The Monroe Legacy - G.2. Chapter 5 - Grey Areas

In the seconds that followed her impulsive move Hallie quickly sobered up. As Professor Petersen pulled away she stared at her toes, shuffling her boots in the dust on the ground.

Had she just jeopardised her university place on a juiced up kiss?

Watching from inside, Cai crushed the solo cup he'd been holding in to a ball in his fist, threw it violently at the door and ran up to his room.

The sound of a slamming door seemed to break the spell which had paralysed the couple standing outside. Hallie felt a soft touch on her chin as the professor raised her head so she couldn't avoid looking him in the eyes.

She saw a familiar mixture of hope and regret and braced herself for the harsh words she was sure would follow. Instead he just murmured, 'I need a week', turned on his heel and left.

Recalling that night Hallie was never sure how she made it inside, she remembered nothing until sunshine broke into her unsettled sleep and she surfaced to find herself in Cai's bed.

'Shit!' Hallie whispered, before clapping her hand over her mouth as her sleeping friend stirred. Moving slowly she shuffled to the edge of the bed and towards the door. 

 Hallie silently closed Cai's door behind her and scampered across the hall to her own room. There she curled up on her bed and wondered how everything had become such a mess.

A soft knock an hour or so later admitted Luna who looked both irritated and concerned.

'What on earth happened last night Hal?' She demanded.

'I... I'm not sure. I was drinking and then Professor Petersen was there and I was so mad. I kissed him. And then he ran. Then I don't remember. Why was I in Cai's room Luna. Tell me I didn't-'

'OH! No! Well I can fill in some of the gaps for you. I was flirting with that cute senior from Gamma Theta when that bald dude from down the hall came and interrupted saying you were losing it out front. 

By the time I got to you you'd downed a funnel that some idiot was running around with and were making no sense at all, rambling on about Professors and commissions and shame. The only thing I could make out as I hauled your drunken, sorry ass inside was that you kept saying Cai. So we went to his room, knocked for a few minutes and he eventually came out looking furious.

When he saw the look on your face he calmed right down, scooped you up and took you inside. I left him looking after you, you were barely conscious and went back to the party once I'd changed you into your pjs.

I checked in later and you were both asleep. So I went to bed.'

'Thank god! Hallie sighed. 'I already had one terrible decision to deal with from yesterday, at least things won't be awkward with Cai.'

Luna snorted, 'More awkward that they always are you mean!?'

Hallie just looked bewildered and Luna's face softened, 'You really are clueless aren't you Hal.'

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Hallie skipped all her classes for the next week, immersing herself in art, though the almost complete Ruby Anniversary canvas lay untouched. Cai seemed to be tiptoeing around her but Hallie was too busy ignoring life to ask why.

With finals looming she knew she would have to go back to class and risk encountering Professor Petersen. She figured as it had been a week since what she was referring to as "the incident" and she hadn't heard from the college that he probably wasn't looking to have her thrown out. Steeling herself for the whispers she imagined would follow her Hallie made it to the library without incident, checking out the books she needed for revision.

The stack was so high that when a familiar voice stopped her outside her dorm she didn't have to meet the eyes of the person it belonged to, stepping around them and rushing for the door.

'Hallie will you please stop!' Professor Petersen begged. 'We need to talk'.

Reluctantly she put down her books and turned to face him.

'How can I help you, sir?' She replied, hiding her shame behind sarcasm and formality.

He had the decency to flinch.

'Hallie I told you I needed a week, will you please let me explain, it's not what it's looked like!'

Defeated Hallie sighed, 'There's nothing to explain. I acted out of turn, I'm so sorry. Now may I please go?'

'No! You can't! I mean... You weren't wrong last week. Your timing may have been but you were only doing what we'd both wanted to do for months. I should have stayed away but I couldn't. I was the one in the wrong. 

But I did want it. Want you.'

'I still do. I said I needed a week because I had some formalities to settle. You know that I was awaiting tenure here. Well I also applied for a job at NYU. Last week I was deciding between them, leaning toward staying. But then you kissed me and made up my mind.'

Hallie felt her heart sink. 'So you're leaving. Because of me.' She managed.

'Yes. Well sort of. But not for the reasons you think. If I go then we can see each other. I won't be your professor, there's no conflict if interest. I can be with you. If you'll have me.

Hallie,wont you say something?'

Speechless, Hallie looked up at the eyes which had haunted her for so long, she saw there a light and hopefulness that she'd never seen before. She was pretty sure her jaw was still on the floor and speech was a long way off so she just nodded.

With a smile that threatened to split his face in two he gently pulled her in into his arms. Hallie finally found her voice and pulling in a breath that it felt like she'd been holding all week she asked him something she couldn't believe she didn't know.

'Professor.... What's your first name?'

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The remaining days of term slipped past like clouds in a summer a wind. Hallie spent every spare moment with Brian (yes- his name was Brian) though they had to meet in secret until he was officially no longer a faculty member. 

Rumours swirled, especially when Hallie aced the year, but she was too happy to care and Brian assured her he had had nothing to do with her marking.

The only dark cloud in her sky was Cai. While Luna had handled the news with indifference and a sly smile, Cai, the only other person Hallie had told, had stormed out.

 He was still speaking to her but where they used to spend hours sketching and talking about their dreams they now spent time playing video games or watching films, activities where they didn't have to talk.

The rest of the time Cai was locked away with his easel. Luna pointed out that the few finished pictures they'd peeked at were all of girls with blue eyes. 

Hallie brushed off the implied significance, she decided to believe Cai's excuses that he was just stressed about finals and cross that Brian had upset her with his miscommunication.

Too soon it was time to return home, where joyous news was waiting and Hallie soon had many things to distract her from her university worries. 

Once Brian was settled in New York he flew in to visit, Marlie liked him though privately she worried about the twelve year age difference and Brody didn't disapprove which was more than could be said for most men his daughters brought home, though Brian did have to sleep on the lumpy old couch while Hallie enjoyed her newly redecorated room alone.

Cai cancelled his long anticipated visit to Utah, citing family commitments to everyone's disappointment. They had met him on their visits to Boston and loved the quirky guy's company.

Marlie couldn't help but notice that the confidence Cai seemed to bring out in Hallie was missing that vacation, but she buried her doubts as Lola's due date approached.

Coralie Adele Dean was born three weeks early, small but perfectly formed. 

It had been so long since there had been a baby in the house that she barely spent any time in her cradle.

Coralie loved it best when her mummy would take her outside in the heat whilst her aunt Georgia played guitar. She was also a slob, anything she ate would soon find it's way down her pretty dresses.

The summer sped by, filled with love, family and long distance calls to New York and Hallie returned to Boston for her second and final year with high hopes for both her academic and personal life. Her old room beckoned, Luna had text to say she was there and had found a party and a Brian was coming up to spend the next weekend.

For ten minutes everything in Hallie's world was perfect until she ventured down the corridor to check on Cai. As she knocked his door swung open to reveal unfamiliar posters and a strange guy in a varsity jacket.

'Hi,' said the confused jock, 'I'm Tad. Can I help you?'.

Hallie couldn't form words for a good twenty seconds before she finally managed,

'But where is Cai?'

'The dude with the blue hair? He sub-let to me. I guess he's living off campus?'

Dumbfounded Hallie turned and wandered down the corridor where Luna came rushing out. Seeing the door of Cai- no Tad's room open her face fell.

'Hallie I was coming to warn you. I'm so sorry you had to find out like that.'

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How will Hallie cope without Cai at her side. Can Brian and Hallie make long-distance work?

Find out now in Chapter 6 - All That Glitters Is Not Gold.