Complete Me

Chapter 6

                                                        ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 

                                                                                    Copyright © 2021 Cassey9

PROF. LAKEWOOD

The words appear all jumbled up on the screen. Rubbing my eyes, I try to refocus on the document before but that feat doesn’t help much. My eyes instead grow itchy from soreness around them. I can barely make sense of anything other than Lawrence’s words.

“I can’t do this anymore Karey”

Even repeating the words with my mouth, they still sound so foreign. Throwing my head back I glance at the plastered ceiling. Noticing the chirping paint and the water blobs overhead.

A sturdy knock on the door jostles me from my trance. “Come in,” I call closing my notepad. Since morning I hadn’t done anything fruitful. My 8AM and 11Am lectures cancelled as well as all the evening ones, I’d cleaned out my entire schedule today and tomorrow. I had too. 

The door fully opens to reveal Ms. Stourton. She confidently enters into the room shutting the door behind her. “Good afternoon…Prof. Lakewood,” she says in a low voice approaching my desk. Her footsteps life soft padding against the floor, barely audible.

I’d expected her all morning to drop by to pick her things. Ms. Stourton freezes and turns to gaze at the looked door. It’s then I hear some scuffles outside the door voices inquiry about someone but they soon disappear. My eyes catch a glimpse of Ms. Stourton I note her taking a huge exhale.

“Good afternoon,” she greets again smiling widely. I give her a firm nod acknowledging her presence. Without hold Ms. Stourton’s entire face lights up and reflexively my nerves settle that I can’t stop myself from responding with a small grin. Her lively company clearly rubbing on me. Pointing to the free chair she sits immediately placing her backpack over her knees.

Her eyes study me closely, taking me in. Her head leans forward, “Are you okay professor?”

“Yes,” I take the laptop and pods and set them before her, “I suppose you are here for these,” I say gesturing to the items. She nods and pulls them closer.

“Thank you Ms. Stourton for your help yesterday.”

“It’s no problem really professor. I had fun,” she says placing the gadgets in her school bag. Ms. Stourton looks at me and her usual smile wavers. I want to question this but hold back. Her eyes fall to her bag, her moves hesitant before pulling something out and placing it on top of her bag. It was in a small black carrier bag. I try to make it out its contents but give up. My brain was fried.

“Is that all Ms. Stourton?” I ask and double tap my computer screen removing the airplane screen saver. Ms. Stourton sits up and places the bag on the desk. My eyes following her every move.

“This is for you,” she says pushing the bag in my direction. I take the carrier bag and pull out a white box. My eyes check the phone on display on the box and gasp in shock. A Samsung Galaxy phone.

“What is this Ms. Stourton?” I take waving the box at her. The box slick and glossy in my hand.

“A phone Prof. Lakewood,” she answers nervously. “For you, professor.”

“I can clearly see that,” I say irritated, “Why are you giving it to me Ms. Stourton?”

“Um, I…I’m replacing your phone…Since I…I was the one that startled you and you broke yours,” she explaining avoiding my heated gaze.

“I can’t take this,” I say dropping it on the table, “Besides I’m the one who dropped the phone not the other way around Ms. Stourton…”

“Please take it Prof. Lakewood. As an apology. If I hadn’t scared you wouldn’t have dropped your phone,” she insists. “Don’t you like the model…is it the color? I can find you…”

“Ms. Stourton!” breaking her rumbling amazed at her willingness to make everything better. “That’s not what I mean…”

“Um… Are you taking it? Please do…my p*****t for my clumsiness…” Her eyes shine with optimism and supplication.

“Still. That doesn’t justify you giving me such an expensive phone,” I reply sliding the phone towards hers. “I’ll have mine fixed as soon as I can. So thank you.”

“I insist professor,” pushing the phone back to my side of the desk, “Last night, you asked how you could repay me. Accepting the phone is p*****t enough.”

“Are you blackmailing me?” she looks startled nodding in disagreement, “What’s your endgame?”

“None. I swear. I…I just want to help you Prof. Lakewood,” she replies immediately. I was good at reading intentions spotting their hidden agenda’s from afar. Especially my students but with Ms. Stourton that proves impossible. I lean back on my chair resting my arms on each side of the armrest. This time it’s her squirming under my scrutinizing gaze.

 “What’s so funny?” I asks coolly. Out of nowhere she’d just chuckled. Meeting my gaze amusement shining in her warm brown eyes.

