Writing Goodbye in My Vows

"Of course not. Why would I be mad? Elsie's just your student, not your girlfriend," I responded with a tone dripping with sarcasm.

The silence stretched, thick and tense.

Jared finally exhaled, like he'd been holding his breath. "Don't worry, Willow. Once this is all over, I'll make it up to you."

Make it up to me? I let out a laugh, cold and amused. Too bad I no longer needed anything from him.

"Professor Hammond!" Elsie's voice suddenly rang out from the bathroom.

Jared bolted toward the door, panic written all over his face. "Elsie? What happened? Did you fall? Elsie?"

He kept calling, but there was no answer.

I couldn't take my eyes off the frosted glass. Jared was too rattled to notice the faint shadow moving just behind the door.

He called her name a few more times, but still got no answer. After a beat of hesitation, he pushed open the unlocked door.

Almost at the same moment, Elsie, barely dressed, threw herself at Jared. She let out a soft, breathy moan, her voice syrupy sweet. "Professor Hammond, why don't you just pretend I'm Eleanor?"

"Stop this," he said. He tried to push her away, but his hand brushed against something soft, and he froze.

That hesitation was all she needed. She pressed herself against him fully, emboldened by his silence. "Why? Am I not good enough compared to Eleanor? Or even Willow?"

Defeated, Jared softened his voice. "Be good, okay? We'll talk tomorrow."

I stared at the two tangled shadows on the wall, my fingers drifting instinctively to my right elbow, the same spot I'd fractured when I slipped in that bathroom. It still ached faintly.

Jared left me alone that day. If I hadn't left my phone within reach, I never would've been able to call for help.

The cruel twist? Watching something eerily similar unfold with Elsie now showed me how easily it could've ended another way.

A wry smile tugged at my lips as I pulled the door shut again.