Chapter 2
2053 Words
Rachel
I looked to my side; two students were waiting for their turns. We were taking turns meeting Professor Dunn. All female. Mackenzie’s words saying Dunn favored me circled in my mind. Well, I’d been listening to Dunn’s reputation.
Nothing.
However, Mackenzie, even Zara, told me the same thing over and over, again and again.
Dunn liked me. And by the mean liked, not just because I did great in my class – my grade was average – I only needed the bachelor’s title. As Mackenzie said, wanting to get in between my legs. Ugh, I wanted to voice out my scowl with my thought. It was kind of inappropriate if professors wanted to do that to their students. Besides, Dunn never did anything improper to me. He was being professional. A professor. Being nice. It was common. I didn’t know where my friends got that idea. If I told my brother and he said the same, I would flip everything out the window.
“Rachel,” Sadie, my classmate from the Marketing class, called me. I looked at her standing in front of Dunn’s office. “It’s your turn now,” she said.
“Oh, thanks, Sadie.” I rose and went inside the office.
“Miss Williams,” his deep voice rolled out my last name.
“Professor Dunn.”
“Please, have a seat.” He adjusted his hand to the black desk chair opposite him. I moved forward when Dunn asked, “How was your weekend?”
“Good.”
“Good time with your boyfriend?” he asked with a tease. Where the hell did that come from?
“No, I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Oh?” His face was priceless. Genuinely surprising. He thought I had a boyfriend. “I apologize, I thought you had one.” I could only smile and claim my seat.
“Yeah, no boyfriend. I don’t have time.” Not now, for sure.
“Okay then. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”
I shook my head. “That’s okay.” Putting my backpack on the floor, I faced my attractive professor again. “Did you have a chance to look at my proposal?”
“Oh yeah, I did.” He grabbed his laptop and turned it over for me to see. “I appreciate you took my advice to change it.”
“As long I can proceed.”
“You’re right.” He looked at the monitor again. “The Influence of a Celebrity Clothing Style on the Public. Can I safely assume you want to research your celebrity friend?” I nervously chuckled at his question. Words traveled fast than a plane; I could never avoid that. Ever since Mackenzie came to collect me when I just started my first year with her porcelain AMG, everyone immediately thought I had a, as Dunn said, celebrity friend. She was, though.
“I’ve been looking into it. My friend has nothing to do with my project, and I have no intention of using her.” Whenever Mackenzie appeared in the public, everyone soon copied her style. Even though they knew, Mackenzie’s clothing screamed branded and expensive. Not everyone could imitate that. And it was amazing that Mackenzie could influence people, her fans, and haters. I wasn’t naïve to think Mackenzie didn’t have haters. Of course, she had. She received a death threat before because she was caught having lunch with Lucas, who they claimed was the eternal bachelor. Jesus, this was my father all over before he tied the knot with my mom.
“If you can keep on with this idea, you will be good with your final project, Miss Williams. Although if I could suggest something,” he trailed off, looking for permission.
“Please.” What was he thinking? Of course, he was allowed. He was the professor, after all. He would watch over my project, guide me, give ideas, everything. His reputation was on the line too. Except for getting what was between my legs. Jesus, my mind. I wished everyone would stop saying Dunn targeted me as a woman.
“I suggest having two objects for you to observe and to compare with,” he said.
“Oh. Well, if you say so, I should do that.” Maybe I could ask Mackenzie’s help if she had friends… Er, no, I should research the celebrity myself.
“It doesn’t have to be a celebrity like an actress or a model; it can be a public figure. The one strong enough to impact people. Say, Cameron Greene?” My heart jumped out, and I literally died. If Dunn knew my past and he said that, I would punch him. He didn’t, so I could only flinch in my chair. And how grateful I was Dunn didn’t know I knew the Greene clan. “If I’m not mistaken, Mackenzie is Cameron’s cousin, no?” Maybe yes. f**k universe. Why the world had to be so small that people could know everybody’s business easily? We were in New York. The city was big enough that people wouldn’t know what others were doing. Dammit.
“I’m thankful for the idea, but I’m not sure he’s obtainable.” Obtainable? I mentally laughed at the thought. Cameron was unobtainable. Unreachable. He liked to be on top; he wouldn’t move his ass to the bottom.
“If you say so. This is my suggestion, and I hope you can follow it. I wanted to make sure the student I was supervising gets the grade she deserves and graduates with ease.”
I smiled. “You’re right.” He was right. Dunn was helping me. And I needed this title. I had the courage to talk with Cameron. But I would not be held responsible for my filthy mouth around that asshole. When was the last time we properly talked? I had no idea. Right after that disastrous day, Cameron and I never talked. Even when our families met, we barely spoke a word. Cameron mostly didn’t attend. Which was great so I wouldn’t embarrass myself more. So, no, I wouldn’t have him as the object of my final project. He would only make me fail. I had everyone I could have.
