Chapter 34
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOUR
ANNIE
Professor Parks is waiting for me outside the classroom.
Normally, I would never be so vain as to assume someone is waiting for me in particular. Professor Parks, however, makes his intentions clear when he barks out, "Miss Kirkpatrick," the moment I'm within view.
Where's a sinkhole when a girl needs one?
I would even settle for quicksand, as painfully long as that would take to do the trick. Anything to help me disappear out from under the professor's harsh stare.
"Good morning, sir," I greet him, careful to keep my tone measured.
My classmates are trickling into class around me, all watching curiously at the exchange. They should be considering Professor Parks usually strolls into our lecture hall last, shutting out the late students behind him. He never shows up this early and he especially never shows up calling out one student in particular.
"Miss Kirkpatrick, you were the only student who didn't show up to my office hours as requested two days ago." A muscle in his jaw tics.
"I believe you requested we show up to office hours this week, I don't recall you specifying we needed to attend that day." I know for a fact that's the announcement he made because I used the extra couple of days to buy myself time to think about how to handle his request.
An outright refusal probably wouldn't bode well for my academic future.
Professor Parks' eyes narrow for a split second before he looks away, feigning disinterest now after he's already shown his hand. "I expect to see you this afternoon, Miss Kirkpatrick. Before our meeting, you should carefully consider your future. I would hate to have to chalk you up as a lost cause for the English department. A failure in my freshman class would speak volumes about your commitment come time for a formal application to the English major."
I bite my tongue, reminding myself that like last night with my mom, talking more can only make things worse for me right now. Thanks, Miles, for that tidbit of wisdom .
"I understand, professor. Should I find a seat now?" I gesture past him toward the lecture hall, where we still have quite the audience lingering just inside the door. Everyone else seems to be taking their own sweet time finding a seat. Too busy straining to hear anything that might be good gossip fodder later.
The possibility makes me queasy.
If my classmates start talking as if I like this special interest, telling the college administration about what he's doing because infinitely more complicated. If only Professor Parks, the creep that he is, thought half as much about how he's perceived as I seem to have to.
Then he wouldn't be trying to come on to his students at all, and I could do what I enrolled in his class to do... learn .
Professor Parks finally waves me past. "Yes, hurry and find a seat before you're late for my lecture."
The indignance I feel shakes me to my core. How dare he act like I cut my arrival too close to class time when he's the one holding me up at the door! The man really has no shame. I barely manage to hide a scowl as I walk into class with a plain expression that hopefully convinces my classmates there's nothing to see here.
I'm going to attend office hours, alright. And afterward, I'm going straight to the dean to report Professor Parks for our first meeting and for whatever stupid thing he decides to say in this second one.
Pseudo-dating Miles may be complicated but he's helped me strengthen one thing I'm done letting other people step on: my backbone.
I anxiously tap my foot against the tile floor. Professor Parks has another student meeting with him already, so I've been asked to wait my turn. I didn't expect to be left waiting for this long and I can feel some of my earlier bravado starting to fade.
Kip, the front desk worker who greeted me, glances at me over the top of his computer. He studies me for several moments that seem to drag on forever. "Shouldn't be much longer," he reassures me. Or at least he tries to... there's nothing reassuring about having to see Professor Parks any second.
"Thanks," I tell him anyway.
He nods and turns to face the other way as he makes a call. "Hey, yeah I just wanted to let you know that there's a student in the lobby waiting to see Professor Parks after the current student is finished. I thought you might want to keep an eye out... you know, in case I don't see the current meeting wrap up."
I wonder who he called about me waiting. Kip glances my way again. I'm not sure what's up with him but my presence seems to put him on edge.
I don't think I know him from anywhere. If he recognizes me, I can only assume it's as Cameron's ex-girlfriend or Miles' current one—I haven't exactly had a noteworthy freshman year so far otherwise—especially considering Miles is doing a work-study in the English department as well. Maybe the two of them know each other.
A couple of minutes pass, professors and students coming and going as I continue waiting.
Just as I'm about to pull out a book to read, a door opens nearby and Miles steps out, his face tinged pink from exertion. He heaves a deep breath, his eyes skimming the room until they land on me.
"Blue." His next breath sounds calmer as his shoulders sink with relief. "I was worried I would miss you before you went back."
Is Miles who Kip called? I don't remember Kip saying my name though.
"I didn't think you were working here today." Otherwise, I might have sought him out for a moment of comfort before facing Professor Parks. I expected Miles to be working on a paper in the library, he has a big assignment due tomorrow, and much to my chagrin, he's a huge procrastinator.
He shrugs as I stand to greet him, both of us naturally leaning in to hug as if it's not the first time we're greeting each other like this.
"A couple of other students called in sick, so I offered to help Kip cover." He points his thumb toward Kip at the desk and then leans in conspiratorially. "Between you and me, I think there's some bottle flu going around. A few of the work-study guys tried to get us to go out last night drinking with them, Kip and I both decided to pass."
"Well, thank Betty White for your better judgment." I nod solemnly.
He shakes his head at me with a grin. "What's with you and Betty White?"
