Cammie Healy - Jennifer Foor Page 0,19
travels fast, especially with the internet. There are always eyes watching. Someone sees something and then they share it. A picture of you surfaced last week. You were leaving a house and Professor Willis was behind you. I’m not one to speculate, but you haven’t been here as much. I suspected you’d met someone, but never in my wildest dreams would I have pegged you to screw around with a married professor. Tell me it isn’t true.”
I glanced in a different direction, regrettably searching for a way out of this. Did I deny it? Did I pretend someone was out to get me? Would she believe me? “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She snickered. “It’s fine. I wouldn’t want anyone finding out either. Just know, when the shit hits the fan I want nothing to do with it. I can’t afford to be reprimanded for your mistakes. As far as I’m concerned, I know nothing.”
“I wouldn’t drag anyone else into my problems.”
“You already have. What are you going to do, Cam? Does Professor Willis know you’re knocked up? Is it his baby? Holy cow, I can’t believe my nerdy roommate has a secret life right under my nose.”
“I don’t have a secret life. I’m still me. It happened. It wasn’t planned.”
“That’s not what I heard. Talk around town is that you’re not the first student he’s been involved with. A few years ago there was another girl. His wife swept it under the rug to save appearances. It was all hearsay.”
“He’s not like that. You must be mistaken.”
“I hope for your sake I am. I know how hard you’ve worked to be here. It would royally suck if you lose it all because you screwed you’re womanizing teacher. He’s a hottie, I’ll give you that.”
I rolled my eyes. Jasmine was supposed to be supportive, but she was only pissing me off. She obviously must have heard her gossip wrong. It had to have been another professor who’d gotten involved with a student. James wouldn’t lie to me, not about that. I’d asked him early on about it. This simply wasn’t true. “I need to go.”
“He’s in class, Cammie. You can’t walk in declaring you’re with child.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “What the hell am I going to do?”
“You could get an abortion. I’d go with you so you’re not alone. In a couple weeks you’ll be back to your studies. You don’t have to change your life because of a mistake.”
“I’d never get an abortion. It’s not an option. What James and I have is real. He’s a parent. He’d never ask me to get rid of my baby. He loves me.” I’d let down my walls and fallen victim to my need for a connection. Had he taken advantage of me? Was it possible?
“I really hope you’re right. You’re a nice girl, Cammie, but this world isn’t a nice place. Bad things happen to good people. You have to consider he took advantage of you.”
“I can’t. I won’t. I know him.” I repeated.
She patted my shoulder. “I have a class in ten minutes. Text me if you need anything. Good luck when you talk to Professor Willis. I hope you get the answers you’re looking for.”
I didn’t cry again until I knew she’d left the room. Jasmine had been right. I couldn’t storm into his classroom and announce my situation. I had to be discreet. James would understand. He’d find a way for this to work out; for us to finally be together without sneaking around.
Like clockwork, my cell phone buzzed just as his final class of the day was getting out.
Meet me at our place in an hour? – James
I’ll be there. – Cammie
I was trembling as I showered and changed, grasping at what I was going to say to give him the news I’d previously discovered. Had this been an open relationship where we didn’t have to hide perhaps the outcome wouldn’t seem so bleak. With nothing but fear on my side, I worried I was stepping into the demise of our relationship.
We’d been meeting there for months, though I skimmed the room for things I may have never noticed before. The furniture was old and worn, all except for the bed he claimed to have purchased for us. I wondered if he’d been telling the truth. Where else would he have picked up a bed in new condition and had setup? Then I considered how long it had been