The Professor

Chapter Ten • The Dare

Mark

"I'll be the designated driver. I'm nice like that." I give them a cocky smile and all of them flip me off. But I hear no complaints.

It's rare for Will and his wife, Lana to get a night off with their 5-month old. I figure I'll let them enjoy themselves.

Plus- Josh brought his girlfriend, Diane.

That makes me the odd man out. I don't mind it. Not usually. But after what happened on Monday with Valentina, I wish I could take my mind off things.

"Way to take one for the team, Mark." Will claps his hand on my shoulder, his other arm wrapped around his wife.

They're a sweet couple. He's a ginger, Lana is Asian, and they make one cute baby. I met Will in college and I was there when he started dating Lana. I knew they'd get together the first time I saw her put him in his place. It was refreshing to say the least.

Josh and Diane trail ahead of us, both of them already tipsy. They've been together for four years but never talked about getting married. They love each other and they're partners, that's all they need.

I, having the bad relationship luck I've had, have found contentment in my solitude. No one judges me or my dog, no one touches my stuff, and no one hurts me.

I can live with that.

***

"Do you know what planet I'm thinking of?" Lana slurs her words at Will who squints his eyes at her.

"Neptune?" She shakes her head no.

"Uranus!" She breaks out into laughter, Will joining soon after he gets the joke.

Josh and Diane are out on the dance floor.

We've been here for almost an hour and they're all super drunk. I think I made a bad choice when I thought it'd be okay to stay sober.

"Hey, Marky." Will calls out to me, Lana snickering at his side.

"Yes, Buddy?"

"Truth or dare?" His words are so slurred they're almost incomprehensible. I scrunch my brows at him but play along.

"Dare." I set my jaw, ready for the challenge.

"I dare you to get the number of any girl we..." he points between Lana and him, "pick out."

I really don't want to do this. But it's called a dare for a reason. I'll just delete her number later.

"Deal. Who's the victim?" I scan my eyes across the room, wondering who they'll pick.

"Her!" They say in unison, pointing at a girl with dark, curly hair two booths away from us.

"The curly haired one!" Lana adds, to clarify.

"A deals a deal." I get up out of my chair and start walking over to this girl.

I walk to the front of the booth.

"Hey." I put on my best smirk and then look at the girl I'm flirting with. Fuck.

"Uh- hi, Professor Holloway." Valentina stutters, her knuckles white around her cup. She seems to be drinking a Moscow Mule.

I give her a tentative smile and sneak a glance back at my booth, only to see Will and Lana laughing their asses off. Dickheads.

"That seat taken?" I point at the spot opposite to her. She looks over at the bar counter and then gives me a nervous chuckle.

"By you." I take my seat across from her and plant my arms on the table.

"I'm surprised to see you here." I raise a brow at her, teasingly.

"I'm 21 I promise." She's a little drunk, I can tell by the way she hiccups when she laughs and sways from side to side.

"Good to know." I smirk down at her and watch her blush.

"How old are you?" She raises her brow at me and purses her lips.

"I'm 28, honey." I can see the shock on her face.

"You, sir." Her nickname makes my heart beat faster and I feel a tug in the pit of my stomach. "Look really good."

She carelessly runs her eyes down my body, stopping in certain places.

A smug smile forms on my face.

"Oh, yeah? You think I look good?" She looks up at me, a challenge in her eyes.

"Oh, definitely." Her mischievous smile let's me know she's not going to stop there. "For an old man."

My smile drops and a scowl takes it's place.

"Well, sweetheart." I scoot around the booth until I'm sitting right beside her. Then I place my hand on her lower thigh and watch as her breathing accelerates.

I must be drunk, imagining this. But I haven't had a single drink tonight.

"This 'old man' knows you like it when he touches you."

I watch her eyes follow my hand as I traces shapes on her knee.

"I do." Her honesty shocks me but I'm not bothered by it. I welcome it.

I'm about to run my hand up her thigh when a voice cuts in.

"Shut the front fucking door." A small blonde practically yells from the front of our booth.

I recognize her and the girl standing next to her that has her mouth dropped open.

Mille and Carrie, Val's best friends.

"Uhm." Valentina clears her throat, pushing my hand off her knee. "Professor Holloway, this is-"

"Millie and Carrie. A pleasure." I cut her off, surprising her and making her friends giggle.

"No." Millie starts, "the pleasure is all ours, I assure you." She winks at Valentina who is blushing wildly.

"We're gonna give you two some space." Carrie practically drags Millie away, back to the bar.

I look over at Valentina and chuckle. Her eyes are narrowed onto mine, suspicion in them.

"What?" I lift my brow.

"How did you know who they were?"

Oh shit. I'm going to have to mention the Instagram stalking to explain this one.

"You told me their names." I hope she lets me slide with this one.

"That doesn't explain how you knew exactly which one was Millie and Carrie." Apparently not.

"Sweetheart, you know exactly how I know." I turn in my chair, facing forward. My jaw set.

I'm prepared to abandon the whole 'getting her number' and leave her be when I hear a giggle.

She's laughing?

"What's so funny?" I turn back towards her.

"You look so cute when you're mad." She's laughing harder now, hiccups interrupting every few times.

"You haven't seen me mad." Hopefully she never will.

She leans toward me and puts her head on my shoulder, yawning. Dammit she looks cute.

"Why'd you come over here?" Her voice chirps from my side.

"That's actually a funny story-" I'm cut off by her sudden movement as she sits up straight, her face fallen.

I follow her line of sight and see what's causing her so much distress.

It's Connor. Making out with another girl.

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Yikes. Maybe we will see Mark's mad side 💁🏻‍♀️

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Thanks for reading,
Mia x