The Professor's Daughter [Part 1 of 2]

19 | Nightmare Come True

Leah's POV

This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This is not happening. Maybe if I say it to myself enough, it'll be true.

I stand here frozen in front of my parents. I shift my eyes between them and try to make myself do something. Should I deny and lie? Own up? Play stupid? I don't know.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, furrowing my brows and crossing my arms over my chest. "Leah, this isn't a game. Cut the shit." My dad demands, raising his voice and causing me to jump. I sink back into myself and press my lips together. "Why do you have my phone?" I ask, seriously confused as to how they got into it without my passcode. "That isn't any of your concern, Leah. What you should be worried about is this Jennifer girl and how much time she'll be spending in jail, and how long you'll be grounded for." He says. My heart shatters at those words. He can't be serious.

"What?! No, are you- stop! Look, I'm sorry I lied and kept it from you but-" "is this who was getting you into all that trouble? You were sneaking around to see some woman?" My mother chimes in, sounding incredibly disappointed. "I-I-" "do you know how much trouble you're in, Leah? For starters, you're not dating women. I don't know what this is, some sort of phase maybe...but it isn't happening. I'm not condoning or allowing this in my home. Secondly, I'm going to take action against Jennifer for this. She said she's what? Twenty nine?! That is more than ten years older than you. Makes me sick... taking advantage of a teenage girl." My father gripes.

Tears are welling in my eyes at this point and my body is shaking. "Dad- please! Don't do this! I love her." I blurt out, letting the tears pour out. "What? You love her? You're seventeen, Leah. You do not know what love is." He laughs, shaking his head at me. I let my lip quiver uncontrollably and he just stares at me, "I'll be contacting lawyers and all of that first thing in the morning. Your college professor is going to find it about this too... after all, it's his daughter." He says. "Please!" I plead. "This disgus-" "She didn't know! It's my fault, I'll take all the blame for this! Please just leave her out of it! I wasn't truthful with her, and the moment she found out the truth she left it alone. She didn't do anything wrong!" I yell. "Go to your room." He says and turns his back on me.

I hate when people turn their back on me while I'm speaking.

"Fuck this!" I scream, tears gushing from my eyes. I turn around quickly and smack a glass vase off of the counter, letting it shatter on the hardwood floor beneath me. I run up to my room, slamming and locking the door. I hear my father's fists banging on the door repeatedly, following by yelling and cussing. This can't be happening to me.

I wake up with a jolt and I'm breathing hard. My room is dark and my eyes are heavy.

I sit up and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and see a little mascara on my cheeks and I sigh, remembering everything. I glance at the clock and it's three in the morning... God. He can't go through with what he said. He can't.

Getting back to sleep was useless. It's now 8:00am and I hear everyone else in the house shuffling around and whatnot. I don't know what to say or do, I'm honestly afraid to leave my room.

The thought keeps running through my mind...what if my dad follows through and he is able to get Jennifer in trouble for this? She didn't even do anything, she didn't know. It's got nothing to do with her and it's unfair.

I come out of my bedroom with a tank top on and sweatpants. My hair is in a bun and my eyes are dark and puffy from all the tears I shed.

I walk down the stairs and see my mom and dad in the office space, talking together. They look up at me at the exact same time and my mom's face is much more sympathetic than my father's. Here goes nothing.

"Please... don't do this." I mutter, my voice raspy and broken. "I am begging you. I'll do whatever it takes." I say. My father sits back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Where is she?" He asks me. "She left the state, so can we not drag her back into this? I'm sorry, I lied and it's my fault. Do not ruin her life over this!" I plead with them. I look at my mom and she bites her cheek, "How long?" "It wasn't long, I swear!" "Go wait in the kitchen. Your dad and I need to talk this over." She says. I hang my head and walk to the couch and flop down.

About ten agonizing and long minutes later, I hear the two of them walking into the room. I look up quickly and stand to my feet. "Let me start by saying how disappointed we are in you. For all of this... what the hell were you thinking? Nothing about this is okay, nor would it ever be." My dad gripes. I watch my mom place her hand on his arm, calling him off of his attack on me. I inhale deeply, unable to get a steady breath because of my nervousness.

"We won't get anyone else involved in this.... so long as you never see this woman again. If you are ever caught speaking to her or seeing her at all ever again, we are getting the authorities involved and you'll have much bigger issues to deal with. And since you've broken your dad and I's trust, you're not leaving this house until you graduate. Quit your job and cancel every single extracurricular activity from here until May. You are going to be punished for this. What happened between you two was wrong and extremely unacceptable, Leah. Your father and I will not have it. This is going to end here and now. Are we clear?" My mom asks me. I feel a weight lift from my shoulders and I also feel my heart shatter.

Jennifer is going to be left out of this, but I can't see her again.

I guess I should have seen this coming. There was never going to be a good ending to this. Me staying away from Jennifer is my only way of protecting her, but she's the only thing I want. I have to give up my happiness to keep her a free woman.