Free Lessons From the Professor by Shyla Colt Page B

flash of perfect teeth as his full lips spread
into a wide smile that made the women around her twitter with excitement.   They whispered about how lucky she was, but
all Sutton wanted to do was scream the hospital down
around her and head for the hills.
    “Hi, Sutton, long time no see.”
    “
Jackson
,
what are you doing here?” She crossed her arms over her chest, and shifted her
weight from one leg to other, hiking the book bag she carried back up her
shoulder.
    “I came to see you.”
    “Why?”
    His smile faded at the unfriendly tone of her voice.
    “I think we should talk in private, don’t you?”
    “No, but some place quieter would be ideal.”   The last thing she wanted to do was be
somewhere alone with him.   That was when
he went for the jugular.  
    “Follow me,” she said.
    Sutton
turned and headed for the cafeteria, slowing as she passed Leigh. “This is my
ex,” she mouthed before she continued down the hallway. The blood drained from
Leigh’s face, and Sutton nodded her agreement as she continued at a brisk pace.
They stepped into the near empty cafeteria, and she took a seat by a set of
vending machines in the far corner.
    “I have to say you don’t seem very happy to see me,”
Jackson
said as they were
seated.
    “That’s because I’m not. Why are you here, and how did you
find out where I worked?”
    “Your mother mentioned it. Was I misinformed about you not
dating since we went our separate ways?”
    Did this self-centered son of a bitch really think that
highly of himself? The looks and air she once found attractive had lost their
charm.
      “I don’t understand
what any of that has to do with you. I made it clear we had nothing more to say
to one another on the phone.”
    “Come on, Sutton. It’s obvious there are still lingering
feelings. We were good together, so why waste time playing hard to get?”
    “No,
Jackson
,
we really weren’t. Good to you was getting to do what you wanted with me at
home waiting for you. If you’d truly loved me you never would have done or said
half the things you did.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “You were a master at manipulation. Every disagreement we
ever had you flipped around until I was the one apologizing and feeling guilty.
You acted like I was some sort of shrew who was riding you too hard, when all I
ever wanted was what I was due. A boyfriend who respected and appreciated me
for who I was and the things I did for him. You isolated me from my friends and
family. You had me thinking you were the only one who’d ever truly understand
me or put up with my shit. What a joke!”
    A scowl lined his lips as his brow furrowed.
    “That’s not how I remember it.”
    “How was it then,
Jackson
?
Please tell me, because I’m dying to hear this, because just a few weeks ago
you were bending over backwards to reassure me the reason we failed rested on
your shoulders.” It looked like a leopard didn’t change its spots. All that
feel-good bullshit he’d spewed had been an attempt to win her back. The deception
fueled her anger. She narrowed her eyes and scowled as he continued.
    “Look, I was willing to wait for you to finish out your
education and get situated in your career before we got married. I never
pressured you to have sex.”
    “Because it gave you an excuse to stick
your dick in everything on two legs in the hospital!”
    “A man has needs.”
    “Then he should stay single.”
    “You’ve changed.”
    “I sure as fuck hope so.”
    “You were always such a frigid little bitch. Everything was
about school and launching your career. I had to get what I needed somewhere.
It wasn’t just about the sex, Sutton. I kept waiting for you to finish one goal
and free up time so you could turn to me, but then it was always on to the next
one.”
    “You knew who I was before you asked me to marry you,
Jackson.”
    “I knew you were a dedicated student. I didn’t expect you to
keep that intensity after you graduated!