Why Me?

Chapter Seventeen

It was probably both, but even more overwhelming was the increasing anxiety that if she was able to tell the few times she's seen us together, then how obvious are we to those at the university?

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I walked from the car park, dropping my keys into my bag with one hand and holding my cup with black liquid still swishing around inside with the other. There were three girls down the hall coming towards me, heads together as they walked, whispers circulating between them and eyes darting over to me frequently.

Their pink lips curled into smiles and their shoulders rocked with giggles the more they whispered, the longer they looked at me. Finally, we were passing one another, and one of them spoke out. "You going to MacNeill's room?" she asked, making her friends burst out into laughter.

I froze, turning to them with a furrowing brow as they ran off. A chill ran down my spine. Only minutes ago I had this fear cross my mind, and I knew exactly who was responsible.

Shaking a bit, wondering what could have happened the few hours I was absent, I turned and rushed down the hall with the safety of my dorm in mind. There I could put my stuff away, lay down, and have a quiet
place to think-

I ran right into someone as I was rounding the corner, my coffee spilling all down my front and splashing to the ground. I gasped, backing up. Why does this keep happening to me?!

I looked up at the other person, opening my mouth to apologize, but my words were cut off to a dry gasp in my throat as my eyes met the mismatched pair on Delilah. She was staring at me with a dark expression, a sinister smile slowly spreading across her face.

I never thought a skinny blonde girl with coffee stains spreading on her clothes
could be so terrifying.

"You're in for it, Guascato. And this is only the beginning," she whispered menacingly at me. She strutted to stand beside me, leaning close to my ear. "I'm willing to bargain when you're ready."

She strutted off then, arms crossed, head high, and I watched her go as I shriveled up like an old prune. I felt lost and scared. I always knew this day would come, when she'd expose us, but I never thought it would come before school even ended, before March even came.

I looked around, seeing students passing pointing to me, laughing as they stared, and whispered while casting long glances at me. I felt a heavy weight bearing down on me. He was going to get fired because of me, and I was going to get kicked out of school. His family will hate me for ruining his life, and my family will hate him for this minor set back.

That was the worst part. This will earn me sympathy. This will earn him a lifetime of shame. No one wants to hire or be friends with the full grown professor who dated a freshman student.

I felt tears coming to my eyes and was about to rush to my dorm, about to sprint to my room and scream into a pillow until I passed out from lack of oxygen, when the loud speakers came on. The president's
assistant's voice echoed through the air, a deep base of terror.

"Mr Wyatt MacNeill and Miss Noelle Guascato please report to the office. Again, Mr Wyatt MacNeill and Miss Noelle Guascato please report to the office. Thank you," he said calmly, a click like a phone hanging
up ending his words. I stood still for a second, my eyes focussed on a speaker over my head, an ill feeling whirling around inside me like a pool.

I looked down the hall to see Wyatt coming out of his room, slow, eyes wide. His eyes found mine, a confused and scared looking forming in them. I gulped.heavy silence that cloaked us three as we sat alone in his office, his warm and dark office. He cleared his throat after a few minutes.

"I have caught wind of a rumor that spread since earlier today concerning both of you. Are either of you aware of what this rumor is?" he asked in a clear, deep, voice.

I hesitated, glancing at Wyatt before looking
back to him again. "I... I only just got back to the campus about five minutes ago. I'm not sure what's going on, but I've seen some students acting... strangely," I said.

"Strange in what way?" he asked.

"Um... when I was coming in from the car park, some girl asked me if I was going to Mr MacNeill's room, and everyone seemed to be watching me when I was going to my dorm," I said.
He nodded, then looked to
Wyatt. He looked from me to Mr Charlton.
"I haven't heard a word," he said. Mr.Charlton sighed.

"Well, a rumour has spread that you two are in some sort of relationship, and the details of the rumour are rather... deplorable," he said, looking with calm steady eyes between us. I felt my throat close up. Wyatt was
the one to speak after a bit of silence.
"W-What are the details?" he asked in a dry, slightly cracking, voice.

Mr Charlton hesitated, looking to me. I
felt my stomach turn. What did Delilah say?
"It's being said that you, Miss Guascato, are gaining benefits from Mr McNeill through... unmentionable interactions," he said. I felt tears beginning to spring in my eyes.

Of course she would do this. She wouldn't
dream to stop at Wyatt and I dating. No, she would want to make sure to destroy me by making me look like a... like a... I shook my head, making a face. At least I didn't have to act to be disgusted and shocked.

Wyatt and I haven't even slept alone in the same bed, or even the same room.
"What... what kind of... of details?" I asked. Mr Charlton looked at me with sadness, shaking his head.

"Those kids are saying very nasty things that I wouldn't dream to repeat in a ladies presence. I will tell you that they are very horrible things, and that those things are explained in such ways that are truly shocking. I don't want to harm you, but I know you are going to hear them eventually.
I suggest you should go home for for a while; back to your family. We will switch your classes to an online format so you can finish them from there, if you would like," he said, giving me a calm and comforting look.

I sat still, frozen in embarrassment and shock. I knew what kinds of things they were probably saying. I was naive, but I knew of the types of things boys and girls had on their minds and the resources they had at
their disposal, and how those resources were available to everyone.

If those types of things were at hand to all of them, I knew what their imaginations could conjure up. Delilah probably didn't even have to do much, just slip to a friend she knew she couldn't trust that I was sleeping with my teacher, and all she had to do was sit back and watch it unfold.

"Miss Guascato... are you alright?" Mr Charlton asked me carefully. I looked at him, my eyes stinging from
tears, in shock. I shrugged.

"Um... You do know that none of it-"

"Yes, yes. I figured as much. I looked through your files, and, just by meeting you today, I know you're a respectable girl. Girls like you never go from a clean record to... to this outlandish type of situation.  You are free to go. Would you like my secretary to escort you back to your dorm?" he asked.

I paused, staring at him in silence, thinking of the walk back. I didn't even want them to see me crying, but having someone walk with me... They would see me cry, sure, but I wouldn't show weakness. I will walk back alone with my head high, and I will meet all their gazes without flinching. I shook my head, standing.

"No, I think I'll be fine. Thank you," I said, turning to leave. As I turned, I looked to Wyatt. He was staring straight forward, his mind far off, a dark look in his eyes. I felt a chill go through me as I turned away and pushed through the door.