The Girl Next Door

Huh?

My brows slam together until I remember emailing her yesterday about the stomach virus I’d come down with. It wasn’t a total lie. The idea of sitting in her class all the while remembering what she looked like on her knees between Beck’s legs makes me want to throw up.

“Much better, thank you.” When an uncomfortable silence settles over us, I clear my throat and inch toward the exit. “I should really get back to the table.”

As I take another step toward the door, her fingers wrap around my wrist. I glance at her hand.

A hesitant smile curves her pink stained lips. “Could we talk for a moment before you run away?”

I shake my head. “Now probably isn’t a—”

“I won’t keep you long.” She steps closer. “I promise.”

Good time.

Ugh. Talking with Dr. Hayes is the last thing I want to do. It ranks right up there with talking to my dad or Beck.

My shoulders slump as I mumble, “I guess.”

Her hand falls away from my wrist. It’s odd how she can stand here and act like everything is perfectly normal. As if I didn’t see her getting ready to blow one of her students.

The guy who was supposedly my boyfriend.

Pain blooms in my chest before I quickly stomp it out. I refuse to give Beck another moment of my time. I’ve given him way too much already.

Her attention stays locked on me as she leans against the counter. “I wanted to apologize for what you walked in on the other day. It was highly unprofessional of me to engage in a personal relationship on campus.”

I blink, knocked off balance by her apology because honestly, it doesn’t sound like much of one. “Isn’t it inappropriate for you to be involved with one of your students?”

Her smile never falters. “It was consensual.”

The little bit of food I’ve eaten for lunch threatens to revolt. “Was it?”

“Of course. Do you think any twenty-one-year-old male in his right mind would turn down sex with one of his professors?” She shrugs. “Consider it a perk of my position,” she laughs. “I keep getting older, but the guys stay the same age. It’s fabulous.”

Gross.

The conversation I had with Beck at the library a couple of weeks ago forces its way into my consciousness. He’d tried telling me that Dr. H had been acting a little too friendly, and I’d brushed off the conversation. A pit settles in my belly as I consider the possibility that I was wrong. Maybe he wasn’t as willing of a participant as I’d assumed.

As much as I don’t want to discuss the topic, I have to get to the bottom of it. “How long has your relationship with Beck been going on for?”

“I wouldn’t really call it a relationship.” A smug smile plays around the corners of her lips. “More like a pursuit.”

“On your part?” My breath becomes wedged in my throat as I wait for her answer.

She gives me a wink. “I love the thrill of the chase.”

After I’d walked in on them in her office, Beck had once again claimed she’d come on to him. I wince, remembering my reaction. Instead of believing him, I had accused him of being a liar and walked away.

When another silence falls over us, Dr. Hayes reaches out to squeeze my arm. “I’m glad we cleared up this misunderstanding, Mia. I’ll see you in class tomorrow?”

I blink out of those thoughts before shaking my head. “No, I’m sorry. It turns out I won’t be able to TA for you after all.”

“Excuse me?” She straightens as her voice fills with disbelief. “You’re going to leave me high and dry for the rest of the semester because you walked in on a private moment behind closed doors?”

“No, that has nothing to do with it. The reason I can’t work for you is because I’ve lost all respect for you. Ever since freshman year comp, I’ve admired you. I thought you were someone worthy of emulating. But you know what? I was wrong. How can I look up to someone who uses their position of power to make sexual advances toward a student? What you did to Beck was sexual harassment, plain and simple.” I cock my head and narrow my eyes. “You realize he could file a complaint against you with the university.”

Her eyes bulge as her mouth drops open. “It was consensual,” she whispers again.

“Is that what you tell yourself when you hit on guys half your age and make them feel like they have to trade sexual favors for grades?”

She makes a choking sound deep in her throat but remains silent.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” With nothing left to say, I push out of the bathroom and head to the table where Mom is waiting. My hands are shaking so badly that I have to press them together to make them stop.