She nods straight away.
“Of course, I trust you, Wes. It’s just that guy… this whole place… this campus. I’ve had enough,” she exclaims, and I take her by the elbows, rubbing the tops of her arms gently until she calms down.
“I’ve only got a few weeks anyway, then it’s onto my research post. I could get away with not being on campus at all really. What did you have in mind?” she asks, looking a little nervous.
Like she’s committing herself to the unknown after four years of security in this dorm.
I feel myself grinning broadly.
What’s better than having Katelyn all to myself?
A place of our own to have each other in, that’s what.
But I think we should celebrate a little first. Live it up for the rest of the weekend, or for today at least.
“Oh,” I muse loudly. “I think we can find something to suit us both,” I add cryptically.
Chapter Eleven
Katelyn
I’m surprised at Wes, he gets so mad when that security guard turns up, but then again, even if I was on my own I’d have words to say about it.
It’s creepy.
Yeah, it’s a female only dorm, so why is there a male security guard wandering around inside?
Anyway, I make my mind up on the spot to quit the dorm. Wes seems to have a plan to suit us both and I trust him more than my own situation and way more than any security guard.
Wes encourages me to take everything I think I’ll need, like he doesn’t plan on seeing me back here to stay, ever.
I pack some clothes and a few papers, telling myself I can always send for or come back for anything else. Clothes and stuffed animals mostly, everything I need for my work is on my laptop and phone, which I also take with me.
“Are you gonna move out too?” I joke to Wes, wondering if we’re going back to his place or just straight off campus.
His look is serious, and I know he’s weighing up things that don’t involve me, but they do involve me.
Everything involves me now.
His job for starters.
I feel mild panic rising, threatening to become something more sinister, but something as simple as Wes’s hand on my back as he guides me out the door is enough to make me feel okay again.
“It’ll work out, you’ll see,” he says with a confidence I hope I can develop someday.
We walk back to his apartment, which seems further away because I’m carrying a backpack and a suitcase.
Wes offers to carry it but I refuse, until about halfway when he just takes it from me like it weighs nothing. Saying nothing about it either,
My burden is his burden.
But that’s not what we are to each other.
Maybe it would be a different story if I was in my freshman year, but with only weeks out until the end of term and the end of college for me, it’s perfect timing.
The campus is still empty, maybe even more so than yesterday. Not a soul appears until we’re right at Wes’s building and a cab pulls up.
He groans to himself and then I gasp when I see who it is getting out.
“Professor Bernstein,” Wes calls out to greet him. “I thought you were gone for the whole weekend, everything alright?”
My professor blinks as he focuses, looking from Wes to me, down to my bags, and then back to Wes and then settling on me again.
“Ms. Webster,” he says curtly.
“Everything alright, Bernie?” Wes asks again, trying to keep it light but there’s a pretty tense vibe coming from the Professor.
I’m his number one student and Wes is his friend and neighbor.
“I had a date lined up,” he huffs, lifting his nose in the air a little.
I try not to smile and so does Wes. “A date? Well, that sounds special. How’d it go?” he asks innocently.
“She had a heart attack if you must know. Stupid I know, messing around with older women,” he snorts to himself.
“Oh my god, Professor Bernstein,” I gasp. “Is she okay, are you okay?” I ask, genuinely concerned.
He humphs again, not wanting to make eye contact.
“She’ll be fine. I’m fine. I should never have… Well. It looks like you’ve been busy while I was gone, Wes?” he adds, plenty of acid in his tone.
“I’m just helping Mr. Heart with his computer,” I say innocently, watching his eyes dart to my bags again.
“I’ll be gone a few days, Bernie,” Wes says, lowering his voice and stepping closer.
I take my cue and scoot up the stairs while Wes has a word with him, man to man, I guess.
I can overhear them both though, even waiting on the landing out the front of Wes’s place.
“This is outrageous... A man of your standing in the college… I’ll have to report it… I know it’s not technically against the faculty codes of conduct… but, really.”