The Professor's Daughter

The shower back at the hotel was far hotter and more relaxing then the splashes from the fountain Maria had been covered in no more then a couple hours ago. But only the memories of her afternoon gave her that messy feeling in her stomach. She didn’t know how to quite describe it; it was peculiarly uncomfortable, but she didn’t want it to go and it was as if some child had drawn her and for her tummy had just done a big colorful squiggle.

“How do you solve a problem like Maria?” Came an opera-like voice.

Maria jumped from her stupor and switched off the shower, peering her head around the curtain whilst holding it close.

“Susie!” She cried. “I thought I locked the door.”

Susie merely shrugged as she applied mascara in the bathroom mirror.

“You were hogging the bathroom. Have you never learnt to share, Maria?” She said jokingly.

Maria frowned and wrapped herself up in a towel, standing along side Susie in the mirror.

“I guess not.” She muttered sarcastically.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, she noticed how it had curled that little bit more from the steam of the shower and how her cheeks were that little bit rosier from spending the day in the sunshine.

“Are you sure about tonight?” Maria grimaced.

“Yep.” Susie popped the ‘p’ and capped the mascara tube. “So stop being such a Skeptical Sally because tonight we are going to par-tay on down and have an amazingly fun time.” She flicked Maria’s nose with a troublesome grin and headed back into the bedroom. “Get into your pj’s quickly and I’ll go and tell the teacher seeing as you are not man enough.”

Maria followed her friend out and picked up the clothes from beneath her pillow.

“I just don’t like lying and I’m terrible at it anyway.”

“Well then it’s a good job all you have to do is lay there and look sick.”

Susie pulled on a thick hoody over her sparkly top and disappeared out into the hallway. Maria meanwhile changed quickly into her pajamas and slipped under the covers of the single bed, pulling the quilt up high around her face.

It wasn’t long before Susie came back through the door with Leighton in tow. Maria’s face turned an unattractive beetroot. Susie had promised she would tell Professor Daniels not Leighton.

“I just think it’s best she rests up tonight.” Susie explained. Leighton turned to Maria who winced inwardly at the genuine concern on his face. “And of course I’m happy to stay with her. It’s not nice to be ill on your own.”

Leighton nodded and reached a hand out to place on Maria’s forehead.

“You do feel a little warm.” He spoke to her but she didn’t point out that that was more because of the fact that he was the one there seeing her in her old pajamas and holding a cool hand to her skin. “What feels wrong?”

Maria’s mind went blank. All Susie had said was to lie there and look sick not come up with a proper excuse and sound unhealthy as well.

“Urm…” She couldn’t believe she was lying to Leighton, especially after he had spent his whole afternoon keeping her company.

“General unwell-ness.” Susie stumbled on her words.

“Ok, well drink lots of fluids. Everyone will be downstairs in the restaurant if you need me.” He replied, smiling sympathetically before leaving.

Susie shut the door behind the professor and grinned.

“Right let’s get this night on a roll.” She squealed in as quieter voice as she could manage.

Whilst her friend put the finishing touches to her hair, Maria shrugged on the one dress Susie had deemed suitable for their evening’s escapades. Once both ready and certain that everyone had gone down to dinner they sneaked across the hallway and pushed open the fire exit.

The warm evening air hit them immediately and Maria breathed it in slowly, letting the cool breeze wash over her and cause the tiny hairs on her arm to stand up tall.

“Come on Dolly.” Susie hissed.

Maria looked at her through the bottom of her eyes and grinned, a strange feeling of freedom rushing over as she hopped down the metal staircase and onto the worn cobbles.

“Glenstun Street?”

“That way.” Maria smiled and Susie pulled her along behind.

The bar was a little on the rowdy side and whilst Susie was enjoying all the cheering, alcohol and attention, Maria had never felt more claustrophobic. That moment of freedom where her mind had felt completely open to anything had not lasted long and now all she could think about was questions.

Why had she agreed to Susie’s plans? What if they were to get caught? What if Leighton found out that she had lied to him? Would he still like her? What was even going on between them?

That final question was the one playing on her mind the most. Were they some sort of friends? Was it possible to be friends with your professor? Were you even allowed to? Allowed to maybe feel something for that professor?

But she could think no more about Leighton for a drink was thrust into her hand and Susie was tugging her onto the dance floor.

As the flow of alcohol steadily filled her synapses, Maria danced with her friend until the early hours, forgetting completely about Leighton until the pair stumbled back to the hotel once the bars closed.

“Oh how do you solve a problem like Mariaaaaa?” Susie sang loudly.

Maria covered Susie’s mouth with her hand. “Shhhhh Susie!” She giggled as the phrase came out as one big hiss of S’s. “To the fire escape.”

“And beyond!”

The pair made it up the metal steps, removing their shoes to stop the clanging noise they produced.

