Chapter Text
I
only a week after his death, you were at his apartment.
you were on your knees, on the floor, surrounded by his luggage. they were packed neatly in crisp, brown boxes. it felt strange— his apartment that used to be full of his personality was now bland. your eyes darted towards the plain white walls that used to be plastered with posters and photos.
photos of you two.
his sister was kind. she had packed you a box filled with things she knew he would have wanted you to have. the box was right in front of you. it was medium in size. yet, you couldn’t bring yourself to open it. you sat there for a moment, contemplating on what to do.
you pulled the box closer to you, slowly opening it. the first thing that caught your eye was a small, black velvet box. you grabbed it— your eyes widening in shock once you realized what it was. it was an engagement ring. its design was simple and elegant, featuring a single diamond set in a classic solitaire setting.
its beauty was amplified by its simplicity, and the sparkle of the diamond dazzled in the light. you brought the ring close to your chest. your eyes fluttered closed as you wept, all the emotions you had repressed since his death coming out.
you were in love with him— in love with peter parker. the fact that you’d never see his soft brown eyes pained you. the fact you’d never feel his tight, warm embrace had killed you. tears had streamed down your cheeks as you sobbed quietly to yourself.
when he had died, you had convinced yourself that it wasn’t true. that it was a nightmare and you’d eventually wake up. that he was just on a trip faraway and would come home into your arms one day. the sight of the engagement ring had brought you back to reality.
peter parker was dead. the love of your life had died a painful, brutal death.
he was murdered. he was murdered by woodsboro’s infamous serial killer, ghost face. ghost face had started his killing spree over a month ago but you had never thought he’d kill someone you knew. someone you loved. you put on the engagement ring with shaky hands.
your vision was blurry from the tears but you still adored the way it looked on your ring finger. you were about to get up from the floor before your phone rang. you had checked the phone number. it was your friend, gwen stacy. you two haven’t talked since peter’s death.
it has caused a strain in many of your relationships, especially with gwen. but none of them held it against you. you wiped your tears, answering the phone call.
“gwen?”
“are you busy? can we talk?”
gwen’s voice was tense. it sounded like she was on the verge of tears. you had a sinking feeling in your stomach as your heart began to beat faster.
“gwen, is everything alright?”
there was a moment of silence. you could hear gwen’s soft breathing on the other line begin to pick up. you bit your bottom lip nervously, the uncomfortable silence making you uneasy.
“can you turn on the news?”
you got up from the floor quickly. you walked to peter’s living room, hand reaching for the television remote on the coffee table. you turned on the woodsboro news channel. a young female journalist was delivering a report. she was standing outside; the sun was beaming onto her pale skin. she was speaking directly to the camera.
you had recognized the area she was reporting in— it was the field outside of your university that your friends would hangout at. “the body was discovered outside of woodsboro university.” you felt your blood run cold, ghost face must have killed another victim.
“i’m currently here with the man who made the discovery. can you tell me what happened?” the question was addressed to a tall, muscular indian man who looked around your age. he seemed shy— his gaze fixated on his shoes. you knew him. he was a friend of gwen’s.
“me and a friend were messing around. this field is usually where we hang out. we were playing with a frisbee and he threw it too far so i went to grab it.” he began to explain, his body trembling slightly. “it was behind a bush and then…” he didn’t finish the sentence.
“and then what?” the journalist asked, not caring about how traumatized the young male was. “i found him— my friend. miles morales. there was blood everywhere.” pavitr answered, his brown eyes filling with tears. you felt bile rise in your throat at the sight of him crying.
“breaking news in woodsboro— police are investigating the discovery of woodsboro university student, miles morales. the victim was attacked by a knife and died due to—”
you turned off the television. the dark television screen reflected your horrified expression back to you. you were stunned. you had known miles. he was a close friend of gwen. “gwen? are you still there?” you spoke up, realizing how silent gwen was on the other line.
the sound of her sniffles filled your ears. her voice was a hoarse whisper, it was clear she was crying.
“how did you cope?”
you were clearly taken back by this question. you ran a hand through your hair, the uneasy feeling you felt before returning.
“what?”
“with peter’s death— it feels like my world is falling apart. you took it better than how i’m taking this right now.”
“people react differently to news like this, gwen.”
“i know. i just— god, he’s gone. i lost him.”
her words had hit you directly in the heart. you felt a familiar painful pang. the one you felt when you had thought of peter. you hesitated for a moment, struggling to find words to help ease her suffering.
“i’m sorry, gwen. if you ever need anything i’m here.”
