PANIC SETS IN

LILY’S POV~

Is that Professor Derrin’s substitute? He is dang cute!

I can't believe a thought like that would land me in something I never dared imagine.

Who could this stunning professor be, the hot, sexy devil?

How has he had every girl on campus drop their panties for him?

To make things worse, my next-door neighbor is my psych professor.

I am failing his class, and now I'm in his black book.

The memories from last night came haunting me as I got ready for his class.

“Lily!” I heard my name behind me; I turned, and it was Tasha, her afro popping as she posed to one side in annoyance.

“Hey, Tash, sorry, you were saying?” I asked, picking up my bag. I put my textbooks inside, and stress filled my body.

“What's going on with you? You’ve been acting weird since you came back last night,” she asked, moving closer.

“I thought you were asleep. Shit, it's nothing. I'm just not ready for his class. I'm failing and…”

“Hey, hey, hey, Lily, hey, eyes on me,” Tasha said, her eyes darting back and forth to me as she gestured with her hands.

“Babes, babes, come on, it's just the start of the fall semester, it's just one test, you’ll get through it, he is just trying to flex his muscles,” she said, trying to convince me. She placed her hand on my shoulder.

“And maybe he's acting like the best professor around, but he isn't. Don't let him fuck with you, okay?” She finished, and I nodded innocently.

“Good, now shake it off. Come on, we have to get to class.”

The class got noisier the moment I walked in; mockery as loud as my soul followed.

“Hey, look, it's simple, Simon,” one would mock.

Laughter erupted, and someone got up.

“Excuse you! She’s not the only one failing the class, Jason, you are too, asshole,” she retorted, flipping her middle finger.

Jason was Alice’s boyfriend, and he was an idiot.

“Wait till Alice comes around, then we can have some fun with Simple Simon,” he laughed.

We all know he begged Alice to be his girlfriend just so he could hang out with Chad and the other jocks on the football team.

“Oh yeah, that’s right I haven’t seen her all day; she loves her warm milk cocoa at 7am, and she never opened the door today,” he confessed before looking around to see everyone looking at him.

Tasha shook her head. “What an idiot,” she said before she turned to me. “Just get through his class one day at a time.”

He walked in just a few minutes after everyone had settled in.

His eyes were stern as he looked around; he wasn't someone to fuck with—that much was clear.

No one has seen Alice since morning. Does it mean she never made it back to KNS last night?

Something gnawed at me: fear, curiosity, and a dangerous knowledge of what happened last night.

Just after Alice stopped breathing…

Where is Alice?

Then I saw him look at me, his eyes intense.

I froze. Why is he looking at me like that?

Like I owe him some sort of…..

Does he know I'm the one behind the curtains?

With every hard glare, I leaned back with guilt, hoping he wouldn't snap my neck next.

Does he know I saw him last night?

Fear filled my body.

He looked away, and I drew a breath in.

Suddenly, the dean walks in, his bald head glistening in the fluorescent light above him as he gives Dr. Wolfe a nod.

I saw him step back, but his eyes were on the dean as he spoke.

“Earlier this morning, a fisherman reported seeing a pinky toe caught in a fish's belly, a toe we have identified as belonging to Miss Alice Winters.”

The entire class gasped in horror.

“My goodness!” I heard Dr. Wolfe gasp, "I turned instantaneously to him; I knew it was all a lie.

“ As you know, Miss Alice was reported missing by the sorority sisters, and as the student body president, we must find her,” he paused before looking back at Dr. Wolfe.

“As the substitute for Professor Derrin, I'm leaving you to supervise her search,” he said, and I almost coughed.

How do I tell them he is the main suspect?

He nodded even though he wasn't happy about it.

“Hey, Jason!” Tasha called beside me, her voice thundering above me as she sprang up, pointing at him.

“You were with Alice after class; we heard you arguing in the field. Maybe she wasn't interested in your boring ass anymore!” She smirked, and everyone roared in laughter before agreeing with her.

I sat there silently as guilt gnawed at me. I looked in Dr. Wolfe’s direction, my heart skipped, and he was staring right at me again!

Shit! I looked away and squeezed my eyes shut, my nails embedded deep into my palms as I clung tightly.

But he haunted me, his piercing green eyes under those full lashes.

His gaze was intense, a sinister glare I can't stop reaching for.

“Mr. Carmichael, is that true?” Dr. Wolfe asked.

I gasped and looked at him; his arms were folded now, and his gaze was solely on Jason.

Jason was an asshole, but he hated being called out in public; he made it 100 percent his mission to stay that way just so he could hang out with Chad and the other jocks.

“Yeah, we just argued over some dumb shit, and we got mad and left. I swear that’s all that happened!” He said in his defense, his tone was shaky, turning everyone’s attention to him.

Whispers followed, “ I think Mr. Carmichael should be interrogated, Dean. He is the only suspect we have at the moment; maybe he knows more than he is letting on.” Dr. Wolfe mentioned calmly to the dean before gesturing to Jason.

The dean nodded and instructed the security guard he brought with him to bring Jason.

“Hey, I didn't do anything! Where are you taking me?” He exclaimed, but no one came to his aid; side gossips soon followed.

He looked back at Tasha, “You bitch!!!” He lunged for her, but she was quicker. “See! So violent, he probably murdered her!” she accused.

“Fuck you, Tasha!” he cried as the security men dragged him away.

Dr. Wolfe looked on, and as soon as he was out of sight, he focused back on the class.

“That will teach him to mess with you,” Tasha whispered before nudging me.

Dr. Wolfe explained the process and strategies we would use to find Alice Winters, but I already knew we wouldn't find her.

Because I know for a fact that Dr Wolfe has her tied up somewhere, waiting to come back and finish her off, waiting for his fingers to crawling up her body as he stole kisses from her back and shoulders

Waiting for him to slide his naughty fingers in between her thighs.

Waiting for Dr. Wolfe to…….

“Miss Martins!” I heard Him thunder my name. I gasped and turned back to the class. Snickering followed, and I was ashamed.

“I see you are daydreaming again; perhaps you’d like to explain further. How about you entertain me in my office?” He said calmly but sternly.

“What?” My heart pounding out of my chest, does he know it was me?

Will he do what he did to Alice to me…?

“I'm not going to repeat myself.”

He picked up his textbook. “Class dismissed. I expect a report on the topic by next class,” I heard Dr. Wolfe announce.

I sat there in absolute fear as I clicked my toes on the floor consistently.

Soon, everyone had left the hall, and right there in the long hull of space stood Dr. Wolfe at the podium.

His eyes roamed every inch and square of my fragile body, and a sudden chill in the air swept around me.

“Well then, Miss Lily Martins, I can't wait to see what you do to me.”