2

JULIA

Professor Bancroft's eyes darkened and his jaw ticked as he watched me. He had expected me to decline the subtle challenge and walk away with my tail tucked between my legs.

He straightened, his fingers brushing against the front of his shirt in a practiced move.

"Very well then" he said evenly and turned around.

I watched him as he reached for his notepad, my mind warring with an internal battle.

'Turn around and leave' it screamed at me but I stood stiffly, refusing to lose.

"Leave your contact information here" he held out a thin piece of paper and his pen.

I looked from his fingers holding them loosely to his eyes and I saw it again.

The challenge. An opportunity to say no and run.

"Okay," I said, my voice a lot firmer. I reached for the paper and our fingers brushed, just briefly and I pulled away.

Professor Bancroft eyed me as I scribbled my phone number on the thin paper. Once I finished, I handed it over to him, taking great care not to brush against his finger.

A moment passed and he retrieved it.

"I'll look forward to hearing from you" I said with a sweet smile, issuing my own challenge. It was up to him to back down now.

I turned around and walked out of his office, my posture upright even though my heart was beating erratically in my chest.

Once I closed Professor Bancroft's door behind me, I exhaled loudly. Keeping my hand over my pounding heart, I scurried out of the faculty office hallway and back to the student waiting area.

Nina was the only one in the hallway and she looked up at the sound of my footstep.

"Julia?"

"Let's go" I said and grabbed her arms, pulling her out of the exit.

"Julia, what happened?"

"Let's go" I insisted urgently and she let me pull her away.

Our ride home was silent, my head filled with the brief but intense encounter with Professor Bancroft. He'd lectured me for two years. This was the third semester and I'd never had any personal encounter with him.

Until now.

The details of his offer stayed cryptic but the intention was clear. And I should have screamed at him from the first offer and turned away but I didn't. And now, I was counting on him to back down.

"Okay. Tell me what happened" Nina asked as soon as we were behind our dorm door.

"With?"

"Professor Bancroft of course. He heard you call him names and he was very pissed"

I shrugged nonchalantly and she watched me closely.

I kept my expression neutral as I responded. "Nothing"

"Nothing? You mean he just let you go like that?"

"He let me off with a warning" I lied through my teeth. Nina stared at me in disbelief, trying to read me and get the answer she was looking for.

"I'm going to take a nap" I mumbled and walked past her, into the bathroom, and took a shower. I struggled to keep my mind off Professor Bancroft and his offer until I lay down for a nap.

When I opened my eyes again, the sky had darkened. Nina was laughing loudly on her phone with someone I presumed was her boyfriend. My fingers instinctively reached for my phone.

I checked my messages first and saw nothing. Not a message from Professor Bancroft.

The emotions were a strange mix inside of me.

Disappointment? Or excitement that he had backed out and I had won by default. I couldn't tell which was which.

"What are your plans for the short holiday?" Nina asked and I only just noticed her call had ended.

"Jared and I are going camping" I hummed in my throat as I thought about it.

I couldn't go home for the holiday. Not because I didn't have any family but because they had concluded I was a huge disappointment for deciding to get a degree in 'sex'

Over the years, I'd grown tired of explaining it all to them. They'd never understand so I found it useless to keep explaining.

"I'll just stay in the dorm and catch up on my studies"

"That's boring Julia. You should come with us"

"No. I would hate to be a third wheel" I said with a smile. Jared and Nina were good friends who tried to include me in everything but I'd rather not spend a whole week watching them suck face.

"Timothy will be joining" I scowled at the mention of Jared's best friend.

"I'll pass. Besides I need to work on my writing if I'm going to pass Professor Bancroft's class at the end of the semester"

"Ughh...I really wish you'd come" Nina grumbled but she was already back to clicking on her phone.

My phone vibrated on the bed and I picked it up. A message displayed on the screen.

9pm. I'll pick you up.

                 ~Edmund Bancroft

I stared at Professor Bancroft's full name at the bottom of the text.

My pulse raced the longer I stared at it and mild irritation prickled at me. He didn't back down.  He'd only thrown the challenge back at me.

My grip on my phone tightened. He was ridiculous if he thought I was going to back down.

"I have to go Julia. I'll see you later" Nina shouted as she hurried out of the dorm. I looked back at the text on my phone and at the time.

I had two hours until he arrived. I could text back and let him know I wasn't interested. But my curiosity was stronger so I rose from my bed.

My shower was longer than usual. I took my time washing myself and then oiling my skin. I skimmed through my wardrobe as I searched for something appropriate but daring.

My eyes stopped on the green dress and my fingers brushed against the material. Soft.

I pulled it off the hanger and slipped it on. The material clung tightly to my frame, neckline plunging deep to reveal the outline of my breast.

I stared at myself a little too long as I applied my lipstick.

'What are you dressing up for?' The voice in my head screamed and I paused.

'The challenge' a darker voice whispered and my fingers moved again.

I wasn't dressing up for him.

I was dressing up for the battle I didn't intend to lose.