The Professor's Daughter

Maria stood alone at the edge of the dance floor feeling like the last to be picked for the team yet again. She clenched her drink in her hands as her eyes followed Susie moving from side to side in Curt’s arms.

Just like that afternoon, Susie had started off as the cheery, freckly girl she’d been when Maria had first met her; she’d clutched hold of Maria’s wrist and pulled her over to a group of friends. But slowly as the evening grew on and Curt grew closer, she’d shut off that little bit more.

Maria didn’t like to think too much about what was going on between the pair. She’d tried to bring it up earlier but Susie had simply stated that he wasn’t harmful, he was just a caring guy. Begrudgingly, she accepted her friend’s words, knowing that she wouldn’t get anymore out of her without causing an argument or a scene. And it would be a shame to ruin such a… lovely evening as this one.

Part of Maria wondered if the night was really worth all of the grief and questioning she would receive from her father tomorrow. However, each time the thought arose, she pushed it away. After all there was a fairly high chance he was still snoring in his chair with the empty glass of brandy by his si-

“Hey, Maria right?”

Maria turned to the fresh faced boy that had sneakily approached her and nodded.

“I’m Neil.”

“Hello.” Maria replied timidly as she shook his outstretched hand.

“You’re in one of my classes I think. Second year astronomy, right?”

Maria thought hard to remember who was in that class, she’d never really paid attention to the students particularly but she didn’t feel like thinking much tonight so she simply smiled and replied “I thought you looked familiar.”

The pair chatted for a minute or two, mainly about what they were studying and commenting on how many people had turned up tonight. The Great Hall, that had been used for Professor Daniels’ retirement dinner the previous week (and yes, she had been reminded of it all), had been once again turned into quite a sumptuous evening room, where chatter buzzed from the sidelines and couples danced freely in the middle.

“Would you like to dance?” Neil asked after a while.

“Sure.” Maria responded. It wouldn’t hurt, Neil seemed like a nice guy, and in fact by agreeing, she wouldn’t look like such a loner waiting by herself.

Neil led her to the edge and hesitantly placed his hand on Maria’s hip and held her other to one side as they bobbed a little to the slow music.

It was certainly one of the most awkward situations Maria had willingly entered.

For one, once she was this close to Neil, he didn’t know where to look, whether it was far in the distance or on his clammy hand, it certainly wasn’t on Maria. Secondly, they were totally off-beat and whenever Maria tried to sway them back onto the tempo, their feet would catch and there would be a little stumble. And thirdly, there was just something strange about the whole situation that made her feel uncomfortable.

Maria’s mind flitted back to the last time she’d been this close to a man, how not-uncomfortable she’d been, how relaxed and secure she’d felt in his arms. How much she’d wanted to be there in the first place and how much she didn’t want to be here right now. How much she wanted to be back there and how much she didn’t want to be stood awkwardly in this massive hall for the rest of the evening.

She remembered the crestfallen face and those languid eyes and for the first time in a week, the memory truly worried her. He’d been so hopeful about getting the job and then that eagle-eyed woman had swooped in and stolen it. And earlier, the story that Adele had recounted and the concern she’d had mixed with the guilty feeling plaguing Maria’s insides.

She’d made him go through all of that alone.

After he’d been there for her with her mother, after he’d supported her when she’d stood crying in hospital corridor, how he’d put his arm around her and carried her suitcase back to his car. And then when the tables had turned, Maria had done nothing to help.

She’d kissed him in that dark and empty hallway, yes, but if he was feeling anything like Maria, then she knew that that hadn’t helped at all. It had only made their time apart even more difficult.

A week.

That was how long Maria hadn’t seen him for and she knew more then most: a lot can happen in seven days.

“I…I’m sorry Neil,” Maria stepped away and rested a cool hand to her forehead, “I think I have to go.”

Neil’s face turned dubious. “What? Now?”

Maria nodded hastily, stepping back even further as the feeling of remorse grew hastily.

“Maria, are you alright? You’ve gone really pale.” It was Susie, her knees bent to look Maria straight in the eye.

“She’s leaving.” Neil explained as Curt leaned in to mutter something in Susie’s ear.

“Alright, alright, I’m trying.” Susie hissed. “Maria?” She reached out and placed her hand on her arm.

“I have to go.” Maria repeated as if in some half-conscious state.

“Stay.” Susie pleaded. “You don’t have to go.”

Maria shook her head. “Have to go. Sorry.”

Susie’s grip tightened. “No you don’t, you have to stay. With me. Alright?”

“No.” Maria defied her friend. She turned on her heel; rushed from the room. From Neil’s confusion. From Susie’s hold. From Curt’s antsy glare.

Her mother’s old heels clattered on the floors. They held Maria back in her hastiness.

Balancing herself against one of the walls, she pulled off the shoes. Her feet darted across the floors instead.

Within moments she was out of the doors; over to the bus stop outside. She didn’t let herself think of the cold air numbing her bare arms. Or the way her jacket flapped uselessly in her hand.

