The Consort (MalexMale) 《COMPLETE》

Chapter 11

A/N: Folks - Just a note of thanks to all those reading, voting and commenting. This is a key chapter and marks a major shift in this story. Thank you kindly for reading and hope you enjoy! (Also, the way I envision Professor Adams - aka Leo - to look like is pictured above).

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Chapter 11

Class is unbearable. All throughout the lecture Professor Adams' eyes find their way over to me, their expression nerve-rackingly curious. I revert back to my old ways, not engaging in classroom debate or questions. Fiona sits beside me. Despite a shower, the smell of stale cigarette smoke lingers on her skin.

With a sideways glance, I peer down at her notes. They're not as neat and orderly as they usually are. Even her beautiful penmanship is crooked and broken. I lean across her desk and push her hand to the side, writing a note in the corner of her notepad.

What are you going to tell Leo?

She blinks at the note before furiously scribbling out my words. I slump in my chair, trying to remind myself that this is all part of the process of healing. According to my mom, Anger is an obstacle all on its own - a beast to its very core.

I set my pen to the side, checking out from today's lecture. My eyes move along the full auditorium, lazily glancing at the back of my peers' heads. One of them looks like he's probably sleeping. He's slumped down in his chair - arms crossed over his chest, sunglasses drooped down on the bridge of his nose, and his head slowly falling forward.

I wonder if that random student knows about the revolution happening right under his nose? Or is he as oblivious of it as I was a few days ago?

A soft breeze escapes through the small space of the opened window. The smell of Nature herself fills my nose, and my thoughts begin to drift. Somewhere out there Bogdan and Kelly are running free. Maybe they're in the main square of the Village, touring Kelly's new home and meeting any immortals they pass along the way.

Then again, maybe they're both at Bogdan's house in the forest. I imagine Bogdan doing an inventory of the remaining blood in his refrigerator, grabbing the two oldest bags for Kelly and him to have for lunch. When they drink it, maybe they're sitting on the very couch I slept the night Bogdan held me captive.

I sigh in longing. It would be dangerous for me to be with them, but I can't think of any other place I'd rather be.

"...for next class, I'll expect you to electronically submit a two-page paper on your stance on the Old War. Any questions?"

The groans of my fellow peers over this new assignment pulls me out of my dangerous daydream. No one raises their hand, and Professor Adams dismisses us on que. Chatter picks up throughout the auditorium. Fiona swipes her notes from the desktop and stuffs them in her backpack. She twirls her hair into a loose bun and slides her pen in the middle to keep it in place.

"You ready?" she asks.

I can feel Professor Adams' eyes on us. "I think Leo wants to talk to us."

Her jaw tenses but she doesn't say anything. We wait for the rest of the class to filter through the large doors, their chatter a constant, droll buzz colliding against one another like drunken bees. I start making my way to the front of the lecture hall and can feel Professor Adams eyeing me from head to toe. It's weird being in his presence knowing all I do now.

A month ago things were far simpler. Professor Adams was still a far-fetched fantasy, I hadn't met my vampire, and I was blissfully unaware of all the turmoil around me. Now it feels like my grip on reality is slipping through my fingers faster than crumbling sand.