Redeemed
The rapping at the door seemed more like a dream than reality when Philip first heard it, and for a moment he was convinced it was someone knocking on the cabin door of the yacht that he was sailing across the Mediterranean, but as reality settled in and he swatted in the direction of a buzzing mosquito in the darkness, he realized there was no yacht, and he was still on the balcony of his condo.
"Coming." He groaned, not nearly loud enough for the person to hear him as he moved towards the door, nearing it as another series of raps came on the wood, "Christ, I'm coming!" He shouted a little louder this time, and apparently they heard him because the knocking ceased, "Yes?" He yanked open the door to see Vicky standing in the same clothes from earlier, looking awkwardly at her feet for a moment.
"Right, so did I leave my keys here?" She asked, purposely avoiding his gaze and he turned to look back into the dim room.
"I'm not sure, I didn't check... but you can look." He flicked the switch by the door, the lights casting a golden glow around the room as they flashed on. It always made him miss the fluorescent lights he had at home.
"Thanks Professor, I was everywhere else and I didn't find them, so I was retracing my steps." She stated walking in and lifting a few cushions out of the couch, in search of keys that Philip wasn't sure even existed at this point.
"Philip." He said curtly and she nodded and continued looking, "You need any help?" He inquired while she got to her knees and looked under the couch, ignoring him and reaching around for a moment before giving a little shriek of glee, then stood up and dangled the keys for him to see. How they got under couch, he couldn't possibly imagine.
"Nope, I found them. Who would've thought?" She smiled and headed to the door.
"Yeah, ah Vicky, I'm sorry about today. It's just, you know. You're a student and all, but somehow I let my urges get the better of me."
"Happens to the best of us professor." She said before turning and flashing him a smile, "Don't sweat it."
"Philip." He said again and she nodded, "Well you have plans for the night?"
"Probably going to go back to my apartment, finally and get into bed. I'm a bit tired from all the walking around." She stood in the doorway, the hallway lights illuminating her figure - his mind wandered again, "You're going to, go back, to doing whatever you were doing in the darkness?" She asked and he laughed.
"Yeah, which was sleeping, until someone rudely interrupted me."
"Well lucky you, you get to sleep, I however, need to take a thirty minute stroll back to my apartment, before that idea even becomes a reality." She said and he glanced at his watch.
"It's after nine, you need someone to walk with you?" He raised an eyebrow and she chuckled.
"Why Philip, is this you attempting to redeem yourself?" They laughed for a moment.