The Devil's Eyes

by Jennifer Loren

  ~

  My attempt to speak to the Dean about Professor Rollins didn’t go as well as I had hoped. I was told that there would have to be an inquiry involving both of us because apparently they can’t simply take a student’s word for it. I understood their reasoning, but if he isn’t off campus soon then my husband will find him and there will be no more Professor Rollins to inquire about. Brady came through for me, and the next day, Professor Rollins is escorted off campus. Every student’s grade is reevaluated by his replacement and, without even a discussion, my grade is changed to what I deserve. Everyone whispers all-day long about the rumors of him sleeping with students and giving out grades in return. It seems he has been at this with many of the female student body. Sitting in what was Rollins economics class, is now Professor Leonardo, she is a short, spunky, older lady, and without knowing much more, I am excited to have her. However, one glance around and I know there is at least one person who is not so happy about the new professor. Jesse sits silently stiff in her seat as she stares at her revised grade. I smile at her before I can help myself. A smile she doesn’t appreciate.

  ~

  My doctor’s appointment was not surprising, but at least the doctor was able to give me some direction on how to feel more like myself. Now all I have to do is tell Nick, which only makes me more nauseous. Despite my unyielding stomach, classes today are comfortable and pleasant. I am more than halfway through the day when I spot the reason why, Jesse heads to her car somberly. Curious, I race towards her, “Jesse, where are you going? I haven’t seen you all-day.”

  “They suspended me- no thanks to you.” She said sharply.

  “Me, what did I do?”

  “You couldn’t keep your mouth shut about Professor Rollins. You had to go and make a big deal out of it and now they are going through all my grades and saying that I didn’t earn any of them. And that old hag that has taken over for Rollins is hell-bent on having me kicked out.” She continues on with revulsion in her voice while I try to manage my laughter.

  “Well, Jesse, maybe if you had actually studied and did the work instead of offering favors to get everything you want.” I said.

  “Are you calling me a whore?” She yells at me but before I can respond she huffs in my face, “If anyone is a whore, it’s you. From what I understand, you are one of the best whore’s around.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” I said waving her off and walking away before I get into it with someone that doesn’t matter to me.

  “You better be careful, Kayla. Eventually Nick is going to get tired of your tricks and move on to someone new.” She yells as I leave her behind.

  After my last class is over, I get a call that I am to meet with the president of the school before I leave today. A little nervous about why he, of all people, would be asking to see me, I try to walk into his office with my head up and a proper tone when I greet his assistant. She escorts me into his office, where I wait nervously until he finishes a phone conversation. Upon finishing, he turns to me with an intense expression causing me to sit up straighter than I thought possible.

  “Mrs. Jayzon, let me start off by saying your grades are impeccable.”

  “Thank you, but I don’t imagine you called me in here to tell me that.” I said wanting him to get to the point.

  “No, actually I was informed by a respected booster that you have been soliciting …” He clears his throat awkwardly. “Well, you have been offering services to students, professors, and a few boosters at the school for money.”

  “Services? You mean sex? You think I have been prostituting while I am here?” I ask with an angry tone.

  “Calm down please. It is certainly not a practice we condone. The accusations along with the recent information I received about your arrest for the similar.” He said showing me a copy of my arrest when I was seventeen.

  “I was seventeen and trying to get by. And I wasn’t prostituting! I was stripping. There were others in the club that were having sex for money, but I wasn’t. If you read it, I was cleared of that.” I said sitting at the edge of my seat.

  “Yes, I see that, but I imagine only because you were under age and considered not responsible.” Sitting back in my chair with frustration, I begin to shake with anger. “I think it goes without saying that you will need to leave campus as soon as we are done here and please never return. Obviously, we will return any money due back to you for the remainder of the quarter.”

  “This is bullshit! I didn’t do anything wrong. What right do you have to throw me out of school?” I yell at him.

  “This is a private school, Mrs. Jayzon. We are a highly respected private school and we can’t have boosters thinking we are allowing your type of …”

  “I am not doing anything wrong!” I yell at him.

  “Calm down. There is nothing you can do. It is the school’s right to deny whomever they wish on campus, if they feel it threatens the safety of its students. Now, if you …”

  I stand up before he can finish, “No, I don’t want to listen to you anymore. You have convicted me based on something I did when I was a kid. Because someone said that I was doing these things. When I accused Professor Rollins of propositioning me for a higher grade, you required me to have a formal inquiry before you would do anything. It took an attorney to call you and let you know he had been dismissed at several other schools for similar behavior before you would even consider throwing him out. But now someone accuses me, and without hesitation, you throw me out? I assume the booster you speak of is Jesse McCreary’s father? The same woman who has gone out of her way to sleep with every professor she can for grades? You are taking the word of one booster because of his psycho daughter and probably allowing her back into the school. Why, Mr. Rankin? Why would I need to earn money that way? My husband isn’t exactly poor. As you can see, we pay in full every quarter and no loans have ever been taken out. But, apparently, our money isn’t good enough for you.”

  “Mrs. Jayzon, I am sure there is another school that will be interested in accepting your type.”

  “My type? Exactly what is my type?” I ask with fists drawn.

