One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

Chapter

431

Audrey & Third Person

Audrey's POV

The walk back to campus was mostly silent, save for the occasional sniffle or cleared. throat. Other than that, the only sounds between Gavin and I were that of our footste echoing on the pavement.

It wasn't until the brick facade of the campus dorms came into view that Gavin finally broke the awkward tension between us. He stopped in his tracks, his hands stuffed into his pockets, and turned to look at me. "Audrey, could we... talk?"

That word made me blanch visibly: talk. I knew this was coming. I supposed a part of me had known the moment those pictures went viral, but even more so when I

would mit to Edwin that Gavin and I were on a date.

Goddess, I had acted like such an idiot. I could still hear the way my voice had quavered when Edwin had asked if we were on a date, the way that I had floundered like an idiot. Gavin had to answer for me, all because I was too much of a coward to tell Edwin the truth. "Um... Yeah." I turned to face him despite my urge to flee, and he gestured to a nearby bench beneath an arched streetlamp. I nodded stiffly and sat beside him, the light casting a serene amber glow that would have normally calmed me if it weren't for the current set of circumstances.

Gavin settled onto the bench beside me and was silent for some time, but I said nothing, waiting for him to speak first. When he seemed to gather his thoughts, he turned to look at me. "I thought tonight was a date."

I swallowed and averted my gaze to my lap, where my fingers were worrying the hem of my dress. "It was."

"Why didn't you want to admit it, then?"

His question left my head spinning. I couldn't tell him the truth: that, deep down, I

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hapter 43

couldn't even admit that uth to myself. All I could do was

as he hung his head between his hands, his elbows. ropped on his knees. ook," he finally said after several beats of silence, "I get it. You don't... see me the y 1 see you. But you could have just been honest with me from

in....

throat and murmured, "I was trying to be honest. Really, Gavin. But I

his shoulder. "Is that it, then? You don't know how

idn't at first."

how you

that familiar p**ng sensation of hot at the backs of my eyes, and I quickly looked

1

really did want

I knew that there was no real reason for me

couldn't keep myself from ing Edwin's cologne or picturing the stubble on his chin. e

anyone but

I couldn't tell anyone that. Tina was the only 10 knew, because I would have exploded if I hadn't

said softly, regaining my courage. I turned to face

16-12 Sat, Sep

Chapter 43

head up to look at me. "And I never meant to lead you on. I just...

hint that I wasn't being entirely truthful. But I was being completely transparent, and he knew that. "Friends," he said quietly with a wry

love spending time with you. I just... can't see us together. I'm really

for a moment, his jaw working uselessly.

raised of their own

to me,

"Gavin, I-

won't pry. But I could tell, whenever we were together, that there was someone else on your mind. And I like you enough to want you

pounding in my chest. Love... I never said anything about love. But Gavin was right about one thing: no matter how hard I tried, someone else

hair behind my ear. This

in his eyes. "And I really do hope you find happiness with... Whoever