The Professor

Chapter Thirty

I sit frozen in my seat for the whole fifty minutes. Dean doesn't look at me or call on me the whole class period. In fact, he looks over me as if I weren't even there. It irritates me and makes me want to leap out of my seat and shake the ridiculousness out of him. He's acting like a five year old throwing a petty tantrum.

We spend the whole class discussing Jane Eyre and i've never wished a class would be over so badly.  When the class finally ends, I waste no time gathering my things and leaving, I know Dean does not want to talk to my right now. 

Dean keeps his head down as he gathers his paper and stuffs them into his brown shoulder bag. We're both silent yet relaying the message that neither of us want to talk. 

After slinging my book bag over my shoulders, Collin stops me as I take a step towards the door and stands to walk with me. We're the last two in the room to leave and I know that Dean can hear every word we say. 

"Claire." Collin says, situating his own book bag.

"Yeah?"

"Where are you going next?" 

The question causes me to pause and think about my answers. It makes me skin prickle and I have to fight the urge to look to Dean to see what he's doing after hearing that question. A question like that is usually followed with an invite to somewhere.

"Uh--" I try to think fast. "Probably the gym. I'm done with classes for the day." Please don't ask me to go anywhere. Please don't ask me to go anywhere...

"Oh, cool. Do you workout on campus?"

Is he trying to make small talk? "Um, yeah, I do."

Collin nods his head and slides his hands into the pockets of his expensive khaki shorts. "Sweet. Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to grab something to eat before the party tonight? I know this great Chinese place in town... if you like Chinese. If not, it's cool, no problem." 

He almost appears nervous and I try not to look back at Dean even though I want to so badly. I can tell he's listening, judging by the way he's lingering and "spilled" his tin coffee can when Collin asked me to dinner. 

What do I say?! I internally battle my options quickly as i'm standing in the room with the man i'm sleeping with and guy who probably is after sleeping with me. I have no good explanation as to why I can't go out to eat but that would mean ruining my relationship--or whatever it is--with Dean. 

"It's alright if you don't want to. I was just asking." Collin says through my hesitation.

"No, no, no, sorry, I was um--thinking over what I have to do tonight before the party," I can't believe i'm about to do this. "Sure, I like Chinese."

Collin's lips spread into a wife grin and his eyes have a slight sparkle in them. "Awesome. I'll pick you up at seven."

My stomach is in knots. Those knots tighten when Dean storms out abruptly in an instant.

Collin looks back to Dean who vanished out of them and then turns to me with narrowed eyes. "That was weird." 

"Yeah, it was," I brush off Dean's departure fast. "See you at seven."