Owning My Professor

My Ex and My Roommate

Debbie’s Pov:

I kept thinking about Professor Sullivan.

Not because of anything weird.

Just...

That image would not leave my head.

Professor Sullivan crying.

I still could not process it.

The same man who walked into class looking composed and somehow always knew what to say.

The same man everybody admired.

Something about seeing him like that made me uncomfortable.

Not uncomfortable uncomfortable.

Just...

Sad.

I was still thinking about it when my phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

Then I remembered.

Damian.

I opened it.

Damian:

Random question, do you want to hang out?

I stared.

Another text.

There is a place near campus with decent drinks and better fries.

I laughed.

Then another one.

You look like someone carrying ten different problems at once.

Okay.

That was rude.

Accurate.

But rude.

Normally I would say no.

But after today...

I really needed to get out.

So I replied.

Me:

Okay.

Twenty minutes later, I regretted agreeing.

Not because I did not want to go.

But because suddenly I had nothing to wear.

I eventually settled for something casual and headed out.

Damian was already there.

Glasses.

Black shirt.

Still suspiciously attractive.

He smiled.

“You came.”

I smiled.

“Obviously.”

We found a seat.

Ordered drinks and food.

Nothing dramatic.

Just sitting and talking.

And surprisingly...

It was easy.

He listened.

Actually listened.

We talked about classes.

Friends.

Bad lecturers.

Future plans.

He talked about baseball.

I talked about literature.

He asked questions.

Like real questions.

Not the fake kind people ask before changing the topic.

At some point he asked,

“So what’s your roommate like?”

I laughed.

“Messy.”

He smiled.

“Only messy?”

I thought.

Then shrugged.

“She is nice.”

Then added,

“Suspicious sometimes.”

He laughed.

My phone buzzed.

Elaine.

That surprised me.

I opened it.

Elaine:

Are you coming back soon?

I stared.

I had not seen her since yesterday.

And suddenly...

I thought maybe she missed me.

Interesting.

I smiled.

Then Damian looked up.

“What?”

I showed him.

He nodded thoughtfully.

Then suddenly said,

“Want to go somewhere after this?”

I looked confused.

He smiled.

“Baseball field.”

I blinked.

“What?”

He shrugged.

“I play.”

Then casually added,

“Sometimes hitting something gives clarity.”

I laughed.

Okay.

That was funny.

I texted Elaine back.

Me:

Won’t be back soon.

Then returned to Damian.

Later, while we were still talking...

Some people entered.

Immediately, Damian groaned.

They noticed him.

One of them shouted.

“There he is.”

Three guys came over.

Apparently they knew him.

Correction.

Apparently everybody knew him.

He introduced me.

They were surprisingly nice.

And unfortunately very interested.

One of them looked at Damian.

Then looked at me.

Then looked back.

Suspicious.

Very suspicious.

We all ended up talking.

Laughing.

Eating.

Then somehow the conversation shifted.

One of them asked,

“What do you do besides reading giant books?”

I laughed.

Then admitted quietly.

“I’m writing a novel.”

Everyone reacted.

Damian looked interested.

“Really?”

I nodded.

Then immediately regretted saying it.

“But I stopped.”

He frowned.

“Why?”

I looked away.

“It doesn’t feel good enough.”

He stared.

Then said casually,

“Can I read it?”

I blinked.

“No.”

He laughed.

Then smiled.

“Please?”

I thought for a second.

Then nodded.

“Fine.”

He smiled.

“Let’s pick it up before baseball.”

Eventually we said goodbye.

His friends looked way too excited.

One shouted.

“Good luck!”

Damian looked offended.

I laughed.

Then we drove back.

We reached my hostel.

I looked at him.

“You can wait downstairs.”

He shrugged.

“Okay.”

Then followed anyway.

I looked at him.

He smiled.

I sighed.

We got upstairs.

I opened the door.

And stopped.

Everything froze.

Elaine.

Jason.

On her bed.

Sweat dripping, locked in on each other

Holding each other.

Laughing.

Then they looked up.

Nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

My eyes moved from Jason.

To Elaine.

To Jason again.

Elaine’s face changed instantly.

“Debbie.”

My chest tightened.

Suddenly every conversation.

Every strange text.

Every weird smile.

Every unanswered question.

Everything started making sense.

Jason stood.

I stepped back.

Damian looked confused.

Elaine moved toward me.

I finally found my voice.

Quiet.

Small.

“You?”

Silence.

Then I laughed once.

Not because anything was funny.

I looked at Elaine.

And suddenly I understood.

She was not asking if I was coming home because she missed me.

She was asking because she needed more time.