The secretary isn't sitting at her desk today, so I walk right into my boss's office hoping for good news. Judging by the look on his face, he doesn't appear to be a man who is about to give me a death sentence for my crimes.
“Professor, please come in and have a seat, or stand if you’d rather. This won't take long. A lot has happened since we last spoke. Honestly, if it wasn't for Mr. Jenson and his friend coming in yesterday to clear up this whole mess, I would have had no choice but to let you go. Since you did try and end things and do the right thing, I would like to give you another chance. I already made arrangements for Mr. Jenson to be placed in another chemistry class. Professor Stevens will make sure he has everything he needs in order to not fall behind. Since you are both of age, there is no crime being committed, and even though it is advised against, there are no set-in stone rules about students dating teachers. It also seems there was no blackmail involved so you have been cleared and set to return to teaching as soon as tomorrow.”
Relief sinks in and my shoulders drop as my body becomes less tense. “That’s wonderful news. I'm happy to hear that. And as for me and Taylor?”
He shrugs. “He is no longer your student and you're no longer his teacher. So, whatever happens between the two of you is your business and your business alone.”
“Wait, you said his friend came to clear things up yesterday. Why did he come in here telling lies to begin with?”
He sighs, adjusting his glasses. “It appears he wasn't who he said he was. Turns out the person who said he was Luca was really someone named Rhys. I'm guessing you know him?”
My skin goes cold, and I can't stop my fists from balling. “Yes, and I'm so sorry for all this mess he's caused. I promise I'll take care of it and ensure it will never happen again.”
“Good because with false allegations and impersonating someone, I’ll have no other choice but to have the man escorted off campus if I see him here again. With that said, welcome back to campus and I'm hoping not to have you back in my office ever again involving the same type of situation with another student.”
I shake my head, knowing he doesn't have to worry about that because I'm not the type of guy who goes after students. Taylor happened to be the exception to the rule because he didn't start off as my student and after the night I spent with him, I had a hard time ever seeing him that way. “Rest assured you won't have to worry about that, sir. Thank you again for everything and once again I apologize for all the misunderstandings.”
We don't say much else and I exit his office able to breathe again. That only lasts until I pull up in front of my house and notice Rhys’s car in my driveway. I sigh in frustration, ready to take care of this problem once and for all.
The front door opens as soon as I step onto the porch and Rhys is smiling with a mixing bowl in his hand. “Hey, I wasn't expecting you back until later. I was hoping to have a romantic dinner laid out for you just like last year.”
“Why are you here, Rhys?”
His eyebrows wrinkle and he shifts all his weight to one foot. “What do you mean? It's Valentine's Day silly. We always spend this day together.”
“Yes, we did when we were together, but last time I checked, you left me at the fucking altar and took off with some other guy. Not to mention you tried to kick me out of my home.”
Sighing, he makes room for me to come inside. “How about you come in and relax and take a shower, and then we can talk like civilized human beings.”
“That's hard to do when there's only one person here who is civilized. I'm way too exhausted to fight with you today so how about I go upstairs and take a shower, and you disappear by the time I come back down.”
His expression hardens and his grip tightens around the spoon in the bowl. “Why are you being like this? You can't honestly say you want him more than me. He's a fucking child, Jamie. He can't give you the things I can.”
“Are you fucking serious? The only one who's acted like a child these last few days is you. You tried to get me fired for fuck’s sake by making up some sick story in your head! Please leave before I call the cops.”
“You can't have me thrown out of my own house.”
“Fine, stay, I always hated this damn house anyway.” I rush up the stairs to grab everything I need for the next few weeks. Most of my stuff is in boxes in storage anyway. I only left what I needed to get me by until it was time I moved into a new apartment. Rhys’s footsteps are loud behind mine as he follows me up the stairs. “Wait, where are you going to go?”
“A hotel or my brother's. Anywhere is better than here. And if you follow me or randomly show up, I will get a restraining order. I mean it, Rhys. Never in a million years did I think you could ever get me to hate you, but congratulations, you found a way to do it.”
I rummage through my room, pulling out suitcases and filling them with clothes. I empty my closet and most of my drawers, hoping Rhys won't burn the rest the moment I step out the door. I don't know what he’s capable of anymore because he is no longer the person I fell in love with all those years ago.
Luckily, he never comes into my room and is sitting on the couch quietly when I make it back downstairs pulling two large suitcases behind me. I don't say anything on my way out the door and neither does he. I message my brother letting him know I'll be crashing at his place for the next few weeks and he doesn't even question it. I don't head that way now though.
There's only one place I want to be, but I can't show up empty handed.
24
Taylor
If the pinkballoons and flowers scattered throughout the club aren't enough to remind me what day it is, the drink of the day called The Sweetheart and the conversation hearts scattered along the bar are enough to seal the deal.
Tucker doesn't look too happy about it either as he slides a customer his drink, knocking pieces of candy on the ground. “Okay, who thought it was a good idea to cover my bar in this candy shit?”
“I did.” Luca appears out of nowhere in a bright pink outfit with a huge smile on his face. “Happy Valentine’s Day, T, and may you be able to use that lube tonight.”
Tuck scoffs, grabbing a handful of candy and tossing it in Luca's direction. “Why are you even here, don't you have the day off today? Shouldn't you be making some lonely, desperate guy's life miserable instead of mine?”
