Chapter 10 - Jackson
The email has been burning a fucking hole in my computer.
I didn’t respond last night. I’m not sure if I should.
Despite getting to sleep in a little longer since I haven’t been welcome in my world literature class this week, I’m still fucking exhausted all day after staying up late to finish that stupid paper. And I didn’t even finish it. I’ve been pulling out my laptop between classes to get it done.
I’ve also been running several different anti-virus programs ever since that email came through. Because how could Dylan—if that was even him—know that I was looking him up? The thought that someone’s been watching me that closely has had me wanting to crawl out of my skin.
At the end of the day, I head to the computer center to print out my paper since I plan on handing it over in person like last time. On par with my luck lately, the printer fucking jams, and I spend far too long getting the single sheet of paper that caused the problem out one tiny shred at a time.
It’s already twenty minutes past five by the time I’m sprinting down the hallway toward Professor Kendall’s office. I expect him to already be gone, but when I knock, his voice on the other side says to come in.
I open the door, panting as I step through it.
“You’re late.” He peers up at me from where he sits at his desk.
Just seeing that hard look in his gaze makes me wish I had responded to that email. I was looking for something to use against him, and now I may have the means of getting it. But I can’t help being hesitant and suspicious of some mysterious stranger who’s clearly somehow been spying on me.
“Close the door.”
I do before crossing the room, dropping the slightly crumpled stack of papers in front of him. “Printer jammed,” I tell him between heaving breaths.
“You could’ve emailed it.”
“So you can claim you never got it and report me anyway?”
“You really think so little of me?” He leans back in his chair, lacing his fingers together over his stomach. And that damn suit vest.
I force my eyes to meet his and shrug. “You think so little of me.”
The only authority I’m used to disrespecting is my father, but I’m so fucking tired of Professor Kendall having some kind of vendetta against me.
“If that was true, I wouldn’t have given you credit for the last paper. It was good.” He stares at me for another few seconds before saying, “I also wouldn’t have been here waiting on you. I’d be on my way home right now.”
“Oh.” I shift uncomfortably on my feet. “Thanks. I guess.”
“I’ll admit I had some selfish motivations as well. I was curious if you learned anything from this paper.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah. Gilgamesh was a dick.”
He chuckles and nods. “So what made him change?”
“His friendship with Enkidu.”
“Right. He loved Enkidu and then lost him. It’s a testament that even one person has the ability to create change.”
Of course he would find a way to turn even this into a lesson. Damn teachers. But I’m still not sure I understand exactly what he’s getting at. He clearly thinks I’m the one who was in the wrong since he decided to punish me. Who’s supposed to change who?
“Some people can’t change,” I tell him, crossing my arms.
“No, they can’t.” He stands and rounds his desk, leaning back against the front of it. “There are some people who are beyond redemption, but not everybody is. We can’t hope to change everyone.”
“Like tyrants?” I ask, raising a brow at him.
He grins like he knows it’s him I’m referring to. “Or bullies.”
I know he can’t be talking about Pierce since I’m the one he hates, but I’m not the fucking bully. I open my mouth to say exactly that when there’s a knock at the door.
“Isaac, do you have a moment?”
I recognize the voice, but I can’t place it.
“Shit.” Professor Kendall pinches the bridge of his nose before glancing between me and the door. “It’s after hours. You shouldn’t be here.”
I don’t really see what the big deal is since I was just turning in a paper, but I don’t get the chance to say so before he’s grabbing my arm and hauling me around his desk. I get the feeling there’s more to it by the subtle flash of panic in his eyes.
“What the hell?” I try to yank my arm away, but his grip is tight. “Let go.”
“Be quiet.” There’s another knock, and he calls out, “Just a moment!”
“What are you doing?” I keep struggling, and I’m sure the heat I feel racing through me is just from the exertion. “Get off.”
He shoves me until I’m standing in front of his chair. “Under the desk.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
His hold on my arm tightens, and his gaze hardens. “Down.”
I drop to my knees as if something in my brain just clicks, wanting to obey that deep, menacing, single-worded command.
Maneuvering into the tight spot under his desk is difficult and uncomfortable, and I realize it’s more than because of the confined space. My jeans have become a confined space too, the fabric pulled taut over my growing erection.
This asshole just manhandled me and told me to get on the ground, and I’m getting fucking hard. What the hell is wrong with me?
As he sits in his chair and peers down at me, I really hope he can’t tell.
“Stay there and be quiet.”
I swallow hard, and I’m pretty sure he notices that.
He rolls his chair forward, his knees nearly bumping into me, forcing me to press back against the inner wall. I swear he’d be able to feel the heat coming off of me if he were to touch me again.
“Come in.”
I hear the door open and footsteps cross the room.
“What can I do for you, Richard?”
Richard. Richard. Oh great. It’s Pierce’s dad.
I’m suddenly glad I’m underneath the desk.
“Pierce told me that Ellis boy attacked him again.”
And just like that, I’m hot for a completely different reason.
I attacked him?
No, wait. I’m not at all surprised. Doesn’t mean I’m not pissed off about it though.
And then my anger dissipates when my gaze—for whatever fucking reason—lands on Professor Kendall’s crotch where his slacks are stretched tight over an obvious bulge.
He’s hard too.
Okay, so maybe he’s hard for Professor Grant? I mean, it would make sense if he was trying to suck up to him by always taking his son’s side. Why he’d suddenly hate me if I was causing problems for the son of the man he’s got the hots for. And why I had to hide under his desk.
Or maybe, stupidly, I’m hoping he’s hard for me. Hard from getting physical with me, from seeing me on my knees.
Keep dreaming, Jackson.
Either way, he just might be gay after all.
“To be fair, they were both involved in the altercation,” Professor Kendall says.
That sounds suspiciously like he’s sticking up for me, but I’m not about to get my hopes up.
“Of course Pierce would be forced to defend himself against an attack. I’m curious why Mr. Ellis wasn’t reported to the disciplinary committee again. This is the second time this has happened on campus.”
“This is also the second time I didn’t report Pierce for being involved in a fight. I reprimanded Mr. Ellis in my own way instead of reporting them both, sparing you any embarrassment.”
“Me?” Professor Grant’s voice lowers an octave. I hear him take another step closer to the desk. “I really don’t think it’s my embarrassment this school has to worry about, Isaac. Or do I need to remind you yet again about Mr. Ross?”
“With all due respect,” Professor Kendall says as he stands. I can’t help but notice he’s not hard anymore. “That’s in the past. Dylan is gone.”
“And I wonder why that is?”
A moment of uneasy silence passes, and the palpable tension in the air makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
“Please leave my office, Richard.”
There’s silence again for several seconds before I hear the other teacher’s footsteps retreating. I remain where I am, too frozen to move as Professor Kendall walks away from his desk. The door closes, and the lock clicks into place. Ice shoots down my spine.
Slowly, I crawl out from under the desk, and when I stand on shaky legs, I see Professor Kendall leaning against the door with his palm flat on the wood and his shoulders slumped.
“What did you do to him?” I ask before I can stop myself, my voice as shaky as the rest of me. “To Dylan?”
He pushes himself off the door and turns to me, a dangerous flash of fury in his eyes telling me I just royally fucked up.