Addiction - Chapter 29 #3
Maybe I was reading into the things he said too much. He was right, we had always been friends. "So what do you think you'll be doing after you graduate that will make you happy?"
"Actually, I'm interviewing for a job next week."
"For what?"
"I think I want to be a business reporter. I love business. More than I thought I would, actually. But I think I like writing even more. And I had fun giving speeches in class."
"Tyler, that's awesome."
"Yeah, I'm really excited about it. I think it could be a perfect fit for me. I'm so nervous about my interview."
"You're going to do great." I smiled at him. "If you get it, where will you be working?"
"New York."
"You're moving to New York?"
He laughed. "Maybe. I haven't gotten the job yet. But I think it will be nice to move to the city. At least for a while. I think a change will be good."
"I'm going to miss you. I knew you'd be graduating in the spring, but I didn't think I'd lose you to the big city."
He laughed again. "It's like a two and a half hour drive from here, tops. We can visit each other all the time. I can third wheel with you and Professor Hunter. It'll be a blast."
I smiled. "James grew up in the city. He loves it there. Maybe you two have more in common than you think. I really hope you two can eventually be friends."
"If I ever lose the urge to punch him in the face, maybe we can all hang out." Tyler smiled.
"That sounds fair."
"Are you going to your other classes today?" he asked.
"Yeah. I just want everything to go back to normal."
"I feel like I should warn you. Everyone's talking about it. I'm pretty sure it's the most scandalous thing that's happened here in ages."
"I think if I just act like everything's normal it'll just blow over."
"Maybe." Tyler leaned forward slightly. "Try not to let it bother you. If you need me you can call me, you know."
"I know."
"Let me walk you to your next class. It'll make me feel better."
He was acting weird. How bad was this going to be? "Yeah that would be great. I have psychology in Gore."
"Okay, let's get going then. My next class is pretty far from there."
I quickly finished my bagel and we walked out of the shop together. "Thanks for breakfast, Tyler."
"Of course. When have I ever not paid for one of your meals?"
"I always offer to pay, I..."
"I'm just kidding. You're going to have to learn to laugh stuff off if you're going to survive today."
"Is it really that bad? I mean, what are people saying?"
"It seems like most people really liked Professor Hunter's classes. Lots of people are blaming this whole thing on you."
"Really?" I was surprised. The things that the dean had said made it seem like people would think James was a monster.
Seducing students left and right. It made me feel better that people were blaming me.
It almost seemed like it would be easier to deal with.
I hated when people said bad things about James.
"Yeah, I was surprised too. Professor Hunter always said the weirdest stuff in class.
I thought he was an awful professor. Always talking about lust and inappropriate dreams and stuff.
I get it now, though. He was flirting with you the whole time.
So I guess he was just a bad professor in our class. "
I could feel my face turning red.
"I really thought he was a crazy person."
I laughed awkwardly. "Yeah. We probably could have been more subtle."
Tyler shrugged. "I didn't even notice and I knew you. But looking back on it now, there were a lot of signs."
We stopped outside of Gore Hall. A lot of people stared at us as they walked by. Maybe they were just staring because my face was red. I took a deep breath. I was probably imagining it.
"Just try to laugh everything off today, okay? People are idiots."
"I'm going to be fine. I doubt anyone's going to talk to me. Especially in Psych. It's a huge lecture hall. I sit by myself."
"Oh, you don't know anyone in that class?"
"It's like 200 people or something ridiculous, but no, I don't know anyone."
"Maybe I should come with you."
I laughed. "Tyler, I'm not letting you skip another class. What will the people conducting your interview think next week if you keep doing that?"
"Psh. I have all As. They're going to think I'm awesome."
"Still. I'm fine."
"Okay. Well, I guess I'll see you later." He gave me a hug.
"See, she sleeps with everyone," some girl said as she walked by us with a group of her friends. They all laughed.
What the hell?
Tyler unwound his arms from me. "Yeah, if that was a guy I would have punched him in the face."
I stared at the girl as she entered Gore Hall.
"You sure you don't want me to stay?" Tyler asked.
"Yeah. I mean, no, you should go to your class. It's gonna be fine." I wasn't as convinced as I had been a minute ago, though.
"Okay. I'll see you later."
"Good luck on your interview, in case I don't see you beforehand."
"Thanks, Penny. Remember, laugh it off." He smiled and walked away.
I remembered the advice that Professor Nolan had given me.
Getting to class early was a bad idea. So instead of entering the classroom, I went to the bathroom.
I sat down in one of the stalls and pulled my phone out of my pocket.
There were no new messages. I thought James might text me after his conversation with the dean.
Maybe they were still talking. Or arguing.
I heard the door to the bathroom close and two sets of footsteps entering.
"I can't believe class was canceled," one of the girls said. "This is so ridiculous. He was such a good professor."
"I know. I can't believe that slut got him fired."
"He probably doesn't even like her. And even if he does, it won't last long. She ruined his career."
"And she's a home wrecker. What an awful person. I feel so bad for Professor Hunter. I'm really going to miss his class."
"You're just going to miss staring at him."
