The Professor's Daughter [Part 2 of 2]

7 | To Be Happy...

Leah's POV

I swear, it feels like my heart just stopped beating entirely for a moment or so. I am totally frozen. Pinch me. Is this real?

"I- Jennifer..." I mutter, fighting my tears. Jennifer forces a painful smile and closes the door carefully. She is wearing grey sweatpants and a t-shirt with her Vans on. No make up, messy, slightly greasy hair and very sleepy eyes. "Hi baby." She mutters, her voice soft and fragile.

I look at Danielle, then back to Jennifer before I let a tear go. "Are you planning on hugging either of us anytime soon? I kinda busted my ass to get her back to you tonight..." Danielle teases. I walk towards Jennifer quickly and wrap my arms around her neck and bury my face in her neck. She doesn't even smell like herself anymore.

Jennifer hugs me back and once she hears me cry she squeezes me a little tighter and brings her hand up to the back of my neck. She makes me look at her and she shakes her head slowly, "hey, it's okay now. I am here... I am not going anywhere." She assures me. I look at her lips through my blurry, tear-filled vision and she cracks a tiny smile at me. "Quit crying. Everything is okay now." She reminds me. I nod my head and she wipes my cheeks with her thumbs. "Who the hell did this to you?" Jennifer asks, referring to my small facial lacerations and bruises. "I'm okay." I say, not wanting to get into it at the moment.

"What the hell happened to her? I told you to watch her, not let someone walk all over her face with their fist." Jennifer sasses to her sister. I shake my head and place my hand on Jennifer's cheek, making her look back at me. "Not right now, okay?" I say. Jennifer sighs and nods her head. She steps away from me and hugs her sister tightly, kissing her cheek as well. They exchange some quiet words and I hug Danielle as well, probably tighter than I hugged Jennifer.

"Thank you for everything." I say quietly. "I couldn't bare to see you go another night like that." "You are my hero." "I'll keep that in mind." She teases. I watch her leave the apartment and it is down to Jennifer and I. Things are quiet. Awkward almost.

Jennifer and I do that horribly awkward thing where both of us try to speak at once, and it ends up sounding like gibberish. "I am going-""How was-" Both of us sigh and Jennifer folds up her arms on her chest.

"Leah." She says. She leans against her couch and licks her lips. "Just say it." I say, prepared for the worst. "Say what? That I am breaking up with you?" She laughs. "Logical thinking would lead me to believe that is what comes next." "Leah, this is where we differ. There are very few places where our age difference becomes an actual problem, and this is one. I love you, Leah. Am I 'frustrated' or 'upset' with you right now? Absolutely. This thing is, I have learned that you can love somebody and not like them. I do love you with all of my being, but I need a minute, okay? Just give me that." She says. "I just don't get wh-" Jennifer cuts me off there. "Stop. Drop it, Leah. I need a minute. I am going to go take a hot bath, shave my fucking legs, put on my own clothes and just be here. Please just give me that." Jennifer says as she walks away from me.

Maybe her being back won't just make everything okay like I thought it would. I should have known better. I guess that is my immaturity and naiveness shining through.

-

You know that god awful feeling that takes you back to being a child where you wake up feeling like you were hit by a bus after a long night of crying? I have that right now.

I hear distant footsteps that are coming closer and closer, so I slowly open my eyes and rub them with my palms. Jennifer stands over me and raises her eyebrows. "Couch comfortable?" She asks me.

So yeah, I acted a little (a lot) dramatic last night and slept on the couch while Jennifer took her bed. What can I say? I am a drama queen.

I sit up and sigh softly. "Did you sleep okay?" I ask her. "I did... I know you didn't though." "What?" "Leah, come on now-" before she can speak there is a knock on the door. Jennifer gets up and it turns out to be Danielle. She sees me lying on the couch, surrounded by mountains of blankets, and she smiles kindly. She isn't dumb, she knows what's up.

Danielle doesn't say much to me before she leaves, I am guessing she was just here to check on her sister before she went to work. Her timing couldn't have been more off though...

Jennifer walks back past the living room and heads towards the bedroom. "I'm going to get breakfast, come or don't." She says. I roll my eyes and listen to the shower turn on.

After a few minutes, I head towards the bedroom where most of my stuff is. I see that the bathroom door is cracked, steam flowing out at the bottom. She's in there. Naked and wet and I can't even touch her right now.

I go into the bathroom and brush my hair and teeth, wash my face, and apply the bare minimum for make up. As I do all of this, Jennifer is standing behind me in the glass shower, running her hands through her hair and down her body.

She and I make eye contact while she is standing there letting the water run over her skin and I swallow hard and lick my lips. To look, or to not? To look. Definitely look, Leah. I shift my eyes down and focus on her breasts, and I see a little grin on her face before she turns her back to me.

"Seriously, Jennifer?" I groan and leave the bathroom, annoyed. I get that what she has dealt with over the past few days has been a lot, but everything she has done towards me since it has happened has made me feel so stupid and shitty. It makes me feel like she doesn't trust me and that she sees me as jailbait now or something. This is not what I want with her. I want to be happy with her.