One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

Chapter 1*3**8 Audrey

After searching for a while, I finally found Tina sitting alone on a bench by the river, tossing popcorn to the ducks. I almost wouldn't have noticed her, had it not been for the plastic leather of her Wonder Woman costume catching the amber glint of a nearby streetlamp.

I approached cautiously, my red cape trailing behind me. My broken basket had long since been discarded in a trash can. "Hey," I said softly, sitting down beside her.

Tina didn't look at me. "Get lost, Audrey," she growled, jutting out her chin as she-rather forcefully-chucked another piece of popcorn into the water. A mallard skittered up and grabbed it before the other ducks could get to it.

But instead of leaving. I put my arms around her and held her fast. "No. I'm not going anywhere," I said firmly. "You're my best friend, Tina. I'll never leave you."

She stiffened beneath my touch but didn't push me away. Not yet, at least. When she finally relaxed slightly and it became clear that she wouldn't run away as soon as she was given the chance, I released her, grabbed a piece of popcorn from her bag, and tossed it into the water.

We sat in silence for a moment, watching as the same mallard from before greedily gobbled it up.

Finally, I spoke. "I'm so sorry, Tina. I didn't mean to break my promise. It's just... it's complicated."

"Complicated?" Tina scoffed. "What's so complicated about telling your best friend the truth when you promised there would be no more secrets?"

I sighed. A chilly wind blew across the water, and I pulled my cloak tighter around myself. "I got caught up in the guilt of it all," I finally said after a moment. "The longer it went on, the more I felt like I had to hide it. I knew it would only hurt more if I revealed how long I had been lying. It became this vicious cycle."

Tina turned to look at me, her eyes still red-rimmed from earlier although now her mouth was pressed into a thin line. "But we tell each other everything, Audrey. That's our thing. You promised."

"I know." I gritted my teeth and looked away. "Can I be honest with you?"

She scoffed again. "Oh, so now you want to be honest?"

Ignoring her jab, I said gently, "We're adults now, Tina; seniors in college. Sometimes adults have... secrets, and that's okay."

"But-

"It doesn't mean we're not still best friends," I interrupted before she could protest further. "I value your friendship above everything else, Tina. But sometimes I need to be allowed to keep certain things to myself until I'm ready to share them. Not constantly be strong-armed or guilt-tripped into telling."

Tina was quiet for a long moment after I spoke, tossing more popcorn to the ducks remained silent, giving her the space to think, to formulate her response. Slowly, her movements went from harsh and angry to slower, gentler,

guess you're right. I've

I shrugged. "A little."

09:29 Thu, Sep 19

Cha**

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good with boundaries, Tina admitted. "I never have been, even as a kid. My parents were strict growing up, the type to look through my phone and take the locks off my door, so... I don't know. I guess

"But I'm a hypocrite, aren't I? I didn't tell the rest of our friends I was ***y, and I care about

You're not a hypocrite," I said

relationship with Edwin to yourself. It wasn't fair of me to expect you to tell me everything" Now, I was the one who

"Why wouldn't E*

come on," Tina said. "Remember that night at the cottage over the summer? Edwin looked at you like you were his shining

the expensive collectibles in that house. Maybe I was the only one who hadn't noticed it that night because I was too angry with

talk to Edwin, hear him out,

"He's engaged-

H

fall for an engaged man," she stopped me. "But don't be so

sincere, and had even guessed what was happening between me and

Tina asked, raising an

if he does love me, we'll never have that level of soul- connection. And if he does find his fated mate while we're together, it would be nearly impossible for him not to

be different. You won't know unless you ask him. Just.. be careful." Just then, we heard familiar voices approaching. Our friends came into view, Betty's vampire costume

his pirate hat in his

and I exchanged a look, then nodded. "We're okay," Tina said with a

"Tina, we... We wish you had told us the truth about your sexuality. But we want you to

us sooner so we could have set you up with some pretty girls to

**

**

arms across her chest.