Lake Larson

"Okay," I said, opening my door to the cold weather. "You sure you want to stay behind?"

"Yep," Ian replied, waving me off. "I've been feeling tired."

I raised a brow, idling in the doorway. "Aren't you tethered to me? I remember you saying something like that." Bringing my hand to my hip. I eyed him. "Also, how are you tired? Ghosts aren't supposed to be tired."

Ian smirked. "First, I lied." He fell back onto the bed. "Second, who knows?"

I glared at him, snagging my backpack next to the door. "You lied?"

Ian poked his head up. "Of course, I lied." He pointed at me. "You tried to kick me out the first chance you got."

Pulling my backpack on, I checked the time on my wall. "Okay, I will give you that one."

Ian half sat up, bringing his hand to his forehead, and saluted me. "Bye-bye, Lake, don't be late for your first class."

I rolled my eyes, shutting the door without saying goodbye to him. The chilly stairwell whistled between steps from the wind while the puddles of water formed from the rain all night. With my hood on, I raced through campus to my geography class, only two weeks left.

The room filled with students before the professor walked into the class. He stacked a pile of folders on his desk before glancing at the students.

"Grab one and have the material finished by the last day. This assignment will be the last thing to determine twenty percent of your grade, so you have two weeks to work on it. Every folder is different, so don't think about copying, but I encourage you to work together." The professor waved us to the front. "Okay, grab one, and I'll see everyone on the last day of school to turn them in."

"Dope," the guy next to me said before standing up and rushing to grab a folder.

The rest of the class followed in confusion, but stood to get a folder. I stuffed my pen into my backpack and strolled to the front like everyone else.

With my hand on a bright green folder, the teacher raised a brow. "Good luck."

I hesitated with the folder, feeling his comment was a challenge. "Thank you," I whispered before gripping the one below the bright green tightly and leaving the class with a teal one.

With time to spare, I paced in the hallway before deciding to head to my next class. My yellow jacket kept me dry from the rain while running outside, but not much help with the cold. The wind blew the bare trees around, whistling between the buildings.

My phone vibrated as I slowed in the rain, seeing Alex's face on my screen, knowing she could help waste my time.

"Hey, the best friend in the world," I said into my phone, walking to my building. The excitement and happiness whistled off my voice.

"Okay, I will ignore that, because I will feed off your energy. So, Cooper just left the store, and he asked me out on a date!" Alex yelled, screeching through the phone.

"Yay!" I jumped slightly while a couple of students peeked over at me. "Told you it would happen soon." My boots splashing into the chilly puddles.

"I'll give you all the details of the date." Her voice became quiet. "So, is a ghostly lover boy with you?"

"Ian?" I questioned. "No, he stayed at the dorm while I went to class. He kept talking about how tired he was."

"I didn't think ghosts got tired."

"Me too," I replied, pulling at my hood. "There's so much I feel we don't understand. I'm worried about Ian."

"Lake, I don't want to be the worst friend in the world, but I think you need to move on from Ian and focus on Hudson again. Go on another date with him." Alex huffed with sadness, making my heart ache.

I walked under a tree, stopping before the building for my class. "I don't know."

"What if you wake up one day and he is gone? He can disappear any day." I hated hearing the truth from Alex.

"You are right," I said, walking into the warm building and shaking my hood off with the drops splashing on the tile. "I'm about to start class. I'll talk to you later."

Alex scuffed before hanging up the phone, and I placed my cell into my pocket. My boots left behind wet footprints as I walked down the hallway. I only had a couple more weeks left of this quarter and couldn't wait to move on to my adult life.

Only a few steps from my class, and a shadow caught my eye. I saw Jacob, the cocky soccer club guy who didn't take no for an answer, the guy Gabby claimed to be hers. 

"Get off me!" a tiny girl yelled at him.

The old Lake, before Ian, would have walked away. I was weak. I hated conflict enough to not even stand up for myself. Feeling my body slightly shake, I walked toward them.

