Chapter Forty Five

Friday;

I stepped out of the shower, the steam clinging to my skin as I hurried to get dressed. My head was pounding, and the exhaustion weighed on me like a heavy blanket I couldn't shake off. After slipping into a pair of jeans and a hoodie, I made my way to the kitchen, hoping some food would help, even if my appetite was practically non-existent.

At the dining table, my aunt was seated with her usual cup of tea in hand, her brow furrowed in concentration as she worked on a crossword puzzle. She looked up as I entered the room and gave me a weary smile. "Morning, honey," she greeted, her voice soft as she set her pencil down. "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine," I lied, offering her a small, tight smile before heading into the kitchen. In truth, I'd barely slept a wink, my mind buzzing with everything Montgomery had said and done yesterday. The headache I woke up with was a reminder of how little rest I'd actually gotten. Even after popping a few painkillers, it lingered, dull but persistent.

I grabbed a banana from the fruit basket and peeled it, forcing myself to take a bite. I wasn't hungry at all, but I knew I needed to eat something. The texture of the fruit felt heavy in my mouth as I chewed absentmindedly, my thoughts still tangled in the events of the previous day.

Sliding into the chair across from my aunt, I tried to appear as normal as possible. She glanced at me over the rim of her teacup, her eyes sharp despite the tiredness lining her face. "Are you okay?" she asked, taking a slow sip, her gaze lingering on me as if she could sense something was off.

"Yeah," I nodded quickly, plastering on another smile, but it didn't quite reach my eyes. Her expression softened, but her concern deepened as she studied me.

"Are you sure?" she asked again, her voice gentler this time, as though coaxing the truth out of me. I nodded once more, leaning back in my chair and trying not to meet her eyes.

"Just a little tired," I said, my voice quieter than before. It wasn't a complete lie—I was exhausted, just not in the way she thought.

My aunt gave me a nod, her eyes lingering on me for a moment longer, as if she wasn't convinced by my answer. Still, she let it go with a glance at her watch, rising from the chair. "I have to go," she said, walking over to where I sat. She bent down and kissed the top of my head, her lips warm against my scalp. "I'll see you later."

"See you," I muttered, watching as she grabbed her bag and left the room. The moment the door closed behind her, the silence settled around me, thick and heavy. A part of me wanted to just crawl back into bed and skip the day altogether, but I knew that wasn't an option.

Not long after, I grabbed my own bag and left the house, heading to campus. The drive felt like it took forever, even though it was short. Every red light seemed longer, every car slower. By the time I pulled into the parking lot and found a spot, the pounding in my head hadn't let up.

With a sigh, I slung my bag over my shoulder, stepped out, and locked the car. The weight of my exhaustion made each step toward Montgomery's office feel like a chore, but I pressed on. Her office door was closed when I arrived, so I knocked softly before pushing it open and slipping inside, shutting it quietly behind me.

Montgomery was standing by the bookshelf, a book open in her hands. The soft glow of the morning light through the window caught the strands of her hair that had escaped her bun. Her expression was unreadable, focused on whatever she was reading. She didn't look up immediately, but when she did, her gaze was sharp, assessing me in that way that always made me feel like she could see right through me.

"Morning, Ms. Wilson," she greeted, her tone neutral but formal, as though nothing had happened between us the day before.

"Morning," I mumbled back, my voice low and rough from lack of sleep. I dragged myself over to the chair, dropping down into it with a heavy sigh, feeling the familiar ache in my head intensify.

I prayed she wouldn't yell at me today. My head already felt like it might split in two, and if she started in on me, I wasn't sure I could take it. But, of course, she had other plans. Montgomery snapped her book shut with a sharp thud that reverberated painfully through my skull. The sound, louder in my head than it should've been, made me visibly cringe, pressing my lips together to keep from groaning.

She moved to her chair with that practiced grace of hers, lowering herself into it as if she had all the time in the world. The air felt heavier the moment she sat, her presence commanding attention even when I wished I could disappear. Her elbows rested on the desk, and she leaned forward slightly, her cold eyes scanning me like I was some mess she'd rather not deal with.

"You look like shit," she sneered, her voice low and dripping with disdain. Her gaze swept over me, taking in my rumpled appearance—hair unbrushed, dark circles under my eyes, and the lazy outfit that screamed exhaustion. She wasn't wrong; I looked like hell. But did she have to sound so disgusted?

"And you're a shitty person," I shot back, sharper than I intended, the pain in my head flaring up as soon as the words left my mouth. My vision swam for a second, and I had to blink to keep it steady.

Montgomery rolled her eyes, letting out a long, annoyed sigh. "Is this about that stupid Octavia girl again?" she asked, her voice laced with impatience.

