Professor Hot Pants

by Ember-Raine Winters

  The only thing left to do was wait. I walked over to Derek and held my hand out to him. “Did you at least catch the guy?”

  “Thanks to Landon over there, he’s handcuffed to a hospital bed getting checked out for a possible head injury before we take him to lockup.”

  “He’s here?” I practically yelled.

  “He was kicked in the head. He’s not going anywhere. We have two officers watching him.” I felt marginally better about that but was still nervous.

  “Ryan?” A nurse called from the door. I hurried over, yet dreaded the information she had for me. “We have her stable, but she’s unconscious. She was without oxygen for a long time. We’ll have to wait for her to wake up before we’ll know if there’s any permanent damage.”

  “Can I see her?” The news wasn’t what I was expecting. She was without oxygen? What the fuck did that prick do to her?

  The nurse nodded. “Two at a time only, please.”

  “Tiffany? You want to see her?” She and I walked down the hall toward her room; the nurse opened the door. I started crying as soon as I saw her frail body lying on the hospital bed. Her neck was red with angry finger marks on it, and she had a tube down her throat. Tiffany gasped and nearly fell on the floor. I was able to grab her before she collapsed.

  “God, I never should have left her home to go out. This is all my fault.” She sobbed into my chest.

  “Shh, she’ll be fine,” I cooed into her hair. My sister would be fine. She just had to be.

  It had been a few days and Court still hadn’t woken up. Everything irritated me. The fact that Brice refused to come see Court, even though he sat in the waiting room day in and day out, was pissing me off. I told him how dumb he was several times over those few days, since I couldn’t fathom how she’d be angry with him after his actions saved her life.

  I walked into the waiting room after going to the fast food restaurant down the street and handed him a burger. “She won’t even know you were there.” I tried to reason with him.

  “It doesn’t matter. She doesn’t want me around. I just want to know she’s okay,” he said still staring out the window.

  “You’re both fucking morons,” I growled before stomping away. They clearly loved each other but they were letting a stupid misunderstanding tear them apart. I was forced to step away from who I wanted to be with and these idiots were just throwing their relationship away. I didn’t have a choice in the matter; they did.

  My phone kept ringing off the hook. I took the few calls from Sissy but Candy called nonstop. I ended up shutting my phone off because I was sick of hearing it ring. It gutted me to have Abby think I was abandoning her, but I couldn’t talk to Philip. I shouldn’t have even been thinking about him with my sister unconscious in a hospital bed, but there was a lot of time to think sitting in a hospital room with nothing to do but wait and worry. A guy walked in the room with a vase full of brightly colored flowers. “These are from everyone down at the station.”

  “Hey, I know you. I saw you at the park with you’re—” He cut me off.

  “No, I don’t think so.” The look he gave me was weird. I knew it was the same guy who was with the boy. Why the hell was he denying it? Did he not want anyone to know about Kaden? Tiffany raised an eyebrow at him, but he shook his head at her too. Whatever, there was too damn much going on in my own life to have to worry about his.

  “My name’s J. I work at the radio station with Brice.” He stuck his hand out to shake.

  “I’m Ryan, Court’s brother.” His shoulders relaxed when I played along. Tiffany was looking at us curiously.

  “What were you doing at the park?” she asked me.

  “Hanging out with Abby.”

  “Who’s Abby?”

  “She’s a little girl I met at a meeting. Her foster parents were abusing her. Long story, but Philip and I look after her.” I shut the conversation down after that; the whole thing was just too painful to talk about.

  It was a few hours later that Court woke up. While the doctors were checking on her, I walked to the waiting room. Brice looked up at me with hope in his eyes as I powered my phone back on. “She’s awake,” I said gruffly, having just let my sister have a piece of my mind only moments after she woke up from a coma. What kind of certifiable asshole does that? Brice continued to sit there. God, the two of them were getting on my nerves.

  The notifications started going off. There were so many it sounded like a damn slot machine. One text after another from super skank. The last one had me cursing and unlocking my phone.

  Super skank: That’s it Ryan, if I don’t hear from you in 10 I’m going to expose you.

  That was the first message I saw. It was from the day before. The next one had a link.

  Psychology professor put on administrative leave after allegations of a sexual relationship with a student.

  “Shit, oh shit, no. Holy fuck this can’t be happening.”

  “What happened?” Brice asked on full alert, finally taking his gaze away from the damn window.

  “Nothing, Court’s fine. It’s Philip and Abby I’m worried about.” I was clutching my phone hard. It started ringing and I looked down to see Sissy’s name flashing on the screen.

  “Ryan, what the fuck is going on?”

  “Chill, Sissy. Damn, I used to be able to hear out of that ear.”

  “What is happening? They pulled Professor Marks out of class yesterday and classes have been cancelled until further notice. They’re looking for you.” She had officially become hurricane Sissy and there was no stopping her until she got it all out. I didn’t even attempt to cut in. It’d be a waste of energy, so I held the phone away from my ear and waited. “Well? What’s going on? Tell me!”

  “Candy blackmailed me into sleeping with her but my sister was attacked, and I haven’t been answering her calls, I guess she got impatient and exposed us.” That was a pretty short, concise version without all the drama mixed in.