"Jacob!" I yelled without a thought. "Leave her alone," I whispered, losing my confidence.

The girl yanked her arm away from him and stepped away with a glare. She rubbed her wrist from the pain.

"Lake, beautiful," Jacob slurred his words. "Hadn't seen you in a while."

I rolled my eyes, walking closer to the girl. "Day drinking, I see."

Jacob shrugged his shoulders with his eyes not focused. "It's the college lifestyle!"

I shook my head and glanced at the girl. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." She glared over at Jacob and stomped closer. Her palms grabbed his shoulders, kneeing him in the lower regions and sending him to the ground. "Dick!"

Jacob rolled on the ground, cupping his small manhood. He let out a curse word under his breath, whining.

The girl curtsied to him and turned with her hand stretched toward me. "Hey, I'm Aya."

I shook her hand slowly, watching Jacob crawl on the floor. "Lake. Nice knee shot."

Aya looped her arm with mine, walking me away from Jacob toward my class. Hudson stood before the door with his eyes on his phone. He looked up, smiling once he saw me.

"Nice to meet you, Lake. Maybe we will run into each other again." Aya unhooked her arm and skipped toward Hudson. She spun before him and patted his head before walking away.

Hudson watched her stroll away, confused, before bringing his attention to me. "Hey," he said, while placing his phone in his pocket.

"Hey, there," I replied, grabbing the straps to my backpack and looking at my feet.

His warm hand gripped my elbow while I looked at his palm before peeking at him. Hudson's mouth opened but closed quickly. His eyes bobbed, trying to figure out what to say.

"Do you have any plans this Saturday?" I asked before he could say anything.

He smiled, rubbing his thumb on my elbow. "No. Would you like to go on another date?"

"Yes, that would be amazing." I looked down and back up at him. "Could we make it a casual date this time?"

He let my arm go. "Of course." Hudson scratched his head. "Did you have a place in mind?"

I tilted my head. "Maybe stay on campus?" I questioned. "The Roost."

"That sounds perfect," he said, raising his arm to guide me into the room. "Ladies first."

I walked by him, glancing around the classroom to see Professor Lewis had not arrived yet. Quickly, I shuffled to the back so I could leave before the teacher could insist on having a conversation at the end of the lecture.

While I pulled out my chair, Hudson grabbed the one beside me. "Can I sit with you today?"

My backpack clunked on the desk while I pulled out my notebook. "Yes."

Hudson glanced at the door, sitting in the chair. "So, did you hear?"

"What?" I maneuvered into my seat, leaning closer to him.

"This is Professor Lewis's last year of teaching. He told others he's just done and ready to retire, but I heard he was getting too close to females in his class and got caught." Hudson chuckled a little. "People are saying Teresa reported him."

I peeked over to the other side of the room at the empty seat Teresa sat. She had been in my program for years, but I had never said a word to her.

"Do you believe what everyone is saying?" I whispered, feeling bad for her.

"She's getting a lawyer involved and claiming things."

I swallowed hard, feeling my cheeks burn. "Like what?" I asked, but I knew from experience.

Hudson tilted closer, scooting in his chair. "Inappropriate touching, or maybe more."

"Do you believe her?"

Teresa walked into the room, and the whispers stopped. Her expression dropped as she walked to her seat with her head down. The entire room must have been chatting the same thing because we all watched her pull out her supplies and sit.

"I don't know what to believe," Hudson whispered, keeping his eyes on her. "I mean, props for the old man for getting some tail from the young students."

Quickly, I moved away from him, glaring. His statement had me confused and disappointed at the same time. Maybe I didn't know Hudson as much as I'd like to say I did. I had been dreaming about this man for years, but now that I know him, do I want to keep learning more?

"I, for one—" I said, but stopped when Mr. Lewis walked into the room, saving Hudson.

Professor Lewis dropped his briefcase on his desk and clicked on a movie for the class. He left the room in a scuffle, glaring at me as he exited, but clicked the lights off on his way out.

