Seven: Tristan’s POV (Huge mistake)

I sat in my spacious office, behind my desk with my head buried in my hands. This was one hell of a cluster fuck situation.

That night that I had gone to the party, I thought that it would be for my own good. After my divorce, I had barely any time to have fun or be happy.

When I received a letter from Heldon college requesting that I replace Timothy Harper as the Archeology professor I felt this was a chance for me to start over.

New life, new job, new chapter.

Then Alex came around. He was a highly attractive young man and I loved how he was straight forward. He wanted me to fuck him and I did.

A one night stand that left me craving his presence the minute I woke up.

I had accepted it as what it was. An amazing night that was going to remain in a locked off part of my memory.

How was I supposed to know that when I got ready and came to introduce myself to my new students that he’d be right there in the middle row staring at me with those eyes of his.

He looked just as shocked as I was. Even if I did my best to play it cool and act like I didn’t recognize him.

Even with my back turned I could feel his eyes on me. I won’t lie, I stared at him subtly a few times. I had to stop when I saw him smile at the boy next to him.

I hated that.

I shook my head. I didn’t want to be thinking of how attractive he was when I was supposed to be more concerned about this ever getting out.

But then again, Did I have to be worried? He wasn’t going to go around saying something like that when it would get us both in trouble right?

I sighed. This is a mess.

While I was still remembering how my first day on the job had played out, I heard a knock on my office door. It dragged me out of my thoughts.

“Come in” I said and the door opened slowly and a short man with receding hair peeped in.

He smiled at me and asked.

“I hope that I’m not interrupting anything?”

I shook my head. Even if he was, it was a welcome interruption.

“No, not at all,” I waved him in, “Come inside”

The man walked in, his smile unwavering and he shut the door behind him.

Mr Mathew Cullim. He was one of the few staff that had welcomed me warmly to Heldon.

He was roughly around his mid fifties, with a friendly demeanor and welcoming presence.

Unlike some of my colleagues who saw their fellow colleagues as competition or a means to climb a social ladder, Mathew was a genuine individual.

He was the Physics professor and always had a joke to tell and from what I heard, a prank to play as well.

“How are you doing, young man? Settling in properly?”

He asked as he shook my outstretched hand.

“I’m doing my best, Sir,” I replied and gestured to a seat, “If you’d please”

He let out a hearty chuckle.

“Don’t mind if I do” He said and sat down, “Did you know that this seat is made of pure, Italian leather”

I wasn’t surprised. Heldon college had a reputation to uphold.

“Is that right?”

“It is. Only the best for our staff”

“You’d think that the staff would smile a little bit more with all the effort that goes into pleasing then”

Mathew smiled and shook his head.

“A lot of the teachers here are new like yourself and under a lot of pressure to perform. From their employers, older colleagues and even more, the parents”

“You don’t seem like the type to place pressure on anyone, Mr Cullim” I said

“I know a few students that would strongly disagree”

“Well, I think you’re a nice guy”

“Thank you, Son”

“I’ve been meaning to ask, Mr Cullim”

“Mathew is just fine”

“Are you sure?”

I wasn’t used to addressing older folks by their first names except I didn’t like them.

“Of course”

“Okay then, Mathew. I wanted to find out what happened to the old professor”

“The one you replaced?”

“Mr Harper. I was told to say that he was unavailable if the students asked but I never really heard the true story. Was he fired?”

Mathew sighed and leaned back on the seat. His expression taking on a more somber form.

“It is quite a pathetic story to be honest”

Mathew began and I leaned forward, my curiosity piqued.

“What did happen?”

“Apparently, his youngest child had returned from the army. His name was Daniel and I had the chance to meet him a few years ago and he was a good lad”

“Is he alright?”

“Daniel?” Mathew asked

“Yes” I replied

“The poor boy had a mental breakdown and set himself on fire”

I gasped at the horrific news. I had never heard of anyone setting themselves on fire. To inflict that level of unimaginable pain on oneself had to come from a place of mental instability.

“That’s horrible”

Mathew nodded slowly. His eyes showed that he was equally upset about the situation.

“Harper felt guilty about the situation. He believed that if he had paid attention to his little boy then maybe this wouldn’t have happened”

“Did Daniel die in the fire?”

“No. But the state that he is in sometimes makes me wish that he had died,” he shook his head and sighed, “The poor child”

“That’s why Harper left?”

“He quit the very next day. He doesn’t know if his child will live too long and wants to be by his corner to the very end. Whenever it may come”

“You sound like you cared for Harper and his family”

“Harper was a good man. A much better teacher and if anyone should have gone through something like that, it shouldn’t have been him”

“I’m truly sorry about what happened.”

“That’s fine, Son. A man can’t pick what kind of battles that life sends his way”

“True,” I looked around the office, “If Mr Harper is even half the man that you make him out to be then I’m afraid that I have quite the shoes to fill”

Mathew laughed and tapped my hand to offer reassurance.

“Nothing to be worried about, Kid. You just do your job and stay out of trouble especially with these young women here at Heldon. Rumor has it that you have gained quite a number of admirers”

I smiled and looked away. A part of me whispered that I hoped Alex was part of the people who admired me.

“I’ll do my best to be of good behavior”

Mathew nodded and got to his feet.

“Well then,” He began, “ I best be on my way”

I rose to my feet as well and shook his hand.

“Thank you so much for stopping by, Sir”

“Don’t worry about it. I will make sure to keep checking in on you until you’re fully settled”

“I truly appreciate it, Sir. Sorry, I mean, Mathew”

He laughed and tapped my shoulder once.

“Anytime, Kid”

I watched as Mathew left the office and shut the door. I sighed and fell back on my seat.

This job was starting to look like a lot of work.