Page 35 of Plaything

My body was on autopilot as I drove quickly back to the manor I’d called home for the past week.

I couldn’t stop shaking, adrenaline flowing through me, still in complete shock at what had happened. Mr. Ridley fully expected me to sleep with him because Wyatt told him what happened last night. It was my own stupid fault for being so naive.

What hurt the most was that they all knew exactly what he meant by extra credit and let me go into that office blindly. They thought I knew... and they thought I’d do that.

Sleep deprived, shocked, guilty, and my strange chest pain made me so angry. And that anger came out in hot tears down my face.

I parked my car, feeling absolutely livid. I’d never cared what people thought about me, but I’d be damned if they thought I was just some dumb twenty-year-old who lets teachers fuck them for a grade.

I opened the door, not caring how loud it was or the hot tears on my cheeks. None of this was okay.

I ignored the strange looks Dominic and Niko gave me as I passed them in the living room. Wyatt was my target, feeling most betrayed by him. I’d only opened my body to one other person, and he knew how that went.

They were all in the living room, sitting on the sofas. Wyatt looked alarmed when he saw me. His eyes softened, and he stood. “Odette, what h—”

I whacked him with my purse. “What. Is. Wrong. With. You.” I seethed between hits. I’d never been one for violence, but everything in me wanted him to feel as small as he made me feel.

He grabbed my purse, looking unbothered by my attack. He pushed his eyebrows together in concern. “Odette, stop. Tell me what happened.” He asked calmly.

Like he didn’t already know. “You know what happened,” I scolded, trying to sound tough, but with tears falling down my face, it didn’t work. “You told him, and God knows who else about what happened last night,” I deadpanned.

My other three professors shifted, closely watching the interaction.

Wyatt widened his eyes in surprise. “I didn’t tell anyone about last night, Odette. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he spoke calmly as if his tone would calm me.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m talking about Mr. Ridley telling me to sit on his dick for extra credit because he’s heard about me and some of the professors who work there,” I snapped. “Is that what you think of me?” The last sentence came out weak, showing how hurt I really was.

Wyatt’s shoulders dropped, a sad look of realization on his face. There was a thick silence in the room as I stared at him.

“You didn’t know...?” Aiden said quietly behind me, regret prominent in his tone.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes again as I turned to look at the other three. “No, I didn’t,” I snapped. “But you all did, and you didn’t tell me.”

Niko gave me a sad look. “Mr. Ridley is known for doing this sort of thing; we thought you knew—”

I scoffed. “That doesn’t make me feel any better. I wouldn’t have gone into that stupid office if I knew what he meant,” I explained.

Wyatt grabbed my arm, turning me around. “You’re right. We should have warned you, and I couldn’t be more sorry for this,” he said sincerely. He raised his eyebrows at me. “But you have to believe me when I tell you that I did not and would never tell anyone about what happened,” he added firmly.

Was I stupid for believing him? “Then why would he say that?” I asked, my voice calmer now.

“Because his sister is on the board of directors. She probably mentioned our living situation, and he got the wrong idea,” Aiden chimed in, clearly solving the puzzle.

I rubbed my tired eyes, holding my head in my hands for a few seconds, trying to think clearly. So, this whole thing was just a horrible misunderstanding.

I wiped my cheeks quickly, pathetically trying to hide the evidence that I was crying, but they saw the entire scene.

Dominic’s voice broke me out of my thoughts, “What happened?” He asked. I looked at him, surprised to see a murderous glare on his face.

I was taken aback by his question as I replayed the events in Mr. Ridley’s office. Not wanting to talk about it, I shrugged.

Dominic’s fists clenched. “Did he touch you?” He asked.

I shook my head. “No, he tried to touch my leg, but I ran the second my legs unfroze,” I overshared.

With that, Dominic got up and walked out of the house, looking like he was on a mission.

I peeked up at Wyatt, feeling guilty for beating him up. I got this so wrong, and in the process, I outed myself to my other three professors about last night. “I’m sorry for hitting you with my purse,” I took it from his hand.

---