by Ivy Smoak
"I'm not leaving here unless it's with you."
"You forgot my birthday." I bit my lip. I wish this still didn't hurt so much.
"I didn't forget."
I shook my head. What an asshole. "Fine. You ignored my birthday then. I feel like that's even worse."
"Please just let me explain."
"There's nothing to explain. You're my boyfriend, you should have at least wished me a happy birthday. Sorry, ex boyfriend." I crossed my arms in front of my chest.
"Well that explains a lot."
I looked up at him. "What are you talking about?"
"You and Mr. Stevens don't seem to be acting like just friends anymore."
I glared at him. "That's really none of your business."
"Everything you do is my business."
"Nothing I do is your business. We're done. You've made that very clear."
"We are not done."
"Yes we are. You ignored me for weeks. And now you finally show up. Apparently just to make me feel like shit because I don't hear you offering an apology."
"I told you that I wanted to talk."
"Then talk. Tell me why you acted like I didn't exist. Do you have any idea how hard it was to go to class and feel invisible?" The room felt stifling.
"Yes, I do."
"No, you don't." I looked down at the ground. I didn't want to cry. "It's too late to talk. You waited too long. I can't. I don't want to. Not anymore."
"Penny, come on, let's go." He reached out for my hand.
"Stop." I pulled away. I didn't want him to touch me. I didn't want him here. I could feel tears beginning to well in my eyes. Why is he here? Just to torture me?
"Penny." He put his hand on my elbow.
"Don't touch me." I took another step back.
"Penny." He closed the gap between us.
"She said stop." Tyler put his hand on Professor Hunter's chest and lightly shoved him back. I wasn't sure when he had appeared. I wondered how much of our conversation he had heard.
Professor Hunter looked stunned that Tyler had shoved him. "Tyler," he said coolly and nodded his head.
"James, is it?" Tyler said sarcastically.
"Look, she's drunk. I'm just going to take her home."
"Jesus, I'm not drunk." Why does everyone keep saying that?
"She can spend the night if she wants to. Don't worry about it," Tyler said.
"That's exactly what I'm worried about. Penny, let's go. Now." He had talked to me sternly before, but never like this. I swallowed hard. Why was it so hard to resist his authority? It took every ounce of my resolve not to go to him.
Tyler put his arm out in front of me even though I didn't move. "She's not going anywhere with you. Why are you even here?"
"Because my girlfriend invited me."
"She's definitely not your girlfriend. Get the fuck out of my house."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Professor Hunter looked at me. His expression turned icy.
"You know what it means," Tyler said.
Shit.
"Tyler. Get out of my way." Professor Hunter seemed calm, but I could tell he was on the edge.
"Or what?"
Professor Hunter took another step toward me, but Tyler shoved him in the chest again. Harder this time. Professor Hunter took a few steps back to steady himself. He shook his head back and forth.
"Tyler," I said quietly. I reached out and touched his shoulder. I didn't want them to fight. They both looked so angry now.
Professor Hunter looked down at my hand on Tyler. He balled his hand into a fist and cocked his arm.
"James!" I screamed.
But he didn't listen to me. He punched Tyler square in the nose.
Tyler cursed as he stumbled backwards.
"Oh my God, are you okay?" I touched the side of Tyler's face. His nose started gushing blood. "Oh my God, Tyler."
He wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "Hold this for me," he said and handed me a small wrapped box. My present. I looked back up and saw him charging at Professor Hunter.
"What the hell are you doing?!" I yelled after him.
Tyler dropped his shoulder at the last second, slamming into Professor Hunter's stomach. They knocked into a few couples dancing as the two of them fell to the floor. They were yelling at each other, but their words were drowned out by the music.
A girl screamed as they rolled over and almost knocked into her. Professor Hunter had blood on his face, and I wasn't sure if it was because Tyler had hurt him or if Tyler's bloody nose had just dripped onto Professor Hunter's face. I looked around for a fire alarm. It was the only thing I could think of to do. But we were in a frat house. There were no fire alarms.
The dance music suddenly stopped.
"I'll fuck whoever I want to fuck," Tyler snarled as he landed a punch across Professor Hunter's face.