“Ticket for Hillsborough Street please.” She asked the driver, a little out of breath and hoping Susie was no longer following her.

The driver issued her the slip of paper with no question to her flushed cheeks or bare feet. It was refreshing for Maria as she pulled on her coat and took a seat, willing the bus to go that bit faster.

The elevator doors pulled slowly apart and apprehensively Maria stepped out. Her shoes were still clutched in her shaking hand as she raised the other to the door along the corridor.

“I just popped by and thought I’d say hello…. Simply in the neighborhood really… No, that won’t work.” Maria scolded herself as she realized the excuse she was muttering wasn’t particularly realistic.

Who popped by somewhere in one of their mother’s best dresses? And why would she ever be in a neighborhood like this without a proper reason?

As her thoughts became even more scrambled, Maria didn’t realize at first that no one had answered. She bent a little, seeing a small strip of light escape at the bottom of the door. Taking another deep breath to steady herself, she knocked on the door once more.

This time she heard a small noise from inside but after a while of waiting, there was no reply.

“Thomas?” She called lightly, pressing her ear against the door. “It’s me, Maria. I know you’re in there, I just… Oh, I don’t know…” Maria sighed against the polished wood. Hoping that Leighton really was in and she wasn’t speaking to an empty apartment.

“The thing is… is that… well, I sort of spoke to your sister yesterday and she’s worried about you. And so am I and I suppose that’s why I came, to check how you were doing. I hadn’t seen you for a while and to be honest I’ve somewhat missed having you around… Please, if you’re there, still alive and whatnot, just let me know and I’ll go.”

There was more silence and Maria silenced a groan of disappointment as she stood up tall and turned her back, pulling her jacket further across her body. Apart from banging down the door (which didn’t seem likely with her non-existent strength) there was little else she could really do apart from simply giving her time.

Now she knew how he’d felt when she’d asked him to give her the time to sort things out. She understood that feeling of isolation and lonesomeness that she’d inflicted upon him and she hated it.

“What part?” Came a deep voice, that made Maria stop in her tracks to leave.

She twirled around, her eyes resting on the tall figure in the doorway. The light from inside illuminated his left side, highlighting the rough-hewn features of his face that Maria had been silently longingly to see.

“Excuse me?” Her voice wavered.

“What part of me did you miss?” He asked once again as he leant against the frame. He wore a thin jumper and jeans whilst his feet remained as bare as Maria’s.

What a strange question to ask, she thought to herself, looking down at her hands for answers, not that they’d be of any help.

But then she remembered.

She remembered how he’d held her hand when she’d gone to that dinner, how he’d enfolded her in his arms, how he’d kept her company that day at the fountain and stood with her the following evening, the city far below. That rare smile she’d first seen in his classroom; how he’d stood so close to her after she’d been to Daniels’ office. How he’d made her stomach churn with trepidation at the thought of being alone with him and how his voice had trailed off when he’d asked if she was in fact The Professor’s Daughter on her very first day.

Maria raised her eyes and shrugged her shoulders helplessly.

“Every part.” She attempted, wondering how she’d ever be able to explain that feeling she only got when in his presence. “I missed every part of you, as sugary as it sounds.”

Leighton’s gaze travelled down Maria. “What’s with the dress?”

Pulling the fabric of her jacket closer to her self-consciously, she was unable to look him in the eye.

“It’s the Student Dance.”

“You left?”

Maria nodded ashamedly. “Yes.”

“To come and ‘check’ on me?” Another nod. “You really care that much?”

“Of course.” Maria’s focus shot to Leighton for a brief moment, why did he need to ask such a question?

There was silence in the corridor as Maria felt eyes intently upon her. She looked up, not at Leighton, just in that general direction; at least that way she didn’t look as cowardly.

“Anyway, you’re clearly alive so I’ll stick to my word. I guess I’ll see you when you decide to come back to work, whenever that may be.”

“Right, well yes.” Leighton shifted uncomfortably, his voice turning grave as he uttered his final words. “Goodnight Maria.”

“Goodnight Thomas.”

With no objection from the professor, Maria turned around to the elevator. Placing one foot in front of the other in a style that some would call walking, she entered the waiting lift and pressed the button for the ground floor.

She’d come and done her job. She’d checked on him as she said she would. And now she was leaving. She’d go home, ring Adele in the morning. There was no point in going back to the party, even though Susie had tried to make her stay. Neil would have definitely moved on. She didn’t really want to be a loner. She didn’t really want to be alone at all.

She wanted to be held in a way that made her blood course through her body. She wanted to be kissed so feverishly that it made her heart pound. And she wanted to be loved by the man no one believed capable of loving.

But that wasn’t going to happen.

Not tonight at least.

No, tonight would only bring a bus journey and sleep through to morning for both Maria and Leighton.

Surely?

But as Leighton went to return back to his dying fire and dusty old book, he paused.

He thought for less than an instant.

And then he ran.

To her.