The Professor

Chapter 2

The Walk

Waking to the bright sun peeking from out of the curtains I cover my eyes and turned over wondering why my bed was so soft, then it all came back to me. 'Oh crap' my eyes shot open. Throwing myself out of bed before my brain got the chance to tell my legs to get up. Thump. "crap, crap, crap." I whispered looking over at him, hoping he was a heavy sleeper and didn't feel that. He slept on, I stood up slowly. 'I didn't mean to sleep over... crap' I thought to myself while rambling around the room looking for my things. 'Shirt... check..panties...pants..check..shoes...check..bra?...bra?...okay..check'. Hopping into my pants, I glance over at him. Throwing my shirt over my head, I look again. Grabbing my shoes, I look back "Bye." I whisper and I'm out of the room. Stumbling through the apartment getting my shoes on, I screen the room for my bag and jacket. On the couch. Grab it and go. Tiptoeing out the door I close it shut. Slam. 'crap... just keep moving.'

The calming relief I felt after shutting that door and making it out of the building all went away once the cool morning air hit my face and I began to walk. Retrieving my phone, I check and realize, three missed calls and five unread texts. 'Taira.' I quickly reply with an "I'm ok, I'm on my way.... be there soon.. talk to you then." Realizing I would have to take the heat once I got to the room. I began orchestrating my lie.

It was a long two miles back to campus and I was stressing every second of it to get my lie as believable as possible. And I had it down. Up the steps, I search my bag for my card, and with a swipe, I'm in. Taking the stairs I make my way to level two. Passing each number till I get to mine. 201, 204, 206,.....208. I'm here. Collecting my keys, I stall a while. 'here goes...'. And with a click, the questions come flooding in.

"Where have you been?.. What happened?.. Can't call, huh?..About the paper?... It's 11 something, at least a text last night so I'd know you weren't kidnapped... And most of all... Who was he and was he cute?" She exhales to plop on her bed. I shut the door behind me and immediately join her, dropping my bag to the floor.

"First I'm so sorry for not calling cause I know that I get on you for never telling me when you have unplanned sleepovers." I looked at her as if to say "Have mercy on me and no judgment." Though that's what I've always done to her. I inhale "So-after-I-squared-away-the-paper-thing-I-went-to-the-library-to-look-for-psychology-books-and-so-on-you-know-cause-for-some-reason-I-don't-emote -well-or-whatever-so-there-must-be-a-book-on-it." Exhale, inhale. "So-anyway-while-I-was-looking-I-ran-into-a-psychology-major... And we started to talk and we found a book on learning to show compassion though he said I'm fine the way I am." I smile.

"He shouldn't judge a book by its cover." She said, shaking her head then arching her eyebrow and looking me straight ".....So, you slept with him?"

"...Maybe" I glance down hoping she buys this.

"Mhmmm..... So what's his name? Age?" She stares.

"Avery....20..21, I believe." I quickly blurt.

"Mhm, Where's the book?" She continues.

"...Crap." I Mumble, smacking my palm to my head.

"Aha." She points.

"..No, I'm saying crap because I left it at his dorm when I rushed out this morning." Pausing to see if she's believing this, Got her. "And that means He'll think I wanna see him again... Well now, I have to."  Boom. I nailed that.

"Okay, I believe you....." She says, pressing her index finger to her lips. "..So do you actually like him or was it a one-time thing, well now you actually do maybe because you gotta see him again anyway....."