"And did anyone have any previous knowledge of you and Nathans McCoy's relationship?"

I sighed again and dropped my head onto my fist. "No."

It had been two weeks since the indecent with Greg. It had also been two weeks since I had seen Nathan.

So much had happened since that day. I woke up in the hospital with two broken ribs, a severe concussion and cuts and bruises littered across my body. I stayed in the hospital for five days recovering, being visited by Ben, Mia, and Rachel every single day and my parents and even Claire stayed for a few days to make sure I was okay.

I had also woken up to two incredibly important pieces of information.

First, and thankfully so, Greg was alive. He would forever have a face of a donkey's ass due to the damage that Nathan had done to it but he was alive and would be serving 25 years for attempted kidnapping and attempted murder on two counts.

And secondly, and hands down the worst piece of news to wake up to was the fact that now...everyone knew. Nathan and I's secret was out, which brings me back to my current predicament.

"And Dean Henkel, were you aware of any relationship between Ms. Merrick and Nathan McCoy?" the woman from human resources asked in a drawl tone, already bored with her own questioning.

"No, I wasn't," the Dean answered back, his voice domineering and his stiff posture matched his tone perfectly.

The light blonde haired woman scribbled down some last few notes in her notebook before flipping it shut and pushing her glasses back up to their preferred spot on her nose.

"That's all I need from you both. Thank you for your time."

She nodded to both of us as she stood up and walked towards the door, the Dean thanking her one last time before she fully exited his spacious office.

I twisted in my seat uncomfortably for a second or two before deciding it was time to make my exit as well. Gathering up my school bag from the floor, I slung it over my shoulder and raised myself out of the office chair.

"Sit, Ms. Merrick," the Dean bit out, his voice full of authority.

My stomach tightened in anticipation as I struggled to find a way out of this increasingly nerve wracking situation.

"But-I um, I have class soon and...I," My voice trailed off as I made eye contact with the Dean and saw that he was in no mood for games today.

Against every outcry from my mind, I lowered myself back into the chair and let my bag drop over my shoulder and onto the floor once more.

I kept my head down, only occasionally daring to glance up at the Dean's stoic face. His thin lips were dropped down into a displeased frown and the bushy gray mustache sitting above his lips only made his frown look that much more intimidating.

The silence in the room was suffocating me.

I begged the clock to tick faster in my mind as I watched it with deadly eyes as it, in fact, seemed to slow down for me as it knew I was watching it desperately.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, he spoke.

"Never in my 18 years as a Dean at this University... have I felt so foolish. You both were right under my nose for months and I never saw it."

Dean Henkel shook his head and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his large chest.

"I even sent you two into a restroom together alone when your legs were cut at the Arts gala! Jesus, I feel like an idiot now," he said as he ran his aged hand over his face and sighed.

"Nothing was going on then, if that matters at all," I mumbled to him, trying anything now to make this conversation go faster.

The Dean's stare snapped to mine with an incredulous looks fixed in his eyes. "It doesn't."

Well then.

"And now I've a mountain of paper work to file over it and I've got police parading around campus and into my office and people are questioning my judgment as a leader of this school all because of you and Mr. McCoy couldn't control yourselves!" he shouted, louder and more furious then I had ever seen him before.

"I'm sorry," I said, my face creased in guilt. "No one was ever supposed to find out."

The Dean let out a humorless laugh as he leaned forward in his seat, picking up a news article that lay on his desk.

"Yes and then Nathan had to be the hero," he muttered begrudgingly as he tossed the paper down onto his desk again. "If everything they say in the papers is true then Nathan really was quite something, risking his life, his career to save you."

A shiver ran through my body as visions of Nathan pounding away at Greg flashed through my mind.

"Yeah. He was... very brave," I said with a shake of my head, my eyes focused on the lines of Dean Henkels' desk.

"Well, as brave as he may have been it certainly cost him a lot. I know he's not being charged for anything but-"

"He's not?" I asked, bringing my head up quickly to find his stare. Suddenly, I was very interesting in what he had to say.

His brows strung together in confusion as he stared into my wide, curious eyes.

"No. You didn't know that?"

I shook my head in response "No one's really telling me anything. Something about being in a fragile state," I said with a shrug.

"Well, I do understand that," he said with a slight nod and raise if his eyebrows at me. "Even though it's caused me an excess of issues and paperwork, I'm very thankful that you are okay. I just wish that it had been another student to save you instead of one of our teachers. That's a headline I would be willing to deal with instead of 'Photography professor rescues his kidnapped student and secret girlfriend'."

He does have a point there.

The media was eating up Nathan and I's story like it was the last juicy slice of turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

The reviews of our relationship were overall very mixed. Of course, there were the people that thought it wrong and sick of Nathan to ever pursue a student of his. Now, surprisingly so, more people were in love with Nathan and I's relationship and declared Nathan a hero and the ultimate romantic for risking his life for mine. They saw the age difference as minimal and the fact that he was only the teacher's assistant easy to look over in the grand scheme of things.

