Rule Me School Me: A Complex Creatures Story (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 16

Bao Zheng stared down at the vibrating phone on his desk. Over the past two days he'd ignored several calls from Qing Hua's phone. The number illuminated across the screen. He turned the phone face down. Shortly after the phone stopped vibrating. Bao Zheng sighed. Since the encounter with Qing Hua he'd been too embarrassed to talk to him.

The alarm sounded from Bao Zheng's cell phone. It was time for him to head down for his class, Qing Hua's class. The idea of meeting Qing Hua face to face since that night made his heart race. Bao Zheng grabbed his materials and walked to the classroom. Unlike the other time he'd walked from his office to the classroom, this walk seemed longer. He felt as if he were being led to a death chamber in a prison camp.

Bao Zheng saw there were already students sitting in their desks. They acknowledged Bao Zheng and continued preparing for class. Bao Zheng laid his bag on the desk and stood at the podium. The students slowly filled the seats as class time approached. Minutes before class was supposed to start and Qing Hua's desk remained empty. Yan Tu was seated and speaking with the girl adjacent to him. Bao Zheng looked at his watch, it was time for class to start.

Bao Zheng began his lesson. Half-way through his lecture, the classroom door swung open. Qing Hua walked into the class. Qing Hua strolled into the room, uncaring of all the eyes trained on him, and went to his seat.

"Mr. Hou, you're late!" Bao Zheng exclaimed at his back.

"You don't think I know that." Qing Hua said sitting in his seat. "I sent you an email saying I would be late, or are you not checking emails either?"

The statement took Bao Zheng aback. "See me after class please." Bao Zheng said as he returned to the board and began writing notes. Thirty minutes later, the students began packing up.

"Okay, class is over, next class is your midterms so study hard." Bao Zheng said. The students made their way out of the classroom. Finally Bao Zheng and Qing Hua were alone. Qing Hua remained at his desk, staring towards the front.

"Why did you want to see me?" He asked as he stood.

"Well..." Bao Zheng's mind went blank. The words he wanted to say slipped his mind and he could only muster, "You came to class significantly late."

"Yeah, and?" Qing Hua grabbed his backpack and walked to the front of the classroom.

"That's unacceptable. Don't expect special treatment because..."

"Because you jacked me off?" Qing Hua cut in.

Bao Zheng was speechless.

"You don't have to worry about me. I get it." Qing Hua said.

He threw his backpack over his shoulder and walked out the classroom. Bao Zheng was confused. He wanted to clear up any misunderstandings between them but clearly failed. Bao Zheng rubbed his temples, alleviating the looming headache.

Bao Zheng walked into his office. Things were getting out of hand. He crossed all the professional boundaries that night and surrendered to a darker, lonelier side of himself- a side he did not realize even existed. Now he had to pay the price for that.

Bao Zheng slumped into his chair. As he laid his head on the desk he heard a knock at his door. He lifted his head to see a young lady standing in the doorway.

"Yes?"

"Hi Professor Huang. Your midterm key has been approved. I've come to return it to you." She said placing the yellow folder on his desk.

"Oh, thank you." Bao Zheng said. She smiled and left.

Bao Zheng grabbed his phone and called Qing Hua. Though he didn't want to deal with the situation, he needed to preserve an academic relationship with him. Qing Hua answered.

"Yeah?" Qing Hua said on the other end.

"Can you meet me for a moment?"

Silence, then, "where?"

"My office."

"Okay." The call disconnected. Bao Zheng placed his phone down on the desk.

He paced back and forth from the office door. At the peak of his nervousness his phone rang. Without looking at the screen he answered.

"Hello?"

"Bao Zheng." Zhen Hua's voice was ecstatic. Was she crying? He couldn't tell- he never could.

"Zhen Hua, what's wrong honey, huh?" Bao Zheng's panic built. "Did something happen?"

"Ping Ru has been in an accident." She said between sobs. Bao Zheng's heart felt as if it was going to drop to the floor.

"What did you say?" He said, his eyes welling with tears. "Is he okay?"

"Ping Ru had an accident..." Before he could hear the remainder of her statement Bao Zheng grabbed his coat and ran out of his office. As he made his way down the hall he ran into Qing Hua.

"Hey." Qing Hua said, reaching to grab his arm. Bao Zheng snatched away, his face an oily mosaic of tears and sweat. "What's wrong?"

"I will be back. Wait in my office!" Bao Zheng yelled before sprinting down the hall and out the building doors.

Sorry for the late update, school and work have really taken a lot of my time. This chapter is rather short and not as exciting as the last. 

Next update soon!