A Fractured Lover (Student/Teacher)

Chapter 17

This chapter is dedicated to @Phili2417 for being such a loyal reader and always posting such wonderful comments :) Now, Chapter 17.

I barricaded myself in my room for the rest of the night. Mia and Rachel had both texted me to make sure that I was okay and I assured them that I was, that I just needed some time to myself. 

Ben, on the other hand, had knocked on my door only once. My refusal to answer after a few seconds, left him retreating elsewhere into the house, never to try again that night to talk to me. This only fueled my desire to want to make him even angrier by going out with Nathan tomorrow. He barely tried to make amends. Could I have also tried? Yes. But it wasn't me who started throwing rocks in the first place, so it wasn't my job to clean up the mess. 

The next morning came faster than I was ready for. All night I had been tossing and turning, thinking about how this lunch date would go. I tried to talk myself out of going multiple times but the stubborn streak in me kept telling the reasonable side to shut the fuck up and deal with it. 

So I rolled myself out of the comfort of my bed and began to get ready for lunch with my professor. In no universe should that be a normal statement, boys and girls. But alas, my life never seemed to want to take a spin down normal lane for once. 

After washing my face and discovering that I had a small, devil of a pimple show up on today of all days, I cursed the universe once more and applied foundation and a bit more concealer than usual to hide my new found blemish. 

Fuck you, stress for making me break out.

Sighing, I walk over to grab my phone to see what time it is only to find that I have an unread text message. 

Good morning, Ms. Merrick. We still on for today at noon? 

- Nathan

Smirking playfully at his proper use of my name, I decide to play along.

Yes, sir. See you then, professor.

- Alex

I couldn't help but smile at the irony of our professional wording towards our completely unprofessional get together. Throwing my phone on the bed, I walk over to my closet to pick out an outfit for this adventurous day. I didn't want to seem like I was trying too hard and have it come off that I thought this was a date. I didn't want him to get the wrong idea that I'd decided to throw the student code of conduct out the window and wanted to start dating. I honestly didn't know what I wanted right now between us. My heart and my sense of what's right were in a maddening war with each other over everything to do with Nathan. 

I ran my hand over the clothes hanging in front of me absentmindedly. The soft material threaded through my fingers as I considered what to wear. I eventually ended up going for casual but sexy all wrapped up into one dress. I chose a deep blue sweetheart neckline, strapless dress with a cinched waist line that went just above my knees and wrapped a thin white belt around the middle. I paired the dress with some casual white lace flip flops and let my chestnut hair fall down in natural waves across my shoulders and down my back. 

I put the finishing touches on my light makeup, snatched up my purse and made a B line out of my bedroom, hoping desperately that I didn't have a run in with any of my roommates. And just as luck would have it, I did. And with the one I was aspiring to not come in contact with for weeks. 

"Where are you going all dressed up?" Ben's voice rang out inquisitively. As much as it pained me, I refused to look back at his once friendly face. It would only remind me of the piercing words he spoke to me just yesterday; and to be honest, I wasn't quite ready to face him yet.