“Nothing Prof. Lakewood,” Ms. Stourton replies avoiding my face, “Did you finally grade my paper…”

“Not yet. If you’ll excuse me,” I say with a curt dismissive nod that was her cue to leave. The phone still on my side. Ms. Stourton wasn’t having any of it and I didn’t intend on wasting my time sliding the box back and forth. She gets to her feet and throws her bag on her back.

“I’ll see you around professor.”

Nodding at her, she moves towards the door, “Prof. Lakewood,” she calls, digging into her pocket she takes out something. More surprises, my mind deduces. Ms. Stourton walks back to my desk and places a folded piece of paper on it, “My number…if you may want me to take you to pick up Killan and Nillan from school.”

Her gesture and words though innocent and thoughtful still have a tinge of inappropriateness in them, “That won’t be necessary. But thank you Ms. Stourton,” I say fully turning to focus on my computer.

The door shuts and I relax on my chair, my gaze settles on the phone on my desk. I grab the box and examine it closely. Ms. Stourton token was truly surprising and so was everything she’d done from the previous day. Settling my thoughts I turn to my computer, I’d been coming with an assignment for my five o’clock class.

Kane was coming to pick me up at around three and drive us to the kindergarten to pick up Nillan and Killan from school. I had no one to watch them, my friends were all held up and not the best around children. My parents are the next best choice but lived far away in their farm.

“Oh Lawrence” I say dejectedly. My life was in shambles in a matter of hours. “Why would you do this to me?” The truth right in front of my eyes, a bitter pill to swallow.

Who knew, my person. The one person, I’d trusted would screw me over like this.

“God damn it!” I whisper-yell wanting to come apart.  I get up and throw the pen I had across the room, scattering the papers and books on the floor. My placard falls with a bang. The pens, the pictures follow too. Everything goes, apart from my desktop and phone. Those were too valuable and didn’t belong to me.

I want to collapse on the ground let the anger and hurt consume me but I can’t not with the presence entering my office.  “Woo! Tornadoes whiz through here,” Diana Celestiana jokes walking in, “What the hell happened in here?”

“Nothing Diana,” I say straightening my posture and face, “A little rage I had to get out of my system.”

“Are you done,” stepping closer she diverts the papers strewn all over the floor, “Is everything all right Karey?”

“Yes Diana…” I say shortly and round the desk, “It’s nothing.”

“Come on Karey…we’ve done this already. We are friends and I’m here to help you,” she beckons sitting down. I pick up my chair and perch down too.

“I’m fine…”

“Stop it! Jesus Christ Karey! Accepting help doesn’t make you dependent or helpless Karey,” she insists strongly.

“I suppose,” I say smiling tightly. “But not now Diana. Please.”

She stays silent taking me in. I feel studied and analyzed under her gaze, like a frog laid bare before dissection. ”I’m here. When you are ready Karey.”

Diana gets up wadding through the scattered papers, “I’ll do it. Thanks,” I say when she moves to bend and collect them. Diana smiles affectionately and walks out of my office. I plop down grabbing a handful of my hair. I was bursting from the inside. Unwillingly. I get up and tidy my mess. Students always popped up unexpectedly. Considering my cancelled classes I’d get a few visits today.

Ms. Stourton ‘gift’ sits on my desk, unharmed from my outburst. I take the box and carefully examine it. I open the box and take out the phone from the sponge shell. It looks so magnificent. My hands drift over the slick surface, I’d never gotten anything as wonderful as this.

Ms. Stourton was unbelievable. I set the phone back, accepting it could be dangerous. Grave, on my side. It would be crossing a line. Then again, students usually gifted their teachers.

I clearly needed a new phone. Picking it up again I inspect at it. My mind is full of doubt reservation. It was impossible to swing by an electronic shop to buy one. It’s now I realize the vitality of one. My phone lies inside my desk drawer, broken and useless. It refused to turn on today, it was beyond salvaging.

“Guess I do need you,” I mutter at the phone in a low voice. I open the box and take out the phone. The screen shines glossily from the sun rays. It was enticing, but my worries wash over me again. First of all Ms. Stourton had refused any form of monetary p*****t for all the trouble she was going through. Most people would have jumped for any type of compensation but not her.  What if Ms. Stourton expected something from me? What if all this was a font. These thoughts make me return the phone to its case. Nothing in this cruel world came for free.    

All this was too good to be true, and I was learning it in the hardest way possible.