The second girl laughed. "So what? He's so dreamy. And besides, it wasn't like I was going to act on it. I'm not a whore."
I looked down at my hands. I had put James in a terrible position.
I never should have flirted with him. But it always seemed like he wanted this as much as me.
He even promised that he didn't resent me.
I still felt guilty though. Maybe I always would.
He had come to teach here because he needed a fresh start.
He was finally happy. Maybe I was messing everything up.
He had finally gotten to be himself. Without his parents or his wife pressuring him.
And now he was stuck again. I was preventing him from teaching.
Tyler had said he wanted me to be happy.
Because he cared about me. I cared about James.
I cared about James so much. Maybe I was being selfish by being with him.
I should just disappear. The university might even let him teach again.
The only requirement was that he had to stop seeing me.
And for the investigation to come back clean.
But there wouldn't have been an investigation if I had never been with James in the first place. If Isabella had never found out about me, then he'd still be a professor. He'd still be happy. I waited for the girls to leave before exiting the stall.
I couldn't laugh this off. I couldn't just dismiss what I had heard.
It was true. Isn't it? I quickly washed my hands and walked through the hall toward class.
The professor was already talking when I opened the door.
I had never been late for a class before.
The door made a loud banging noise when it closed and everyone in the huge lecture hall seemed to turn and look at me.
"Penny Taylor!" the professor called from the front of the room.
Fuck, how does she know my name? There were 200 students in this class. Her knowing my name was not a good thing.
"How nice of you to join us."
A bunch of students in the class snickered.
I found a seat near where I was standing, but when I went to go sit down, the girl put her backpack on the seat to block me.
Damn it!
"Psst, over here," a boy said who was sitting several rows ahead of where I was standing. I didn't want to sit next to a guy I didn't know. But it seemed to be the only option.
"See me after class, Penny," the professor said and turned back to the board as I sat down.
What the hell? People came late to class all the time. It shouldn't have been a big deal at all. Was she going to give me a lecture about how I was a horrible person too? Well, I didn't want to hear it. Part of me wanted to get up and leave the class right now, disrupting it for a second time.
"Geez, what did you do to set her off?" the boy next to me whispered.
"Right? People come late to this class all the time."
"Do you think it has something to do with that thing with Professor Hunter?"
Of course he knew about that. Everyone knew about that. I shrugged and tried to pay attention to what the professor was saying.
"Hey, I'm not judging you. Hell, I actually owe you a thank you. I was getting a C in strategic management. And rumor has it that you just scored me an A."
"Yeah. You're welcome." At least someone was happy with me. I wasn't even sure I was happy with myself anymore.
"I'm Eli by the way. I'm in Sigma Pi with Tyler." He stuck his hand out to me.
I shook his hand. "I'm Penny. But I guess you already know that."
"Yeah, everyone knows who you are."
He did look familiar. I had probably seen him at one of the Sigma Pi parties before. "Did Tyler tell you to look out for me or something?"
"He didn't really put it like that. He just said he knew I didn't know anyone in this class and neither did you."
"Thanks for letting me sit next to you. I'm not sure anyone else was going to let me sit next to them."
He smiled and turned back to look at the board.
***
I shoved my notebook into my backpack. "Thanks again for letting me sit with you, Eli."
"Of course. What do you think Professor Thornton wants to talk to you about?"
"I have no idea."
"I'm sure it's nothing bad."
"Hopefully. I guess I'll see you Monday?"
He smiled. "Of course. But I guess I'll actually see you this weekend at the Sigma Pi formal too."
"Oh. No. I won't be there." Awkward.
"You're not going with Tyler? I thought you two were like a thing?"
"No, we're just friends. I think he's going with Natalie."
"Natalie? I've never heard him mention her." Eli shrugged. "Weird. Well, I'll catch you later, Penny. Good luck with Professor Thornton."
"Thanks, Eli." I'd have to text Tyler and thank him for looking out for me yet again. It was weird that one of his frat brothers didn't even know about Natalie. I hoped he was still taking her to the formal.
I looked down at my cell phone and tried to ignore the murmurs as people walked by me. Still nothing from James. I hoped he was handling the news okay. When there were barely any people left in the room, I made my way down to the front of the classroom.
Professor Thornton didn't look up from the papers on her desk. "Your grades are slipping."
"I know. I was distracted. I'm working hard on catching back up."
"If you think I'm going to go easy on you because of what's going on, you're wrong."
"I don't expect you to, Professor Thornton."
She finally looked up at me. "I just want to make things very clear. If you're getting perks in other classes because of your relationship..."
"I'm not." What the hell?!
"Don't come late to my class again, Penny." She grabbed her satchel and stood up to leave.
"I was just trying to avoid having to listen to everyone talking about me before class. I was here early like I always am, I was just hiding in the bathroom. Where apparently, I couldn't hide from what people were saying."
She sighed and stopped in her tracks. "I'm sorry about what people are saying. I just need to make sure that we're on the same page here."
"We are. I'm going to get my grades back up. I don't need any assistance with that. You'll see."
"Well, good. Prove me wrong. I hope you do. Because I have no problem failing students. And I'm not friends with Professor Hunter." She turned and walked up the stairs toward the exit.