Teaching Mr. Graham

Chapter Fifty-Nine

    "That was another dope class, Professor Drizzy Drake."

    Aubrey chuckled as he accepted the student's dap. "Thank you, thank you." He resumed packing up his lesson plan book, but couldn't stop himself from raising his eyes towards the row that Tatiana usually sat in. She'd been notably absent from today's class. Throughout the entire class, he'd wondered if she was okay. While his students were working on that day's assignment, he'd even texted her; he hadn't gotten a response. Had he been too rough with her when she'd stayed at his place? Was she having second thoughts about being with him? Knowing that their involvement wasn't the most ethical of arrangements, his nerves were quite on edge.

    I'll give her some time, some space. She'll respond to my message when she's ready. Or...maybe she's just not feeling well today and needed a day off. He slung his briefcase strap over one shoulder and turned, just as the door to the classroom opened.

    The dean entered the classroom briskly.

    Aubrey's brows shot up. "To what do I owe the visit?"

    The dean cast a cursory glance over the staggered rows of empty desks before turning steely dark eyes on Aubrey. "I wish I could say that this was a social call, but you and I have to have a talk. Do you have time to join me in my office?"

    Although his heart started beating in double-time, he swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "Do I have time? Of course I have time. What would this be about?"

    "We'll have time to go over that...in my office."

    "Sure. Okay." Aubrey followed the dean out of the office, gripping the strap of his briefcase until his hand turned red.

                                                                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Aubrey sat in his car with his hands firmly gripping the steering wheel. The car was running, but remained in Park. There went his carbon footprint on the environment, wasted exhaust fumes expanding into the air as he sat frozen in the driver seat.

    "There have been multiple allegations made against you..."

    "Students claiming that you are having improper relations with one Tatiana Wallace..."

    "I shouldn't have to explain to you how serious allegations like this are, and not only to your reputation, but to the reputation of this university..."

    "If you are, indeed, fraternizing with a student then you would not be able to continue teaching as a professor at this university..."

    "The legal ramifications of such a scandal could be severe..."

    "There will be an official investigation into the relationship you have with Tatiana Wallace, into the relationship you have with all of your students. Throughout this investigation, you will be on leave and another professor will take over your class. Considering the fact that her parents removed her from your class, we do find just cause to look into the matter. We know that false allegations do occur, and we want to make sure that this is handled swiftly and discreetly.But in the meantime, what do you have to say for the nature of your relationship with Tatiana Wallace?"

    Aubrey stared through the windshield, eyeing the students idly walking back and forth to their classes or goofing off on the lawn stretched out in front of the tall, brick institution that made up just one small portion of the Northwestern University campus.

    "What do I have to say?" Aubrey had asked while looking the dean in the eye. "What I have to say is that Tatiana Wallace is a very bright student, and a phenomenal writer. There are several students in that class who have a natural gift of stringing words together in a way that creates a timeless piece of art."

    "The question was, what do you have to say about the nature of your relationship with Tatiana Wallace?" the dean had repeated.

    "The nature of my relationship with Tatiana Wallace is in no way improper. The relationship that I have with her is pure. I am her teacher. She is my student. I wish the best for her, as I do for all of my students. So do what you need to do. Investigate what you need to investigate. And then let me know when I can get back to teaching."

    Following those words, he'd stood up from the chair facing the dean's desk, turned, and walked out of the office. He'd crossed several courtyards to return to where he'd parked his car that morning, and that's where he'd sat ever since. Replaying the words of the conversation in his mind, resisting the urge to drive to Tatiana's dorms to ask if there was anything he'd done wrong. Because he couldn't think of anyone who would report him to the dean...

    Yes you do.

    His eyes snapped up to the rearview mirror. He knew someone who claimed that she would be keeping her eyes on Tatiana and Aubrey, someone who had an obvious distaste for him ever since he'd rejected her advances. But she wouldn't...

    Who was he kidding? Yes, she would. And the worst part was, he couldn't even blame her. Not fully. Because he was the one who'd handed over the ammo to her. He was the one who'd made googly eyes at Tatiana ever since he first saw her. He was the one who'd gotten reckless, stalking her to a party and sitting with her at a basketball game...walking around all carefree at Millennium Park.

    No matter how much he wanted to be on the right side of this, he wasn't. He was the one guilty of doing wrong, and he was dragging down Tatiana with him.