Page 29 of Rolling with my Professors

Avery rubs my back. “Let’s hope for the best.”

“Money’s going to be so tight if I lose it,” I whisper, more to myself than to my friends. “How am I supposed to afford school and a baby, especially if the baby’s daddy, whichever of them it is, loses his teaching position over this?”

Chapter 13

Sterling

Clicking to the end of my slideshow for today’s lecture, I have no idea if I adequately covered the content or not.

I’ve scanned the room numerous times, searching for the one student I long to see. Mila. She’s pulled back in every other way, but never missed my class before.

Educating the masses is a minor concern compared to my obsession over her. Has she pulled away completely? Did Josh push her too far? If he hurt her, I swear I’ll make him pay.

For now, I’ve worked a deal to convince him to back off. It turns out that he lost his full-ride athletic scholarship because he was having too much fun. I feel his pain. It’s easy to get lost. But I explained that if he exposes our relationship, I’ll have nothing left to lose. He won’t get a penny.

My gaze shifts to Rutherford who’s taken a seat at the back of the room. A subtle shake of his head confirms he hasn’t seen her either.

Ending class a few minutes early, I close the files on my laptop. The usual smattering of students come to the front with questions.

“Not today. Use my office hours.” I unplug the power cord and coil it, my movements mechanical. Life without Mila has been empty. I have to talk to her, explain that I’m putting her first and will do whatever it takes to make this work.

Rutherford joins me at the front. “I confirmed that she’s still enrolled.”

“Good.”

There are a million reasons a student might miss one class, but the almost two weeks she’s refused our calls, texts, and requests that she come to either of our office hours, have left us worried and vulnerable.

He raps his knuckles on the table. “I can’t take it. I’m going to tell her I love her.”

“And if that scares her off?”

“I have to know I tried.”

My phone buzzes. A text from Hendrix. I skim it quickly, hope swelling stronger inside of me with each word. He may have found a loophole in the university policy.

Rutherford reads the screen I angle his direction. “This is exactly what we need.”

“Now we just need to convince Mila to—”

A prickle at the back of my neck makes me look up. There she is, standing in the doorway. My heart soars for a moment, then plummets as I take in her somber expression.

Josh better not have…

I rush toward her, arms outstretched, anticipating her body pressing against mine. But she raises a hand, stopping me in my tracks. Rutherford crashes into me from behind.

“Mila,” I breathe, searching her face. “What’s wrong?”

A few early birds for the next class file in and pause behind Mila. I reach out to touch her arm to get her to let them pass but she misreads my action and jerks backward into one of them.

Regrouping, she heads to the hallway. My need to protect her is stronger than ever.

“We need somewhere private,” she whispers, glancing around anxiously.

Rutherford nods, leading us to a nearby stock room. He punches in a code, and the red light on the keypad turns green.

Students flood into the hallway as another professor wraps up his lecture.

Mila hesitates, eyeing the door skeptically. “A supply closet?”

---