“It doesn’t surprise me,” Eva murmured.
“What doesn’t?”
“This guy’s name is Nick. I’ve heard about him. You know how in every high school and college there’s always that typical womanizer? Well, he’s the one for this university.”
“You forgot handsome and cool,” Nick interrupted. We both slowly turned towards him. He was sitting upright with his arms crossed.
Before any of us could apologize or anything, the door to the Principal’s office opened.
“You three, come in together. I don’t have time to speak with each of you individually,” he said, before going back into the office.
“Maybe you can ask your professor to help us with this problem,” Eva suggested as we sat down in front of the Principal’s desk, giving me a wink. She said it loud enough for Nick to hear. I saw the question in his eyes, “Who is she talking about?”
“So, a professor, huh?” Nick asked Eva, completely ignoring me as he also sat down. If Nick was a decent person, he would’ve waited until we got out of this office to ask, but evidently, he had no decency whatsoever.
“Yeah, and… why does it matter to you?” In any other person, that response would’ve been amusing, but not in this case. Nick was about to retort, I’m sure of it.
“Just curious, that’s all.”
“And why are you curious about someone you don’t know?” Eva spat out, irritated.
“Silence!” the Principal ordered, slamming his desk, causing Eva and I to jump in our seats. “So, who do we have here? Well, Nick, I’ve seen you sitting in that chair dozens of times, but who are you, ladies?”
“I’m Samantha Benson and…,” I was about to justify my behavior and ask him to let me return to class, but he didn’t let me finish.
“Of course! You’re a Benson, it’s no wonder at all you’re here, you had to be relatives,” Eva stared at me dumbfounded. I didn’t want her to know we were relatives. I had a feeling she was going to react like this.
“She has nothing to do with me or with what I choose to do, so I recommend you apologize for saying that shit,” Nick was beyond angry. From his expression, it looked like he was about to kill the guy. There was a staring contest between Nick and the Principal, until one of them gave in.
“Alright, I shouldn’t have said that, but Miss, set an example and prove not all Bensons are troublemakers.”
Why did this man give in to Nick? He’s the authority here.
“All the Bensons?” I wanted to know why he was generalizing. Nick and I were the only Bensons at the university and I was sure that the only one who didn’t behave was Nick.
“He, his father, and his aunt are the worst students I’ve had in my thirty-six years at this university.” Nick’s parents also studied at this university?
“I already told you, don’t bring my mother or that other man into our conversations,” Nick ground his teeth as he said it. His expression said that at any moment he was going to cross that desk and hit the Principal. I saw his hand was balled into a fist on his knee, to calm him down I took it. We needed to leave, this was going to end very badly.
“I’m sorry, I promise this will never happen again,” I swore almost in a painful whimper. I wanted to get Nick out of here.
“The issue is, Miss Benson, I don’t know what happened,” The Principal crossed his arms and lifted the corner of his lip. “Tell me everything.”
“We got caught talking with Eva,” I pointed to my classmate. It was better to say everything at once and leave. I wasn’t going to ask him to let me back in the class.
“And why are you here, Nick?” the Principal asked, turning his gaze to him. Nick just shrugged.
“I was late to class…,” he began, but was interrupted.
“Really? Is that all that happened, Nick?” He tensed up. What had happened after he dropped me off at my class?
“Yes,” he growled in a warning tone. The Principal looked at him for a few more seconds until he gave in again and looked at the papers scattered on the table.
“Fine, that’s all. I don’t want to see you here anymore. Leave,” He didn’t even look at us when he said that. I grabbed my backpack and Nick abruptly let go of my hand. Right, what was I thinking? Holding hands with Nick the whole way? What am I? A two-year-old?
Before we left the Principal said, “I don’t want you to attend today’s classes, go home.”
“Why?” My head spun around. Was this really happening?
“Two things for the future, Miss. Never contradict me, and I’m sending you home because I don’t want any more problems today. It’s the first day of classes and I already have three students in my damn office.” Wow! Such manners. “So let me be frank, none of you give me a good feeling and I don’t want to see you here anymore today, understand? Now leave.”
“Is anyone here polite?”
We started descending the stairs without saying a word. When we reached the parking lot, Eva asked, “Do you want me to give you a ride home?”
“Sure,” I didn’t want to walk, it’s too far.
“No,” Nick answered immediately and took my arm before I could say goodbye to Eva.
“Hey, what’s wrong with you? I don’t want to walk.”
“You won’t have to, I brought a car,” he replied without letting me go. He must have taken it from Olivia’s garage a few days ago. It was the blue Toyota we used the day we went to the park.
We got into the car. Nick started it and was driving too fast. I put on my seatbelt. I waited for him to do the same, although I might be annoying, I wanted him to do it.
“Can you please put on your seatbelt?” I asked in a sweet voice.