Kate stood outside the entrance to the subway holding her schoolbooks. She could go East or West. East would take her to Julian's; West would take her home. She was supposed to go to Julian's -- in fact, she should have been there already. Had she really been standing on the corner for that long? He was going to be mad. Like, extra super mad.
She went West.
When she got home, she had a text from him -- just checking up, no big deal. "Late class? Just let me know where you are." His parents were in town. Were they there already? She couldn't remember what time they were getting in. If they were there already she was dead. Not dead dead but in trouble. And not fun trouble but actual trouble.
"Fuck." She was wringing her hands. How embarrassing! Wringing her fucking hands. Another text. "I'm starting to worry. Just let me know you're OK."
West was a fucking stupid idea. She should have just gone to his place. She grabbed her bag and ran out her door to the subway, taking deep breaths to stay calm. She was crazed, frantic, as she waited for a train to come. "OK, heading over now" she texted, antsy. Because of the poor service it took several seconds to send -- it was excruciating. Finally it sent and a train arrived. Six stops. They lived close.
She flew from the subway to his building, pulling out his spare key card and running through the lobby, getting looks on the way. Was he even her boyfriend? Or, more accurately, was she even his girlfriend? She didn't know. It seemed like it but that didn't mean anything. But girlfriend or not, they had a certain dynamic. One that kind of disturbed her to think too deeply about, not because she didn't like it but because, it seemed, she was ashamed that she did. How quickly he snapped from lover to guardian; how often he called and treated her like a child -- and then the next moment they were peers and laughing, and the moment following that her right cheek stung from the slap he delivered to her for crossing a line. And then he was inside her. She didn't know where they stood. And that was fine, usually, except the second that knowledge became public, witnessed, she wanted out. She hadn't even come to terms with her own perversions, how could she possibly handle an audience?
"I'm sorry!" She exclaimed, bursting into his apartment. "Late class, I'm so sorry." She hugged his parents, whom she'd known since she was a child. "I'm sorry." She kissed Julian on the cheek.
"No problem," he said, grinning widely, relieved she was there. Then, worried, "where are your books?"
"At home."
"But you just came from class."
She paused, faltered. "I." The things she had been hold in her hands -- her bag, her phone, the key card -- all fell to the floor. "God, I'm sorry." She bent down to pick them up.
"Why are your books at home?"
She was sure his question sounded perfectly innocent to his parents but it wasn't and she knew it.
"I left them there this morning. Accidentally. Had to share with a classmate."
Julian nodded, unsmiling. He knew. God, and what he knew wasn't even the worst of it.
"So, reservations?"
"Drinks first," Julian said coldly. "Dinner at 8."
He grabbed her arm, leading her out of the apartment behind his parents. He squeezed hard, knowing her sense of pride was more important than self-preservation, and he was right -- she stayed quiet despite the pain shooting through her arm.
"When we get home," he growled, almost inaudibly, in her ear, "you are going to tell me what fucking happened and if you lie," he turned her so she was facing him, "I'll know it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She was fiddling with the hem of her dress, a habit she exhibited when she was nervous. Julian stood against the bar in the kitchen, his arms folded across his chest.
"Well?"
"I messed up."
Julian was already furious, glaring at Kate from the kitchen. He'd intentionally made sure the kitchen island was between them to minimize potential damage.
"How." It wasn't a question. Julian stood with his fists clenched.
A sob escaped from Katie's lips. "I'm sorry," she insisted.
"How?!" Julian shouted, startling them both.
"My paper..." she waited for his reaction: none. "I messed up on my paper. I have to redo it."
"What?" Julian shook his head. "Your paper..."
"For my comparative lit class..."
"I know which paper."
"I have to redo it."
"By the end of the semester?"
Katie started to cry. She was simultaneously heartbroken and terrified. "By the end of the month."
Julian faltered. "The m--" he couldn't finish his sentence. "But we're going to Brazil."
She nodded, sobbing now.
Before he could stop himself, Julian knocked one of his bar stools to the floor. "Seriously Katie?"
"I'm sorry," she said, still crying.
"You are a fucking child." He was pointing at her now, baring his teeth. "You know that? You're a little fucking girl."
"Stop."
"No, it's true. You're a fucking kid. How many fucking times did I ask you about that fucking paper? How many fucking times?"
"I'm sorry!"
In seconds he made it around the kitchen island and had Katie pinned up against the wall with his forearm against her neck. "How many fucking times, Katie?"
"I don't know," she sobbed.
"Count."
She did, in her head. She was shaking but trying to hide it. "Six?"
"Six?" He released her from the wall but just as quickly pushed her to the floor. "Are you asking me or telling me?"
She stared up at him blankly, struggling slightly when he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back up to her feet.
"Huh?" He screamed, his face inches from hers. "Are you asking me or telling me?"
"Telling you!" She cried, completely unsure if six was the right number.
He released her and stepped back. "I fucking asked you and asked you about that fucking paper. I fucking asked you and asked you. You said it was fine. Over and over you fucking said it was fine, Katie. 'Almost done.' What the fuck happened?"
"It wasn't good!" Kate exclaimed earnestly. "He didn't like it."
"Because you did a shitty job or because your professor is just a fucking jerk?" He already knew it was the former. She was going out too much, not only with him but with her other friends too, he knew it. He knew it at the time but he took her word that things were going well. Why would she lie?
She didn't say anything. She knew either answer would incriminate her: if she admitted she did a shitty job, that she didn't give it her all, he would ream her for that, and if she said her professor was too hard on her he would ream her for lying. Just in case, she bit her lip to keep from saying something stupid.
"I can't even." Julian was seething. "This is ridiculous." He wanted to hurt her. It was a familiar feeling. "This is fucking ridiculous."
"I'm sorry."
"Shut the fuck up!" He yelled. "You call yourself a fucking adult? You're a child!"