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Chapter 26

"Why do this, though?" Liz wonders.

"Why not ask not to submit the whole project and ask for just 10%. It doesn't make sense," she continues as she takes another bite from her sandwich.

I am pacing her kitchen and wonder how the hell she can think of food at times like this. I mean I came here as soon as Coopers left and the first thing she said was: "Let me eat something. I'm wiser when I'm full."

"Elizabeth, Think! I need to know exactly what's on that video before I act. What did Harry tell you when I left that night?" I ask her frustrated.

"Mmm this fetta cheese is orgasmic," she replies closing her eyes.

"Liz, concentrate!"

"He came up to our table devastated with his mother's behaviour. He-he begged me to give him your address. I said some stupid comment about him wanting to sex you up and he didn't laugh. He kept asking about the address and making things right blah blah blah, I don't fucking remember everything. It's not that I knew some psycho guy was filming me so I'd keep notes," she answers slightly upset not because of my situation but because she was interrupted from chewing her cheese.

"There was no talk of us being together after Harry became a student, right?"

"Were you together after he became a student? I mean before that night?" she asks.

"No."

"Then why the hell would there be talk regarding that?" she exclaims.

"Yeah but someone would conclude from your discussion that Harry knew me intimately before that, right?" I ask already knowing the answer but again hoping for a negative one.

"Yeap. Pretty much."

"God, I'm screwed." I sigh finally sitting down.

"We need to address the fact that Harry left to protect you. What a sweet thing to do, yeah?" she says trying to contemplate my attitude towards that.

"Sweet but stupid," I say feeling emotional all over again.

"Stupid?"

"Why did he have to leave? Why didn't he tell me what was going on rather than running away? That was immature and stupid," I tell her half angry, half moved by his gentle selfless gesture.

"Surely you see why he thought that running away was best. Ashley, we both know that he did not enrol because he wanted to be educated. You are the one with all the diplomas. You should know that he enrolled to be near you. When your future as a professor was on the line, he did what he thought best. He left. He definitely should have discussed it with you but he thought he was doing the right thing," she justifies.

"Elizabeth, what should I do?" I close my eyes taking a deep breath.

"Last bite and I am all yours," she says and I smile. Always the calm to my storm.

"Again doesn't it seem odd that he chose now to reveal himself? And 10% when you can skip the whole thing?"

"Liz, people like Noah are egotistic, narcissistic bastards. It's not about not doing the work. He wants to do it because he doesn't want me to think that he is unable to; that he is weak. Because he isn't. I bet he can even meet the dead line. He just wants to use this power he has over me. He just gets pleasure from the mess he is causing. His whole attitude in class illustrates that. Cocky, smartass, making comments that trigger arguments and conflicts. He has hated the fact that Harry got so much attention," I give my professional opinion on the matter for the first time.

"Additionally he fancies Rebecca. I gathered as much when I assigned her in his group. His whole face lit up. Rebecca is friends with Harry and she doesn't give him the time of day so you can clearly understand his motives."