I spent another hour with Dunn talking about what I should do next. First, I needed my objects first. I needed to decide on them first. Mackenzie could help me. And then I could advance to the next stage. Dunn was a great supervisor. He pointed out what I needed to do, things I should avoid and gave a lot of opinions and suggestions. Honest to God, having him as my supervisor for my final project helped a lot. Not to mention, having a handsome professor taking care of me was a plus point for me. At least, if I had a bad day and I had to see him, that clean-cut face of his could make me forget and enjoy the consultation. However, I was not interested in him as a man. He was my professor. People should stop telling me he wanted to get in between my legs. Because it led me to reason number two, he was married. Yes, I knew cheating was uncommon these days. People cheat on a daily basis. But I wanted to believe Dunn wasn’t like that. He was faithful to his wife. He was just being kind. Was I too naïve to think that? I prayed not.
“That will be all for today. I will see you again this Friday,” Dunn concluded. “I hope you’ve made a progress when I see you then.”
“I hope I have, too. Thank you for today, Professor Dunn.”
“It’s a pleasure, Miss Williams.”
I collected my stuff. When I pulled my notebook, I hit his stationaries, sending them to the floor. “Oh, shoot! Ah, excuse me, I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay,” he chuckled. I quickly went to my knees and began collecting them. “Miss Williams, it’s fine.”
“It was my fault. I didn’t—” My hand stopped.
Scissor.
Fuck, I only touched the handle, barely touching it yet my brain quickly sent me to his room.
His voice coldly told me to come to him. The image of Cameron holding the scissor like he was holding a knife, ready to assassinate me. Him grabbing my hair. My crown. My dignity.
Consider this as a reminder, Dolly.
And my hair was gone.
“Miss Williams?” I heard him but didn’t. I choked a breath and knocked myself to the floor. “Miss Williams!” Dunn in panic held me as I went into a panic attack. f**k, I couldn’t be having an attack here. This was embarrassing!
“I’m okay,” I said unconvincingly.
“No, you’re not. Here,” He turned my body, “Look at me,” he asked. I did, but instead of Dunn, I saw Cameron.
No!
I shut my eyes. “Miss Williams,” Dunn gently called me again. “Take a deep breath. Follow mine. Listen to my voice, Miss Williams.” I tried to. It was not Cameron. It was not, yet it was him. f**k, get the hell out of my head! “Try, Miss Williams, you can do it,” he convinced me again. I slowly took a breath. I could do this. “That’s it, and release it slowly.” I did. “One more time.” I did it again. “You are okay, Miss Williams.” Oh, please don’t say it. Please don—” You will be okay.” And he did. “Think something positive. Something that will lead you to the light.” Nothing. Cameron had blackened my world. My passion for hairstyling was gone in a blink of an eye after he cut my hair. “Count in your mind, and when you’ve reached five, I want you to open my eyes as slowly as possible. And remember, it’s me here. Focus on my voice. You can do this.”
I gulped.
It was not him. It was Dunn.
I was okay. I would be okay.
One… Two… Three… Four… Five…
Slowly opening my eyes, Cameron was not there anymore. Only Dunn. “There you are.” He charmingly smiled. Oh, his dimples were cute. His blue eyes were warm; I could see a bit of worry there. Of course, he would be worried. His student just had a panic attack. If I were him I would be scared, too, because I would think I made that happen. He made that happen.
“I—I’m sorry, Professor.”
“You don’t have to.” He looked behind, trying to find the source of my panic attack. His eyes returned to me again, smiling. Without a word, he helped me to stand. He grabbed my bag and handed it to me.
“Are you not going to ask what happened to me?”
“No, I won’t force you to say it. As long it wasn’t because of me.” I knew it.
I smiled and shook my head. “It wasn’t your fault. It was mine.”
“Stop blaming yourself, Miss Williams. Do you need a ride home?”
“No, I’ll be fine. I have to work right after. I should be fine by breathing fresh air.”
“Are you sure?” he asked, uncertain.
I nodded. “Positive,” I said, trying to look cheerful even though I could already see he was unconvinced.
“Okay, then. Well, if you need help, you can email me.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you again on Friday, Professor Dunn,” I parted with him and headed to the door. He opened it. “Thank you again, Professor.”
“No problem. See you on Friday, Miss Williams.”
Bidding goodbye, I quickly strode to the lobby. I needed air. As I stepped out, wrapped in the fall air, I sighed in relief. Yes, I needed this. I pressed my palm on my chest, feeling my steady beat. “I’m okay. I will be okay.” f**k, I needed those words.
But I despised them at the same time.
- Writer