Oh my God.
The room was quite for another second and then people started yelling, "Fight, fight, fight!"
I ran over to them. "Stop it! Both of you, stop!"
I tried to grab Tyler's arm before he landed another punch on Professor Hunter, but I wasn't strong enough to hold him back. Professor Hunter grabbed his axe from the floor beside him and whacked Tyler on the side of the head with it.
He grabbed Tyler's collar and pulled him close to his face. "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay the hell away from her."
"I can end you."
"Then do it." He let go of Tyler's collar and pushed him back down to the floor.
Professor Hunter stood up. He was starting to get a black eye and there was a cut on his lip. There was blood on his face, but I wasn't sure where it was coming from. He gave me a pleading look.
I looked over Professor Hunter's shoulder as Tyler stood up. "Please stop fighting. James, please just go. We can talk tomorrow, okay? Please."
"Penny, do not make me carry you out of here," he said.
"Hey, asshole! She asked you to leave." Tyler pulled his sword from his belt and chucked it at the back of Professor Hunter's head.
Professor Hunter stumbled to the side. He rubbed the back of his head. He gave me one last pleading look.
I didn't know what to do.
"Okay," Professor Hunter said. "Okay." He turned away from me and walked toward the stairs.
Melissa came running up to me. She started talking really fast but I couldn't seem to focus on her words. When Professor Hunter passed by Tyler, Tyler said something to him, but I couldn't make it out. Professor Hunter's head snapped to the side and he rammed into Tyler. The two of them fell onto the table that they were using as a bar.
I ran toward them again. "What is wrong with you?!" I screamed, directing it at both of them. I grabbed Professor Hunter's arm and tried to pull him off. I wasn't strong enough. I let go of his arm and stood back, screaming at them to stop. Professor Hunter punched Tyler one last time and stood up. I couldn't see Tyler. Professor Hunter was blocking my view. Is he okay?
Suddenly Professor Hunter stepped to the side. Tyler's fist landed on my stomach. I tried to breathe but couldn't. I stepped backwards and slipped on some of the spilled alcohol. I put my hands out to catch myself but my reaction was too slow. My head slammed against the concrete floor.
Chapter 6
Saturday
"Penny," a familiar said. "Penny? God, Penny open your eyes."
I gasped and sat up. The room was so bright. It felt like I was dreaming. I blinked hard as the room came into focus. My head was pounding. I reached up and felt something damp. When I brought my hand down my fingers were covered in blood.
"Penny?"
My eyes focused on Professor Hunter's face. "I thought you weren't talking to me?" I mumbled. I reached up and touched my forehead. "What happened?"
"You fell. Don't you remember?"
"What?" I looked down at Professor Hunter's hand. He was holding a cloth that was covered in blood. Is all that blood from my head?
"Penny, what is the las
t thing you remember?" He was standing next to me by the bed I was on. He looked concerned.
"I don't know." I felt like I wanted to cry. "You weren't talking to me." I looked around at Professor Hunter's bedroom. "Why am I here? How did I get here?" It had been so long since I had been here. The last time I was in his apartment he had told me to leave.
"I carried you." Professor Hunter looked concerned. "Penny, tell me the last thing you remember."
"I don't know." I started to cry. I felt confused. "I don't know why I'm here. I can't remember. Am I okay?" What is happening to me?
"You're going to be fine. The doctor is on the way." He said it calmly, but he didn't look calm. He lightly pressed the cloth in his hand against my forehead.
I put my hand over my mouth. I was going to throw up. I tried to climb out of bed, but the sudden movement made me dizzy. I started to fall, but Professor Hunter caught me. He kept his arms around me as he set me back down on the bed.
"Penny, stay still. The doctor will be here any second. You're going to be fine," he repeated. He sat down on the bed next to me and rubbed my back.
I immediately threw up down the front of him. He patted my back as I finished vomiting all over his shirt. The taste was horrible. The sight was even worse. "I'm so sorry," I groaned.
