Chapter 8

              Nikki stayed in her seat at the end of class and watched the other students pack up to leave. She thought she would get a moment to relax after a long day, but she frowned when Ella made a beeline for her instead of leaving.

              “Nikki, was it?” Ella smiled.

              “Can I help you?” Nikki asked.

              “I just wanted to tell you about my club,” Ella revealed. “I am the president of the Daughters of Academia club here on campus.” She gestured to the other girl standing with her. “This is my Vice President, Mabel.”

              “Hi.” Mabel smiled.

              “Nice to meet you.” Nikki sighed as she smiled. She was doing her best to be polite. “What is this club you run?” She asked her.

              “It’s a club for daughters of prominent academics,” Mabel explained. “My father is a retired professor of Havard.” She smiled.

              “Oh, um. I don’t have such a heritage.” Nikki revealed.

              “We can make an exception for you.” Ella smiled and looked over at Thorn. We can count Professor Thorn as your, uh…” She grinned as she looked at Nikki. “Academic daddy.”

              “Uh?” Nikki blushed bright red at the way Ella referred to Thorn. “That’s…terrible.” She frowned.

              “I think it’s cute.” Mabel laughed. Ella joined her. Thorn noticed the two of them talking to Nikki from his desk and frowned when he saw Nikki's embarrassed expression.

              “Miss Delwood, " he called out her name in warning. The three girls looked at him. “Bothering my favorite student again?” he asked disapprovingly. Ella clicked her tongue as she smirked. She glanced at Nikki and noticed her blush darkening as the cold-hearted professor called her his favorite student. She pulled out a business card and handed it to her.

              “Call me if you are interested in the club,” Ella told Nikki. She then glanced down at Thorn before looking back at Nikki. “Or if your academic daddy gives you any trouble.” She practically purred.

              “Tsk.” Nikki snatched the card away from her as she blushed bright red. She turned her head to the side. “Whatever.” She huffed. Ella smiled as she linked arms with Mabel and walked away from Nikki. She looked at Thorn, who was showing his disapproval.

              “See you around, Professor Thorn.” She waved to him as she left the room. Thorn scowled as he grumbled about her being just as annoying as her father before returning to packing his things.

              “Goodness…” Nikki sighed in relief when it was just her, Thorn, and a few other students left in the classroom. She leaned back into her chair with her eyes closed.

              “Um, excuse me?” She opened her eyes when one of the male students approached her.

              “Yes?” She asked him.

              “Oh, um.” He looked at her with a slight blush on his face. “I just…wanted to say you are gorgeous.” He complimented her. Nikki blushed at the sudden compliment.

              “Thank you…” she smiled softly in response. The young man smiled happily at her before awkwardly waving to her as he turned to leave the classroom. She laughed lightly as she waved back. Nikki did not notice Thorn watching her interact with the male classmate. With the room nearly empty, he had heard the young man calling her beautiful. The professor grinded his teeth as he seethed with anger.

              “Stupid…” He frowned at his behavior. Then, he shook his head as he tried to manage his emotions. “…stupid…” He sighed as he realized his jealousy was getting the best of him. Once the classroom was empty, Nikki quickly packed up her stuff and then walked down to Thorn’s desk. She began packing the items into the box, preparing to return them to his office.

              “People are weird.” She told Thorn as she worked.

              “That is certainly true.” He sighed in agreement. “Did Delwood torment you?” He inquired.

              “Uh, yes,” Nikki revealed as she blushed slightly.

              “She is just like her father,” Thorn complained. “They are both insufferable.”

              “She certainly has no problem making things inappropriate,” Nikki complained. The professor’s ears perked up.

              “Inappropriate? What on earth did she say to you?” He asked, clearly concerned.

              “I-it was nothing,” Nikki said quickly. “She was just joking, and I just took it the wrong way.” She told him.

              “What did she say?” Thorn pressed.

