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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admit that uth to myself. All I could do was sit there, silently,

through his air. I watched for a moment 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

in....

leaving the implication hanging heavily in the air above our heads. eared my throat and murmured, "I was trying to be honest. Really, Gavin. But I

"Is that it, then? You don't know

idn't at first."

how you

silence after that. I felt that familiar p**ng sensation of hot at the backs of my eyes, and I

1

I admitted. "But I really did want

for me

those icy gray eyes, those broad ders. Every time I was close to Gavin, even now, I couldn't keep myself from ing Edwin's cologne or picturing the stubble on his chin. e there was

want anyone but

only 10 knew, because I would have exploded if I hadn't at least told

said softly, regaining my courage. I

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Chapter 43

to jerk his head up to look at me. "And I never meant to lead you

my face as though he were trying to find some kind of hint that I wasn't being entirely truthful. But I was being completely transparent, and he knew that. "Friends," he said quietly with a

over with tears. "I love spending time with you. I just... can't see us together. I'm really sorry that I didn't realize that

was yet another long silence. Gavin looked away for a moment, his

raised of their

back to me, his face softened. "I know you love someone

"Gavin, I-

guess who it is, and I won't pry. But I could tell, whenever we were together, that there was

heart 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 was always on my mind. And I hated and cherished it

met my gaze and reached out one last time to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. This time,

happy with being friends," he said, smiling despite the sadness in his eyes. "And I really do hope you