Chapter 4.

Ivy

Professor Caden continues to address the class as he responds to meaningless questions majorly asked by the girls who obviously just wanted to get his attention.

His expression is nothing less than bored as he continues to answer them patiently. This has gone on for about thirty minutes into our learning hours. But I don't mind, I can stare at his gorgeous face all day.

“Um Mr Caden sir” comes a whiny voice from the far left side of our class. A voice I know too well.

We all turn to Aria who raises her hand in an attempt to get his attention as she twirls her hair with her manicured finger.

Low mumbles fill the room in annoyance. We are all tired of her pointless questions but no one is seemingly bold enough to confront her.

“One more question Mr Caden” she continues.

Professor Caden's eyes land on her as his sparkly blue eyes glint with a hint of irritation which makes me chuckle.

He is just as sick of her as we are.

“Alana isn't it?” He asks, looking towards her lazily.

She smiles sheepishly,” No it's A-”

Just then his eyes looks straight at me, completely taking me by surprise. He raises a finger at her, gesturing her silence, cutting her off mid sentence.

My breathing hitches and I choke on air.

He's looking at me again!

But unlike before his gaze is more intense, as though he was thinking about something.

“You” he says.

“Me?!” I blurt as I spring up from my chair involuntarily which makes my knees weak.

“Yes, you've been quiet ever since. What's suddenly so funny?”

I suddenly feel the numerous eyes fall on me.

“Me?! No, no, nothing's funny. It was a cough” I ramble on.

“Hmm, sit” he says then walks to the board.

My heart races and my cheeks burn in embarrassment.

What did I just do? I'm such an idiot!

“Damn girl you look flustered,” Elena whispers.

“S-sir about my question-” Aria starts.

“I think we've spent enough time getting to know me, let's focus on why we're all here” he says, cutting her off yet again.

I feel Aria's eyes burn the side of my face with her gaze and I immediately feel cold. I turn towards her slowly and catch her giving me death stares.

“You're so dead” she mouths with balled fists.

I look away accepting the fact that my day is going to be a billion times more shittier than it was before.

So much for laying low.

Professor Caden begins to give us a lecture and his deep voice fills the room making my worries go away temporarily. I don't even remember what he's talking about but I know it sounds good because it's coming from him.

The class comes to an end with the ring of the bell and before I know it he’s gone.

As soon as he walks out the door my survival senses pick up and I dash towards the door in a bid to find the nearest exit out of here before Aria can beat my ass again.

I speed walk down the hall as I try to control my breathing.

Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.

I see the exit and a sigh of relief jumps out of me.

I'm a few inches away from the door when someone yanks me forcefully into a dark room.

Pain overwhelms me as my back comes in contact with what seems like a cold wall and I drop my bag on impulse.

“Where do you think you're going, little slut?” Comes the voice of my attacker as the light flickers on revealing Aria who stands by the door.

I scream internally feeling suffocated and cornered. I have nowhere to run to.

“To think we already had a conversation about not being such a whore” She says, unpeeling herself from the wall as she folds her arms.

“And yet you still decide to make a fool of me in front of my future man!” she continues.

“I'm not a whore Aria and I don't know what you're talking about” I defend myself.

“You know exactly what I'm talking about you dirty bitch, I saw the way you looked at him” She spits.

Shock overtakes my features as I stare back at her. Last I recalled she was dating some jock from another school called Chris.

“Oh now you remember!” She says “Caden is mine and don't you dare try to seduce him with your evil witchcraft”

“I'm not trying to seduce him!”

“Yes you are!”

At this point my blood begins to boil.

“Get out of my way” I demand, picking my bag.

“You're not going anywhere” she says blocking my path “I’m still talking to you”

I pull her hair as hard as I can and she screams as she bends to the direction with which I pull.

She begins to punch my arm and a struggle breaks out with me hitting back with everything I've got.

The feeling I get exhilarates me with each retaliating punch. I've dreamed of this day.

Her punches weaken as I have the upper hand but just then the door swings open and Freya's fist comes flying into my jaw, totally destabilizing me as I fall to the ground with an aching pain.

