Page 64 of Switching Graves

Having sexual relations in a public university setting? That’s obviously illegal, right?

I haven’t even been able to tell anyone else about what Hayes did afterward yet, too embarrassed that I put myself in that situation to begin with.

And since the universe has it out for me, I open the doors to the main building to place my head on the chopping block and collide with Hayes’s hard chest.

He steadies me before I fall backward, mumbling a string of apologies until he realizes it’s me.

Swiping a hand through his hair, he steps back. “Oh, hey Poppy.”

“Hi,” I clip, re-adjusting the strap of my backpack.

“Sorry I haven’t texted you after the other night. I just got swamped with homework and work stuff.” He has the nerve to smile at me with that stupid dimple, as if I’m going to laugh it off with him and pretend our night together ended on a good note.

Blowing out an irritated breath, I shake my head and go to move past him. “It’s fine, Hayes. I have to go.”

“Is something wrong?” he calls to my back. “I mean, I know we may have taken things a little too far, but I told you we could stop at any time and still be cool.”

I swing back around. “Yeah, well, that was before you attempted to drug me, and then guilt me for not fucking you.”

His eyes widen and I can see the memory slowly bleeding in, even though he tries to shake his head in denial. “What? No, I didn’t . . . ”

“Yeah, it almost worked, too. Good thing you had me there when you got yourself fucked up beyond control on your owndrugs and not someone more sinister. Wouldn’t want anyone taking advantage of you, would we?”

“No, it wasn’t like that. I was just trying to get you to loosen up because you were so tense. My friend gave me this pill and told me you’d hardly notice. I had no idea?—”

“Please . . . just stay away from me.”

“Poppy . . . ”

I ignore him, turning back around and breaking into a speed-walk toward the psychology office, where I’ll likely be expelled for that shitty night.

When I walked past Hayes’s desk and trudged up those steps, Professor Whitlock was thankfully sitting alone.

“Close the door.”

35

Sonny

Turning my back to him, I gently swing the door closed, doing my best attempt not to look down at exactly how close Hayes’s desk is to the window beside me. Close enough for someone to get a full view of . . . well, everything.

I’m so fucked.

“Are you still looking for a work study position?” Dr. Whitlock asks, jarring me.

His tone is a little more rushed than usual, and he’s loosened his tie to unbutton the top three buttons of his dress shirt since I saw him in class. Every time I see this man, he’s presenting a different version of himself.

“I was assigned to the cafeteria,” I say slowly, waiting for the shoe to drop. Surely, after this past weekend, he doesn’t want me to work for him.

“Tell them you’re switching over to psychology. If they have any questions, they can reach out to me directly.”

“I’m confused . . . I thought you didn’t want two assistants.”

“That’s true, I don’t. I’ve recently separated paths with my previous TA, so I’ll be needing someone to take over those duties.”

He fired Hayes?

“Are you sure you wantme? I’m not a graduate student. I’m not even an upperclassman. I’d hardly be able to host a lecture or explain assignments.”

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