Hudson chuckled. "Since you weren't here last week. I forgot to mention Lewis had a killer black eye."

"Oh, really?" I whispered, smiling at my notebook and wishing Ian had been in class.

"Yeah, crazy."

Teresa stood in the dark, leaving the class soon after the movie started. The video slid through a boring slideshow while I shoved my notebook back into my bag. While sneaking in the dark, I stood from my chair, crouching and catching Hudson's eyes.

"Leaving?"

"Yep, see you Saturday," I whispered quickly and walked away.

"What about tomorrow and Friday?" he asked, confused. "School?"

I shrugged with a smirk, dashing away.

Exiting the classroom, I headed down the hallway to find Teresa. I scanned the hall, circling until I saw her. I stood up to Jacob today, so maybe I could stand up to Lewis, too.

"Teresa!" I yelled, catching her attention.

She looked up before turning to make eye contact with me. If she could be brave enough to stand up to Lewis, I would help her as much as possible. He, too, had come at me aggressively, and who knows how many other girls he had cornered? I knew my voice might be unheard, but maybe both together will make a difference.

Right?

Her feared expression changed to relief when she saw me. "Lake," she whispered, waiting for me to walk to her.

"I was wondering if we could talk?" I asked, feeling less confident.

"Yes," she said, opening the door. "I'm on my way to the library."

"Perfect." I stepped into the cold behind her. "Maybe I can join you?"

She glanced at her feet, tapping her hands on her jacket. "Sure."

We walk silently to the library. Two girls who have no words, showing how much we are alike. Maybe one day we could be friends if we could break this wall we both had.

Teresa opened the door for me into the warm library. She kept her head down, trying to prevent her eyes from connecting with mine. Students filled the computers and opened tables, studying for their end-of-semester exams.

"Over there?" I asked, pointing at an empty table. "Or do you need a computer?"

"Table is perfect," she whispered.

Teresa pulled out a thick book with a few notebooks beside her laptop while I sat across the table. I gripped the teal folder but pulled out my notebook and pen, deciding to write a letter for her case against Lewis.

I wrote about my first-hand encounter with Professor Lewis and his inappropriate touching. All the unprofessional flirting and the invitation for sex he asked of me. I wrote saying I would stand with her and become not anonymous if needed in the future.

Folding the letter, I paused and stared at the white paper for a while. Was I making the right move? Could I form a backbone in the end to help Teresa? If Ian hadn't shown up in my life and been there to stop Lewis when he did. What would have happened? What did he do to her?

"Lake," Teresa's voice had me glancing up, seeing her looking at the paper.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you here?" She kept her eyes on the folded paper as I slightly balled my fist.

"Well," I replied, sliding my note to her. "I'm not brave like you." She took the letter and opened it. "Not brave enough to stand up for myself, and just the thought of being in the middle of some type of conflict makes me want to throw up." My heart became uneasy, wishing Ian was here to calm me down.

Her eyes scanned my writing. "What is it?" she asked, but I could tell by her surprised face she knew.

"One more person to help you out with bringing down Mr. Lewis," I said with a shaky voice.

Teresa's eyes filled with tears, not letting them fall. "What?" she said, still in shock.

"I'm with you." Looking at the tall ceilings, I huffed. "I believe you, even though I'm not sure what he did or didn't do."

"You do?" Her eyes finally met mine.

"I had a guardian angel watching over me when Lewis tried something with me." My hands became shaky as I placed them in my lap. "I hope you did, too."

"Thank you." Teresa glanced at the letter again.

"I'm not as brave as you." I packed my things in my bag. "You are the one voicing what happened to you in front of everyone, but if you need more from me, I will try." I pointed at the note. "My number is there, so text or call if you ever want to."

Teresa smiled at the letter before glancing at me. "Thank you again." She bit her bottom lip, reading my note word for word.

"I'll see you later," I said, standing while she waved shyly.

Who knew Wednesdays could be so eventful?

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