Four

ZOEY

Zoey quivered under his gaze, long minutes of silence stretching between them. 

There was an awkwardness none was willing to lesson, with Professor Beaumont casually smoking his cigar and staring at her while her gaze was focused on the desk. She wouldn’t dare look at him. How could she? After what just happened.

The smoke stemming from the bottom of his cigar began to pollute the air, making the environment unsafe for her. 

She coughed, a signal to him that it was getting very uncomfortable and she had to leave.

Zoey began to feel some sort of pressure in her pelvic region, a signal that her bladder was in distress.

She sat there, her mind conflicted.

Yes, she feared Professor Beaumont and she respected him, but wouldn’t it be more humiliating if she peed all over his floors because he was holding her in his office against her will?

“Professor Beaumont, please could you let me go and use the restroom?” She asked calmly, daring to look at him.

He took another sip of Macallan from his hip flask and then cleared his throat.

“Zoey Prince, none of us is leaving this office until you do what you vowed.” Professor Beaumont said.

Ideally, Zoey should beg, but something snapped in her head.

“Professor Beaumont, I think you should go fuck yourself!” She said before turning around to leave as though the door wasn’t locked and they key card in his pocket. There was no way she could get it, but still, she had to prove that she wasn’t a weakling that would shiver under his words. She didn’t get to the door when his voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Zoey, walk through that door and forfeit your attendance to the rest of my classes this semester.” 

Zoey stilled before turning around to look at him.

“And who the fuck do you think you are?” She began.

“Some god I’m supposed to be bowing to and worshiping at his feet?” She asked.

Amazed, Simon adjusted in his seat, smoking some more.

“You have made my life a living hell since I stepped into this university for one mistake that I made. Yes, it was bad, but did you at least let me explain or give me a second chance. I read from various articles that you were a good man. The Alumni said they missed being under your tutelage, and God did I look forward to my masters, but it was a lie. You are nothing, but a misanthropic narcissist…” She paused, panting because she was out of breath.

As the seconds went by, the dam that was her bladder was on the brink of exploding, but Zoey didn’t care.

“What’s there to lose? You’ll make me fail this class, and come back next semester to rewrite it only to fail me again. It’d be an unending cycle, and you’d make me unable to graduate. All my life, I have lived by the book. I have followed rules and regulations and above all, I have looked forward to this Master’s program more than anything, and I have looked forward to learning a lot from you professor, but right now Professor, I think you should piss off. Now, that is what this mouth can do.” She said, her heart rate multiplying and her blood boiling.

Turning around to leave, she barely took two steps before he seized her hand, pulling her so that her body collided against his.

“What do you …”

Professor Beaumont’s lips slammed against hers, capturing her mouth in a desperate kiss. Placing a hand on the curve of her waist, he pulled her closer before cupping her face.

Zoey, who was on autopilot suddenly became cognizant and pulled away. Her heart beat so fast, she could hear it in her ears. It was a wonder it hadn’t popped out of her chest. 

She was a panting mess.

For the slightest of seconds, they stood there, a few meters apart , staring at each other. One not recognizing the other due to what had just ensued.

Professor Beaumont dipped his hand into his pocket, bringing out the keycard, he handed it to her, avoiding eye contact. Zoey, with shaky hands, collected  it and walked to the door. She unlocked it, walked back to his desk and placed it there.

He tossed it over to her from where he was seated.

“Keep it.” 

She went on autopilot again, and picked up the keycard before walking out of the office.

SIMON

What had he done?

What was he thinking?

He had crossed a line.

The one student who had gotten on his nerves, the one student who he had promised to show hell on earth was now on his radar.

He couldn’t even sit there and accuse her because he was the one who kissed her. He fuckinig initiated it.

Also, he gave her his key card which meant that she could walk into his office whenever she pleased. Fuck him!

Unable to accept that he did that, he picked his car keys, and all of his things before making his way out of his office.

Maybe if he went home, drank a full bottle of rum, smoked some, and took a long ass shower, it’d wash away the memory and feel of the kiss because he remembered every goddamn detail; the way her body went plush against his, how soft her lips were, how she whimpered and God did he want to delve in and put his tongue if she’d let him, but she pulled away.

He should not think about his student in this manner.

Above all, he shouldn’t think about Zoey Prince that way.

He was about to take the stairs when he ran into the dean of the faculty.

“Oh, Professor Beaumont, I’m so glad I caught you now.” Dr. Emerson said as soon as he set his sights on him.

“Yeah…” Simon said, unsettled because the last place he wanted to be right now was in this fucking university.

“It’s been a hassle trying to get to you. You have been so busy. Anyways, I wanted to inform you that the Awards for distinguished scientific contributions to psychology are coming up. It’s something we all look forward to.” 

“Yeah, very good awards.” Simon had zero interest.

“Since you’re a past recipient, the faculty wants you to represent the University.”

“Oh, great. I’ll communicate the progress.” He began to hastily walk away when Dr. Emerson stopped him.

“That isn’t all, Professor Beaumont. There’s been a new development.”

Confused, he asked “Which is?”

“The faculty is looking to expose some of our top students so they are experienced in these areas once they are done with the program.”

At that point, Simon wanted Dr. Emerson to get to the point because he was getting uncomfortable and impatient waiting on these stairs.

“The faculty is pleased to inform you that you’ll be selecting four students to go to France with you. Two Bachelor’s, two Master’s.” 

Woah, that got out of control really fast.

“Sorry?” 

“Yes Professor Beaumont. You have till the end of the week to submit the names of the students you’ll be selecting.” With that, Dr. Emerson walked away.