Page 11 of Diluted Truths
Instead there was ambient lighting, curtains and the posters. I would love to hang out in a room like this and it wasn’t even his office, just his lecture hall.
I looked over my shoulder to find him observing me. In my distraction of the room, the students had all left, leaving only the two of us behind. It was rather unsettling to have his entire attention on me.
“How can I be of assistance, Miss?”
“Jackie, Jackie James.” I turned to face Will and stuck my hand out to shake his. “My apologies for the intrusion, but I was told you may have some information or insight on a rather… unique subject.”
As he took my hand, I could have sworn I felt a literal spark. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jackie James. I have actually heard quite a bit about you from Sarah,” he said with a bit of a smirk.
“That could either be very good or very bad,” I responded flirtatiously. He looked to be maybe six or seven years older than me but was still a fine hunk of meat.
“Thanks, I think. I’m thirty-four, by the way,” he said with a chuckle.
Fuck, did I say that out loud?
I was mortified.
Will continued to chuckle as he gathered his items and papers scattered across the desk. “As for what I’ve heard about you, only good things, I promise. Now what’s this unique subject you wanted to discuss?”
Thankful for the out he was providing me from my blunder, I began with what I actually came here for. “Well, Dr. Bly…”
“Will, call me Will,” he interrupted. “Doctor is only for some of my students, or the select few colleagues I have that I rather despise. And honestly anyone who bugs me.”
“Really? I kind of assumed…”
Will interrupted with a laugh of his own that lit up his entire face. “That I was a pretentious asshole who made everyone call me Dr. Bly?”
“Well… yes, to be honest,” I responded.
“I see you have been listening to Sarah’s husband. He has never been my biggest fan. My apologies for interrupting, what questions do you have for me?” said Will.
“I was hoping you would have a moment to discuss the Cult of Creation,” I explained and he immediately stopped his task at my words and turned his full attention to me.
“The Cult of Creation? It is a rather unique subject.” Will looked at me almost skeptically. “Where did you hear of it?
“That’s honestly not relevant here.”
I wasn’t sure Will was going to answer me after my nonanswer to his question, yet as he turned and began erasing the chalkboard, he began,
“The Cult of Creatio, its technical name, was first historied during the Salem Witch Trials. A priest in a small town claimed that the ‘witches’ were a part of this cult, and they were working to bring about the end of times. The witches, in this case, were simply a group of women who understood mathematics better than the men around them.” He eyed me for a moment before continuing. “Now I understand you won’t tell me where you heard of it, why do you want to know about the Cult of Creatio?”
“This priest, where did he get the idea of the Cult of Creatio?” I continued, ignoring the question presented again as I rested my hands on the front of Will's desk. “Do you know if he came up with it, or if the idea came from someone, or something else?”
“There are theories… and conspiracies. However, no one truly knows the origins,” he began as he turned around to face me and mirrored my movements. We were now only inches apart. “I know you’re evading my questions. Can I ask again, why do you want to know?”
“The reasons are really unimportant,” I stated with a smirk of my own and stood straight. “Thank you for the information, Dr. Bly. I’ll see myself out.”
I turned and left the classroom with as much class as possible, which probably equated to none. I could admit, I was a battering ram of a human being.
I practically ran out of the classroom towards my car. I had planned to ask him more, but Will made me feel off balance. I was usually able to command a conversation when it came to my work. I didn’t like hyping up my own traits, but I knew I was good at getting people to share information with me, no matter how personal. I came off as trustworthy and professional, but also as a friend.
Commanding a conversation could be more than just aggressive behavior, you could do it through calm and collected conversation.
With Will, however, it felt like those skills I once had vanished. It was probably knowing Fai would hate it if he knew I was here, that was the only explanation.
Right?
I slowed to a stop as I entered the parking lot, my thoughts running away from me. It was slightly raining, but wasn’t it always? I was so entranced in the detailed train that was my thought process, I barely noticed the rain or man who had followed me and called after me.
