In fact, her usually stunning features are tarnished and have been replaced by a strict and severe look, which is rather unsettling. She’s been nothing but kind to me, which is saying a lot since she usually keeps a cold barrier between her and the students.
However, Professor Harper’s precaution is understandable since she’s considered to be one of the hottest teachers on campus. With her leather skirts and dark, black-framed glasses, she’s a mixture of naughty librarian and dominatrix. It’s no surprise most of Richfield has a hard-on for the professor, and if I batted for the other team, I’d probably want to take a swing at her, too.
So, to keep assholes at bay, she usually has a no-nonsense demeanor about her, leaving very little leeway for any of her students to get any funny ideas. And believe me, they do. I’ve seen plenty of male students trying to seduce her, and not because they want her to up their grade. Sharing her bed is reward enough for the horndogs.
Despite her cold front, she has never been that way with me. In fact, since my freshman year at this university, she’s been more like a counselor, always ready to help me with my academic endeavors. So her looking at me with an accusing and disappointed stare is making me nervous.
“Professor Harper, what’s wrong?”
“You tell me?” she quips back, just as harshly as she looks.
My face must show puzzlement because she leans against her desk, letting out a long exhale.
“You didn’t tell me you changed your mind about New York, Stone. Frankly, I’m disappointed you made the decision without coming to me to hash out your doubts about leaving Ashville.”
The hell?
“Ms. Harper, don’t take this the wrong way, but what the hell are you talking about?”
She raises her brow and crosses her arms over her chest, disapprovingly.
“No need to be coy with me, Stone. My friend at Watkins & Ellis already called me and told me you turned down the job.”
“I did what?!” I shout, almost spitting in her pretty, framed, cat-like glasses.
“You turned down the job in New York, so I assume pulled your candidacy for the scholarship at Columbia University as well,” she states, her confusion just as fierce as my own.
“Professor Harper, I don’t know who you are getting your intel from, but I did no such thing!” I choke out, but as I witness her unwavering confidence to the ludicrous statement, I begin to feel like my insides are about to explode.
The air around me starts to get heavy, leaving me struggling to get oxygen into my burning lungs. I start to hyperventilate, placing my hands on the edge of the desk to keep my head from spinning.
What the fuck is happening?
“Do you need some water? Are you alright, Stone?” I seem to hear her faint voice ask, but I’m unsure since her last words are still a jumbled mess in my head.
As I feel her gentle hand rub my back with no immediate relief, I slowly start losing my mind.
“Stone, tell me what you need?”
I take a deep breath, forcing myself to get my shit together and prevent a total freak-out in front of my teacher.
“I need answers, Professor Harper. That’s what I need.” I seethe through gritted teeth, my anger already taking hold of me. I straighten my back and looking the troubled professor in the eye, I say, “I have to go and make this right.”
“If there is anything I can do for you—”
“I got myself into this mess somehow, I’ll get myself out,” I snap, taking my fury out on the messenger.
“Do what you must. Remember, I’ll always be here if you need me,” Professor Harper adds, not one bit upset for me being seconds away from biting her head off.
Despite the respect and admiration I have for the woman before me, I’m not sure my stubborn anger won’t lash out at her again, so I just offer a stern nod and walk away without saying another word.
I have no recollection of how I got to my dorm room, nor do I remember dialing human resources at Watkins & Ellis. The only thing that snaps me out of my fevered haze is the pissed-off woman on the other line, repeating word for word what Professor Harper had told me in her classroom earlier.
“There must be some mistake,” I plea with the representative.
“I’m sorry, Miss Bennett, but there isn’t. In fact, your candidacy has already been filled. We sent you a few