Chapter 23: Last Resort

Blake's POV

I flickered my eyes shut and sucked in a harsh breath. She stood still, unwavering, whilst I was here shaking like a damn distressed poodle.

I could feel her warm skin below my fingertips and I dreaded to reach the end of the dress where the zipper stopped. But it did and I quickly retracted my hand from it and pivoted on my heels to face away from her.

I could hear her shuffling behind me and I prepared to go into the kitchen where I wouldn't have to feel so. . .uncomfortable, but that was until I felt her hand on my shoulder. And at the feel of her skin against mine, I tensed.

"Blake."

"Miss Hart," I mumbled, hoping that somehow my formality would snap her out of whatever state she was in. But my attempts were futile because her hands suddenly came around my waist and quickly dove under my shirt towards my bare stomach.

"Y-you do know I am not d-drunk right?"

Could have fooled me.

I grabbed her wrist gently and tugged them away from me. She stumbled back but I kept my grip on her, firm but gentle as to not hurt her. I tugged her towards her bed, all the while keeping my eyes firmly on the bed so I wouldn't have to look at her half-naked body.

My mind screamed for me to leave but I couldn't leave her alone until I knew she was somewhat sober and okay. I motioned towards the bed and with a huff, she slumped down onto it. I then strode towards my closet and retrieved one of my t-shirts.

I was larger than her, which meant my shirts would be oversized on her, which also meant it would cover up everything. That would also save me from having to put pants on her and I'm not remotely comfortable with that.

"Don't you like me?" She suddenly blurted out. I leaned against the nightstand and looked away from her, waiting till she was fully covered up to look. After a few seconds, she mumbled that I could look and hesitantly I turned back towards her and let out a breath of relief.

Wow, was I that big? This fits her like a nightgown.

"Leila, I'm only gonna say this once because I know you're gonna forget tomorrow. But yes, against my better judgement I do like you, but you have been really inappropriate tonight and despite my feelings for you, that does not warranty anything will ever happen between us."

She pouted once again and slumped against the bed, "welllll saying I-I like you would mean I-I'm cheating soooo I don't like you." She exclaimed as she suddenly slipped her hand into mine, I stared down at it, wondering what was really running through that little head of hers.

"I don't like you, Blake." She mumbled sleepily. I pushed myself off the nightstand and lowered myself down beside her. I took a hold of her comforter and threw it over her. "The feeling is mutual, brat."

~~~

It was a last resort and a last-minute decision but I decided to head back to the party after making sure Leila was okay. I know she might forget everything by tomorrow, she might even forget seeing Reese, so in case that did happen, I needed to clear the air for her.

I know it's not my place, but Reese needed to know what state she was in. Especially seeing as she's been through so much for the past few weeks. She was probably over it and decided to get drunk to get the weight off her shoulders. Been there, done that.

"Hey prof Kingston, what are you doing here!?" One of my students approached me, their lips tugged into a wide smile. I realized it was Hunter, the same kid who misspelt Greece. I smiled mischievously and draped a hand over his shoulder.

"Detention, Monday!" I shouted over the loud music. His lips fell into a frown and I smirked in response as I sauntered away from him. There's no such thing as detention in College but I wouldn't expect someone who can't spell basic words to know that.

I searched the living room for Reese, hoping that he was still here. I only spent an hour at the dorm with Leila, which gave him ample time to leave. But no one leaves a college party unless it's urgent.

I weaved my way through the crowd, shoving past kids who stumbled into me drunkenly. I tried to keep my composure, not lose it, seeing as I shouldn't even be here. But my composure completely crumbled once I saw his familiar face, slumped against the sofa, only he wasn't alone.

He was with a girl, no he was making out with a girl to be more precise.

Anger. . .well to say I was angry would be an understatement. I was angry with Leila before for kissing that guy because I knew what it would do to her relationship if it wasn't on a steady foundation. But now, I was furious.

Furious because I've watched Leila beat herself down for weeks, crying over this asshole who didn't spare an hour of his time to text his girlfriend. She went through a mass shooting at school, I found her bleeding from her wrists with self-inflicted wounds, she's suffered from nightmares, refused to leave her room for weeks.

And he's here. . .making out with a girl whilst his girlfriend slowly crumbles.

"HEY!" At the sound of my voice, he pulled away from the girl and to say I was surprised to see that it was the same woman he was with at the club that one time would be a lie. I wasn't surprised, nothing could surprise me anymore.

"Oh! It's Leila's professor, the one I'm sure she's secretly fucking!" He exclaimed, a loud obnoxious laugh escaping his lips. I clenched my fist tightly and willed myself not to pound it into his face. Even though he's not a student here I could still lose my job if I got into a fight with him.

But god he's gonna make me lose my shit. "So you're cheating on the one person who never gave up on you huh? And you dare call yourself a man," I spat in disgust as I peered down at him. He turned towards the girl in his lap and snorted.

"You see Blake, Leila will always be mine. I can have her and this beautiful girl right here and she'll never leave me. Because I'm all she has! She's made that abundantly clear! So go ahead, tell her you saw me kissing another girl, who gives a shit? She'll never leave me and you can never have her."

Take the high horse, Blake.

Don't stoop to his level, Blake.

. . .Be smarter, Blake.

"Well, I think you've made yourself abundantly clear, according to my phone recorder, you don't really give a shit about your girlfriend now do you?" I replied as I retrieved my phone from my pocket. I stopped the recording and smirked as I witnessed the colour suddenly drained from his face.

He shoved the girl off of him and pushed himself off the couch. He stood tall before me, probably towering over me by one inch but I wasn't intimidated.

"You either confess and break up with her like a real man or I'll play her this recording and do it the hard way and you'll go out in a blaze of disgrace. Because guess what player? No one fucks with Leila Hart's feelings."