Her words were like gasoline thrown on an already blazing fire, the heat of my anger flaring higher. Of course she'd dismiss it, as if none of it mattered. "Yes!" I snapped, completely ignoring the sharp pain shooting through my temples. "Who even does that? I mean, come on, why—"

Before I could finish, the sharp crack of her hand slamming down on the desk startled me into silence. She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor, and the sound made me squeeze my eyes shut for a second to block out the ache it triggered in my head.

"Fucking hell, Valentina!" she hissed, her voice low but vibrating with barely-contained fury. "I had nothing to do with any of that!"

I blinked, stunned by the intensity of her reaction. My heart was pounding, but I couldn't let her off that easily. I pressed my lips into a thin line, refusing to look away from her, searching her face for any hint of deception. "Why don't I believe you?" I said, my voice quieter now, but sharp as a knife.

She threw her hands up in disbelief, her eyes narrowing as she stepped closer, looming over me with that familiar mix of arrogance and frustration. "Sweetheart," she breathed out in exasperation, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "why would I scare her away, when I know you'd come running back to me no matter what?"

Wait—what? I'm so damn confused right now. Montgomery didn't scare her away? My thoughts tangled as I stared at her, trying to figure out if she was lying or actually being honest for once. She loomed over me, her presence overwhelming as always, and I couldn't help but glance up at her, searching her face for any sign of deception. "Why didn't you just tell me that?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

She let out a soft sigh, her expression softening as she reached out and placed her hand on my cheek, her touch unexpectedly gentle. "You never gave me a chance to explain," she murmured, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I may be a jealous woman, but I'd never sabotage your happiness."

Her hand stayed on my cheek, her thumb brushing softly against my skin, and my breath hitched in my throat. There was something so intense, so intimate about her touch, that my heart was racing. But then, reality hit me like a slap to the face—she has a girlfriend. What am I doing? I jerked my head back, breaking the contact, putting distance between us as if her touch had burned me.

Montgomery's brows furrowed, a flash of confusion in her eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice more concerned than I expected.

"Just a headache," I mumbled, waving it off, though my heart was still pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with the headache.

Montgomery pressed the back of her hand against my forehead, her cool touch lingering for a moment. Her eyebrows raised slightly, concern flickering in her usually cold eyes. "You're burning up," she remarked, her voice a little softer than usual as she removed her hand. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

I shook my head, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me. She pursed her lips into a thin line, her gaze shifting to the desk piled with unmarked quizzes. Panic bubbled up inside me—please don't give me work, not today. I could barely keep my eyes open.

To my relief, she grabbed the stack of quizzes and unceremoniously dropped them into a box on the shelf. The tension in my shoulders eased slightly. She cleared the desk in front of me with swift movements, then glanced back at me, her expression unreadable. "Do you have any water?" she asked, and I shook my head, mentally kicking myself for not bringing something.

"Typical," she sighed, rummaging through her handbag before pulling out a bottle of water. She held it out to me, her eyes narrowing when I hesitated. "Drink."

I blinked at her. "It's your water," I protested weakly, not reaching for the bottle.

She rolled her eyes, her patience clearly thinning. "Drink, or I'll force it down your throat," she said, her tone sharp but oddly caring.

My eyes widened slightly at her threat, and I quickly grabbed the bottle, twisting it open and gulping the water down, feeling her gaze on me the entire time. The silence between us was thick, and the way she watched me made the simple act of drinking water feel almost suffocating.

When I finally finished, she snatched the empty bottle from my hand with a smirk playing on her lips. "Was that so hard?" she scoffed, the hint of superiority in her voice clear. Before I could respond, she moved behind me, her hands gripping the back of the chair. In one smooth motion, she pushed me closer to the desk, her presence looming over me.

"Have a nap," she ordered, her tone softer, but still carrying that underlying edge of authority. I turned my head slightly, glancing at her over my shoulder with furrowed brows, confused and suspicious. "Why are you being so nice?" I asked, my voice hesitant.

Montgomery leaned down, her breath brushing against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. "You're smart enough to see the truth," she whispered, her voice low and intimate, "yet somehow, you keep missing it."

Before I could gather my thoughts or find the right words to respond, she straightened up, moving to stand beside the desk. Her fingers tapped lightly on the surface, commanding my attention. "Rest your eyes," she said firmly, her gaze locking with mine. "Hopefully when you wake up, you won't look this terrible anymore."

I pressed my lips together, fighting the urge to snap back, but ultimately, I kept my mouth shut. Instead, I crossed my arms over the desk and lowered my head onto them, feeling the cool surface against my skin. A part of me still wondered why she was being so uncharacteristically...kind, but I was too exhausted to dwell on it.

