Moose and Goose

Chapter Eleven

"Then why did someone tell me that they saw you two fighting this morning? Were they lying," he interrogates her. "If that's the case, then tell me so I can forget about it. Otherwise, I'll have to fill out another incident report."

"Why can't you just ignore them," she speaks in a whisper. Professor Chandler tilts his head in disbelief.

"Because if a student is assaulted, as an authoritative figure, I have to take heed." He interlocks his fingers and takes a breath. Softly, he asks, "Do you remember a girl named Petra Wagner?"

"I think so," she says with uncertainty.

"Well, she was my student months ago, and she would come to class wearing shades often," Professor Chandler begins. "Usually, I didn't care. Some students wore pajamas, and although it breaks the dress code, I let them. I was having a bad day, and everything made me angry, so I snapped when I saw her wearing shades and a hoodie. When I ordered her to take them both off, she was hesitant at first, but once she did, I noticed that she had a black eye, and immediately, I felt remorseful."

"Did she say who did it," Judith asks, and he lifts his right arm, resting his hand against his temple.

"No, but others say that it was Derek Oliver." Her squinted eyes jolt from paper to paper as she ponders over the familiar name. "He plays football for the university. You'll probably see him at the game tomorrow night."

"I'm not into sports, so I won't be going," she tells him, and he nods his head. Mary approaches the door, and she stands on the tips of her shoes, watching them through the glass. "But what happened to her?"

"Petra - never went to any of her classes, and after an investigation, she was found dead in another state." Judith covers her mouth with her right hand, sorrow in her eyes. "I know. Since then, we've had meetings after meetings about the additional steps that we'll take in the event of a repeat. So, protocol requires me to report this to the Dean."

"Wait, no," she rushes those words from her mouth, her eyes wide and her arms at her sides. He stands to his feet with a manilla folder under his left arm. "Professor Chandler, you don't understand."

"You're right. I don't understand," Professor Chandler says, interrupting her. She takes a step back when her neck aches from looking up at him. "I don't understand why our students are treating this campus like a boxing ring. You fight, then make up and pretend it never happened, but the administration doesn't have that privilege. If we see a man striking a woman, he's expelled and escorted off-campus in a police car. It's the same vice versa."

"I understand that, and I'm sorry that you all have to constantly intervene, but David and I are planning to get married." He creases the skin above his nose bridge. "If his parents find out that he was expelled over something this silly, they'll change their minds and pair him with someone else."

"I'll respect the cultural differences and keep my opinions to myself. I already sent Dean O'Connell the report and what he chooses to do is no longer my business. I'm sorry, Miss. Jefferson." She silently stares at him for four seconds, then flounces towards the door to the right of his desk.

She steps through the arch, and Mary stands on the other end. She follows Judith out of the building, her expression displaying confusion.

"Do you want to talk about it," she asks, and Judith shakes her head. "Are you sure? You know how I feel about you being upset."

Judith stops walking, and Mary does the same. She turns to face her blonde-haired friend.

"He said that someone told him David and I were fighting earlier," she tells her. "Did you say something to him?"