Chapter 17

The warm afternoon sun cast a golden hue over the old brick buildings as Kate and Lexi strolled around their former campus. Kate's eyes swept across the familiar structures and pathways, taking in every detail. Students lounged on the lush green grass, some reading books while others chattered animatedly with friends. Her eyes followed a squirrel as it scurried up a tree. The campus smelled of freshly cut grass, blooming flowers, and rich coffee from the nearby cafe.

It felt so strange to be back after all these years. Kate never should have left without finishing her final year, but in a few months, she'd be back, and this time next year, she'd have her degree.

"I can't believe it's been four years," Lexi said.

"I was just thinking the same thing. Although it's been five for me." Kate gazed at the library, remembering late nights spent cramming for exams, fueled by vending machine snacks and cheap coffee. She imagined herself walking up those same steps again, knowing that it would be different this time. She was so much more focused now than she'd been back then when she'd chosen to study psychology just because she had an interest in it. Now, she knew she wanted to get into social work. "I spent so much time in there."

A handsome man probably in his mid-forties came out of the library, his eyes locking onto Lexi. He was tall and well-built, dressed in a tailored white shirt tucked into his black pants.

"Lexi," he said with a friendly smile, a book tucked under his arm. "What a surprise. Are you coming back to do a post grad?"

"I'm thinking about it," Lexi said with a smile that Kate thought looked forced.

"Well, I hope you do. It'd be good to see you around campus again." His eyes were fixated on Lexi, only stealing a brief glance in Kate's direction.

Lexi gave him a wave before he continued on his way, and they kept moving in the opposite direction.

"I doubt any of my professors would remember me," Kate said. "I sat at the back and kept to myself. This guy remembers your name four years later without hesitation."

"Yeah, that guy's Professor Clarke, and he's probably still trying to figure out why I turned him down. I'm sure he doesn't hear ‘no' very often."

"He hit on you? When you were his student?"

"Kate, don't look so shocked. It happens all the time. Although, Professor Clarke was the most... Calculated about it. I had his last meeting of the day, so the building was quiet. We'd gone over the paper I'd turned in, and as I was leaving, he came around from behind his desk and shut the door, pushing me up against it."

"What the fuck?" Kate asked, her feet slowing.

Lexi shrugged, her dark hair fluttering in the light breeze. "I ducked out of it and told him to stay the fuck away from me. He was probably just relieved that I never reported him, or else he forgot that I wasn't interested. I don't know why else he'd be so happy to see me after what happened."

"Why didn't you report him?" Kate asked as they started walking again.

"I was graduating in less than a month, and he as a reputation. Both as a creep and as a highly respected figure when it comes to teaching. He's got like three books I think, and he gives talks around the country. I'm sure he'd have to do a lot more than try to kiss me to get fired."

"And he's going to be one of my professors?"

"Definitely."

"Great," Kate said with a heavy sigh, already dreading having someone like him as a professor.

"Hey, just don't be alone with him, and you'll have nothing to worry about. The rest of my professors were amazing during my final year here, so I doubt much has changed since then."

Kate made a mental note to check her schedule when it was released in a few months to see how many classes she had with Professor Clarke, hoping it was as few as possible.