged on, and I could feel my heart sinking lower with each passing second.

Finally, the lecture ended, and my classmates began to filter out of the room, chatting excitedly about weekend plans or upcoming projects. Emma and Kristie gave me concerned glances, but I waved them off, signaling that I'd catch up with them later. They left reluctantly, and I was left alone with Professor Ellis.

He remained at his desk, shuffling through papers, his expression unreadable. I approached him slowly, trying to steady my nerves.

"Professor?" I asked, my voice small.