  “You are misquoting me. All I meant to say is that you are not use to this type of school. The students that come here, the majority of them are from fine families and …”

  “You mean you don’t have drug addict fathers and alcoholic mothers showing up with other students here? Well, that’s no problem, because my parents are dead so they won’t be bothering anyone anymore. I mean unless the idea of them bothers you. But then, I imagine the fact that my sister hung herself probably bothers you too. Or, maybe it’s because I met my husband stripping at his club? Which part of my life, Mr. Rankin, makes me not the sort of people you want on your campus? Because it is certainly not my straight A’s. Or that I graduated high school in less than three years with a 4.2 grade point average. Or that I volunteer to tutor kids at the nearby schools in my off time. I guess in your mind, Mr. Rankin, once a girl is born on the wrong side of the tracks, she will always be on the wrong side.” Realizing his mind is already made up, I take my things and walk out of his office. Stupidly, Jesse waits near my car with her arrogant smile. I immediately drop everything and punch her smile right off her face. “Fuck you, bitch!” I yelled at her as she lies on the ground holding her mouth.

  Jesse jumps to her feet as a crowd begins to form around us, “You don’t deserve him, Kayla!” She yells stopping me in my tracks. I turn catching her emerging smile, “You don’t deserve Nick. He deserves someone better than a backstabber.” She said. I assume she is referring to my success in getting Rollins removed and therefore causing her entire college stay to be questioned.

  “It is not my fault you earned your grades from your knees, Jesse.” I said dismissing her ridiculousness.

  “At least I didn’t betray my own sister.” She smirks, “I can’t believe anyone would go after their own sister’s boyfriend. The man she loved more than anything. So much
so that she killed herself over him. Did your jealousy drive her to commit suicide, Kayla?” The slight smile at the edges of her lips doesn’t hurt nearly as much as my hardened regret that rushes to the forefront of my heart tearing me apart. Without another word, I get into my car and leave for someplace unknown. A place that I hope can somehow release this pain.

  ~25~

  Nick

  Even though Kayla made a desperate attempt to have him removed from the school before I could get to him it didn’t take me long to find Rollins. We walked in on the desperation, snapping pictures of some young girls who were under the impression that he was a celebrity photographer which is why they let him dictate their lack of wardrobe. Once the young women were set straight, my boys cleared the way for me to walk in and give Rollins the once over before explaining who I am and what his options are now. Unfortunately for him, he isn’t agreeable to any of the options, so I decide for him. “What did you say to me?” I asked him as he grunts and hold his chest out to me.

  “I said I rather enjoyed getting a good feel of Kayla. It’s too bad for her she didn’t get a good feel of me because I am sure she would have enjoyed it. Maybe I will give her a second chance to try me out.” Rollins said boastfully before he felt my fist in his mouth. Staggering backwards, he wipes his lip and tries to come at me like a bull. Stepping aside, I get a quick hold of his head by his hair and knock his legs out from under him.

  “Tell me again what you are going to say to my wife if you ever see her again?” I asked in my calm voice.

  “I’m sorry.” He said struggling to release himself from my fists.

  “You are one hell of a scumbag with your cameras and erotic magazines. I can only imagine what is on that computer of yours. With all this evidence, I just can’t believe that you are really sorry about anything, not someone like you. No, I think the only way to get through to you is taking away your opportunity for a while.” Despite his screaming, I let go of him and watch as Luke kicks him onto his back and I take a swing with a nearby bat to his hands. I leave him feeling a little better about my day.

  I am not anxious to have this argument with Kayla again but it is done and there is nothing she can do it about now. Pulling up to the house, I don’t see her car even though she should have gotten home hours ago. After several hours and even more messages left for her, Kayla is still not home. When Jesse suddenly shows up, I let her in, curious if Kayla might be with her. “What are you doing here?” I asked her looking for Kayla somewhere behind her.

  “Is Kayla here?” I shake my head and she smiles wide. “Oh, so we are all alone?” She asked as I roll my eyes and walk away from her. When I turn back around, Jesse has removed her dress and is posing for me in her scantily clad underwear. “I think we both want the same thing, Nick.”

  “Kayla should be home any minute. If I were you, I wouldn’t be here when she gets here- especially dressed like that.” I said looking her over once before turning away.

  Caressing me, she begins to moan, “You and I could do some great things together. If we combined our forces, we would be unstoppable. Not to mention …” She eases up on her toes and kisses me, “I will do things to you that will make you beg for me to never leave.” She whispered proudly.

  “Get away from me.” I said wiping myself clean of her.

  “Nick, listen to me! I came here to talk to you about becoming partners. If we join forces then we can …”

  “Partners? What the fuck are you talking about?” I yell in frustration still checking the clock wondering where Kayla is.

  “I have formed my own corporation and I am willing to combine mine with yours. We would work together to own everything. We can take down Joseph and everyone else.”

  I laugh, “So Joseph dumped you, huh?”

  Stomping forward, “This has nothing to do with my relationship with Joseph. I am out for a better opportunity. Think about it, Nick, with my father’s connections, my social standing, and your head for business we could …”

  “We are going to do nothing together. I don’t have any interest in working with you, Jesse. I have no reason to.”