Montgomery shifted back to her side of the desk, the sound of her chair creaking softly as she settled in. Papers shuffled as she worked, and the familiar scratch of her pen filled the room. My eyelids grew heavier with each passing moment, the weight of exhaustion pulling me under, until I finally drifted off.

The next thing I knew, someone was gently shaking my shoulder. At first, I tried to brush it off, sinking deeper into my makeshift pillow of folded arms. I wanted nothing more than to stay lost in the quiet darkness of sleep.

"Valentina," a voice softly called, but I stubbornly ignored it, hoping they'd go away.

The voice came again, firmer this time. "Valentina."

Groaning in frustration, I buried my head deeper into my arms. "Leave me alone," I muttered, the words muffled. All I wanted was more sleep, just a little longer, away from everything.

A jolt of icy cold water shot down my neck, making me sit bolt upright. I whipped my head around, eyes wide with shock, only to find Montgomery standing beside me, casually holding a half-empty bottle of ice water in her hand. My jaw dropped.

"Are you clinically insane?" I snapped, wiping the back of my neck where the cold liquid still clung to my skin, sending shivers down my spine.

Montgomery raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk as she capped the bottle. "Perhaps," she said nonchalantly, "but it woke you up, didn't it?" She shrugged like it was the most natural thing in the world to throw ice water on someone to wake them up.

I groaned, rubbing my neck. "You couldn't just shake me more? Throwing water was completely unnecessary." I rolled my eyes, my irritation was clear, but before I could say more, Montgomery's hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of my tangled hair.

With a sharp yank, she pulled my head back, forcing me to look up at her. I hissed at the sudden pain, my eyes narrowing as I was met with her steely gaze. Her face hovered above mine, her grip tight and unrelenting.

"Stop rolling your eyes at me," she whispered, her voice a low, dangerous growl. Her hand tightened in my hair, making me wince again.

There was a sharpness in her eyes, something almost predatory that made my skin prickle. The way she held me, as if enjoying this display of control, sent my heart racing. I took a ragged breath, trying to gather some sense of composure. "Maybe if you were nice, I wouldn't have a reason to roll my eyes at you," I managed, the words strained between the tightness in my throat and her grip on my hair.

Montgomery's smirk deepened, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh, how I would love to spank the brattiness out of you," she said, her voice dripping with dark humor.

Before I had a chance to process her words, she yanked my hair again, this time pulling me up from the chair with a strength that made my pulse spike.

My mind spun. Is she really going to do it? My heart pounded against my chest, and for a second, the air around us seemed charged with something dangerous, something thrilling. She could, and it felt like she just might—right here, right now, bend me over her desk and—

"I can't," she sighed, her voice suddenly soft, almost regretful. After a brief pause, she shook her head and released her hold on my hair, stepping back. "You're not feeling well," she added, her tone more composed now, though her eyes still held that gleam of control.

I stood there, breathless and stunned, the space where her hand had been still tingling. She turned away from me, walking toward the door with a casual stride, as if nothing had just happened. "Grab your things," she called over her shoulder, "you have a lecture with me."

And just like that, she walked out of the office, leaving me standing there, caught between disbelief and the remnants of her lingering touch.

She stopped just because I wasn't feeling well? That's... surprising. Has she really changed, or was she just holding back for now? My thoughts spun, but then something she said clicked. Wait—lecture? I glanced at the clock on my phone. 14:50. Crap. I slept right through my Biophysics lecture!

Panic washed over me as I unlocked my phone, seeing a string of messages from Lea. She probably thought I'd died somewhere. "Where the hell are you?" one message read, followed by several more just as demanding. Great, I sighed, placing the phone down. I needed to head to Montgomery's lecture anyway.

I grabbed my bag, slinging it over my shoulder, and made my way out of the office. But as I closed the door behind me, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Montgomery was still there, leaning against the wall like she had all the time in the world. She looked lost in thought, her posture relaxed in a way that felt oddly out of place.

"You're still here?" I asked, my voice breaking the silence as I let the door click shut. Was she waiting for me? The idea made my stomach flip.

She turned her head lazily toward me, her gaze slow and deliberate, as if she'd just noticed I was there. "I have to lock my office," she said simply, pushing herself off the wall with an easy grace.

My shoulders slumped, and before I could stop myself, a soft, "Oh..." slipped from my lips, betraying my disappointment. Montgomery glanced at me over her shoulder, halfway through locking her door. Her brow arched, and she scoffed, "What?" She sounded almost amused. "Did you really think I wanted to walk with you to class?"

"...Yes?" I replied, hesitantly. I wasn't sure why I was admitting it, but the words came out before I could think. She turned fully to face me, dropping the keys into her handbag with a quiet jingle. Her lips pressed together in thought before she gave a slight nod, eyes narrowing like she was studying me.

