Touch Me

Chapter 5

(11:25 PM)

Painting has been the only thing that kept Alexa going after what she went through. Art became her life; it gave her strength to move on, to see beauty in even the darkest corner. That was why her parents and brother supported her desire to pursue a degree in fine arts, even though her dad also wanted her to help her brother Alexei run their company. Ivanov Pharmaceuticals Inc. was one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Her father had hoped she would take over the company alongside her brother. But that wasn’t her calling, her passion, and her father understood that.

Alexa wanted to make art, to show people there was beauty in everything. She wanted to have her own art gallery. But that would never happen if she had a record of being expelled from Wingston University due to vandalism.

That was a deep blow that a professional artist would have a hard time recovering from. To be an artist meant to respect every and all forms of art. Vandalism is a mockery of that. It means that the artist doesn’t respect art enough to find a suitable, and legal, canvas. So, her future depended on whether or not Professor Sawyer helped her. Despite being a nervous wreck at the moment, looking at his extremely handsome face and intense charcoal grey eyes made her blush a bit.

“I could help you plead your case to the chancellor,”—Alexa shook her head to stop staring at him mindlessly—“but you must do something for me in exchange,” He spoke calmly, almost thoughtfully.

Alexa, overwhelmed with relief that he was willing to help her, took a deep breath. Her head bowed as she lifted her hands to cover her face, trying to stop the tears from spilling.

“Of course! Professor Sawyer, thank you so much,” Gratitude filled her as she removed her hands from her face and smiled at him. His lips twitched as his eyes lingered on her mouth before looking into her eyes, making her blush again. “What do I have to do, Professor?”

This time, a smirk graced his lips as he walked closer until he was so close she could smell a bit of whiskey in his breath. His breath and closeness triggered goosebumps all over her body; nervousness and uncertainty once again filled her.

“Well Alexa,”—Hearing her name come from his lips, it felt like a caress on her skin—“All you have to do...is spend the night with me,”

Alexa froze, her eyes staring at his broad chest and hoped she heard wrong. Spend the night with him? As in keeping him company or...or...

Fear enveloped her body. She had not slept with or even touched a guy like that since—Alexa shook her slightly, trying to block that painful memory. Professor Sawyer lifted his hand and held a lock of her hair between his fingers; this action snapped her from her daze and she jumped back, trying to get as much space between them as possible, which wasn’t much, since the table was behind her. Professor Sawyer dropped his hand and looked at her expectantly; the light casting the other side of his face in shadows—a sight Alexa would’ve loved to paint if the circumstances were different.

“W-what do you mean spend—” Alexa quickly closed her mouth as she heard the faint sound of footsteps growing louder as they walked closer.

“That’s Harvey, make your decision Alexa. Or I will call him to come in here and see what you’ve done for himself. Then I’ll let him be the one to report it to the chancellor,” Professor Sawyer says quietly. Alexa’s knees shook as she grabbed the edge of the table to keep herself up. It’s either your career or his bed, Alexa.

One night. That’s all he asked.

Just one f*****g night.

Alexa nodded hesitantly.

“Say it,”

“I-I’ll spend the night with you if you vouch for my case, Professor Sawyer,” She says as a few tears fell from her eyes. Professor Sawyer raised his hand and brushed away her tears. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you,”

Prick.

Selfish, perverted prick.

And to think she had admired him and his work so much.

Alexa swore at him in her head as he walked to the door, quietly opening it and sliding out. She heard him greet Harvey and told him that he had caught a student vandalizing the room. Alexa felt her heart speed up. What is he doing?

The door opened and Professor Sawyer came back in with Harvey, switching on the lights so suddenly that she had to close her eyes from the brightness. She heard Harvey suck in a breath. She and Harvey weren’t close but she spoke to him enough times that they both considered each other like friends. He always had that avuncular feeling for her. Alexa opened her eyes to see Harvey looking shocked, glancing between her and the crude writings on the wall.

“Alexa, what..,” He trailed off, still looking around. He finally focused on her again, and started walking closer.

“Alexa, what have you done? Why did you do this?” Harvey asked her with disbelief. She reigned in her sobs and explained to him with a shaking hand.

“I-I didn’t want to Harvey, I was blackmailed to do this,” His disbelief turned into concern as he placed his hands comfortingly on her shoulder.

“By who?”

“Cassie Reese and her friends; they forced me to do this,” Harvey hugged her comfortingly, cussing under his breath. She had stopped crying when he pulled away.

“Don’t worry Alexa; we’ll tell the chancellor about this, I’ll—”

“That’s not necessary, Harvey. I will help Alexa bring this to the chancellor’s attention and vouch for her,” Professor Sawyer says as he walked closer until he was beside Alexa and placed a hand on her shoulder. His touch made her shiver, even more so when she realized he might touch more than just her shoulder tonight.

Harvey seemed pleased and thanked Professor Sawyer for his kindness and willingness to hear Alexa’s side. He was so glad that the professor was voluntarily helping her; if only Harvey knew what the cost of Professor Sawyer’s help was. They quickly ended their conversation since it was getting late. Harvey told them that he'd call some of the janitors to try and get rid of the writings. Alexa thanked him and hugged him again before Professor Sawyer urged her out, saying it was time to go and that he’ll escort her out.

It amazed Alexa that even though Professor Sawyer was certainly under the influence of alcohol, he still moved and spoke as if he was completely sober. They left Harvey in the room to gather the spray paint cans before calling the janitor. Alexa’s heart thundered in her chest as they walked through the hallways and out the building, towards the parking area.

Alexa looked around the quiet and slightly dark campus. Wingston had three huge buildings. The largest one being the main building, where the library, event hall, cafeteria and the offices of the non-teaching personnel were located, including Chancellor O’Shaughnessy. The visual arts building, from which they were walking out of, was on the right side of the main building, while the performing arts was on the left. Both had sky bridges connecting to the main building. Beside the visual arts building was the running tracks, while the other outdoor facilities (basketball, volleyball and badminton court as well as the pool area) were behind all the buildings. One had to walk between them to reach it.

The dormitories were a few ways in front of the university, a fence separating the girls' and boy's buildings with a parking space on either side for the students who brought whatever vehicle they had. The grounds in front of the buildings were where almost every student hangs out; it was a wide open and grassy space, with wooden tables and chairs in order in front of each buildings. The entire 12 acres of land was surrounded by tall gates.

They reached the personnel’s parking area beside the performance arts building. Professor Sawyer remained quiet as he opened the door of his silver Audi Q7. She hesitated for a bit before getting in. She was raised to honour her word, to keep her end of a deal. Alexa made a bargain, so she would hold up her end. Even if it went against the very core of her being. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves as Professor Sawyer got in the driver’s seat and turned the ignition, the car roaring to life.