First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 31

  I broke down crying when Taytum left and just felt... numb. Nat had a shocked look on her face when I turned around and walked to the couch. Of course she started asking all kinds of questions but all I could do was cry. She stayed with me the rest of that day and the night to make sure I was okay. Nat had questions and I mean a lot of questions but I did not want to talk about it. I pulled myself together for my daughter when she had woken up from her nap but felt like crying more every time she said something about Taytum, which was often.

  Speaking of Taytum, school started back Monday and she hasn't been there at all. I checked to see if it was just my class she missed but it was all her classes. It's now Wednesday and as I make my way to my office this morning I wonder if Taytum will show up today. I don't want her to get a withdrawal failing from missing and not graduate so I decide to shoot her a text. "I know I'm probably the last person you want to hear from but if you keep missing classes you will not graduate." I know she probably will not respond. I just hope she reads it and shows up today.

  I settle in my office chair and get my laptop out. I have a few things to do before my first lecture begins. Before I can even get my laptop powered on there's a knock on my office door. For a brief second I get my hopes up that it might be Taytum but I know that's just wishful thinking. "Come in." When the door opens the Dean walks in and walks over to my desk then takes a seat in one of the chairs. "Good morning." I greet as I power on my laptop.

  The Dean sighs and appears to be in thought for a couple seconds. "Danielle, I'm going to get straight to the point because I have been put in a situation I do not want to be in. I need to discuss something with you that's very urgent and I came to your office to be as discreet as possible. It was brought to my attention yesterday afternoon that you were in a... sexual relationship with a student. I have pictures of you kissing someone here in your office. There is a backpack sitting in one of these chairs so I know it has to be a student, I just don't know who."

  I feel my heart start racing as I can only assume where this is going. "Is this true Danielle?" As I look at the Dean it suddenly seems like everything becomes muffled and it's like I zone out. I faintly hear "Danielle?" Then suddenly the Dean slams his hand down on my desk. "Danielle?"

  I look around then back to the Dean. "Is it true Danielle?"

  I shake my head, "I'm not... I'm not in a relationship with a student." The Dean pulls a paper out of his jacket pocket and opens it then lays it on the desk in front of me. I glance down and it's the picture of me kissing Taytum. Before I can respond the Dean stands up shaking his head.

  "You are one of our best professors here Danielle but this... this is unacceptable. You know the policy on this and this is just unethical. I have no proof of a relationship just that you were kissing a student and I really hope that's all it was. The right thing for me to do is to fire you and report this which will cause you to lose your license. However, since all I have is a few pictures of you kissing and no proof of anything else, I will allow you to resign and I will not report this. Against my better judgement I will even give you severance pay because I know you have a daughter to take care of. I hate to do this but unfortunately I have no choice. I have already canceled all of your classes for today. I will give you 30 minutes to make your decision. I will be in my office waiting."

  The Dean walks out of my office and I grab the stapler on my desk and throw it across the room. That asshole said he wouldn't send those to the Dean if I slept with him. I grab my phone from my purse and go to Chris's contact to send a message. "You fucking lying asshole!" I put my phone down and start crying because I cannot believe this is happening. I cannot believe I actually trusted Chris when he said he deleted the photos after I slept with him.

  I glance at my watch then open Google Docs on my laptop. I quickly type up my resignation, print it then shut my laptop down and put it back in my bag. I glance around my office and release a deep breath. I grab some important personal items from my desk, my picture of Kadence and put them in my bag too. I will find out when I can come back and get the rest of my personal belongings. I guess this is it so I get up, look around my office one more time then leave, making sure to lock the door behind me.

  I head to the Dean's office so I can get this over with, go home, decompress then go pick Kadence up from daycare. Might as well pull her from daycare as well because I will not be needing that since I will be at home plus that's one last thing I will have to pay for. It's not like Chris helps. I need to get everything sent to my lawyer about him not paying child support the last three months now.

I knock on the Dean's office door and hear "come in." I open the door and step into the office, making sure to close the door behind me. "Right on time Danielle. What have you decided to do?"

  I pull my resignation letter from my bag and lay it on the Dean's desk. He picks it up and looks it over and lays it back down with a sigh. "I really hate it came to this Danielle. Who is the student in the photo's"

  I swallow because my throat is so dry right now. "Sir, with all due respect I would rather not say because they were not at fault. I kissed them, not the other way around. I would prefer to leave it at that and allow them to finish their education here. Please."

  The Dean looks to be in thought then says "okay. Why don't you come back Friday to collect your belongings from your office since we have no classes on campus and hardly any students will be around. Maybe bring some help so you can get it done as quickly as possible. I really do not want to make this situation known and for what it's worth, I will say you had to leave due to personal reasons."

  I nod my head in understanding. "Thank you sir. I will be back Friday. If I can't get any help, I promise to be as quick as possible. Thank you again." With that I leave the Dean's office and campus to head home before picking my daughter up. Now I just have to figure out what the hell I'm going to do because the severance pay will not last forever.

  Christmas is in two weeks and luckily I had already finished shopping for Kadence. I need to get my tree put up because I haven't done that yet and she has been asking. After everything that happened with Chris and Taytum I just haven't thought about the Christmas tree. Maybe I will get everything out and set up before picking KK up from daycare so when we get home she can help decorate it.