The Professor

Twenty-six

  There's a knock on my door, causing me to wake up. I rub my eyes while yawning as I climb out of bed towards the door.

"How are you feeling?" Aaron asks when I open the door.

"Getting better." I sigh before glancing behind me at Julie. She sleeps peacefully in her bed. I decide not to wake her up by stepping out into the hall with him.

"What are you doing here?" I ask with my head tilted. "I thought your case ended."

  He nods. "It did. I just came to see how you are. I'm sure it's pretty tough going through all of that last night." His arms fold.

  I stare at the ground. "It was, but I'll get over it." I pause. "What happened to Alex? Is she in jail?"

"Yes, she is. She's been smuggling drugs for about two years now. We're just glad we caught her." He shakes his head.

  My eyes draw away. Alex was my best friend, but she lied to me and betrayed me. I wish I never met her. I feel like I've lost so much.

"I'm sorry." Aaron shakes his head at the ground with a huff. "I didn't mean-"

"No, it's okay." I stop him with a grin. "I'm glad she's put up too."

  He watches me for a moment, a grin sliding to the side. "I'm off today, would you like to get coffee?"

"Um," I glance back at the door, then down at my gray T-shirt with pajama shorts. "let me get changed."

* * *

"So, Bla-Aaron. . ." I shut my eyes tightly and giggle. "I have to get used to that."

  We sit inside a Starbucks by a window. The sky is white and gloomy, just the way I love it.

  I hold my warm latte in my cold hands. It's too hot to drink at the moment, so I just wait for it to cool down.

  Aaron smiles. "You don't have to call me-"

  I stop him. "No, it's okay. I want to call you by your real name. It just feels right." I grin.

  He nods. "Alright." He then adds, "How are you really feeling?"

  My character falls from my face. I stare at my latte. "It's just tough knowing that my best friend did that. I'm trying to forget it, but it's not easy."

  He exhales through his nose with a sympathetic look. "Forget her. You never needed her anyway. You have Julie and me and. . .Dean." He chuckles.

  I smile, knowing that he still doesn't exactly like Dean, but is slowly getting there. My curiousity pushes for more. "So, are you and Dean. . .okay now?"

  He sighs. "I never hated him. He just always seemed to hate me." He shrugs. "I mean, I think we're cool now since he helped rescue you, but I could be wrong."

  I slowly nod. "There's nothing to hate him for anyway and nothing for him to hate about you." I grin.

  He chuckles. "I wouldn't say that." He sips his coffee.

  My eyebrows press together. "Why?"

"Well, it's just that Dean kinda took advantage of you. I feel like that's kinda wrong." He presses his lips into a tight line, his expression angry now.

  I frown. "He never took advantage of me. The whole relationship was consentual." My face heats up. "You have no business in any of this."

"Say what you want." He narrows his eyes. "Because you knew if that was true, you would love him." His voice becomes crisp.