              “Uh…” Nikki frowned and looked away from him as she blushed slightly. “…she invited me to join her club, but when I told her I am not the child of an academic, she said they would make an exception and just appoint you as my…” She paused, unsure how to rephrase what Ella had said less provocatively.

              “As your what?” Thorn asked; he was just curious at that point. Nikki sighed as she mustered up the strength to tell him the truth.

              “Academic daddy.” She confessed. The professor froze when he saw Nikki’s face turn bright red after telling him the truth. It took him a moment to register what she had just called him.

              “Academic daddy?” He asked softly.

              “It was just such a terrible thing to call you,” Nikki whined, covering her face with her hands. “I feel like she meant it to be inappropriate, but I don’t know! Maybe she’s just an oblivious fool.” She exclaimed. Thorn enjoyed seeing how flustered Nikki looked. He understood why she found Ella's words embarrassing and the implications of being called ‘daddy’ by a female student. However, he could not help but tease her.

              “I am a bit young to be your father, but I suppose being your academic daddy is fine by me.” He commented, hiding his smirk.

              “No!” Nikki shouted as she turned to him. “You cannot be that out of touch, " she complained. Thorn took in the sight of her bright red face and gray eyes filled with concern and embarrassment.

              “Sorry, sorry.” He chuckled. “I was only teasing.” He smirked. Nikki scowled at him but sighed in relief.

              “You are a jerk.” She complained. Thorn laughed lightly as he stood beside her and leaned against his desk.

              “It is rather funny.” He told her. “And honestly, it is not the first time I’ve been called a ‘daddy’.” He teased.

              “Who would dare?” Nikki asked, mortified.

              “Not to my face, of course.” Thorn laughed lightly. “I learned in passing about some of my past female students referring to me as a ‘daddy.’” He explained. “I will admit, I was a bit confused by what they meant at first.”

              “And when you found out they were sexualizing you?” Nikki pressed.

              “I just thought they had terrible taste or had daddy issues.” Thorn shrugged. Nikki looked at him in annoyance. It was starting to frustrate her that he was oblivious to his attractiveness.

              “How can someone as brilliant as you be so dense?” She questioned.

              “What?” Thorn looked at her, shocked by her sudden insult to his intelligence. “I tend to be the smartest person in the room.” He stated.

              “Uh-huh,” Nikki replied as she returned to packing up the box. Thorn frowned as she ignored him. “Is your office unlocked?” She asked him once she was done.

              “No…” He sighed as he pushed himself off his desk. He grabbed his satchel and pulled out his keys. “Come along.” He told her. Nikki grabbed the box and followed him to his office. Thorn opened the closet for her so she could put the box away. They ensured they had all their stuff before Thorn locked up the office and the classroom.

              “Are we still heading to the administration building before we leave?” Nikki asked.

              “Only if you're okay with me being your academic daddy?” Thorn smirked. Nikki blushed as she scowled at him.

              “I’m walking home.” She huffed as she turned on her heel to leave. Thorn chuckled as he reached out and grabbed her by the arm.

              “Oh no. You’re not getting away from me that easily.” He teased her.

              “Jerk.” Nikki pouted as he held her in place with a single hand wrapped firmly around her upper arm.

              “Come now. I am just playing around.” He continued to tease. Nikki could tell he was thoroughly enjoying teasing her in such a way. She frowned before deciding to play along with his game.

              “Whatever you say, daddy.” She smirked. She had expected him to laugh or scowl at her when she referred to him as such, but he did something unexpected.

              “…?” Thorn blushed as he looked at her in surprise. He let her go and turned away from her, embarrassed. “Perhaps you are right…” he mumbled. “…it is rather inappropriate.” Nikki looked at the older man in bewilderment. He seemed so confident when teasing her, so to see him become so flustered when she turned the tables on him was unexpectedly-

              “Cute.” She smiled as she watched Thorn walk away from her, completely flustered. She continued to smile as she followed after him.