I hit my head on the mop buckets as I land on the floor and the world begins to spin around me.

“What took you so fucking long you imbecile?” Screeches Aria as she pants.

“I thought you told me to watch the d-” comes Freya but is cut short by the impact of Aria's hand that lands on her face.

“You're so incompetent!” Aria retorts.

“As for you” Aria says in-between teeth, “this isn't over. Caden is mine and he will never love a lowlife like you. You better watch your back from now on”

She barges out of the room calling Freya behind “Don't just stand there, come help me fix my hair!”

“Yes Aria” Freya says following her behind but not before she spits at me.

Her flying saliva lands on my right cheek and I grimace at its warmness.

I find myself in the bathroom stalls yet again as I wipe the spit from my cheek and blood from the corner of my head.

I pack my hair into a messy bun right before I slash running water into my face.

My reflection bounces off the mirror.

“He'll never love a lowlife like you!” Aria's words scream at me.

I wince in pain at her words.

But in reality she was probably right. I am pretty average. Average black hair, average brown eyes. Average everything.

I obviously won't be a problem for her anyway, I'll just blend in with the crowd. Professor Caden won't notice me anyway.

A thought comes to mind and a smile spreads across my face. I might be an average Joe but at least I can beat her ass, at least not with her sidekick Freya around.

I flex my shoulders as my confidence comes back.

And who wants him anyway, even if he's strong and gorgeous and maybe even the hottest man I've ever seen but that doesn't change the fact that he's my professor!.

If Aria wants to jump into his pants then so be it, she can have him for all I care.

I pick up my things and walk out the school exit with a new found confidence. I tap my back pocket for my wallet hoping to find a few change to get me home.

I'm really not in the mood to walk home today.

A familiar honk pauses my frantic search.

“Hey honey!” Waves my mom at me all the way from the parking lot

“Mom, what are you doing here?!” I ask getting into the car.

My mom wasn't one to randomly pick me up from school so this was a strange surprise.

“I just came to pick up my beautiful daughter up from college”

I buckle in my seatbelt looking at her suspiciously.

“What happened to you?, you look like shit” she asks.

Tell me about it.

“I got hit by a basketball” I lie.

“You gotta learn how to watch where you're going sweetie”

“Yeah sure” I mumble looking at my fingers.

“Well who is that delicious looking man?” mom gasps making me shoot my head up

“What?” I ask, confused.

“That man over there” she gestures and I look out the window and spot professor Caden by his car.

“Oh that's my professor, Caden” I reply, trying my very best to peel my gaze away from him.

“I wouldn't mind going a few rounds in bed with him,” she purrs.

“Mom!” I scream as my eyes widen at the horror of what I just heard.

He turns towards us and I duck in shame covering my face.

“What?” She asks.

“He's younger than you and my professor,” I whisper.

“Oh please age is just an illusion plus with a stature like that you know he has a few tricks up his sleeve. I'm surprised you haven't fucked him already”

My heart skips at last statement

“Why would you say that?!”

“Because he's hot and looks rich and you need a man with both qualities so you can stop looking like a piece of furniture in my house” mom replies.

“Mom, can you just drive?” I ask with my face hidden in my palms still mortified with the fact that my mother is saying such vile things.

“Fine,fine” she says and finally drives off

“Thank God” I mutter

“So baby I got you a job” she starts.

“A job?”

“Yeah you know things you do to make money”

“Where?”

“A few blocks from our house, it's a beautiful cafe you're going to love it”

“Okay, but what about you, where will  you be working?” I ask

To that she laughs “oh honey you know I don't work but I know my strong and beautiful daughter can”

“Are you using me?”

“No not at all, it's for both our benefit remember” She says just as she heads into our driveway.

“I can't believe this” I mumble and get out of the car

I should have known something was up.

She'll never change.

“Honey why are you acting this way I got a job for you” she trails after me but I just open the door with my spare key and run inside and lock myself in my room.

“You can't keep acting like a selfish little brat!” I hear her yell but I don't even have the energy to yell back.

I head into the shower and let the water rush down on my body.