One Night With My Alpha Professor
One Night 103

Chapter 103 Audrey

I hefted the last box into the back of the moving truck, wiping a sheen of sweat from my brow. The summer heat was already intense, making the task of moving out of the dorms even more grueling. The cardboard was slick under my fingers, and I could feel my shirt sticking to my back.

"Whew. Is that the last one?" Tina asked, coming up beside me. Her red hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, little ginger and blonde wisps escaping to frame her flushed face.

I nodded, slamming the truck's tailgate shut with a satisfying clang. "Finally. I swear, I don't remember bringing this much stuff when I moved in."

Tina laughed, nudging me with her elbow. "That's because you've accumulated a year's worth of junk. And by junk, I mean fabric and sewing notions that you don't need and will never get around to using."

I blushed at the mention of the boxes upon boxes of scraps and notions I had accumulated over the year. Tina was right, of course; I had a problem.

But even that small mention, unbeknownst to Tina, made me think of... of him. Of that day in his apartment when he had shown me his sewing room and offered to let me use it for free, and... No, I thought to myself. Stop thinking about him.

"Hey," Tina said, ""are you at least excited to share a house this summer? It'll be like one long slumber party!"

I looked around at our friends, all bustling about with their own moving tasks. Gavin was struggling with a particularly large box, while Avis directed him with exaggerated hand gestures. Betty was meticulously organizing smaller items in her car, making sure everything fit just so.

This summer, we would all be sharing a house. A smile tugged at my lips, although smiling lately felt a bit forced. "Yeah, it'll be fun. Better than the alternative, that's for sure."

And it would be. I was glad not to have to return to my adoptive parents' home this summer. The thought of spending months under their disapproving gazes, doing all of the household chores and being made to work a crappy part-time job just to 'earn my keep' made my stomach churn.

Living with friends would be a welcome change, even if my heart wasn't fully in it right now.

Even if he plagued my dreams.

Suddenly, I felt like I might cry.

"I'm just going to do one last check inside," I said, turning on my heel. I didn't wait for Tina's response, nor did I stop until T was safely back in my empty room. Only then did I allow myself to sniffle and quickly wipe away the single tear that had slipped free, my knuckles whitening around the windowsill.

Tina, however, had followed me. And she saw that tear.

"Hey," she said softly, grabbing my arm and turning to face me. It was just the two of us in here, and I was glad for it, because she was the only one who knew. "You okay?"

The concern in her voice nearly broke me. I felt more hot tears prickling at the corners of my eyes and swallowed hard. "I'm fine," I lied, forcing another smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.

But I wasn't fine. Not even close.

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Chapter 103

It had been a month since I found out about Edwin's engagement, and my heart was still in pieces. Every night, I relived that mome

in the garden, seeing Fiona wrap herself around him, hearing Claudia casually mention their engagement. The betrayal cut deep, a wound that refused to heal.

I had, of course, blocked him on everything in a fit of hurt and anger. My final project for his class had been turned in early, accompanied by an email to the vice dean explaining that I felt uncomfortable continuing in Edwin's class.

I hadn't told her the truth, of course, leading her to believe that my unrequited feelings were the sole reason. That I simply still had a schoolyard crush on my professor and that I was trying to nip it in the bud. She had agreed to let me finish my work for his class online.

Little did she know that I couldn't bear to look at him because my skin still burned from where he had touched me in the woods.

And so, I hadn't seen Edwin since that day. Maybe he was avoiding me too, or maybe he just didn't care. I wasn't sure which possibility hurt more.

Tina's eyes searched my face, unconvinced by my weak assurance. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle that internship? It's not too late to back out if you need to."

I shook my head, perhaps a bit too quickly. "It's just for the summer, and it's a low-level position. I'll probably never even see him." The words sounded hollow even to my own ears. "Besides, he'll likely continue avoiding me, especially if his fiancee found out about... about us."

The memory of that day in the forest flashed through my.mind again despite my efforts to push it down. The warmth of Edwin's skin, the intensity in his eyes, the way his hands had roamed my body... It had felt so real, so right. But in the end, I was nothing more than a human plaything, a momentary distraction from his real life.