My favorite headline for Nathan and I was by far was 'Handsome Professor Risks Life for Student and It's the Love Story We've All Been Waiting For.'

Reporters and newspapers had been calling me around the clock, trying to get the inside scoop. Thankfully, my parents and even the school kept them from getting directly to me and took a lot of the brunt of the media's attention on themselves.

Even a few students had given interviews on Nathan and I's in school relationship and went as far as to make up information and stories to tell the media, just to get their 10 minutes of fame.

I didn't even know the student names who had given the interviews.

Neither Nathan nor I were talking and that was driving the media mad and they were grasping at any fake story they could get like it was their life line.

The one question that everyone was dying to know was if Nathan would get to keep his job or be banned from the university and teaching all together.

This was the questioned that has been circling my mind for the past two weeks and now was my opportunity to ask his boss himself.

"Do you know yet about Nathan's position at the school?" I inquired hesitantly, my eyes imploring into his.

My heart sunk as the Dean shook his head with a somber look.

"That hasn't been decided yet, I'm afraid."

I chewed my bottom lip as I took it all in, my mind racing with thoughts of how to possibly make a difference in the final decision about Nathan's future.

"Um, sir. I'm not sure if it would make any difference in your decision or the Board of Directors but I would testify in favor of Nathan and explain how phenomenal of a teacher he is and how dedicated to his craft he is. I know there are lots of student who would do the same and loved having him as a teacher and we all benefited greatly from his teachings. He loves what he does and it shows through his lessons. It would be so tragic if you lost such a wonderful professor just because of me. I would even take full blame for the whole relationship if you thought that would help his chances at all. Just tell me what to say and I'll say it."

I was left staring at Dean Henkel, waiting for him to respond. He continued to look at me with contemplative eyes that seemed as though they were trying to decipher my words and my intentions.

"You both really do love each other, don't you?"

Once he finally uttered the words that he has been mulling over in his head, I was left dumbfounded and a bit hurt that couldn't see the obvious answer to that question by now.

"Yes," I nodded. "More than anything."

As I spoke, I kept my eyes fixed on his, letting him know how deeply and truly I meant it.

The Dean nodded and rocked back and forth in his chair, looking to the ground as if it would have the answers to his questions written on the floor boards.

"That will be all Ms. Merrick. You're free to go to class."

My eyebrows rose at his sudden dismissal but I didn't dare question it. Without more than a very gentle 'thank you' sent his way, I left his office and emerged into the busy hallways, placing my back up against the office door as it shut.

"Was it that awkward?" Ben asked as he came up beside me. He had been waiting outside of the office for me, not leaving me for a second more than he had to since everything with Greg had happened.

And with today being my first day back at school since being kidnapped, almost choked to death, and having my very secret and very forbidden relationship with our professor exposed, I was grateful for every second that he was by my side.

"You have no idea," I breathed out as I glanced his way and then back out to the swarm of students buzzing through the hallways on their way to their classes.

"You ready?" I heard Ben ask as he watched me survey the people crossing our paths, noting the strange looks and whispers that had already begun not ten seconds after entering the hallway.

"No," I growled out in an annoyed voice, mentally preparing myself for the barrage of questions and accusations that would undoubtedly be thrown my way.

"I know, but I'll be with you every step of the way to class. No one will say shit to you with me around," Ben said confidently.

I quirked an eyebrow up at him and even managed a small smile. "I think you have a bit too much faith in your masculinity there, Ben."

Ben's face scrunched up as he shook his head with a smirk.

"Nah."

I stifled a laugh as he stayed confident in his imposing nature. "Okay," I said to gain Ben's attention, our eyes now locked on each other's as I spoke.

"Let's get this over with."

Walking the hallways to Mrs. Smith's classroom was actually not nearly as bad as I conjured it up in my mind to be.

Of course, I had gotten the occasional 'Is it true' from a couple random people but for the most part, people either left me alone or asked how I was doing.

I could deal with those questions and concerns and was extremely grateful for every well wish that was sent my way by total strangers.

I can do this.

I thought that very phrase to myself as I gained more and more courage with every step taken towards Mrs. Smith's classroom. Ben seemed a little disappointed that he didn't have to fend off any trash talkers with his brute attitude and I couldn't help but chuckle lightly at his disgruntled face.

Today might not be so bad after all.

Ben and I rounded the corner into where Mrs. Smith's classroom lye and he jumped in front of me to open the door like the gentleman that he was and stretched his lips into a supportive smile as I walked past him and into the classroom.

It was immediately met with dead silence.

The second I walked in, every conversation stopped and over 30 pairs of eyes were latched onto my quivering figure.

Spoke too soon.