“What is that sound?” Maria asked, as a loud snorting noise pulsed nearby.

Susie stopped her attempts of opening the fire door. “Probably Uncle Snorey.” She explained referring to Professor Daniels.

“He sounds like a…. like a…. like a walrus.” Maria said, scrunching up her nose and regretting not wearing something with sleeves. “Hurry up, Suze. It’s free-eee-zing.”

“It won’t budge.” She whispered.

“Well then how are we supposed to get in?”

Susie shrugged and Maria looked about herself, eyeing up the windows nearby. The other girl quickly cottoned on as she approached the edge of the fire escape and positioned herself on the outside of the railings.

“Which room’s your uncles?” Maria asked, flicking her head back to Susie with a mischievous grin.

“Oh I like your style Ludwig. Second window along.”

Maria pushed herself off the railings and gripped onto the ledge above the window, placing her feet tentatively on the ledge below. With small movements, she shuffled past the first window; noticing Susie join her and trying not to look down. Only with alcohol in her veins was she this brave.

Soon enough, she reached the second window and with a person on each side, they lifted up the sash window.

“Now that’s teamwork.” Maria whispered.

She took her foot off the ledge and placed it inside the room on the sill.

“Quick sticks, before he wakes up.” Susie giggled, pushing her friend lightly.

“No Su-!“ She cried as her foot slipped and her whole body was propelled into the bedroom.

She felt Susie fall in behind her, her shoulder crashing into Maria’s knee. But that was the least of her problems. What she suspected was a shoe was lodged into her stomach, and the rug had badly burnt her elbow and hands as she’d slid across it.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow.” She mumbled, a splitting headache already pounding.

Lifting her head as much as she could manage, a large pair of bare feet filled her vision. Her gaze followed up the whole body before it rested on the angry face staring down at her.

“Now which one of you wants to tell me exactly what’s going on?” Spoke Leighton in a most unamused tone. His expression was as straight as a pencil, his hands behind his back and if Maria was to position herself a little better then she might have been able to see up his pajama leg.

“I nominate Maria.” Came Susie’s muffle voice behind.

Maria dropped her head back onto the rug and shut her eyes tightly.

“Scheiße.”

Susie’s weight was removed from her leg and Maria saw a hand in front of her. She flashed a glance up to Leighton who waved his hand impatiently. Slipping her arm out from beneath her, Maria gripped the warm fingers and was hauled upwards at an unexpectedly fast speed.

“Wait here.” He muttered and disappeared into the bathroom.

Seeing as Susie had nicked the chair in the corner, she perched on the end of the bed. They had both sobered up rather quickly.

“Eugh, I feel so ill.” The other girl moaned and lolled her head around as Leighton walked back in carrying two glasses of water.

“Here, drink this.” Maria took the glass quietly, her eyes glued to the floor.

“Susie?”

“I’m gonna be sick.” She cried, running out of the room in search of their bathroom.

Leighton watched as Susie ran out and then sighed whilst walking over. He took a seat beside Maria, thought better of it and moved a little further away.

Great, Maria thought, just when we were actually getting on, I go and ruin everything.

The room was silent as Maria sipped the water again. She could feel Leighton’s eyes on her but she did not want to meet them. She didn’t want to see what she knew was anger and disappointment.

“Do you want to explain?” He asked in a voice overly restrained.

“Not particularly.” Maria mumbled into the glass and the pair said no more until she squeaked ashamedly, “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? For what part, Maria?” He said in a stronger voice. “The part where you lied to me? The part where you sneaked out without anyone knowing? Or the part where you scaled the side of a building to get back in?”

“All of it?” She tried, lifting her gaze to focus on Leighton.

They looked at each other: eye to eye. The anger in his seemed to fade as the naivety and sincerity in hers built. Soon all Maria could see was sadness behind those thick-rimmed glasses.

He looked down at his hands as they brushed off his trousers and stood up.

“It’s late. Get to bed.” He stated, not looking at her.

When before she couldn’t bare to look at him, now she couldn’t take her eyes off.

Maria stood up as well placing her glass on the small table.

“I’m sorry, Professor.”

“Just get to bed, Maria.” He demanded firmly.

Not wanting to anger him further, Maria hurried out of the room, her bare feet padding across the hallway.

Stupid girl. Stupid girl. Stupid, stupid girl. Why didn’t she just stay at the hotel? Why didn’t she just say ‘No’ to Susie?

Changing quickly, she got into bed with only the light from the bathroom lighting up the room. All she could see when she closed her eyes was Leighton’s hurt face. For that, she was wholly responsible.

The toilet flushed and Susie stumbled out into the bedroom.

“You were wrong.” She said in a monotone.

“I’m sorry?”

“You were wrong to think Leighton thinks little of you.” She said, almost saddened herself. “I believe he thinks very much.”