Affinity (RDJ) - 1st person

Chapter 21 - The Last Day

The days cascade by quicker than I'd like. There was no tornado on Tuesday night, but I'm happy with how it panned out, in a way. We definitely wouldn't have made the progress we did over coffee.

I sit in the cafeteria on Thursday, still enjoying this new loose, free feeling I've had since that night. I'm very aware that my feelings for Robert are growing at a rapid rate. I feel sick at the thought of those three words, but I'm pretty sure that this is close to what love feels like.

I'm not sure if it's just because of the situation I'm in, but I feel like this is the happiest I've ever been.

There's still a part of me that tells me it's wrong to feel that way... that my unhappiness is my sick reward for managing to cling onto life after the tragedy that took my sister's. But I push those thoughts out of my head. I'm going to enjoy this while it lasts because I know all too well that all good things must come to an end.

'Hey, dreamer. You ready?' Lexi chimes, breaking my inner monologue. 'Last test before Christmas break!' It's Robert's class next, and I realize that I should've probably been studying this lunch break rather than daydreaming. George and Lexi have a different class, but they've committed to walking me to my last exam. A 'walk of champions' as they call it.

We all stand up and begin the walk to the other side of campus, chatting and laughing along the way. 'Here we are, Remy! You're gonna do great. Smash it!' George grins.

'Thanks, guys, I'll see you in a bit,' I say, giving them both a hug. They head off to their own class, and I walk into the lecture hall. Every second seat on each row is blocked off in preparation for the test, and I notice the line of students waiting to find their allocated seat snaking from Robert's desk.

Around half the seats are taken already as I join the queue to find out my number. I can't see much past the heads in front of me, but I can hear Robert's voice reading off the numbers to the students ahead. I edge closer to the front, and Robert peers around the guys in front of me, eyes twinkling subtly when he catches me looking. 'Okay, De Luca, you're seat 24 in the middle there...' I move forward to the front of the line. 'Okay, let me see... Rachel, is it?' he smirks, running his finger down his list mockingly. I feel my cheeks flush and have to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing.

'It's Remy, Mr. Downey,' I respond.

'Ah, of course it is!' he exclaims. 'Seat 3 Miss Boden, right at the front there,' he grins cockily, head wobbling a little with how happy he is with himself. I roll my eyes, not hiding my smirk, as I sit in the seat directly in front of his desk. There's no way this was an accident.

The tests are already on the table, and it's not long until I'm on with it. I don't look up from my paper, knowing that I have to keep my grades up and not get distracted. The test is reasonably easy and I finish with time to spare.

Glancing up, I see Robert leaning backward in his chair with his feet crossed at the ankles up on his desk. He's reading as we all complete our test, and he shifts his book a fraction to one side when he sees me looking up.

'Okay?' he mouths, eyebrows raised from behind his book. I nod subtly, mouth twitching upwards as I snap my head back down for fear of being caught ogling my professor. I spend the last few minutes checking over my answers and am thankful when Robert gets up, gaining the attention of the class. 'Okay guys, time up. Congratulations - you've completed your last test of the year!' A sigh of relief sweeps across the lecture theater, gaining a chuckle from Robert.

'One thing before you go,' he adds, holding a finger up in the air. 'As is Downey tradition, my first years get a drink on me on the last day before Christmas break. So tomorrow after our last class, we'll head over to Joe's bar and the first round is on me!' The class cheers, and I shoot a smile in his direction.