Student Affairs (GirlxGirl)

Prologue

As I trudged through the never-ending traffic, frustration was eating me alive. Summer teaching had left me drained, and now I'm stuck in this bumper-to-bumper mess trying to get home. Two weeks off, and I spent the whole time planning lessons like a madman trying to cram a semester into a month. Ridiculous, right?

My cars calling notification sound begins to go off. I press the 'answer' button after seeing that its my wife, Vanessa. Thankfully, traffic also starts to move. Only a couple minutes away, thank God.

"Hey baby, I'm sorry it's taking so long for me to get home. The traffic is-" 

My words are immediately cut off when I hear the faint sounds of groaning or breathing erupting from the other side of the line. I furrow my brow in confusion, "Hello? Van?"

I hear her end beginning to shuffle and then a faint, "Oh shit." The line is cut off. 

As I turned into our neighborhood, a knot of unease twisted in my stomach, a nagging suspicion gnawing at the edges of my mind. Vanessa's call had left me unsettled, the strange noises on the other end planting seeds of doubt that now threatened to bloom into full-blown paranoia.

Approaching our house, I spotted a car parked in our driveway. My first thought was confusion. Is that Daniels car? But why would he be here? We hadn't spoken in months, not since Mom passed away.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. Vanessa's odd behavior over the last few weeks, the mysterious call —all the pieces seemed to fall into place. Dread settled over me like a heavy blanket as I contemplated the implications.

I parked my car at the corner of the last intersection and snapped a photo of his car in our driveway. Immediately, I sent it to my best friend Dylan. As the message sent, I couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that hung in the air like a thick fog. Dylan would know what to do, or at least provide some much-needed support in this moment of turmoil.

A wave of gratitude washed over me for having a best friend like Dylan. Dylan wasn't just my best friend; she was my lifeline. Growing up in the same neighborhood, we'd forged a bond that transcended age and distance. Despite the couple of years between us, Dylan had always been there for me, through thick and thin. When we both ended up teaching at Berkeley, it felt like destiny had brought us together once again. Dylan wasn't just a friend; she was particularly my family. 

As I awaited her response, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for dragging her into my mess, but I needed her support now more than ever, and I knew she'd be there for me, just as she always had been.

My phone began buzzing incessantly. Of course, it was her calling. I accepted the call with a heavy heart, steeling myself for the confrontation.

"Why the hell is your brother at your house?" her voice crackled with urgency and anger.

"Dude, I have no fucking clue," I replied, my own confusion mirroring hers. But before I could say more, I saw the door to my house start to open. "They're coming out. I gotta go."

"Wait, what? You can't just—" her protest was cut off as I ended the call. Sorry Dylan.

With trembling hands, I snapped a photo, capturing the damning evidence of their betrayal. And then it happened—the final blow, the ultimate act of betrayal. My brother leaned down and kissed her softly, sealing their deceit with a tender gesture that turned my blood to ice.

My chest felt like I was deflating, not able to get oxygen back into my lungs. The tears in my eyes were hot and pooling. I need to get out of here.

With a choked sob, I turned the key and started my car, but before pulling away, I texted Vanessa the photo I took. 

I put my car into drive and raced out of the neighborhood. Looks like I'll be staying at Dylan's house for awhile.