  “But my father …” She scrambles chasing me around the room.

  “I OWN YOUR FATHER!” I roar.

  Stepping backwards, she finally understands. “I could make you happy.”

  “I already am happy- with Kayla.” She grips hold of me trying to strip me and herself at the same time, “I don’t want you!” I finally yell at her. “I have no interest in you! Do you understand that? Not to partner in business or in bed! The only thing I want from you is to know where my wife is!”

  “I have no idea where that whore is!” She screams, jerking away from me.

  Sucking in a breath of air, I take hold of her waist and hold her in place, “What the fuck did you do to my wife?” I seethe into her wide eyes.

  “I … I had my father talk to the president and show him the document of her prostitution arrest and let him know about her working the campus for money. She really is no good, Nick, you would be shocked if you knew what all she has been doing.” I grip her harder as fire begins to heat up my lungs. “I don’t know where she is at! She took off after our argument in the parking lot. She fucking punched me in the mouth! I was luckily able to cover up most of it with makeup … it's horrible.” She grips my hands and presses against my chest as I wait for her to tell me the rest, “Let go of me! I told you I don’t know!”

  “You are a sick piece of trash.” I said, pushing her off me and causing her to stumble backwards into the floor. I call for my guards and leave the room ignoring her screaming at me as they physically escort her away.

  Retreating to my office, I call Kayla one more time before I go searching for her. As the phone rings I hear her coming through the door. I run out to her and stop dead in my tracks as she halts me with her expression. “Where have you been?” I asked, wanting to go to her but unsure of why she seems so distant from me.

  “I went to see Bray today.” She said shockingly. “I need to talk to you.”

  “I took care of Rollins today. He is even worse than you think.” I said as she spins on her heels away from me and clutches her head. “Did you expect me to sit back and do nothing? Let someone hurt my wife and do nothing about it?” I walk over and lean in towards her. “The thought of someone touching you and hurting you … I don’t think you understand what that does to me. I love you so much …” Kayla spins around and looks up at me with watery eyes.

  “Something happened today.”

  “I know and I will make sure you are back in school tomorrow.” I said hoping that will ease the pain that is so obvious in her eyes. “I’m sorry that happened, but Jesse and her father are nothing that I can’t handle.”

  “Nick … I-”

  “Don’t worry. It will be painless. I just need to make a few calls and everything will be straightened out … just a few calls, Princess.”

  “Nick!”

  “Kayla, Jesse came here tonight and offered herself up to me, but nothing happened and she won’t be working for me anymore. I know what she did and she …”

  “Nick, please shut up! I have to tell you something.” She cries, looking at me in complete fear. “I’m pregnant.” I back away from her silently. “Say something.”

  “What do you want me say? I thought we agreed that we didn’t want kids? Damn it, Kayla!” I yell turning away from her and fisting my own hair.

  “We did agree, but it happened and … I have decided I want this baby.” She said, suddenly standing up strong and defiant.

  “You decided. Well, that’s great. You decided, so there you go.” I laugh sarcastically.

  “What is that look for? Do you think I did this on purpose?”

  “You tell me, Kayla. You are the one making the decisions.”

  “That wasn’t a decision!”

  “Then how, Kayla? How does that happen when we are so careful?”

  “I might have missed a few but …�
�

  “Might have missed a few?” Shaking my head with a smile, “That’s wonderful. Good job.” Kayla punches me as hard as she can but it doesn’t even budge me, “Feel better?”

  “NO! You are so concerned and can’t stand the thought of someone touching me or hurting me but you find it easy to stand there and do just that! You are hurting me horribly- and for what? Because your life isn’t going to work out just as you planned it? Because you lost control?”

  “It’s not about control! It’s about being a good father! I don’t want to do to a child what my parents did to me! What yours did to you! I am not …”

  “You are not your father or your mother, Nick. And I am not either of mine. We love each other and I want nothing more than to share this with you- the only man who has ever made me feel loved and not like a mistake that happiness is wasted on.” She steps towards me, touching my chest gently before she lays her head against me sighing exhaustively. “I didn’t do it on purpose, but I want this baby. Don’t make me feel ashamed for being happy about our baby.” I have never felt for anyone the way I feel for her and I want nothing but for her to be happy no matter how I feel. So, despite my fears about being a father, I put my arms around her and hold her on into the night, kissing her, and making her feel as safe as she needs me too.

  ~

  I made sure the college had to accept Kayla back and that she would have no further trouble from them. My lawyer was handy in my efforts, but so was my sizable donation. Kayla’s first day back at school was a pleasurable one from what I understand. She was treated like a queen and given full apologies from both the president of the school and the board of trustees. Tonight, I am taking her to dinner to celebrate her perfect grades - or so she thinks. Exie has planned a bridal shower for her since we ran off without anyone knowing, as Exie aggressively pointed out to me when I originally protested the idea. After considering her less than optional suggestion, I allowed Exie to close the club on our slowest night, which I insisted upon so she and the other girls could all attend. It will be a surprise for all of them when they show up for work, attending a party that they can still get paid for. With all that has been going on, I think this night is what Kayla needs.