Caleb nodded slowly, his gait deliberate as he moved through the room toward the door. There was a member of staff waiting for him, her flushed face betraying a mix of exasperation and nervousness. She pushed inside immediately, her pace rapid, intensifying the existing atmosphere in the room.
"Dr. Charlotte," the staff member began, moving forward to lean into a soft whisper.
I strained my ears to pick up their words, but the hushed conversation was out of reach.
Her eyes grew wide, her lips pursed into a thin line as the nurse spoke on.
Finally, Dr. Charlotte nodded. "Understood. Thank you," she said, her tone clipped yet professional. The staff member gave a quick nod and slipped out, closing the door behind her.
Dr. Charlotte exhaled deeply, her gaze shifting between the three of us.
Her calm façade seemed to waver momentarily, but she quickly straightened in her chair.
"So, Ms. Amy," she began her voice measured, probing. "What do you suggest we do?
Her eyes moved to Billy, her voice turning cold. "I can get him suspended for this. But I can't sure I can get him expell—"
"No," I said firmly without hesitation.
All of them stared at me with a mixture of astonishment and curiosity.
"I don't want him suspended," I said firmly, my tone leaving no room for debate. "There will be no punishment. He can continue attending my class as usual."
Dr. Charlotte blinked, clearly taken aback by my decision.
"Yes," I continued, my voice colder now. "I won't punish him. He continue attend my class."
Dr. Charlotte looked at me for a moment, as if trying to make sense of my logic. Then she let out a sigh and nodded, her professional demeanor back in place.
"Fine," she said curtly. She turned to Celeb, her face stern. "From now on, it's your job to keep Billy away from Amy. I don't want him anywhere near her unless it's in a classroom. Do you get that?
Caleb nodded without a moment's hesitation. "Understood."
Dr. Charlotte leaned back in her chair. "You two may leave now."
Billy rose from his seat with infuriating ease, his movement unhurried, his demeanor smug as ever. As he walked toward the door, I couldn't help but glance at him, and, of course, he caught my eye.
His lips curled into that maddening smirk as he turned slightly to look back at me. "Thanks, Madam Anderson," he drawled.
His words were acid dripping on my skin, an itch I couldn't scratch.
The door clicked behind him and Caleb, leaving me alone with Dr. Charlotte. I took a shaky breath and let the tension slowly ease from my chest.
"Ms. Amy," Dr. Charlotte said gently, breaking the silence.
I turned to her, her gaze soft, yet full of quiet concern that had caught me by surprise.
"I am really sorry for what happened to you today," she said. "I know this is not the kind of start you envisioned for your teaching career in this prestigious university."
Her words stung because they were true. I nodded but said nothing, unsure of how to respond.
She offered a small, empathetic smile. "I'd like to make it up to you," she continued. "There's an offer I'd like to propose—something that might help ease the frustration and hurt you're feeling. For forgiveness."
I hesitated, unsure what kind of offer could possibly make up for the disaster of my first day. "What's the offer?" I asked cautiously.
Dr. Charlotte leaned forward slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Tell me, is it true that you admire Emily Everhert?"
The question caught me completely off guard. "What?" I blinked, my mind scrambling to process it. What does this have to do with anything?
"She's a role model for many," Dr. Charlotte said, watching me intently.
I nodded instinctively, my thoughts still racing. "Well… yes. I'm probably one of her biggest admirers," I admitted, warming my voice despite myself. "She's incredible—built her company from the ground up without relying on her billionaire father. She's not just talented, she's fearless. She's everything I aspire to be."
A small smile began spreading across Dr. Charlotte's face, as if I'd passed some unspoken test. "That's good to hear," she said. Then, after a pause, she asked, "You have experience hosting events, don't you?"
That was another question that caught me off guard, but I nodded anyway. "Yes, I do. Back at Fairview University, I hosted a lot of events even from my student years. I'm comfortable on stage."
"Perfect," she said, brightening her tone. "Emily Everhert has just accepted our invitation to be the chief guest for Fresher's Day. And…" She paused there, leaving the moment in suspension. "I'd like to give you the opportunity to host the event."
I froze. For a moment, I wasn't even sure that I'd heard her correctly. "Wait, what?"
Me? Hosting an event?
An Arora University event?
With Emily Everhert as the chief guest?
My mind started spiraling in disbelief, excitement, and panic altogether. Was this real? Was I really worthy of getting this chance?
Dr. Charlotte cut through my internal chaos. "So?" she prompted, her voice calm but firm. "Will you accept the offer?"
"No!" I shouted in shock. Her brow arched and I immediately realized my mistake. "I mean, yes! Absolutely, yes!" I blurted out, words pouring from my mouth like water over the falls.
