Page 42 of Colton

The door opens and Avalon steps inside. She has a soft smile on her lips, yet I can tell something’s amiss. She enters fully, closing the door behind her. The box with the books I’d given her a while ago is in her hands, and my brows raise.

“Ms. Evans,” I greet. “You’re done already?”

She nods, then sets the box aside. “Yes. Thank you, I’ve enjoyed them. As promised, none are damaged, and I’ve returned them safely, Sir.”

I pour the boiling water into two cups, then stir both with a small, silver spoon. Avalon is silent, her eyes following my every movement. I move back to my desk, placing both cups down.

“Care to join me for a cup of tea?”

“I shouldn’t.”

Her response comes way too quickly. For a moment, I merely observe her. She seems skittish, fiddling with the hem of her skirt. She’s barely holding eye contact, and her posture is too rigid.

This is a first.

Although we’re yet to establish the type of relationship where she’d be entirely comfortable with me, or where she’d speak her mind freely, she’s never acted like this.

This isn’t how she’s usually behaving around me, and I find it strange, if not concerning.

“Why not? It’s just a cup of tea.”

Avalon glances around, almost as if she’s waiting for someone to jump out of the cabinets. Then, with a soft sigh, she takes a seat on one of the plush chairs. I walk over, bringing her tea, and my own in my other hand, sitting across from her.

“You seem awfully tense. Is everything alright?”

“Well,” she bites the inside of her cheek, and that simple, little notion makes me take a deep breath, as I try very hard not to allow my mind to wander off to places it shouldn’t. “Have you seen the Sinners and Saints news?”

My brows crease and I pull out my phone. It takes me a couple of minutes, but I’m not moronic so I know which news she’s referring to, once I spot it. My eyes trail all over the screen, and once I reach the part that has the image of the two of us, my jaw clenches.

“My apologies, Ms. Evans,” I lock the phone, glancing up at her. “I know this isn’t something you’d ever wish to see of yourself. I’ll see what I can do about having it removed.”

“It won’t be necessary,” she shakes her head. “But… as the Dean… why haven’t you taken down this website already?”

“Oh, believe me, we have tried,” I sigh. “It’s been shut down, but it always reappears within a day or two. And we can’t seem to track it, no matter how much we try. The IP address shows somewhere on the Academy grounds, but not to the person exactly.”

Avalon nods. “They sure love what they do.”

A small scoff comes from me. “That they do.”

Silence falls around us, and she’s still slightly squirming in her seat. She reaches for the cup, taking a small sip, then lowering it back onto the table. She looks at me, and she seems too determined for my liking. Whatever she has on her mind, it doesn’t end well for this — for me.

“Ms. Evans,” I speak before she gets the chance to, “are you scared that the two of us might be seen in a compromising image again?”

“It’s a part of it, yes,” she chews on her bottom lip, my eyes immediately dipping down to observe. “I’m just scared for myself. You’ll be quite alright, this isn’t the first time something’s been written about you.”

“Oh? What else is there?”

“There was an article a while ago that you were involved with Ms. Ellie,” she shrugs. “Whether it’s true or not is none of my business. But no one seemed to care back then, simply because you two are colleagues. People will care if you’re seen with a student.”

I squint a little, and still not quite understanding where she’s going with this. “What is it that you’re truly concerned about? Is it the fact that the backlash would be severe if another picture was taken?” I ask, pausing for a moment. “Or is it because you’re desperately trying to cling to something that you don’t wish to happen?”

Avalon’s eyes widen slightly, but I know I’ve hit the nail on the head. One of her nervous habits is to push a strand of her hair behind her ear, to avoid having to look at me. She’s adorable.

The clothes she’s wearing today are different from ones she’d usually opt for. All of it screams Sophia Sloane, from the very expensive jewelry on her body, to the soft shade of blue, and especially the perfume. However, it suits Avalon.

All of it.

She deserves everything life has to offer, and I’ll be damned if I don’t give it to her.