Ghosts that Watch Us

4

The girl was furious, cheeks aflame with indignation. He could feel her at his back, black eyes no doubt narrowed as she peered over his shoulder. Chase seemed completely at ease, blue eyes settling on Ellory.

“Finally,” he said, shoulders sagging in mock frustration. “Professor, I think—.”

“Let me tell you what I think, young man,” Ellory cut in, anger simmering dangerously close to his skin. First Sean, now this. His tether to his calm was frayed into near non-existence and struggling to hold on. “You dare to presume to speak to my graduate assistant in so rude a manner and then deign to tell me to stand here and listen to you? While you, what? Tell me yet another reason as to why you are incapable of completing the required work, when it’s an entirely possible feat for every other student of mine?” Chase made to interrupt but Ellory stood to his full height and lifted his chin to speak over him. “Delia is my voice when I am not present, and she is correct in telling you that my office hours have not yet begun. Please return on Monday when I am scheduled to meet with students. Now, good night.”

The boy’s face and neck had slowly reddened and he swallowed back what probably was some crude and juvenile response. Instead, he took a small step forward and poked Ellory’s chest with one of his blunt fingers. Behind him, Delia gasped and took Ellory’s elbow.

“This conversation isn’t over, Professor.”

Heart racing and hands shaking with an unusual desire for violence, Ellory watched Chase amble down the hall and out the side doors, a gust of cold wind cutting into the building.

“Are you alright?” he asked, turning to Delia. She still had a grip on his elbow, narrowed gaze on the far doors. She nodded.

“Yeah. I’m okay. He’s an asshole.”

“I have plenty of other choice words to describe him,” Ellory growled, prompting Delia’s animated left eyebrow to raise. She nodded nonetheless and walked deeper into his office. 

“Hopefully one of them is unimaginative. A man calling a woman a b***h? So original. I don’t know how I’ll get any sleep tonight,” she said dryly. She flopped down onto the side chair she kept by his desk, and picked up where she had been before being so rudely interrupted. As Ellory made himself comfortable in his own chair, he couldn’t help but resent the sore spot on his chest where Chase had pressed his finger. 

“He has no right to act like that,” he spat. “If I felt so inclined, we could report him for threatening my person, and using degrading, sexist language against you.” It wouldn’t take much. Ellory had used his friendship with the Dean to get that cottage, he could use it to get that pathetic excuse for a student expelled, maybe even charged with a misdemeanor. His behavior should haunt him wherever he went for the rest of his life.

“Maybe speak to his coach first,” Delia suggested. Ellory gawked at her. “It’s somewhat extreme to report him before at least doing that.” 

“For assaulting us both? I think not,” Ellory said. “And what is that buffoon of a coach going to do? Nothing. May as well cut through the red tape and get straight to the point.” Delia paused. 

“And risk your standing with Dean Ambrose?” she asked. “You know he values you for your cool head. And you know you’re not calm right now.” 

“He called you a b***h,” Ellory glared at her. 

“And I’m just as pissed as you are,” Delia said. “I want that piece of s**t out of here as much as you do, but he’s not worth risking anything for. Just go through the motions. Vernon won’t do anything, but Dean Ambrose will think you’ve done your best to keep him from having to get involved. You know he’ll appreciate that.” And maybe, Ellory thought cruelly, Sean Vernon’s lack of action on such a serious matter will be enough for the non-tenured coach to lose his hold on the hearts of the faculty here. 

“You’re right,” Ellory said after some time, grabbing hold of the reins and slowly convincing himself it was for the best. “You often are. I’m sorry for the scene.” Delia snorted.

“Please, Professor,” she said, rolling her eyes. “That energy you have under the surface is the exact reason I decided to work for you and not Dr. Truit.”

“Truit?” Ellory asked. “I didn’t know she was your other option.”

“I almost got my degrees in medieval history,” Delia shrugged. “Oh, and this is the last section of your transcript. It should be done by the end of the weekend.”

“Don’t work on it over the weekend,” Ellory said. “Do something fun.”

“Like watch home makeover shows?” Delia asked knowingly.

“You act an awful lot like a a 40 year old man for a 25 year old student.”

“You don’t act like a 40 year old man,” Delia smirked. 

“Not a 40 year old straight man maybe,” Ellory quipped. Delia laughed, and he couldn’t suppress a smile of his own. He had a graduate assistant who doubled as a friend, a solid case against that ruinous student, and a plan that may just help him poke back at Sean. Perhaps the morning hadn’t been a complete loss.