"You're right," she said, her voice a mix of casual and cryptic, "I want to."

Wait, what? My brain nearly short-circuited. She turned around without another word and began walking, her heels clicking softly against the floor. I just stood there, frozen in shock. Did she really say that? She actually wanted to walk with me to class? This had to be some kind of fever dream.

"Ms. Wilson," her voice snapped, sharp as a whip, pulling me out of my daze. She was already a few steps ahead, her figure silhouetted against the dim hallway light. "Are you coming or not?" Her eyes flicked back to me, challenging.

Swallowing hard, I quickly fell into step beside her, my mind still spinning from the unexpected shift in her behavior. What the hell was going on? The hallway was eerily quiet, only the soft click of her heels echoing off the walls. After a few seconds of silence, I caught her subtly glancing at me from the corner of her eye.

"How's your head?" she asked, her voice low but surprisingly not as harsh as usual.

"It's better," I replied, meeting her gaze for a moment. "Thank you for letting me have a nap." Her eyes softened—just for a split second—but it was enough for me to notice. She quickly cleared her throat and straightened up, her expression turning neutral again.

"You'll have more work to do on Monday," she said, her tone brisk, as if pushing away the brief moment of humanity she'd just shown.

I smirked inwardly. She really can't handle gratitude, can she? I'd bet it's because she rarely hears it, considering, well... her attitude and complete lack of patience.

When we reached the classroom, she motioned for me to enter first, her hand lingering on the door for a moment. I slipped inside, feeling her presence close behind me, and made my way to my usual seat. The room was already half-full with students, but it felt like all eyes were on me and her.

I had wanted to text Lea and let her know I was still alive and definitely still down for the sleepover, but when I patted my pockets, I felt... nothing. Panic settled in. Confused, I rummaged through my bag, frantically checking each compartment, but it wasn't there either. Where the hell could it be?

Then it hit me. I'd left it on Montgomery's desk back in her office. Of course. Mentally slapping myself for being so forgetful, I decided I had to go back and get it.

After the lecture, I lingered behind, waiting for the classroom to empty. Once the last student filed out, I made my way up to Montgomery, who was carefully packing up her things with precision, stacking papers and slipping them into her handbag.

"Professor," I said, stopping just in front of the desk. My voice came out softer than I intended, still feeling oddly hesitant around her after today's strange events. "Are you going back to the office?"

Without looking up, she continued organizing her things, placing the last few papers neatly into her bag. "No," she replied flatly, finally glancing at me, her expression unreadable. "Why?"

I hesitated for a moment, not sure how she'd react. "I... I left my phone on your desk earlier," I admitted, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I need to grab it."

Her eyes flickered with mild amusement before she closed her bag, straightening up. "Of course you did," she sighed. "You really are a mess today, aren't you?"

My cheeks flushed, but I stayed silent as Montgomery slung her handbag over her shoulder. She gestured for me to move first, but as I started walking, I felt her hand gently press against the small of my back, guiding me out of the room. Her touch, though brief, sent an unexpected shiver through me.

Once we stepped into the hallway, she dropped her hand and silently closed the door behind us. "Let's go," she said, her voice clipped, and I fell into step beside her as we headed toward her office.

The walk was quiet, the sound of our footsteps echoing down the corridor. Halfway there, her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out to check the message. Her brows furrowed as she stared at the screen, clearly annoyed by whatever she was reading. Without a word, she rummaged through her bag, her movements quick and decisive.

"I have to go," she muttered suddenly, handing me her office keys. I blinked, caught off guard as she practically thrust them into my hand. "Lock up when you leave," she added, already turning on her heel to walk away.

"Wait—what about your keys?" I called after her, staring down at the set in my hand.

She glanced over her shoulder, not breaking her stride. "I'll get them Monday morning," she replied, her tone dismissive, and before I could say another word, she strode off, disappearing around the corner.

I pursed my lips, staring down at the keys in my hand, feeling the cool metal against my skin. As I turned them over, something caught my eye—a small sunflower charm hanging from the keyring. My breath hitched. A sunflower? My favorite flower...

Without thinking, I ran my finger over the tiny charm, feeling the delicate grooves. It was such a small thing, but it tugged at something deep inside me. Damn it. Would've made me fold if she didn't have a girlfriend.

Shaking my head, I pushed the thought away and started walking toward her office, the keys jingling softly in my hand.

Once I get my phone, I need to text Lea—as soon as possible. I smiled to myself, excitement bubbling up. This sleepover was exactly what I needed. I couldn't wait to meet her parents and spend the weekend just relaxing. No Montgomery, no drama. This weekend was going to be amazing!