My eyes were wide as a deer's as they swept over the length of the room, taking in everyone's shocked; and some, judgmental stares.

Every muscle in my body was tense and I twisted my hands together in front of me uncomfortably.

"Well this is awkward," I muttered to Ben who simply nodded in agreement before placing a hand on the small of my back and pushing me up towards our seats.

Several pairs of eyes steered down as I passed them, embarrassed to have been caught looking at the girl who carried on in a relationship with their professor and unfortunately got caught.

Suddenly, a hand shot out and grabbed at my wrist, stopping me in my tracks, causing flashbacks of Greg doing the very same thing to storm my mind.

I tore my hand out of their grip like it was a burning fire, cradling it in my hold as my eyes found theirs.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you." A girl who had sat in front of me the entire semester stared up at me with sympathetic eyes.

"It's okay," I mumbled under my breath and rubbed my fingers across my wrist tenderly.

"I just wanted to tell you that I read all about what happened to you in the papers and I am so so sorry that you had to go through that. I had a friend who went through something similar, not nearly as intense or dangerous, but I know kind of what you might be going through and I just wanted to let you know that I support you completely and if you ever need someone to talk to, my name is Amy and I'm here." She finished her speech with a smile and I found that I couldn't close my mouth that had fallen agape with her words.

"Um, thank you. That's really sweet and... random of you," I huffed out a small laugh in which she joined in on. "But I do appreciate you saying that."

She nodded, grinning at me, showing off all of her pearly white, straight as-a -needle teeth. "Anytime. I'm studying to be a Grief Counselor actually so this is right up my ally."

"Good to know."

I moved away from Amy only to be stopped a second later by another voice.

"So you were the girlfriend that McCoy would talk about it class? The one he was in love with and thought about proposing to?"

I spun on my heel to see a group of student's looking at me expectantly.

"That would be me," I said in an awkwardly high pitched voice and turned away from them the second they got their answer.

Ben pushed me forward to my seat and I sat down quickly, welcoming the coldness of the chair that acted as a distraction from the questioning stares all throughout the room.

Ben pulled out his seat and sat next to me, his hand brushing against my own and squeezing it, giving me the reassurance that I needed to get through the next 50 minutes without exploding.

"So are you fucking him too or do you just open your legs for people who can help raise your grades?"

My eyebrows shot up as the accusation hit my ears. My eyes sought out whoever spoke the question and my insides instantly began to boil over when I spotted her.

"What?" I practically growled out as I shot daggers through my eyes at Abby, who looked as smug as could be in that moment.

"I think we'd all like to know, Alex. Ben practically never leaves your side and I'm pretty sure everyone thought you two were dating until your little fling with Mr. McCoy came out in the papers."

"Shut the fuck up, Abby," Ben spat out in an utterly annoyed voice as he slouched down in his seat, seemingly over her ridiculous bullshit already.

"What? Are you jealous? Did you not know about her and Mr. McCoy?"

"I don't he's the one that's jealous." A voice spoke up in the crowd, referring to Abby and everyone in the class chuckled and Abby's face to turn beet red.

"I'm not jealous," she denied. "I just think it's wrong."

"Wrong?" Another voice rang out from the front of the room. "Did you not read the papers about how Mr. McCoy practically beat a guy to death to save her? Or listen to him whenever he was talking about his girlfriend in the classroom? That's love and there's nothing wrong with that."

Well, damn. I didn't really even need to do my own defending. It seemed that most of the class was on Nathan and I's side and were willing to defend our relationship for us.

"Well, I guess it just baffles me as to why he chose her of all people," Abby said exasperatedly as she began to realize very quickly that no one else shared her opinions.

"Abby, sit down." An authoritative voice rang out through the classroom and all eyes flew over to Mrs. Smith, who had just walked into class.

Abby grumbled something unintelligible under her breath as she reluctantly sat down in her seat, flicking her blonde hair over her shoulder.

I looked towards Mrs. Smith with grateful eyes in which she returned with a slight, knowing nod in my direction.

The rest of the class went off without a hitch and before I knew it, we were being dismissed.

I received a few pats on the shoulder and dealt with a few more questions from my rumor hungry classmates before trotting down the steps with Ben in tow.

"Alex, would you mind staying behind for a few minutes?" Mrs. Smith called out to me just as I passed by her desk.

I stopped walking and sighed, knowing that if I thought I would be leaving that easily, then I probably hadn't recovered fully from my concussion just yet.

Ben reassured me that he would be waiting outside of the door and I thanked him again and again being such a wonderful friend before walking over to Mrs. Smith's desk, standing in front of it awkwardly as we both waited for all of the students to flush out of the room.

Moments later, we were alone and the air thickened around us.

"How are you feeling?" Mrs. Smith asked as she leaned back in her chair.

