Chapter 66 Uneasy possibilities.

Chapter 66 Uneasy possibilities.
Laramie:

"So, she actually accused you of sleeping with your professor in front of everyone. Wow, what a bitch."

Zoey might have been a bitch, but she wasn't wrong. I was on a first name basis with my English professor, and I was sleeping with him. But of course, I couldn't tell Elodie that.

So instead, I just shrugged casually and tried to keep my face as blank as I possibly could even though I could feel my cheeks burning.

"Yeah... I have no idea what her problem is, but she's been acting weird toward me for a while now."

Elodie thought on my words for a second before answering. Then, she leaned back against her pillows, folding her arms over her torso. It looked like a light had gone on behind her eyes.

"You know, I'm willing to bet that she's the one sleeping with him and she's just trying to get the attention away from herself."

Elodie said it as if it was the most normal thing in the world - like it was the only logical explanation.

Luckily, she couldn't see the way my jaw clenched or the tiny flutter of muscles just below my eye. I tried my best to keep my voice as even as possible when I spoke again.

"That doesn't make any sense, Elodie. Why would she even do something like that?"

Elodie just stared at me like I wasn't making any sense - like the answer should have been the most obvious thing in the world.

So, I continued.

"Why would she want to get the attention off of herself by accusing me of having an affair with him if no one even knows that she's having an affair with him?"

Those last words tasted like bitter bile on my tongue. Even just the thought of Ethan with one of his other students made my stomach lurge horribly.

Elodie seemed to be thinking about it. I could almost see the wheels spinning in her head.

I was beginning to regret that I had told her about the fight at all... maybe it would have been better if she just used her own imagination to piece together what had happened.

Then -

Elodie sat forward again, clapping her hands together, and looking a little too excited about whatever she was about to say.

"Maybe..." She began. "They were sleeping together, and he broke it off with her - lost interest in her. And now she's bitter and just looking for someone else to blame"

An image of Zoey emerging from between the bookshelves in the library, dishevelled and ravished pops into my mind. I clearly recalled the moans and giggles that I heard before I saw her - remembered that she was clearly having sex with someone behind those shelves.

I also remembered the way she was gushing over Ethan in class on our first day. The way she went on and on about how good looking he was and how she's like to get to know him better - outside of class.

My heart dropped to my stomach.

My throat closed and my mouth went so dry that I couldn't swallow.

I didn't even want to think about it.

But it couldn't be true.

Ethan would never.

He's not the kind of man that would hook up with one of his students behind some dusty shelves in the campus library.

I mean sure, Ethan was hooking up with me, but that was different.

Ethan cared about me.

I was more than just some casual hook-up to him.

We had a real relationship.

Ethan had no interest in Zoey, and he would never sleep with her.

I kept repeating the words over and over again in my head, trying to convince myself more than anything.

I should have hate Ethan for the way he treated me. I should have been done with him.

But the mere thought of him being with someone else sent a ripple of jealousy through my body so intense that it made my hands tremble slightly.

Ethan was mine. And I was his.

We belonged to each other.

I felt like I could scratch Zoey's eyes out for even looking in his direction.

I suddenly became aware of Elodie staring at me with a curious look on her face.

I had no idea how long I've just been sitting there, staring blankly out in front of me as thoughts rushed through my head.

I cleared my throat and tried to swallow away the desert in my throat.

"Even so, Elodie. Why would she decide to accuse me of all people?"

My voice sounded weak. I cleared my throat again, hoping that Elodie wouldn't notice. Luckily, it looked like she hadn't.

She shrugged and leaned back against her pillows again, looking like she was beginning to lose interest with the topic.

"Maybe your professor looked at you in class or called on you one too many times and now she thinks that you're the reason he lost interest in her. Who knows why crazy bitches do the things they do - I mean if you're willing to sleep with one of your professors, who knows what else you're capable of..."

I had to look away from her then, my face burning with embarrassment.

What would Elodie say if she ever found out that I was the one sleeping with my professor? What would she think about me?

"But I have to say, sweety. I'm really impressed with Noah."

"Hmm..?"

I found myself lost for a second, not entirely sure what she was talking about. I was still too busy imagining the disappointment in her eyes if the truth ever came out.

"For rescuing you from Zoey, of course. What a gentleman. I knew there was something about him that I liked when I first met him at that party. Now that's the kind of guy girls should be fighting over."

She smiled in a knowing way before winking at me.

I smiled quickly and stood up off the bed, turning away from Elodie and pretending to pack some of my stuff away.

With everything that Elodie had been saying about Zoey and Ethan, I had completely forgotten about Noah and the fact that he knew everything.

I still had no idea what he planned to do with that information.

My stomach turned dangerously.

"Well, anyway, sweety. I'm headed to the library for a study session. You're welcome to join me if you'd like."

I shook my head quickly.

"No thanks. I'd rather just stay here. If you don't mind."

I didn't feel like facing anyone after the day I'd had, and I was in no mood to be gawked at by curious students with nothing better to talk about.

Besides, I was happy to have the room to myself. I needed time to think. I needed time to cry.

Elodie just nodded her head and smiled gently. She gave my arm a sympathetic squeeze and then she left.

I slumped down on my bed, burying my face in my hands and I allowed my tears to fall freely again.

It felt like they would never stop.

It felt like my heart would never be whole again.