Can't Stop [James Franco Fanfiction]

Ch. 6

Chapter 6

"In fact, if not for the collapse of the Roman Empire, we would not have progressed into the era known as the Middle Ages. You see, this transitional period is essential in our study of the Renaissance..."

I couldn't listen any longer. My professor, an old and frail man who wore sweater-vests with bow ties, seemed enthralled in the history of medieval Europe, but I could care less. I didn't even want to take this class initially, but I needed the credit hours and I had heard it was an easy course. Unfortunately, no one had warned me it was a complete snoozefest.

It was Thursday morning -- two days since my drunken encounter with Dave. He sent me a few texts asking to meet for coffee or return his calls, all of which I ignored. Just thinking about what happened that night is so embarrassing, I can't bring myself to speak to him face-to-face. I didn't want to hear his condescending speech about how we'd be better off as friends, or that he wasn't emotionally available for someone like me. A virgin. A red flag. Steer clear, Dave, stage 5 clinger over here!

I tapped my pen out of frustration against my desk, receiving some annoyed glares from a few nearby students. I didn't have any friends in this class, though, and I had left my computer back at the dorm. How was I going to sit through another half hour of lecturing from Professor Bow Tie without any distractions? 

My eyes scanned the lecture hall for a clock, but I couldn't find one. As I gazed around absent-mindedly, something grabbed my attention. A pudgy girl two rows in front of me had her laptop angled just right so that I could see the screen. I recognized the flashy web page as Perez Hilton, the celebrity gossip blogger, but that wasn't what caught me by surprise. It was the giant picture that lit up the screen, the bold title reading: Uh-Oh! James Franco Fights with Mystery Girl in NY.

I blinked and tried to re-focus my eyes, squinting at the photo. It was a guy leaning in to kiss a girl, but she was shoving him away. I instantly recognized two things: the little wooden table in the corner of the Greek restaurant, and the baseball cap that James wore the day we went there. And then I recognized myself. My hair covered the side of my face, but I knew it was me. Those were my jeans, that was my rain jacket. And that was James.

What the hell? I pulled out my cell phone and immediately typed in the Perez Hilton website. I had terrible connection in the lecture hall, so I held my phone up in the air, attempting to get the page to load faster. A few students turned to watch me as I waved my phone around.

"Yes, Miss... uh, Miss Teller?" I heard a voice croak out my name.

I looked up and saw my professor staring at me.

"Do you have something you'd like to add, Miss Teller? All discussions are welcome!"

I stood up suddenly and grabbed my backpack. "I have to leave," I said without explanation. I turned around and walked out to the aisle, heading as fast as I could toward the back door. The entire room fell silent as they watched me exit, but I didn't care. These people weren't even on my radar right now -- I had to get to a computer. Fast.

It took me nearly ten minutes to sprint across the campus and up my dorm building. I couldn't get my key into the door. It was stuck... I had to get in... why wouldn't the key go in... I don't have time for this...

"LIBBY!" I yelled, pounding my fist against the door.

It opened a second later. Libby looked at me, alarmed by my flushed appearance and ragged breath. "Cassidy? What's--"

"Move," I said, shoving past her and heading towards my desk. I logged onto my computer and opened the web page in record time, cursing to myself repeatedly. There it was, the front page. Uh-Oh! James Franco Fights with Mystery Girl in NY. I stared at the photograph, vaguely recalling the flash of a camera back in the restaurant. Why were James and I on the front page?