Paint Me, Professor | Student-Professor Erotic Novel | 18+ | ✔️

57 - Panic

Warning: this chapter contains drug use (more specifically anxiety medication). Just thought I'd let you know!

Alison
***

The fourteen days leading up to finals week were spent practically in isolation with the exception of Maddie showing up at my door unannounced for impromptu study sessions. I had always been the type to study alone, otherwise I'd get distracted and losing time would only intensify my anxiety.

Apart from studying for my written exams, by the last week of lessons (which was two weeks before the last day of the year), we had to submit our portfolio to Professor Agnes, which was nerve-wracking to say the least. Sure, the written exams were important, but our portfolio came before everything else. Depending on Professor Agnes' feedback after we came back from Winter holidays, we'd know if we were going on the right track or needed to rethink everything.

Just the thought of not being good enough petrified me. For that reason, all my energy was focused on two things: painting and studying. After all, this was the reason why Chris and I agreed to not see each other, so that I could focus solely on what was important.

I spent most of my nights at Evergreen in the art studios, and today was no exception. I welcomed the small talk with my classmates into the late hours of the night, but most of them left early. Even David who was by far the most ambitious of the bunch left way before I did.

"Come on girl, you need to rest. You'll finish up tomorrow." He said to me as he packed up. Since the first week of lessons, David knew exactly what he wanted his final project to look like, and his portfolio was immaculate for that reason. He had a clear direction, and thus was feeling confident.

"I'm staying." I replied. "I have to finish this today."

David tapped his foot. "Alison, it's perfect already. You're just adding stuff that it doesn't need."

"It isn't ready, alright?" I snapped. "I know how I want it to look, and it's not there yet."

David huffed and walked to my desk. Without asking, he started flipping though my sketch book. He then went to my personal drying rack where I kept my other paintings and analysed them.

"Ali, you're stressing too much. Your work is awesome, I know Professor Agnes is going to give your portfolio a good grade. You're obsessing over the tiniest details. It's not healthy."

I took a deep breath to calm down. I knew he was right, but my anxiety wouldn't let me relax.

David took a seat in front of me, resting his chin on his knuckles, tilting his head to the side. "How does your boyfriend feel about you being here instead of being with him?"

His words stopped me dead in my tracks. I looked up at him, my eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"Don't look so surprised." He said, sounding innocent. "Maddie told me you've been seeing this mystery engineering guy. At least that's what your flatmates told her."

Fuck.

I was gonna kill Sammy and Claudia.

I looked down at my painting so he wouldn't notice my reddening cheeks.

"Well, there goes my secret." I said, trying to sound casual.

"Not a very well kept one, I must say." He added with a laugh. "They told me you've been spending many nights at his... You should be there now girl."