One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

Chapter 109 Audrey

I trudged into the house late that night, my feet aching as I kicked off my shoes. The sound of laughter and the faint glow of the TV drew me to the living room, where I found my friends sprawled across the couches, video game controllers in hand and half-empty pizza boxes strewn about.

"Well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence, Tina called out with a grin, pausing the game.

I collapsed into an empty armchair, sinking blissfully into the sol c**hions. "Don't mind me," I mumbled, my eyes already starting to close. "Til just be here, quietly dying"

"Rough day?" Betty asked, offering me a slice of cold pizza.

I waved it away, too exhausted to even consider eating. "Oh, you have no idea."

Avis, munching on one of her famous chocolate chip cookies, said. "This is the second night this week you've come home. late. What's going on?"

"Where do I even start?" I huffed, rubbing my temples as if that would somehow soothe my migraine.

Over the next few minutes, I recounted my day-starting with the mannequin incident, followed by the permanent marker. After that, I had gone on a wild scavenger hunt all over the building in search of some special cleaning solution to get the marker off of the board, which had taken all day.

"That put me behind on my second project," I muttered. "So I had to stay late to get it done."

“That's ridiculous," Betty fumed. "And let me guess, Linda is just skating by?"

The mention of Linda's name made my blood boil, but I forced myself to stay calm. I refused to let her get under my skin, even when she wasn't around to see it. "As far as I can tell, yeah. She hasn't had a single issue since we started. Although. I don't think the design she presented this morning was actually hers."

Tina growled softly. "I wouldn't put it past her. Let's not forget how she stole your cheerleading uniform design."

"Exactly."

"I still can't believe she got that internship," Avis sighed. "After everything she did to you at school? Something about this is fishy."

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant even though I was seething inside. "It doesn't matter. Even if I say something, 1711 just be painted as the bad guy in the situation. It's easier to keep my head down and work hard."

I

"But Audrey," Gavin protested, "you can't just let her walk all over you like this."

"What choice do I have?" I asked, burying my face in a nearby pillow.

I can think of a few ways to expose Linda's

Like what?"

ideas on her fingers, "we could sneak into her apartment and plant

around and catch her doing something shady,"

about we lure her on a fake date and

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Chapter 109

enthusiasm was infectious, even if their ideas such as making a giant net and capturing Linda in it-were completely

laughter from my eyes. "As much as I appreciate the creativity, I think I'll stick to my original plan of just working hard and hoping Linda

I am," Gavin admitted, "If I were in your position, I

with ine" think I need to call it a night before

as I trudged up the stairs to my attic room. But, despite my exhaustion, sleep eluded me. After tossing and turning for what felt like hours, I gave up

the rhythmic hum of the machine, the fabric sliding smoothly under my fingers. I wasn't even sure what I was making, I was just sewing for

"Come in," I called out, not looking up from

Gavin's voice drifted in. "Hey, I thought I heard you up. Can't

to see him settle cross-legged onto my bed. "Too much going on in this head

work in silence for a few moments before speaking again. "Listen, Audrey, I wanted to apologize for what happened at the party. You know, when I

under the sewing machine. "Gavin, you don't have

off. "No, I do. I was drunk and not thinking straight. I'm

said softly, finally turning to

relieved. Then, hesitantly, he asked, "Do you think... Do you think we'll ever

had had this conversation before, but I knew I owed him patience and honesty. Setting aside my work, I moved to sit beside him on the bed, the springs creaking as I settled in. "Gavin," I began gently, "it's not you. I'm

was that

left my mouth, but I knew instantly that it was true. I loved Edwin, as impossible and painful as that love might be. Still, the thought made my cheeks flush, and I quickly

of the corners of my eyes, but there was understanding in his voice. "L... I get it," he said softly, flopping backward on my bed with

him and felt my heart stutter. Perhaps the way I felt when I thought about Edwin was the same way he felt about me. And perhaps I had no place to wallow if I was putting

beside him and stared up at the pitched

muttered.

us spoke for a long time after that, although we didn't need to. There was a sort of sad understanding between

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Chapter 109

the same difficult position, and there was nothing we could do about