“I am sorry, it was just a mistake,” I apologized between cries but he came at me and grabbed my arms and squeezed them so ha*d I couldn’t breathe. His eyes were red and my cheek was burning. I knew I was going to be bruised and covered in foundation for weeks to come.
“Do not f**king embarrass me again, understood?”
When I was about to say yes, Grace walked in. She was taken back by the sight. My face must have looked terrible and even an idiot would have understood what happened.
“Sorry for interrupting. I was looking for the bathroom.”
No one ever had the courage to help me. I was rich and pretty and my parents were elegant and powerful so that always meant not being believed.
My father left, not even caring that this lady knew what was going on. He knew he had full power over me. I had nothing without my parents. They made sure of that.
Grace walked up to me. I kept my chin high. I didn’t want to cry in front of anyone. No one cared for my pity when my father beat me up every day after school. No one cared when I was bruised for weeks, forced to wear heavy clothes and makeup constantly. I gulped down ha*d. I once told the school counselor and he laughed at me. Later my father beat me up.
“Are you okay?” Grace asked with a soft voice. I didn’t feel comfortable telling a complete stranger about my ha*dships nor felt like she actually cared.We went back to the dining room and everyone was looking at us weirdly. There was a lot of tension in the room.My professor was looking at me seemingly worried. That’s when I remembered I forgot to put on makeup on my face. Grace disoriented me because I was supposed to go to the bathroom and cover the bruise. My mom coughed. She leaned over me my shoulder and whispered to me, “darling, go to the bathroom!” I excused myself again. I felt pathetic. I went to the bathroom and I could barely hold in my tears-I forgot to lock my door and I just cried and crumbled to the floor.As I was washing my face, I heard the door open and my professor Mr. Reynolds was standing in front of me worried sick.
His body was chiseled and he still looked amazing even in more casual clothing. I just remembered he had my boyfriend’s hoodie which I had to give back but right now it didn’t seem important.”I can’t believe your father is doing this to you. Please tell me is there anything I can do to help you?” professor Reynolds asked as he came close to me. Dangerously close.
I felt vulnerable and I shouldn’t have done what I was thinking of doing. I couldn’t help myself between my father’s abuse and my boyfriend not caring about me anymore.
My emotions took over and I kissed my teacher. It felt good to be cared by someone.He was shocked and he took one unnecessary second to push me away. His lips were so warm and he smelled of cologne. He made me feel safe like no one has ever done before and what I did was inappropriate and he will never care about me again now.”Nadia, what are you doing?!” I felt so stupid now.
“I’m so sorry, I couldn’t help myself. You’re just so nice.” Tears were streaming down my face.
He reached out to hold my hand and I was confused at first. One moment he was sweet and seemed like he liked me and the other moment he was calling me out.Mr. Reynolds then let go of my hand, realizing what he did. I tried ha*d to stop crying but I couldn’t help myself.”I had too much to drink. I shouldn’t have come here.”
I tried to grab his hand but he left before I could do so.
There was no point in staying here anymore. I covered my bruise and went to talk to my father. The guests were already gone.
My father wasn’t even looking at me. “Can I speak to you?” I asked in a small voice.
When he ignored me, I gave up and went to my room and prepared my baggage. I didn’t care that I just arrived a few hours ago and that it was late. I wanted to go home-I didn’t have a home, but my dorm felt much safer.
My sister stared at me with tears in her eyes.
“I’m sorry. I wish things were different”
She nodded in defeat and hugged me. I buried my face in her soft, brown hair.
My father didn’t even know when I left-not that he would have cared.
I haven’t seen Mr. Reynolds in a week. He took a sick leave. It was agonizing to spend all this time without him-with a substitute teacher.
Even Sebastian has been very distant with me lately. Nothing was rekindling our relationship, not even s*x. I felt like he cared less and less about me each day and when he f**ked me, he did it just to get off. I used to be special to him.
I hugged my friends and sat down with them in the cafeteria. This school year has already changed me too much and it’s only been a month.
“So… you’ve been off lately. How’s it going with Seb?” Charlotte asked and I sighed, putting my head between my arms on the table. I hoped they wouldn’t notice my makeup.
Penelope was eating but I didn’t feel very hungry.
How could I tell my friends that I wasn’t sad because of Sebastian but because of my professor, who I kissed and embarrassed myself in front of?
“He’s been ignoring me. Don’t know why,” I admitted but I kind of knew why.
“You should have told him about Isaac.”
I shook my head. “Never. Girls, promise to never tell him.”
They both nodded and I relaxed. I picked up some food to eat when I saw Sebastian. He seemed to be in a better mood now.
He kissed me ha*d and when I unglued myself from his body, everyone was staring at us… and my history professor-which was apparently back. Without wanting, I put distance between my boyfriend and I-luckily, he didn’t notice. The professor didn’t see that, he had already left.
I excused myself from my girlfriends and my boyfriend and went after my teacher, being careful to not make it seem like I was following him.
Mr. Reynolds entered his office and since no one was there, I immediately entered too, without knocking. It was my first time here.
He was taking off his tie and looked visibly upset when he saw me. My boyfriend’s hoodie was on his chair.
He came to me and I instinctively stepped back, until my back was against the door. When I thought he was going to touch me-I hoped-he locked the door.
“You want to talk. Talk,” he said in a crude tone. I’ve never seen him so angry.
“Why are you so angry?”
He put his hands on the back of his head as he paced around the room. I didn’t dare to move from my spot.
“Are you jealous of my boyfriend?” I asked stupidly. My mouth went ahead without me.
I expected a chuckle or his usual serious response but he came to me again and pinned me ha*d against the door.
He seemed like he was fighting every urge in his body to not… do something to me right now. I didn’t know whether it was a good or bad thing. Mr. Reynolds was so close to me; my small body was nothing compared to his. He was pure muscle and height, so beautiful, so calm but dangerous like the sea. His dark brown eyes couldn’t leave mine. He had even more grown out beard now.
I finally spoke, “Is it so wrong that I find you attractive?”
He stared at me for a long moment and I held my breath when his eyes ran over my lips.
“It’s wrong that I find you too,” he said through his teeth.
That was my invite. I cupped his face but he immediately held my hands down.
“No,” he murmured under his breath. “This is wrong, Nadia, I am a married man. I am your professor.”
I tried to free my hand from his hands but he was powerful. “I am of legal age. I am giving you permission to do what you want to do,” I whispered seductively and I felt him squirm under the sound of my voice.
Mr. Reynolds squeezed my hands tightly. “I could be fired, even just by this conversation.”
“I want you. I want you so bad it hurts,” I admitted, without looking into his eyes. He exhaled ha*d.
“That’s the problem. It’s just lust. I can’t throw away my life for a feeble attraction.”
He thought it was feeble? That all I wanted was for him to f**k me and be done with it?
I pushed him away ha*d; I wasn’t stronger but it took him by surprise.
“Do you think I’m some stupid, immature girl who wants to get f**ked and dumped?”
His expr**sion eased when he realized I took great offense. “No. I am calling you impulsive. You want the new shiny thing but not the effort it takes to care for it.” He sighed. “Or to pay the price of the consequences.”
He… he was right. I’ve always done this. This is why Sebastian was pulling away from me.
Sebastian… what was I doing? I was cheating on him… he cared about me more than my professor would ever.
“Fine. I won’t bother you again.”
As I turned around to leave his office, we heard a small knock on the door. I panicked and looked at my professor. I was here outside work time and it would have looked unprofessional… what if someone heard us? Have I spoken too loudly?
Mr. Reynolds seemed worried as well. He spoke quietly, “it’s my wife.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.