"If you say so," Tina said, squeezing my shoulder gently. Her touch was comforting, grounding me in the present. "Everything will be okay, Audrey. I promise. And if it's not, you know I'm always here for you."

I wanted to believe her, but the ache in my chest made it difficult. "Thanks, Tina," I said, blinking back tears. "I appreciate it. Really."

We finished loading up and hit the road, following Betty's car to the house we would be sharing for the summer. The drive was filled with chatter and laughter from my friends, but I found myself staring out the window, lost in thought.

As we pulled up to our destination, I couldn't help but gasp. The place was massive, more of a mansion than a house.

"Holy crap," Gavin whispered from the backseat, his eyes wide. "Betty's family owns this?"

We piled out of the car, staring up at our summer home in awe. The Georgian-style architecture was impressive, with large windows and immaculate landscaping. Betty bounded over, keys jingling in her hand, her excitement palpable.

"Welcome, roomies!" she exclaimed, spreading her arms wide. "Let me give you the grand tour."

The inside was just as impressive as the outside. High ceilings, gleaming hardwood floors, and more rooms than I could count. Betty showed us around, pointing out the gourmet kitchen, multiple living areas, and finally, our bedrooms-the place was large enough for each of us to have our own bedrooms, although we would be sharing one and a half bathrooms.

"And Audrey," Betty said, a mischievous glint in her eye, "You'll be staying in the attic."

My eyebrows shot up and I tried not to look disappointed. "The attic?"

Betty nodded, beaming. She led me up a narrow staircase to the third floor, the wood creaking beneath our feet. I hesitated at the door, wondering what could possibly be up here that Betty seemed so excited about. It was just an attic; likely hot and dusty.

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10:59 Tue, Sep 17 BG.

Chapter 103

"Go on," Betty urged, practically bouncing with anticipation. "Open it."

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I pushed the door open and stepped inside. My jaw dropped. It wasn't the cramped and musty room that I had been anticipating, but rather a beautiful bedroom, complete with a large round stained glass window that cast colorful patterns. across the floor. A wicker swinging chair hung from the pitched ceiling and a plush bed sat in one corner, covered in soft-looking pillows and a cozy duvet. And in another corner...

"Is that a dress form?" I asked, turning to face Betty.

Betty nodded enthusiastically. "And look here." She walked over to a table in the corner that was covered in a white sheet and pulled the sheet off in one motion, revealing an antique sewing machine. "I know it's old," she said, "but I thought you could use a little workspace for your internship projects. Maybe it'll help inspire some new designs!"

With wide eyes, I walked up to the sewing machine and ran my fingers across the dark metal. It was like a dream come true, a perfect little sanctuary. I was too stunned to even speak.

"Do you like it?" Betty asked, suddenly sounding uncertain. "I know it's a bit secluded from the rest of the house, and the space is small, but I thought-"

I cut her off by throwing my arms around her, tears spilling down my cheeks. Finally, the emotions I had been holding back all day-all month-finally broke free. "I love it," I choked out. "Thank you so much, Betty. This is... It's perfect."

She hugged me back, clearly surprised by my emotional response. She and the others, aside from Tina, were pretty much oblivious to my turmoil with Edwin-although I was certain they could see my anguish in some capacity or another, no matter how hard I tried to hide it.

"Hey, it's okay," she soothed, patting my back with a chuckle. "I'm glad you like it. I just wanted you to have a space that was all yours, you know?"

We stood there for a moment, and I tried to pull myself together. When we finally separated, Betty was looking at me with concern, her brow furrowed.

"But Audrey, are you sure you're alright?" she asked. "You've seemed... I don't know, off lately. Is everything okay?"

I wiped at my eyes, forcing a laugh that sounded hollow even to my own ears. "I'm fine, really." Liar. "Just overwhelmed by all of this. It's amazing, Betty. Thank you."

She studied me for a second longer, then nodded. Then, reaching into her bag, she pulled out a bottle of tequila with a flourish.

"Well, in that case," she said with a grin, sauntering toward the door, "rest up, Audrey. Tonight, we party."

SEND GIFT