“Excuse me?”
“You heard me, Professor Dunlap. Your students have been alerted that there will be no class today. I need time to handle the mess you have created. I suggest you go home and get your head on straight. Sleeping with a student is despicable.”
I stood, and narrowed my gaze at her. “You can’t expel Tessa; you know that.”
“Yes, I can. Quite easily, really.”
“No. That is completely unfair.”
An evil smile spread her lips to the point they were an ugly white. “I should think this will be an excellent life lesson for the young lady. You can’t sleep your way to the top and not expect there to be consequences. Tessa is expelled. There is nothing you can do or say that will change that.”
I turned to leave. I wanted to knock the bitch out. I wasn’t prone to violence, but in this one instant, I really want to slap that grotesque smile off her face.
“Professor Dunlap?”
I stopped and turned to look at her. “Keep your dick in your pants and out of my students if you will. Thank you.”
My eyes widened with shock at her vulgarity. I considered telling her to go fuck herself but thought better of it. I didn’t want to make anything worse for Tessa. I had already cost her too much.
I took a deep breath and made my way outside. I needed to call Tessa and let her know what was coming. How was I going to tell her? This was going to crush her. I loved her. I knew I loved her and I was more than willing to sacrifice my job, but she needed this degree.
I fished my phone out of the pocket of my slacks and quickly pulled up her number. She didn’t answer. I couldn’t bring myself to leave her a voicemail. I sent her a quick text instead.
We need to talk. Call me ASAP.
I held the phone in my hand, waiting for her to call or at the very least, text me back. By the time I reached my car, she still hadn’t done either. Maybe she already knew. She was probably pissed and wanted nothing to do with me.
I got in my car and sat there, processing everything. What the fuck! After the best two days of my life, how could everything blow up in a matter of minutes? It wasn’t right.
Still holding my phone, I called Jake.
“Dude, I fucked up,” I said, the second he answered.
“What? What did you do? Do you need a lawyer?”
I had to laugh at his instant response to come bail me out of jail.
“No. At least I don’t think so. Tessa and I got busted. She’s going to be expelled, or maybe she already got expelled. I don’t know; she isn’t answering my calls.”
“What about you?” he asked.
“The dean sent me home and said I won’t be needed after next semester. Can you believe that shit? She wants me to keep teaching, but expelled Tessa!”
“How did she find out?”
I shook my head, getting more pissed by the second. “One of the sniveling little brats in my Monday class turned us in. I don’t know how she could have known. Tessa and I never left the house!”
Jake let out a long sigh. “I don’t know. Sounds like your little brat has a major crush on you and got jealous. Or she really hates Tessa. Girls are pretty vindictive.”
“No, it’s me she hates. She’s pissed I wouldn’t let her out of an assignment she claimed not to understand. She’s lazy, wants the ‘A’ but doesn’t want to do the work, so she ran to the dean with some bullshit story.”
I took a moment to process it all. “Tessa is going to be crushed,” I said in a soft voice.
“I’m sorry. Really, I am. Maybe I can help. I am a lawyer after all.”
“I wish, but I don’t think a lawyer can do anything in this situation. I fucked up, and Tessa is going to pay the price. Are you at work?” I suddenly had an idea.
“Yep, had to come in early,” he said, crushing my excitement.