"Not too bad. The headache from the concussion is gone and they were able to cover up the bald spot that they had to shave on my head to stitch it back up nicely, so that's a plus. I'm still a bit sore all over but nothing I can't handle."

She nodded her head contemplatively.

"Have you spoken to Nathan?"

"Um, no." I shook my head. "I think he's been a bit busy with everything that happened and plus we're not dating anymore so he wouldn't-"

"You what?" Mrs. Smith interrupted me bluntly, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"We broke up...about three weeks ago," I answered back in a soft voice, my heart compounding with anguish as I was forced to relive Nathan and I's harsh reality again.

Slowly, Mrs. Smith drew forward in her seat, setting her elbows on her desk and sinking her head onto her hands as she stared at nothing in particular. She seemed to be putting pieces together in her head.

"That explains his sudden mood change."

I simply nodded along, solidifying her assumptions.

"He was almost overwhelmingly happy when I came back and then one day he came in and just looked...terrible. I asked him what was wrong but he wouldn't tell me and now I know why."

Her bright eyes locked onto mine.

"It was the same day that Ben came in and told him that you were missing."

I just nodded again, not really knowing what to say and also trying to keep my emotions at bay.

"Do you mind if I ask why you aren't together anymore?"

Mrs. Smith's eyes were curious and prying into my fragile mind's state, forcing me to remember my terrible mistake and my chest to constrict painfully as the memories flew through my mind.

"It was actually, um...the guy who took me. He, uh, set Nathan up to look like he had done something awful when in reality he didn't. The guy just did it so he could get me alone."

"So you two aren't broken up then since it all turned out to be a misunderstanding?"

"No, we...we still are," I spoke and directed my attention anywhere but into Mrs. Smiths confused eyes.

"Why?"

I could feel a damn inside of me threatening to rupture as she continued to push me, my eyes welling with hot tears as I didn't have an answer to her insentient questioning.

I stuttered for a few moments, unable to form any actual words before she came to my rescue and realized what frantic attack she was causing inside of me.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry. I just can't wrap my head around why you two aren't together anymore. I know I'm supposed to be upset with both of you and I was. Don't doubt that I wasn't upset for a moment of time but once I realized how deeply he felt for you and saw that the love you two had for each other was practically tangible around you two, I got over it fairly quickly. Anyone with eyes could see how madly in love with each other you two were. And I'll be damned if I'm the one who stands in the way of that sort of love."

Even as I pleaded with them not to, a few tears spilled over my eyes as I took in her words. My heart ached and my throat clenched in raw pain as I spoke my next words.

"I don't think he would want me anymore," I whispered in a broken voice, my emotion stealing away my volume.

"Why is God's name would you think that?" She asked in a skeptic voice.

"I've caused so much strife and so many complications in his life. He almost got arrested because of me and might even lose his job," I said through my sniffles as I tried to rein in my emotions. "I'm not worth the trouble I bring with me."

The room was silent for a minute aside from my sniffling. I looked up to see what Mrs. Smith was doing but was robbed of the chance to make eye contact with her as she shot up from her seat and bounded across the room, towards the door.

I continued to stare at her retreating form, confused as to why she was leaving so suddenly when she stopped in front of a wall and turned to it, ripping a piece of paper off forcibly.

A gaping hole the side of a baseball appeared from behind the paper. Mrs. Smith turned to me with certainty ablaze in her eyes.

"There is not a hole in my wall because of a man who doesn't think you're worth it. When Ben came in here and told him you were gone Nathan became enraged and punched this hole through my wall and tore out of here, shaking in anger but also determination."

She started towards me, balling the paper into a ball and throwing it to the side as she approached me.

"You would have to be blind to think that that man doesn't love you or care enough about you to do absolutely anything in his power for you. He is almost literally crazy about you, Alex," she spoke with conviction as her shorter frame came right up to stand in front of me, her stare insistent on mine.

"Do you love him?"

"Yes," I answered without pause.

"Then don't let your assumptions about how he might feel or what you think is best for him cloud your judgement and force you to make one of the worst mistakes of your life. Let him decide if he wants to be with you before you simply assume he doesn't. That's the worst thing you can do, assume something when you have no knowledge of what is actually going on in the persons head."

Her warm hand suddenly reached out and took my shaking one into her steady embrace.

"I can almost guarantee you, that if you gave Nathan the chance to decide for himself, he would most certainly choose you over anything else. He's wise enough to know that love like the one you both share, doesn't come around very often."

As I gazed into her knowing eyes, I couldn't help but feel a bit of hope swell inside of me. Maybe she was right? Maybe she wasn't.

But there was only one way to find out.

There you go! Everyone knows and Nathan's career is still undecided. What did you think of it and of Mrs. Smith and the Dean?? 

This is a longer one for sure and I hope you all enjoyed that! The next one will be GREAT one ;) I promise! I hope you all loved it and please vote and comment if you did! :)