Dr. Charlotte chuckled softly, clearly amused by my reaction. I coughed awkwardly, adjusted my glasses, and tried to regain some shred of professionalism. "I'd be honored to host it," I said, trying to sound more composed.
"Good," she said, her voice warm but professional. "There's 30 days time forthat. Let's make sure this event is a success—something truly memorable."
-------***-------
Some time later, I walked out of Dr. Charlotte's office with the faintest hint of a smile on my face. This was more than I could ever have hoped for, especially given all the mayhem I'd just been through. For an instant, I felt almost happy. Lucky, even.
But with each step I took along the hall, that feeling persisted-a nagging reminder of something forgotten-a frustration, once very recently burned, but still lurked in my brain.
A murmur of laughter and hasty conversation reached out and snagged me out of my mind. Ahead, a little clump of girls, a whining mass of flies on some rotten piece of fruit.
Billy.
He stood at the center of attention, leaning casually against the wall, his ever-present smug grin plastered on his face. The girls around him hung on his every word, their excitement palpable.
"Why did you kiss the professor, Billy?" one asked, her tone more curious than scolding.
"It's so good you didn't get punished for it," another said with a giggle.
"Honestly, she totally overreacted. It was just a kiss," one of them declared, her voice dripping with contempt, clearly aimed at me.
I clenched my fists, my expression tightening into something cold and unreadable.
Overreacted? I thought, a bitter laugh forming in my head. Do these girls have no sense of shame—or self-respect?
Billy did not even glance my way—or, for that matter, care. He was too busy basking in the attention, grinning as he threw out half-hearted answers like some playboy idol.
I scanned the crowd, my eyes landing on a familiar face—the blonde girl who had defended him in class earlier. She stood there quietly, her hazel eyes fixed on him. Ah, I thought. So she is his main chick.
But I dismissed her as quickly as the others. Not my problem, I told myself, my heels clicking against the floor as I turned and walked away.
As I walked towards my office, I noticed a tall, imposing figure standing just outside. His silver-grey hair shone under the hallway lights, and his casual posture against the wall gave the impression that he had all the time in the world.
It was Caleb.
What's he doing here?
I ignored the question running through my mind and headed to my door. He didn't even seem to acknowledge me—or perhaps he was only waiting for me to acknowledge him. Either way, I did not intend on stopping.
My hand was set to grip the door handle, when his voice stopped me,
"Thanks, Miss Anderson.
His tone was calm, measured, and disturbingly polite. I turned slightly, meeting his gaze as he pushed his phone into his pocket and took a step closer.
He was tall—maybe same as that's idiot. I had to tilt my head slightly to meet his gaze. Or maybe I was just short? Not the time for that, Amy.
"For forgiving that idiot," he added, his voice devoid of sarcasm or malice.
I couldn't help but sneer, a bitter laugh slipping out of my mouth. "Forgive him?" I repeated. I turned all the way to him now, crossing my arms as I glared him down. "You think I forgave him?"
Caleb didn't even flinch. He just stood there, his placid expression almost maddening.
"Suspending him would've been useless," I said coldly. "Someone like him wouldn't learn a thing from a slap on the wrist. And expelling him?" I let out a humorless laugh, shaking my head. "We both know that's not an option, do we? Someone is making sure he stays here, no matter what he does."
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't respond.
"But forgiveness?" I pushed on, my voice dropping to a dangerously low tone. "No, kid. I didn't forgive him. And I won't."
I took a step closer, my heels clicking against the floor with deliberate force. "Let me make something perfectly clear. I'm staying here—this semester, maybe even the next or even maybe next. I'll be his professor, and I'll make sure every single second he spends in my class is pure hell."
Caleb's calm face was broken into a small crack, but I didn't stop.
"He'll regret the day he decided to humiliate me. He'll wish he'd never walked into my class, never looked me in the eyes, and never thought he could get away with treating me like a joke. I'm not here to forgive. I'm here to teach him a lesson he'll never forget.
My voice was cold, sharp, and unrelenting, every word laced with warning.
Caleb sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as if my words had no effect on him. "Just don't hurt him emotionally," he said, his voice calm but tired.
I laughed—a short, bitter sound that rang out in the empty hallway. "Hurt him emotionally? He doesn't strike me as someone who's even capable of having emotions. But if he does…" I stepped back, my eyes sharp as knives. "That's on him. Actions have consequences, kid. I'd advise you to remind your friend of that before it's too late."
Caleb's face was unreadable, but he nodded slightly before turning away. "Fair enough," he said, his voice carrying a strange mix of resignation and understanding.
As he walked down the hall, I stared after him, my fists clenched tightly at my sides.
This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
_________________________________________________________________
Well.....
I don't know what I am doing.
Anyways. Throw some powerstones to support me.