"It's okay." He rubbed my back. "It's okay. Stay right there. I'll be right back." Professor Hunter quickly stood up and walked out of the room. When he came back a minute later, he was no longer wearing a shirt and was carrying a bottle of ginger ale. He handed me the bottle.
"Drink this," he instructed. He sat down next to me.
"I'm so sorry," I repeated.
"Please stop apologizing. All of this is my fault." He suddenly looked angry. "Where the hell is he? He should have been here by now."
I reached up and grabbed Professor Hunter's chin. I turned his face to me. "You're hurt."
"I'm fine, baby. I'm fine." He took my hand and kissed my palm. He stroked his thumb against my palm as he brought it to his lap.
"No." His lip was cut and there was a bruise forming around his eye. Tears started to stream down my cheeks again. He was hurt, yet here he was taking care of me.
"You should see the other guy." Professor Hunter gave me a weak smile.
"Was this my fault?"
Professor Hunter continued to rub his thumb against my palm. "No. It's mine."
A buzz sounded through the apartment. "Finally." Professor Hunter stood up. "Don't move." He disappeared from the room.
I heard the elevator doors ding open and then hushed voices. I tried to concentrate on their words.
"She just threw up," Professor Hunter said.
"Has she been drinking?" said the stranger.
"Yes. But that's not why I'm worried."
"How much?"
"I don't know."
"Let me see her."
"Steven, she fell. She hit her head hard. She's disoriented. She doesn't even remember what happened."
The stranger walked into the room. "Miss Taylor, I'm Doctor Ridge."
"Hello," I said weakly. I couldn't help but realize how much trouble I was in. Doctors had to report underage drinking to the college, didn't they?
"Can you tell me what happened tonight?"
I shook my head.
"How did you hit your head?"
I looked up at Professor Hunter. "I fell?" That's what he had said.
"Do you remember falling?"
"No."
"Have you been drinking?"
"I don't...I don't know." I swallowed hard. My head was fuzzy like I was buzzed. "Yes. I think so."
"How much alcohol have you consumed?"
"I don't know. I don't remember." My eyes were growing watery again. His tone was so accusatory.
He walked around the bed and put down a bag on the floor. He unzipped it and held up some sort of small flash light to my eyes. "Follow the light with your eyes," he instructed.
I did as best I could.
"Please stand for me."
I slid off the bed and onto my feet. But my legs were wobbly. I felt dizzy. Doctor Ridge put his hands on my arms and helped me back onto the bed.
"You have a concussion. Sit back for me."
I leaned against the pillows behind me. He grabbed something else from his bag and blotted my forehead. It stung.
"You need stitches."
"Shouldn't I go to a hospital?"
"I'll fix you up better than any emergency room doctor at this hour. Close your eyes. This is going to sting, but then you won't be able to feel anything."
Professor Hunter climbed on the bed beside me and grabbed my hand.
Before I closed my eyes I saw Dr. Ridge pull a syringe out of his bag. Holy shit. I squeezed Professor Hunter's hand. I felt the pinch of the needle in my forehead and a few moments later the pain was gone.
"Keep your eyes closed, Penny," Professor Hunter said. He stroked my palm with his thumb. I squeezed my eyes shut. Professor Hunter's voice was soothing. And his fingers rubbing against my palm made me relax. I kept my eyes shut until the doctor told me he was done.
"Take it easy for a few days," he instructed.
"Thank you," I murmured.
Dr. Ridge nodded and gave me a small smile. Professor Hunter walked him out of the room.
"What about her memory?" James asked as soon as they were out of the room. I closed my eyes and listened.
"She's just in shock. She should be fine in the morning. Call me if she's still having trouble with her memory."
"Thank you for coming out, Steven."
"Did you want to tell me what happened tonight?"
"A sequence of unfortunate events is all."
"I see. How old is she?"
"Old enough." Professor Hunter sounded defensive.
"Does Isabella know?"
Professor Hunter didn't answer. Or at least, I couldn't hear his answer. I bit my lip.
"Put some ice on that eye, James."
I heard the elevator ding. A moment later James walked back into the room. He walked to my side of the bed and sat down on the edge. "Stay still," he said. He dotted some salve onto my forehead. It felt good to be taken care of after so many weeks of feeling completely alone.
