Just One Orgasm!

The following days passed in a blur.

Emilia barely remembered most of them.

She only slept because her body eventually gave in.

She ate because her mother sat across from her at the table and refused to let her leave until she had swallowed something.

None of it felt real.

Everything seemed to be happening several feet away from her.

Kylie called her several times a day.

Sometimes Emilia answered. Sometimes she simply stared at the screen until the call stopped.

The school had said there would be another hearing.

One week.

Seven days.

It had become the only measurement of time Emilia understood. Seven days until they decided what happened to her.

Seven days until they decided what happened to Adrian.

Seven days until everything she had built at Blackwood could either remain standing or collapse around her.

On the morning of the hearing, Emilia stood in front of the bathroom mirror for several minutes.

She looked exhausted.

Her eyes were darker than usual. Adrian hadn’t called her, and her calls couldn’t get to him.

If her judgements were correct, he blocked her.

Her lips were pale.

She had barely slept. She pressed both palms against the edge of the sink and lowered her head.

She could do this. She had to. She couldn’t let herself fall apart. She splashed cold water over her face.

Then she lifted her head again.

Her reflection stared back at her.

"Sweetheart?"

Her mother’s voice came from outside the bathroom.

Emilia closed her eyes. "Coming, Mum."

She dried her face and stepped out.

Her mother was waiting in the hallway. The moment she saw Emilia, her expression softened.

"Come here."

Emilia walked into her arms. Her mother wrapped her tightly against her chest. Emilia closed her eyes.

"I don’t want to go."

Her mother kissed the top of her head. "But you’re not going alone."

Emilia pulled back.

Her mother touched both sides of her face. "Whatever happens in there, you come back to me."

Emilia nodded.

"Okay?"

"Okay."

Her mother smiled faintly. Then she kissed her forehead. "My brave girl."

Emilia’s lips trembled. She looked away quickly. If she started crying now, she didn’t know if she’d stop.

......

The waiting room was almost painfully quiet.

Emilia sat between her mother and Kylie.

Her hands were cold, and she kept rubbing them together. Kylie hadn’t stopped looking at her since they’d arrived.

"I love you so much," Kylie whispered.

Emilia gave her a small smile. "I know."

Kylie reached over and took her hand. Her fingers squeezed tightly. "You’ve got this."

Emilia nodded.

She wasn’t sure she did.

The door at the end of the corridor opened.

A member of the administrative staff stepped out. "Miss Hayes?"

Emilia’s stomach dropped.

Her mother stood immediately.

The woman looked at Emilia. "The board is ready for you."

Emilia stared at the door. For a moment, she couldn’t move. Her mother touched her cheek. "Look at me."

Emilia did.

Her mother’s eyes were warm. "Whatever happens in there, you’re still my daughter when you walk out."

Emilia swallowed.

Her mother kissed her cheek, then her forehead. "Go."

Emilia nodded.

Kylie stood too.

Before Emilia could turn away, Kylie pulled her into a tight hug. Emilia froze for half a second, then she hugged her back.

Kylie’s arms tightened around her. "I’m right here."

Emilia closed her eyes, and rested on Kylie’s shoulder for a moment. "Thank you."

Kylie pulled away and held her shoulders. "Don’t let them make you feel ashamed."

Emilia nodded. Then she turned toward the doors. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she walked on.

She finally got to the door. The doors opened, she entered, and then stopped.

Adrian was already there. He was seated at the opposite side of the table.

For one brief moment, everything else disappeared.

Her heart softened. It was involuntary. It didn’t matter how frightened she was. It didn’t matter how badly she’d slept.

It didn’t matter how many times she’d told herself she needed to prepare for the worst. Seeing him still did something to her.

His dark hair was neatly combed. His shirt was crisp, and his expression was controlled.

He looked tired, but he was there.

Her lips curved into the smallest smile.

Adrian looked up. Their eyes met.

Emilia’s chest loosened. For the first time in days, she felt as though she could breathe.

He was here.

She moved toward her chair.

The board members watched her. One of the women gestured toward the empty seat.

"Please sit, Miss Hayes."

Emilia sat.

Her eyes remained on Adrian for another second. He looked away. She frowned slightly.

The hearing began.

"Miss Hayes," the woman said. "We are continuing our investigation into your relationship with Mr. Ashford."

Emilia nodded.

"You understand that today’s hearing may determine whether you remain enrolled at Blackwood University?"

"Yes."

"And whether your scholarship remains intact?"

"Yes."

"And you understand that Mr. Ashford’s employment is also under review?"

Emilia swallowed. "I do." She nodded.

The woman opened a folder. "Last week, you stated that your relationship with Mr. Ashford was consensual."

"It was."

"You stated that he never forced you."

"He didn’t."

"You stated that he never threatened you."

Emilia took in a small breath. "He didn’t."

"You stated that you were not a victim."

Emilia’s jaw tightened. "I wasn’t."

The woman looked at her. "Do you still stand by that statement?"

"Yes."

One of the men on the board leaned forward. "Even knowing the power imbalance between you?"

Emilia met his eyes. "Yes."

"Even knowing he was your professor?"

"Yes."

"Even knowing that your scholarship could be affected?"

Emilia frowned. "Yes."

The man exchanged a look with another board member. "Miss Hayes, you’re making this unnecessarily difficult."

Emilia’s eyebrows pulled together. "I’m answering your questions."

"You appear unwilling to acknowledge the influence Mr. Ashford had over you."

"He didn’t control me."

"He was your professor, and he was older." He listed. "He had authority."

"I know."

"Then how can you sit here and tell us there was no imbalance?"

Emilia’s fingers tightened. "There was an imbalance."

The man looked surprised.

Emilia continued. "But that doesn’t mean I was a victim."

The woman beside him leaned forward. "You’re emotionally attached to him, dear. Which compromises your judgment."

"No."

"You are defending him."

"I’m telling you the truth."

"You seem incapable of recognizing the circumstances."

Emilia’s eyes sharpened. "I recognize them perfectly."

The woman’s voice sharpened. "Then why are you refusing the protection being offered to you?"

Emilia stared at her. "Because I don’t need that kind of protection."

"You don’t know what you need."

Something inside Emilia snapped. She leaned forward. "I know exactly what happened to me."

The room went quiet.

Her voice trembled. "But nobody seems interested in listening."

The woman remained composed. "We are listening."

"No." Emilia shook her head. "You aren’t." Her eyes burned. "You’ve already decided what happened."

"We are trying to establish whether you were manipulated."

"He didn’t manipulate me."

"You are twenty-one." Another board member chimed in. "You are young."