Chapter 3

My heart sank.

Yeah, the only way I could reach Yonder was through WhatsApp.

Now, everything was wiped clean.

Regret washed over me.

Why couldn't I keep my cool?

I slumped into my chair, feeling like a popped balloon.

All because I wanted to clap back at a professor I hated, I lost the guy I liked.

Man, that was the worst deal ever.

*****

I was totally out of it all day.

Mariah couldn't stand seeing me like that, so that night she dragged me to the barbecue food truck outside the school, insisting that food was the cure for my broken heart.

We ordered two dozen skewers and a couple of beers.

I channeled all my heartbreak into eating, as though those grilled chicken wings tasted like something from a Michelin-starred restaurant.

After a few rounds, both of us were feeling pretty buzzed.

Mariah slapped her hand on the table, her words slurring. "Justine, don't be upset. Guys like Marcus aren't worth it. Besides, out with the old, in with the new. Tomorrow, I'll head over to the sports school next door and snatch you a dude with eight-pack abs."

I cracked up, raising my bottle to clink hers.

I said, "Hell yeah. Out with the old, in with the new. It's just a guy, right? If I can trade my old phone for a new one, why can't I score myself a brand new man?"

As we were chugging our beers and having a blast, my phone started ringing.

It was an unknown number.

I swiped to answer, my voice slurred from the booze. "Hello?"

There was a brief silence on the other end, and then a voice so familiar it snapped me halfway out of my drunken haze.

"Justine?" It was Marcus.

His voice sounded tired, with a careful, slightly hoarse edge.

I froze.

Why was he calling me?

Was he calling to settle the score?

I cleared my throat, my tone suddenly wary. "Professor Novak, did you need something?"

There was a silence on the other end.

It lasted so long, I thought he'd hung up.

Then, I heard him take a deep breath, and in a voice that was almost pleading, he said quietly, "Were you serious about what you said today?"

"What are you talking about?" I pretended not to get it.

"You know... About breaking up..." His voice was shaking as he said those words.

I scoffed inwardly.

Wow, was he really calling to check if I passed his breakup test?

What, did he want to give me a gold star for being such a good student?

A fierce spark flared up inside me again.

I answered with a deliberate casual tone, "Of course I meant it. Professor Novak, aren't you always telling us to know when to walk away and pull the brakes before things get worse?

"I've seen the error of my ways, so I'm cutting off all romantic ties, focusing on my studies, and doing my part for the glorious cause of law and order."

I was so over-the-top, I nearly launched into a full-on pledge for justice right then and there.

There was a dead silence on the other end.

I could even hear his heavy breathing.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice so broken it barely sounded like him, each word coming out haltingly. "All because of... what I said in class today?"

"That's right," I shot back, sounding totally righteous. "Professor Novak, what you said today was like getting hit with a wake-up call.

"It shook me to my core and opened my eyes. From now on, you're my life coach. Every word you say is a guiding light on my way forward."

As I spoke, I shot Mariah a look.

Mariah caught on and immediately chimed in, "That's right. Professor Novak is our light, our living legend."

I almost burst out laughing.

Marcus went completely silent on the other end.

I figured all that over-the-top flattery had left him totally dazed.

As I was about to hang up, I caught the faintest, muffled sob through the receiver, like he was swallowing a mountain of pain.

Then, in a voice I'd never heard from him before—nasally and full of grievance—Marcus quietly said, "But I'm not a scumbag."

I was confused.

What was that supposed to mean?

Before I could react, he hung up.

I stared at my phone, totally bewildered.

Not a scumbag? What did he mean?

What did that have to do with me?

I was griping about him taking shots at my online crush, not talking about him.

Man, he was so odd.

I told Mariah the whole thing like it was some kind of joke.

Mariah, eyes glazed from the booze, slurred her take. "Oh, I get it. He's messing with your head. First he wakes you up with a scolding, then he calls to manipulate you, making you think you did the right thing so you'll start worshipping him and get all dependent.

"Justine, he is seriously scary. He's so scheming. Seriously, keep your distance from him."