  “So, it’s true? I knew you were spending a lot of time together on the case study, but I never would have guessed you were sleeping together. Why didn’t you tell me?” She sounded hurt but I didn’t have time to worry about her at the moment, nor correct her assumption that we’d actually slept together, though we’d pretty much done everything but. Right now I needed to find out what was happening with Philip and Abby, because I’d sacrificed the man I saw a future with for the child I loved, and now it appeared it’d all gone to hell and I’d lost them both.

  “I’m sorry, look I’ll call you later there’s something I need to do.”

  PHILIP

  I’d barely spoken to Ryan in over a week. I knew he was avoiding me to save face, but it still sucked. When Sissy told me his sister had been attacked, I tried to call but it went straight to voicemail.

  I was sitting at my desk in the lecture hall about to start class when the president of the university and the department chair walked in the door. Dread pooled in my stomach as they made their way down to the front. “Attention everyone, class is cancelled until further notice.”

  “What?” I stood and looked at both the president and the department chair. Some students were excited with the cancellation, bolting out in seconds, others were mumbling to themselves probably attempting to figure out why the president and the department chair were there. My brain was fuzzy as I plopped back in my desk chair after the hall was cleared. “What’s going on?”

  “I think you know what’s happening. Ryan? Your student… who you’ve been working on that case study with?” The president lifted an eyebrow at me.

  “Shit,” I said and placed my head in my hands. This was my worst nightmare. I told Ryan not to do anything, and then he couldn’t because his sister was injured. I had no idea how bad the attack was, but since Ryan was gone this long it must’ve been bad.

  “Yeah, shit is right. There’s a media shitstorm and I have no choice but to put you on leave until an investigation is do
ne. Once that happens, and depending on the evidence, you’ll come before the college’s disciplinary committee.” The president scratched his forehead uncomfortably. “We’ll need to speak with Ryan.”

  “His sister was attacked. He’s out of town at the moment.”

  “Well, I have no choice but to put you on administrative leave until such time that I can speak with him.”

  “That’s fine. You’re not doing anything disciplinary to Ryan, right?”

  “Not until such time as he is found guilty of something, no.”

  Marginally happy with that answer, I stood grabbing my things and walking to the door.

  “Philip, you need to leave campus immediately. I have security outside to escort you off the grounds.”

  “Security? I have worked here without issue for five years and you’re treating me like a common criminal? What happened to innocent until proven guilty?” I couldn’t believe it. This didn’t feel like administrative leave, it felt like I was being fired.

  “This has never happened here before. There is no precedent for it. I’m doing what’s best for the school until which time we can come up with a solution. You know how these things go, Philip. This will be a media sensation, not exactly the type of publicity a university like ours expects.”

  I slammed through the door nearly hitting the security guy in the process and did the worst walk of shame of my life. Students milled around the courtyard watching my humiliation.

  Outside the administration office there were several news cameras waiting to get a glimpse of the professor who fucked his student, and what was worse, I knew they were already dredging up the single gay foster parent thing. There was no way I wasn’t going to hear from Daniel. I pushed past the reporters who tried to get in my face for a comment before finally making it to my car. I’d have the university pay to send me my stuff from my office. There was a good chance they would give all of my research on the case study to another professor. All the hard work Ryan and I did, gone, all because of a selfish, self-absorbed girl.

  It was more of the same when I got home. My phone was ringing like crazy with unknown numbers. Probably the press trying to get me to tell my story. I sighed in resignation when Daniel called me. “Hey.”

  “Shit has hit the fan,” he said like I didn’t already know that.

  “Ya think? I just got booted off campus and escorted out by security.”

  “Well then, you’re not gonna like what I have to tell you.” He paused, which was worse. I already knew what he was going to say. His dramatics were unnecessary and had me reaching for the bourbon. Everything Ryan was afraid of happened. “I have to take Abby.”

  I knew it was coming, but hearing it had all the breath leaving my lungs on a whoosh. I hated it. Slumping into the bar stool in my kitchen. “I know, I get it. Just make sure she’s safe please?”

  “I will. Don’t worry. She’ll be fine,” he said with more confidence than I felt.

  “You’re not in any trouble are you? I know the only reason they allowed me to keep Abby was because you vouched for me.”

  “Nah, I’m fine. I’m worried about you. Where’s Ryan? You two need to set that Candy woman straight.”

  “Ryan’s out of town. I doubt he even knows what went down yet.” There was nothing I could do. For Ryan, for Abby, or myself. “I’m gonna pack up some of Abby’s favorite things. Do you mind coming to get them? There’s people outside.”

  “Yeah, no problem. I’ll come by before I pick her up from school.” He sounded as frustrated as I was. I hated that I couldn’t go pick her up and explain everything to her in person so she’d understand how much I didn’t ever want to lose her. It had only been a few weeks and I already failed her. “You should think about what you want to do about all this.”

  “There isn’t much I can do about it. One of those pictures was taken at the campus dorms.”

  “Shit, well maybe start thinking about what you want to do after all this is over?”

