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„I’m fine, really,” I say again, while Scott insists on accompanying me to the bathroom.
„Don’t worry, I’m just making sure you’re safe,” he says, walking closely next to me. „The hallways are always a bit creepy at night, don’t you think?”
„Not really,” I say. „The lights are on and there are lots of people around. Besides, we’re still on campus. It’s safe here. You can go back to the others.”
But he shakes his head and smiles at me. He seems to be completely oblivious to the fact that I was trying to be by myself for a moment. I needed to get out of there, not only because Scott’s advances are starting to get on my nerves.
I just couldn’t watch him anymore. I couldn’t witness the way that other woman was talking to him. I’ve never seen her before and have no idea who she is, but she was too old to be a student, so I’m assuming she must be faculty as well. She was pretty, and he seemed to enjoy talking to her.
I feel so stupid. How could I ever think that a man like him would really be that interested in someone like me? He’s so out of my league, and he made it more than clear that he has absolutely no interest in being with me anymore. Maybe he’s just using his job as an excuse to get rid of me?
Scott goes as far as holding the door open for me, which I regard with a short-lived smile, before I tell him once again that he should go back to the others.
„I’ll be right here when you get out,” he says with a big smile on his face. It sounds more like a threat than a promise to me.
I close the door behind myself and walk over to the sink, where I splash some cold water on my hands and wrists, before I just stand there, supporting myself on the sink, while I stare at my reflection in the mirror.
„You’re such an idiot,” I hiss to myself.
My voice echoes against the tiles of the bathroom, and I look over my shoulder to make sure that all the stalls are empty. Thank God, there’s no one here.
I close my eyes, enjoying the quiet after having spent so much time surrounded by chatter and loud music. I’ve never been much of a party girl, and while I wish I was different, I just find myself exhausted and tired of all the noise sooner rather than later. It’s always the same. Stephanie is probably right to call me lame, and maybe there’s a part inside of me that pushed myself to come here tonight, just to prove her wrong. So silly.
I shake my head and turn on the water again, carefully splashing some of it on my cheeks, heated from alcohol and my growing social anxiety.
„I should just go home, shouldn’t I?” I ask my reflection. The girl in the mirror nods.
I’ll just tell Scott that I’m not feeling well—and then hope to God that he won’t insist on bringing me home.
I take a deep breath, before I push the door open and walk out into the hall.
There’s a male figure standing next to the door waiting for me. But it’s not Scott.
Professor Jones is leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, throwing me an ominous look. He’s absolutely stunning in a black suit that looks to be tailor-made, considering how perfectly well the fabric wraps his broad shoulders. He’s wearing a silver tie with subtle snowflakes sprinkled across, and his hair is gelled the same way it was that night at the kink club.
He adjusts his glasses, before he pushes himself away from the door and comes walking toward me in slow, wide steps. His eyes are on me the entire time, except for one split second, where he checks the hall that leads back to the auditorium.
„Where’s Scott?” I ask helplessly, even though I couldn’t care less.
„I told him to go back inside,” Professor Jones says, before he comes to a halt directly in front of me.
„But—”
„Don’t worry, you can go back inside and flirt with him all you want,” he says, cutting me off. „If that is what you want.”
He pins me down with a look that reminds me a little too much of the night when we first met. The night when neither of us knew who we were. The night when we were just two people on a hot date.
„Is that what you want?” he demands.
„I-I-I wasn’t flirting w-with him,” I reply, before I press my trembling lips into a thin line. That goddamn stutter.
„Are you sure? He seemed really keen to protect you.”
His face barely moves when he speaks, and even though his expression is void of emotion, I feel as if he’s scolding me, like a disappointed parent.
„What’s it to you?” I dare to ask. „It’s none of your concern, even if I was flirting with him. You were the one who pushed me away, remember?”
He doesn’t say a word, but checks the hall again. He’s obviously afraid of being seen with me right now, and I don’t know what to make of it.
