Academic Seduction (profxgirl)(wlw)

Chapter Twenty Nine

The following morning greeted me with a harsh reality: puffy eyes and a heavy heart. I scolded myself for succumbing to tears over last night's events; after all, crying felt childish, especially over Victoria's blatant betrayal. How could she lie to me like that, right to my face? Her hollow assurances about choosing me rang hollow in my ears, a bitter reminder of the falsehoods that had poisoned our relationship.

Glancing at my phone, I noted the time with a sigh: 11:34 AM. I had wasted precious hours lost in a whirlwind of emotions. Despite several missed calls and messages from Victoria, I couldn't bring myself to engage with her. Rolling my eyes, I set the device aside, unwilling to confront the chaos that awaited me on the other end of the line.

Seeking solace in the familiar routine of daily life, I retreated to the sanctuary of the shower, the warm cascade of water soothing my troubled mind. Dressed and composed, I made my way to the kitchen, where Sarah was already busy at work. "Hey," I greeted her, my voice strained with the effort of maintaining a facade of normalcy as I settled onto a kitchen stool.

Sarah's smile faltered as she caught sight of my red-rimmed eyes, her concern evident in the furrow of her brow. "What's wrong?" she inquired, her voice laced with genuine worry.

I forced a half-hearted smile, my attempt to deflect her concern falling flat in the face of her perceptiveness. "Nothing, don't worry," I assured her, my words ringing hollow in my own ears. "What're you making?"

But Sarah wasn't so easily swayed by my feeble attempt at evasion. Squinting her eyes, she regarded me with a knowing look, her intuition piercing through the facade I had constructed. "French toast," she replied, her tone gentle yet resolute. "I'm making some for you too."

As Sarah placed the plate of French toast before me, the aroma of warm syrup and melted cheese enveloped my senses, offering a fleeting moment of solace in the midst of turmoil. I offered her a grateful nod before liberally dousing the toast with syrup and sprinkling it with cheese, savoring the decadent combination with each bite. Despite the heaviness weighing on my heart, the simple pleasure of a good meal offered a brief respite from the chaos of my emotions.

Taking a seat beside me, Sarah handed me a knife and fork, her expression tinged with a hint of apprehension as she broached the subject of the upcoming academic year. "Second year of university starts next week, that's kinda scary," she remarked, her voice tinged with a sense of uncertainty.

I nodded in agreement, the reality of time's swift passage hitting me with a jolt. It seemed like only yesterday that I had arrived in this bustling city, eager to embark on a new chapter of my life. "Yeah, I'm not exactly thrilled," I admitted with a wry chuckle, shaking my head at the thought of the challenges that lay ahead.

Lost in contemplation, my thoughts drifted to the uncertainties of the upcoming semester. Would I encounter the same professors, or would new faces fill the lecture halls? And what about tutoring—would Sinclair continue to guide me through the complexities of my coursework, or would I be assigned to someone new?

As Sarah and I ate in companionable silence, I found solace in the absence of conversation, grateful for the opportunity to simply be present in the moment without the need for words. In the quiet sanctuary of the kitchen, I allowed myself to linger in the comfort of familiarity, if only for a fleeting moment, before the demands of the day beckoned me once more.

As we finished our breakfast, I gathered our plates and deposited them in the sink with a sigh, the clatter of ceramic against metal echoing through the kitchen. Turning to Sarah, I sought to fill the impending silence with conversation, eager to distract myself from the weight of my own thoughts. "What're your plans for the day?" I inquired, my voice tinged with a sense of uncertainty.