Filed to story: Shhh Professor! Please Don’t Tell! Novel Free
“Tonight?” he asked.
I grinned. Why not?
“Yes,” I said.
We were together now. We could see each other as much as we wanted to.
I watched him drive off, and then set off for the path that led back through the woods to campus. I’d insisted Jackson drop me off where he’d picked me up. As much as we’d accepted the risk we were running, I didn’t want to be stupid about it.
I’d already been too reckless.
I wandered back to my dorm, my hand stuffed into my pockets, listening to Ingrid Michaelson and wanting to dance. It was a full hour before my first class started. I felt happy. No matter what happened with Flynn, Jackson and I were together. Nothing could get in the way of that now.
As I reached my dorm, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. A text from Annie.
Hey. Can I come talk to you?
My heart did a somersault. Annie had never texted me something like this before I felt sure something was wrong.
Yes!
I texted back.
I’m walking across campus now. Where should I meet you?
I kept my phone in my hand as I kept walking. Had something happened? Was she okay?A part of my heart twisted in worry, wondering if she had heard something about me and Jackson. Had Professor Spaulding been contacting my friends?
Professor Spaulding. I hadn’t emailed him back last night. I would need to respond to his email today and offer to come talk to him this afternoon. My stomach knotted, anticipating how uncomfortable that conversation would be.
My phone screen lit up with another text from Annie.
I’ll meet you in the meditation chapel.
I swallowed. The meditation chapel was a small building tucked into a ring of trees at the edge of campus. It was usually deserted, especially during school hours. Music students went there to practice when they wanted complete privacy. If Annie wanted to talk to me there, something was definitely wrong.
I’ll be there in five minutes
, I texted back, adding a heart emoji at the end.
Annie was standing outside the chapel when I reached it. Her coat was unzipped, and her hat was askew on the side of her head.
“Are you okay?” I asked, hurrying to hug her.
Her eyes were red. It was jarring. Somehow, I couldn’t imagine Annie crying. Annie seemed like the kind of person who didn’t cry.
Not unless something was really wrong.
“Let’s go inside,” she said, pushing the door open. “There’s nobody in there, I already checked.”
We stepped inside. It was cold, almost as cold as it was outside. It smelled of cedar and lavender. We sat down in a couple of the chairs that were lined against the walls of the room.
“I found Logan Green,” Annie said, her voice shaking.
“Oh my god,” I said, reaching for her gloved hand. “You did?”
“I did,” Annie said.
Was he horrible? Something had definitely gone wrong, or she wouldn’t be feeling like this.
“He’s not my dad,” Annie said.
I stared at her. I frowned. “But…” I said. “But your mom said he was.”
“I think she thought he was,” she said. “He said that they were dating on and off at the time. But we got tested. We took a paternity test. It was negative.”
I swallowed.
“Annie, I’m so sorry,” I said, holding her hand tightly.
“That was my last chance,” she said, her voice breaking. “It was the only lead I had on my dad. I won’t be able to find him now. And I’d been so close. I’d been so excited.”
I nodded. I didn’t know what to say.
“He’s really nice,” Annie said, laughing breathlessly. “But I had this weird premonition. I knew it wasn’t right. I knew he wasn’t my dad. That’s why I didn’t tell you. My gut told me it was a false lead and I didn’t want to say anything until I knew. And now I do.”
I put my arms around her and let her cry. All I could tell her was that I was here for her, and that didn’t need words.
Later that afternoon, when my classes were over, I emailed Professor Spaulding back.
Hi Professor,
Sorry for not responding yesterday. It’s a busy week for me. Could we talk next week?
Thanks,
Ellie
I just wanted some time. I felt sure Professor Spaulding wouldn’t try to get Jackson fired before doing what he could to stop our relationship kindly, out of a misinformed sense that that was the right thing to do.
He replied almost right away.