Page 17 of Lodged

“You look like you need a drink. What’s going on?” Vic asks, and I smile at him. He’s always been quick to assess—sharp.

“I’m going to confide in you, but please don’t laugh.” Vicente raises his eyebrows as he hands me a glass of scotch. We clink glasses, and I take a fortifying sip.

“I think I like one of my students,” I say in a low voice, embarrassed by my admission.

“You like men, then? I don’t see the big deal,” Vicente says matter-of-factly, and I can’t help but grin at my friend.

“No, no. I don’t like men. But I agree, there’s nothing wrong with that.” I hurry to assure him. “My student is female, and I’m not supposed to fraternize with my students. It’s just wrong.” I give him a pointed look, hoping he’ll understand the undertone of my confession.

“Oh shit, and the student is Penny? Oh, fuck. I’m so sorry, Gio. I should have put two and two together, you bringing her here and all. I promise I’ll back off.” Vic places his glass on the desk he’s leaning against.

“No,boludo. Penny is truly my best friend. That’s all.”

“Then what’s the bloody deal?”

A Chilean using British slang has me howling. “Bloody? Who are you? I thought you were going to say, ¿y qué tanta huevá?like any normal Chilean would.”

This makes him laugh, and he almost spits out the drink he just sipped. I enjoy seeing my friend loosen up a bit since he’s usually in CEO mode. Being the next in line to become the head of the Godoy Group, he handles millions of dollars in deals every day, so it’s always high stakes.

“You, more than anyone, would understand. We’re not just living in countries that aren’t where we were born—we’re also speaking a whole different language 24/7.” I nod and smile at him, fully understanding what he’s saying.

“Anyway, I don’t know how to get her out of my head.” Vic has a blank expression on his face, and I sit there, waiting for him to say something—anything. But we’re just staring at each other like two complete idiots.

“It’s against the university’s code of conduct to fraternize with a student. I’m in a position of power since I need to grade her progress. It’s not fair to her,” I explain again, and Vicente’s expression doesn’t change. I release a frustrated breath.

“And what’s the problem? You’re a fucking billionaire. I’m sure you can fix any issues that might come up due to you havingthe hots for a student.” My frustration is slowly turning into anger. I’m sure many people operate under those thoughts, but I’m not one of them.

“No, man. I would never do that.” I shake my head as I take another sip of the scotch, suddenly thinking I need a refill to continue this conversation.

“Gio, I get it. You’re a good man. But you just said you’ve never felt this way before. You have to act on it.” I relax at his words. I know he means well, but the thought of breaking the rules gives me goose bumps.

“Fine, let's think things through. What would be the worst case scenario?” His face immediately transforms into CEO mode.

“I could get fired, not to mention that if they remove my visa and deport me, I'll never be able to finish my PhD.” Vicente’s face hardens, his jaw clenching as he thinks.

“Well, we would never let that happen. I’m sure my team would find a way around it. And also, what do you mean you’re still on a student visa? You need to apply for citizenship immediately.” He’s not wrong. I know that’s something I’ve delayed long enough, but now that I’m about to be done with school, I need to ensure that I can stay permanently in the United States. “But let’s say that the other alternative is to hold off yourarousingfeelings until she’s no longer your student. Do you think you can manage to wait,” he pauses, thinking how long that would be.

“Until December,” I fill him in.

“Oh, so three more months. I mean, you’ve waited what, twenty-nine years? I’m sure you can wait three more months,” Vicente declares like he has solved it all, and I sigh. The truth is, I don’t know if I can.

“You’re right. I’m just being dense. I can definitely wait.” With a triumphant smile, Vicente finishes his drink just as there’s a knock on the door.

“I’m ready,” Penny sings-songs, opening the door wide. She does a little twirl, showing us her little black dress.

“Don’t you look charming,” Vicente tells her with a smile. Penny curtsies and giggles. I don’t want any part of…whatever this is between them.

“You kids have fun. I’m going to rest,” I tell them as I approach Penny to give her a kiss on her cheek. “You look gorgeous. Remember to be safe.”

She gives me an appreciative smile. “Always.”

I pat Vicente on the back before I head toward the second floor. It’s not my first time visiting him, so I already have a bedroom assigned to me. All I want is a hot shower and a good night's sleep. I can’t wait to explore the museums tomorrow.

I’m toweling myself off as I come out of the ensuite, the tiredness from the trip finally sinking in. I see my phone lighting up, and I frown, confused. No one ever calls me or texts me. Except my siblings—I hope they’re safe. My frown deepens when I notice a text from an unknown number.

Unknown: Hi, Gio, this is Ruin.

“No way,” I say as I let my towel fall to the ground and lay down on the bed. Looking at the message, it was sent not too long ago. Passing my hand over my face, I weigh my options. If I reply, I know there’s no way back. I’ll be consumed by talking to her on a more personal level, but if I don’t get back to her, she might think I’m not interested and won’t talk to me ever again. It takes a lot of courage to text your teacher.

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