  “Yeah, I’ll have plenty of time to think about that.” I grumbled, angry at the world. I was pissed at Candy, furious at the school for just believing her. I was mad at Ryan for pushing this situation in the first place, even though it was just as much my fault for allowing it, but I couldn’t help how I felt. Above all, I hated myself for being so weak and giving in, knowing at the time it wasn’t just the potential of my own life I was ruining, but Abby and Ryan’s as well. Would they expel him from school? Take his scholarship? Would he even want to go back? The whispers would never go away. Thoughts ran through my head on a loop as I hung up the phone and walked into Abby’s room. I looked around at all her princess things, knowing she’d fallen more in love with them after Ryan’s nickname for her. I robotically packed up some of the more special dolls and stuffed animals in her little pink duffle bag, remembering to put the ridiculous pink and purple dog right on top. It didn’t take long. I’d meant to take her shopping for more, but we did other things together like homework and board games. She liked going to the park and the Fun House. I kept thinking about all the experiences I wanted to share with her, and an angry tear slid down my cheek. It was bullshit. One jealous bitch was able to ruin three people’s lives. I wondered if Ryan had heard the news yet. Picking up the phone, I tried to call him again but it went straight to voicemail. I didn’t leave a message, figuring he had enough to deal with. I still didn’t know the details of Courtney’s attack.

  An hour later Daniel knocked on the door. “There are national news cameras out there,” he said when I let him in.

  “Well, it’s a major university. I’m sure there will be coverage all over the country.” I shrugged. My life was destroyed. I’d never get another teaching job, hell, it would be difficult to get any job at that point. “Here’re Abby’s things.”

  “Thanks, how are you? Have you thought about calling a lawyer?”

  “Why would I do that?”

  “To deal with the university. To protect yourself.”

  “I’ll take whatever punishment they give me, I deserve it. I knew what I was doing was against policy.” I scrubbed a hand through my hair in frustration.

  “Okay, if that’s how you want to handle it. I need to go pick up Abby.” He smiled sadly clutching my shoulder.

  “Tell her I’m sorry. We tried so hard not to lose her. There’s no way I can see her, is there?”

  He shook his head. “Sorry, Philip. But, I’ll tell her and try to get her to understand. She’ll be okay. I’ll personally handle her case. Try not to worry. I know how much you and Ryan love her.”

  “Thank you.” My throat clogged with emotion as he walked out and shut the door behind him. What the fuck am I gonna do now?

  RYAN

  I had no choice but to stay with Court until she left the hospital, despite the insanity that was happening back home. Well, I guess home was too strong a word. Everyone in my dorm was pissed because the press kept a vigil outside the dorm, but across the street, so it wasn’t official school property. Honestly, all of them could go to hell. I’d seen some of the “interviews” a few acquaintances made, claiming they were my best friends. It was all bullshit. The worst news had been that Daniel took Abby straight from school and placed her back in the system. I just hoped he would do what he’d promised. Abby needed a protector, and without Philip or me, he was going to have to make certain he vetted her next home personally.

  When I made it back on campus, there were people with cameras waiting. I ended up packing my stuff up and moving into the studio apartment I’d rented for my mom. It was like a converted motel where the only thing between my bed and the outside was the one door. They’d converted the building into rented apartments, since it wasn’t exactly a visitor friendly area of the city. It was totally stupid I’d kept paying it, but it was cheap and I knew after this semester I’d be moving out of the dorms. I’d had someone go in and clean it because I just couldn’t deal with it after she died. Settling myself in a
nd starting up my laptop to figure out how far behind I was in all my classes, I set down to work.

  Three hours later my phone rang. I should have known the peace wouldn’t last long. “Hello?”

  “Ryan, this is William Pennington, president of the university.” My lungs froze in my chest and my heart stopped when I heard that. Holy shit. This is way worse than I thought. “I’m calling because I need you to come in and tell the disciplinary committee what happened between you and Professor Marks.”

  “Disciplinary committee? But this isn’t his fault. Besides, I’m not an underage kid. Everything between us was consensual.” I tried to defend Philip as much as possible.

  “The disciplinary hearing isn’t just for Professor Marks. It’s to decide your role if any at this school. It’s a very serious problem that is getting national attention. The school has rules and all parties need to follow them.”

  “So, if we’re already out, and you already believe everything you heard from Candy, then why bother with the hearing? You clearly don’t want to hear the truth. You’re just looking to shove this under the table to get the bad press to go away.” To hell with them and their hearing. I had better things to do then to show up to some hearing when the outcome was already decided.

  “The hearing is an important process to the investigation. All parties are allowed the opportunity to tell their side of the story before we do anything.”

  “And what about the girl who attempted to extort me with sex by using photos against me? Photos that were taken without my knowledge or permission. Quite frankly, photos that don’t show the truth, but give a false idea. Is she being brought before the committee? Getting kicked out of school too?” Dammit, I was pissed. This entire thing was wrong on every level, and if I took it out on the president of the university, fuck it.

  “Extortion is a matter for the police. At the moment, there is no evidence to support the young lady has done anything wrong. She simply brought information to our attention. It is our responsibility to follow up. That is all.”