Chapter 83

Tessa’s POV

I tried to pay Brian no attention despite being able to feel his eyes on me the entire time I was sitting with Joseph. Others were also noticing our awkward lunch and I knew they were whispering about it and probably starting rumors.

I probably shouldn’t have sat down like this. What was he thinking? Having me sit with him like this. How could he remain so calm and casual?

It was like he had no care in the world.

“Are you prepared for today’s exam?” Joseph asked just as casually as he looked.

Joseph had been talking about this exam for a little over a week. While I was out, he made sure I had everything needed to pass this exam. I studied like crazy, and it seems pretty straightforward. However, I was still a little nervous because it was the first big exam that counted for a bit portion of this quarter’s grade.

I had to pass it.

I nodded to answer his question.

“Yes. I appreciate you for getting me all the necessary materials.”

He nodded as well.

“You’re my student. It’s my job to make sure you pass with flying colors. I have faith that you’ll do just that.”

A smile tugged at the corner of my lips, but it was laced with sadness. I knew he wanted to return to the student-teacher relationship, but it still hurt a little.

“Did you sleep well in your new apartment?” He asked, meeting my eyes.

I nodded.

“It was nice,” I told him. “Thank you for helping me look for a place and helping me move in.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” he said, raising his brows. “It’s what friends do for one another and despite everything…I consider you a friend.”

When I didn’t speak, he continued in a low tone, keeping his eyes locked on mine.

“You know things about me that no one else does. We lived together for a month, and I even took you to see the Nightwalker Police. I know things are weird since I asked you to move, but I’m hoping they don’t have to be. We don’t have to be strangers. I enjoy helping you with your blog and mentoring you. I hope you’ll still let me.”

I was stunned by his honesty.

I gave him a small smile.

“I would like that,” I told him with a fond smile in return.

“Good,” he said, matching my smile.

He then cleared his throat and took the last bite of his food before standing to his feet.

“I need to prepare for class tonight,” he said, cleaning up his stuff and packing his laptop into his computer bag. “I’ll see you in class.”

I nodded, but I said nothing. I just watched as he left the lunchroom.

I wasn’t sure how long I was sitting there after he left, but I certainly didn’t notice Ruby sitting beside me. She was leaning her head against the back of her hand with her elbow resting on the table, staring at me longingly and with a knowing smile.

“So… um… what was that?” She asked, dropping her hand from holding her head.

I knew I wasn’t going to be able to lie my way out of this one.

“I don’t know…” I felt my face getting warm.

She laughed loudly.

“Clearly he has some old feelings left,” she said, shaking her head and keeping her eyes on mine.“What do you mean?” I asked, furrowing my brows together.

“Did you not see the way he was looking at you? He’s totally head over heels. Or maybe he wanted to rip your clothes off. I couldn’t tell. But it was definitely a look a teacher wouldn’t typically give their students… or anyone they don’t like in that kind of way.”

My mouth nearly dropped open.

Was Joseph giving me a look? I hadn’t noticed.

I couldn’t tell what Joseph was thinking right now, keeping a distance from me while giving me a look in front of all the students at school?

I was so tired of the push and pull feeling, but what he did was also not enough for me to confront him.

I looked around, a couple of people were looking my way. I met Brian’s eyes and I saw how displeased he was before he turned back to his friends.

“Don’t worry. I don’t think anyone was really paying attention to Joseph’s face. They were more so watching yours. You were giving him the same look.”

“What?!” I gasped.

She chuckled.

“I’ll nip the rumors in the butt once they circulate,” she assured. “Try not to worry too much. Just maybe no more public lunches, Tess. Take it to his office.” She was laughing at the end of that sentence, and I couldn’t help but chuckle along with her.

We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. I didn’t have anything more for another hour, so I was going to go to the library and do some more studying for Joseph’s exam this evening. I needed to get a good grade. I needed to pass this class, or I might lose my scholarship.

I couldn’t let something like that happen.

I went to my locker to grab some textbooks and just as I got it open, I felt a presence behind me. I turned around to find Brian standing before me.

My heart plummeted into my stomach.

“Brian…” I said, staring around his face. “What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk, Tessa.”

“About what?” I asked.

“You know about what,” he sneered. “You’re having lunch with him in the lunchroom. With everybody around to see you.”

“It’s not your concern.”

“How do you think it makes me feel? Seeing you with someone else and knowing that everybody can see the same thing. Everyone can tell there’s something going on between you two.”

“He’s my professor, Brian. We’ve been over this. There’s nothing going on between us…”

I slammed my locker door shut.

“I need to go,” I said, trying to step around him but he grabbed my arm, stopping me.

“You’re a lot of things, but I never thought you were stupid, Tessa.”

“Let go of me,” I demanded, pulling my arm away from his grip.

“There’s something not right with that guy,” Brian said, narrowing his eyes at me. “He has connections with that ' special police’ organization. There has to be a reason behind that. I don’t think he’s safe to be around.”

“Who I choose to be around isn’t your business anymore, Brian. He has connections because he’s a famous writer if you remember. He’s my professor and my mentor. There’s nothing more to it and I would appreciate it if you left me and it alone.”

I kept my eyes on his for a moment longer so he would know that I was serious.

He just shook his head and broke his gaze from mine to walk away.

…

Third Person POV

How the fuck does not see that this guy isn’t good enough for her?

Brian walked away from her, trying to hide the fury that was rising inside of him. He knew that Professor Evergreen wasn’t a good person. There was something off about him. Brian’s family was incredibly rich and powerful. They had special connections of all sorts. Including the FBI and the CIA. However, they weren’t allowed to know anything about the Nightwalker Special Police Unit.

Everybody knew they existed and cleaned the streets of the most gruesome and insane cases, but nobody had ever seen them. Not even sightings. But somehow Joseph Evergreen knows them personally.

There’s something off with that guy and Brian was going to make it his mission to find out what it is.