Love Like Her

Lock And Key

*Violet's POV*

I might love psych, but I really don't like my professor. She just- rubs me the wrong way and I can't put my finger on why. Maybe it's because she called me out in front of everyone. Maybe it's because she held me after class just to get on my case. Maybe it's because I have a habit of not liking people in authority.

Whatever.

"Ultra-Violet coming back at you from you're favorite alternative station KNRN. In university news, there has been reports of a rabid squirrel in the Hunt Dining Hall, maybe just skip lunch today... On a more positive note, I hear there's a secret pep rally on campus tonight. Until then here's some tunes." I monologue before muting my mic and sliding the fader to turn up the music.

I pull one of my knees to my chest and scroll through social media for a bit. I toss my phone on the desk and sigh in frustration I can't wait until my shift is over. Normally I'd be texting my brother stupid memes back and forth while I was on air, but like I said he's mad at me.

What I said to him, hurt him. The thing is what I told him had nothing to do with him and everything to do with me, or rather, the lack of everything I was feeling. I told him the truth about how I was feeling and he pushed me away. I'm good at that... saying the perfect thing to make people leave me.

I want to reach out to him and fix things, but deep down I'm not sorry for being honest about the thoughts inside of my head. I'm not sorry for any of it.

A couple hours later my shift is finally over. I text Cat to see if she wants me to pick up anything on the back to the room.

Cat 🐈
-popcorn and wine-
-we're gonna watch shitty movies tonight-

V
-you got it-
-be there soon-

Popcorn and wine nights usually means she had a shit day. Frankly, even though mine wasn't shitty, I'm always up for getting wine drunk with Cat. A wine drunk Violet usually means I'm semi-happy, at least while under the influence.

~~~~

I may or may not have gone a little too hard last night. I have a raging headache pounding against every square inch surface of my skull. I roll over to see Cat is asleep next to me. Oh good it's still early.

I grab my phone and check it.

10:47 am.

Fuck.

Well I've missed my first class of the day, what if I skipped psych? I let out a sigh, everyone in there gave me a death stare yesterday so if I don't go I don't have to deal with that. Except my brain would know I actively made the choice to skip and I'd feel some type of way.

I groan as I pull on a hoodie and slip on some shoes before walking down the hill to Pearce. I walk in the room just before Billie closes the door. I swear I could hear her mutter something under her breath when I came in.

"Alright, now that everyone is here. Let's start today's lecture. Punishment. Who can tell me what punishment is?" she asks with a smirk evident on her face.

The douchebag jock speaks up. "Isn't it like bending you over my knee and smacking your ass for turning me on?" he says with a cocky tone, and then turning to his buddy to get a congratulatory high five for being a perv.

Billie laughs for a second before dead pan staring this dude down. "I think your have it wrong. It's more like the automatic F you're getting on your first test for being a misogynistic pig Kyle." she says asserting her authority in the room.

This dude jaw drops. "Wait, I-" he starts but she cuts him off.

"What, you were just 'joking'?" she says making air quotes to emphasize the word joking. "It's never ok to joke about objectifying or sexualizing women. Got it?" she snaps at him and he swallows the lump in his throat and mutters a weak, high pitched 'yes ma'am'.

Billie continues with her lecture, instead of my normal of tuning everything out and staring out of the window wishing I just wasn't, I catch myself staying focused on her. The way she explains difficult concepts with ease fascinates me.

Occasionally she'll glance over in my direction. Every time I can feel my cheeks burning, I can't explain why my body is reacting the way it is.

"That's time! Be sure and read the chapter on flooding, be sure to think about what scares you most. What do you fear? We're gonna discuss common and irrational fears on Monday." she says ending class for the day.

I pull my hood up and attempt leaving unnoticed.

"Adams!" I hear her voice call out and my shoulders cringe. I hang my head and mutter a quiet 'dammit' under my breath before turning on my heel to face her.

She gathers her bag and slings it over her shoulder. "My office, now." she says walking past me.

Something about her tone just- nevermind.

I follow her stopping only to let her unlock her office door. She steps inside and sets her bag next to her desk before sitting down. I just stand there waiting.

"Are t you going to sit?" she asks me.

"Well I-"

"Sit." she says casually gesturing to the chair in front of me.

So I plop down in the chair and not-so-subtly roll my eyes. "Why am I here?" I ask her with a snarky tone.

She takes a moment type a few things on her laptop before answering. My impatience is growing by the second. When she finally does answer I'm bouncing my leg up and down while chewing the inside of my cheek.

"Just doing a wellness check." she says obviously hiding what's going on through her mind.

"Well I'm fine, can I please leave now? I have shit to do." I say with an exasperated sigh.

"No, sit up straight, stop with the constant eye rolling, and while you're at it lose the fucking attitude." she snaps at me with an angry fire in her eyes.

I swallow the lump in my throat that I hadn't realized was there. She's not supposed to talk to students like that.

For once in my life, I'm speechless.

a/n: anyone figured out one of the secrets Violet is hiding? Should be sort of evident now... maybe I'll give more in the next ch.

One of my secrets is, I drowned once when I was 4.

Stay safe and always know that I love you bubbies 💕