I clasp a hand over my heart and tell him quite seriously, "Don't you know better than to ask a woman about her love of Betty White? Some things are personal! Also, Betty White rocks. Mom and I do a marathon of her work every year for Christmas."
"Ah, yes. I can see your love of Betty White is sacred."
"Thank you for understanding." My lips twitch as I fight the urge to smile. Miles is good at playing along with the kind of humor I share with my mom. No wonder she hasn't raised more of a fuss about me dating him, he can keep up with a bit of quick wit.
"So..." Miles squints. "You're here to see Professor Parks?"
Ugh. I almost managed to forget that's why I'm here. "Yeah, I guess he wants to discuss my subpar work some more."
"You know your work isn't subpar, right?" Miles takes me by the shoulders, bending his knees to stare intensely into my eyes. "You're very smart and your papers are excellent."
I nod slightly and sheepishly look away.
Miles is biased. I also don't think he's wrong. Professor Parks is trying to pressure me to cave to his advances by threatening my grades in his class. I have a feeling that once I ask for a review from another department professor, the truth will start to show itself quickly. And if things go how I expect today, that's exactly part of what I plan to do next.
"I want you to do something for me, Annie." Miles must be serious because he uses my real name and not the nickname he coined for me. "Call my phone and leave the call on speakerphone while you're in the office. I'll keep myself muted but that way I can hear if anything happens."
My eyebrows shoot up into high arches as I gape at him. "What do you know?"
"Enough to know you're not comfortable, and I want to keep you safe. As soon as I read your essays, I knew something wasn't right. Not hard to figure out why someone slimy might fail a perfectly good essay when a woman is as beautiful as you are." He winks, trying to lighten the dampened mood.
I'm glad he does because I manage to laugh. Some of the tension eases out of my body. I pull my phone out of my pocket and make quick work of calling Miles' phone. He picks up the call and mutes himself as promised.
"I'll be listening the whole time," he vows, already holding the phone up to his ear.
I carefully tuck my phone back into my pocket, this time flipping it upside down to give the speaker the best access.
"Thank you," I whisper to him. Before I can think better of it, I launch forward and wrap my arms tightly around him. This time, instead of a hug, I tip my chin and rise on my tiptoes to kiss him. He chastely kisses me back before pulling away.
"I'm at work," he reminds me with a wink. "Save the good stuff for home."
Home . We've both gotten pretty comfortable living together for two people who haven't been dating long... and whose relationship is still mostly fake aside from the very real physical aspects.
Kip clears his throat. "Annie? Professor Parks is available to see you now."
I glance past Miles to tell Kip, "Okay, thanks," just as a guy I vaguely recognize from class walks through. I assume he's the one who met with Professor Parks before me. I envy how calm and collected he looks after attending office hours. I don't anticipate my own meeting going as well.
Before I head back down the hall to Professor Parks' office, I have one question for Miles.
"What are you going to do if he tries something?" I barely raise my voice to a whisper.
"Let me worry about that."
Gladly. If Miles is going to risk doing something that might get him into trouble, I don't want to know about it beforehand. I think that would make me an accomplice to something premeditated... though I certainly hope Miles' plan doesn't involve escalating to murder.
I don't think most prison libraries are probably that well-stocked. Besides, Miles is too mouthy to be safe in jail, he would inevitably talk himself into trouble with his sarcastic sense of humor.
With a deep breath, I break away from Miles and start down the hall. I risk sliding my phone out of my pocket for a second to make sure the call is still live before I reach the professor's office. His door is wide open in the most unwelcoming welcome that I could imagine.
I don't want to be here.
The professor has made sure to make me feel like I have no choice.
Professor Parks looks up from behind his desk when I step into the open doorway. He offers a smug grin as he tells me, "Miss Kirkpatrick, I see you're finally ready to be reasonable about your studies. Come on in, you can shut the door behind you for privacy if you wish."
Attempting to call his bluff, I step inside the office and make no move to close the door. I'm perfectly happy for him to share what he wants to say with the door wide open, leaving him to be overheard by anyone passing through.
He purses his lips when he realizes I don't intend to shut the door. His eyes flash with a warning, narrowing for a moment as he shakes his head so discreetly I can barely be sure it happened a second later.
"Oh, you prefer the door closed?" I ask in a loud voice, wanting to make sure Miles can hear me while also hoping maybe someone in the hall happens to hear me too.
Professor Parks rubs at his temple. "Based on your performance so far in my class, I think you should shut the door. We wouldn't want you to embarrass yourself, now would we?"
He won't move forward while the door is open, I can already tell. Part of me is tempted to turn around and walk out, report what happened our first time meeting during office hours, and hope my word is enough to believe me.
I would risk the fate of many others before me—not believed, ostracized, pressured to transfer, haunted by telling the truth.
Or I can stay... Miles is on the other end of the phone, listening and bearing witness to whatever Professor Parks might try this time. Two people's word has to mean more than one. Plus, Miles has the benefit of an uncle who is a well-connected lawyer.
I'm not alone in this office this time.
A calmness comes over me as I turn and calmly shut the door with a firm click, careful not to turn my back on the professor completely.
Be brave, I tell myself. After all, Professor Parks has much more to lose here than I do.