"Why are you crying? Does it hurt?" he asked.
I shook my head. He placed a white bandage over the stitches. I watched his face as he applied the medical tape to keep it in place. I suddenly felt homesick.
"I want to go home."
"Penny, you are home." He cupped my chin in his hand.
"Please, Professor Hunter."
"I'm not letting you out of my sight." He sat down next to me and pulled my head onto his chest. His tantalizing scent made me feel numb.
"I need to go home." Tears began to well in my eyes. I missed my parents. I needed to talk to my mom. "Please."
He kissed my forehead. "You need rest."
His cologne had completely engulfed me. I looked down at my lap. "Why am I wearing one of your shirts?"
"I didn't want Dr. Ridge to see you in the outfit you were wearing earlier."
"You undressed me?"
"Yes."
How long had I been passed out? "You shouldn't have done that."
"Penny, I've seen you naked plenty of times."
I looked up at him. "You're not allowed to see people naked that you've ignored for two weeks. That's not how things work. You've got everything backwards." I was rambling. I wasn't even sure what I was saying.
"In that case, I'm sorry."
"Good."
He kissed my forehead next to my bandage. A rumble of thunder sounded outside. A moment later I could hear the patter of rain against the window. I breathed in Professor Hunter's cologne.
"It's raining," I mumbled.
He kissed my forehead again.
"Whenever it rains I think about you. It's when I missed you the most. You promised you wouldn't be mad at me. You promised."
Instead of answering me, he kiss
ed my forehead again.
I looked up at him. "You should put ice on your eye."
"Don't worry about me, Penny."
"You're very worrisome," I sighed into his chest. "You never talk to me. You won't let me in."
Professor Hunter ran his hands through my hair. "I'm trying."
I yawned. "It's normal to worry about the people you love." I tried to keep my eyes open but my eyelids felt heavy. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.
Chapter 7
Saturday
I slowly opened my eyes. Professor Hunter was laying next to me in bed. His eyes were closed and his breathing was slow and steady. There was a dark bruise around his eye. I sat up. My head hurt. I reached up and felt the bandage. I climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom. I flipped on the light switch and stared at my reflection in the mirror. A bruise was peeping out from under the bandage. Everything came back in a rush. I gulped, remembering the feeling of getting the wind knocked out of me. Shit. Tyler.
I ran back into the bedroom. I needed to call Tyler. I needed to see if he was okay. My Poison Ivy costume was in a heap on the floor. But my phone wasn't there. I looked around the bedroom. Professor Hunter stirred in his bed. I went back into the bathroom and locked the door. I put my back against the door and sighed. What had I done? I swallowed hard. My mouth still tasted like vomit. I looked over at the sink. There was a toothbrush still in its plastic wrapping. I walked over, opened it up, and brushed my teeth. When I was done I held the brush in my hand and stared at the toothbrush holder. Professor Hunter's toothbrush sat there alone. I thought about Tyler's hands on my waist. I gulped and tossed the toothbrush into the trash. I leaned down and put my face in my hands.
I had turned into a slut in one day. I kissed a stranger. I fucked Tyler. And I slept over at Professor Hunter's apartment all within a day. I slid my hands down and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I pulled my hair up into a messy bun and pulled Professor Hunter's t-shirt off. There was a large bruise on my stomach and a small one on my elbow. I moved away from the mirror and turned on the shower. I felt disgusting. I needed to wash yesterday off of me.
The water only took a second to get warm. I stepped in, trying carefully not to get my bandage wet. I put my hands on the wall and let the water fall on my back. The image of Professor Hunter in here with me popped into my head. I tried to shake it away. I poured some of his body wash onto my hands, trying to ignore the intoxicating smell. I imagined his hands on me, washing me. Fuck. I quickly rinsed and turned the water off. I needed to get a grip. My stomach was in knots. How had things escalated so quickly last night? Tyler and Professor Hunter had had a fist fight over me, or because of me. This whole situation seemed surreal. I needed to get back to my dorm room. Melissa would know what to do. She always knew what to do.