“thank you. i’m sorry to burden you but—”
you didn’t let her finish. she had done nothing wrong, there was no need for her to apologize. especially with what she was now going through.
“don’t apologize. we’re friends, it’s what i’m for.”
“alright. i’ll talk to you later.”
“goodbye, gwen.”
the call had ended. you stood there for a moment before realizing you should leave peter’s apartment. you grabbed the box, walking out of the apartment complex. it was a sunny day, there were no white clouds blocking the pretty blue sky.
the warm sun had beamed onto your skin. the sounds of people talking and birds chirping filled your ears. you would usually feel peaceful yet you weren’t. the weather did not match woodsboro’s current situation. it was cruel the fact that it was sunny and bright when everyone was feeling under the weather.
on your walk back home, you paused in your tracks. there in front of you was a coffee shop. the coffee shop you and peter had met. the weather that day was the same as it was currently. he had spilled coffee onto you by accident and tried to help you dry up.
he was rubbing a thin napkin on your breasts. once he had realized what he was doing, there was a scarlet blush on his face as he apologized profusely, clearly flustered. you laughed softly at the memory. but you couldn’t help but wonder— how different would your life have been if you hadn’t bumped into peter that day?
would your life be better? would it be worse?
you shook off the feeling. you tried your hardest to not submerge yourself in thoughts like those. you did on the other hand submerge yourself in work. to distract yourself. you were taking four classes the upcoming semester— one of them being quantum physics.
your advisor had advised against it, especially after peter’s death, but you ignored her. what else were you supposed to? drown yourself in depressing thoughts until you go insane? this was the only way you could truly cope without facing your feelings.
the semester didn’t start until two weeks anyways— enough time to grieve, right?
after some time, you had made it back to your dorm room. you had placed the box gently on the ground, ensuring nothing spilled out. you sat down on your dorm room floor, opening the box to go through its contents. inside, you found his favorite photograph of the two of you, taken on a special day.
it was the day he had asked you out. you two were at a strawberry orchard, picking the bright red berries and eating a few along the way as you wandered around. it was a fond memory— ever since his death, it was the one you clung onto the most.
among the keepsakes, you saw his favorite hoodie that still smelled of him, his high school yearbook with photos of him young, and a set of jewelry he had gifted to you. some old photos and mementos of him were mixed in, stirring up memories and emotions inside you.
something that stood out to you though was a handwritten letter from him, meant for your future self.
the date written on it was valentines day. that wasn’t until a month. still, you didn’t open the letter. to respect peter’s wishes. even though it pained you. you clasped your mouth with your hand, trying to stifle a sob. you closed the box quickly, it was too soon. you couldn’t bear to see any of this.
not now.
II
you entered your quantum physics class lecture with a messenger bag slumped across your body. it was the first day of the new semester. the first semester without peter.
you had tried your hardest to look presentable— you wore a cute brown plaid mini dress with a tight white t-shirt underneath it, along with a gold heart pendant necklace and small hoop earrings. your hair was styled in a high ponytail, a few strands falling onto your face.
you took a seat near the back row, not wanting to sit in the front. the lecture hall was full with many other students, their voices booming in your ears.
yet the professor still hadn’t arrived.
you were a bit drowsy, not getting any sleep last night. it was like this most nights. you stayed up in your bed, eyes glued to the ceiling. you rested your head on the desk, fumbling with the pencil in your hand. there was a loud creaking sound coming from the door hinges, accompanied by footsteps of a person entering.
the professor had finally arrived.
your eyes darted towards him. the professor walked into the lecture hall, his expression blank and cold. he stopped at the podium, looking out at the class with an icy glare. the students quickly grew silent, feeling the chill in the air and sensing the professor's mood.
you glanced at him up and down, taking in his appearance. his tall, muscular physique caught your attention. you took in his appearance— his dark hair was a bit messy, a few strands falling on his face. he was wearing a white collared shirt with a black jacket, tucked into a fitted pair of black dress pants with sleek dress shoes.
the professor adjusted his jacket and briefcase, not uttering a word, before turning toward a blackboard, where he began writing without pause or acknowledgement of anyone else in the room. there was no smile on his face and no enthusiasm in his voice.
“my name is miguel o’hara. i’ll be your quantum physics professor. here are my office hours.” he pointed the chalk in his hand towards the blackboard. you let out a small huff at his cold behavior. you had chosen the wrong professor for this course.
he cleared his throat, then addressed the class with a stern expression. “alright— let’s get to know each other.” “i want everyone to say their names and majors. we’ll start with the front row.” the students in the front row exchanged looks with each other, then stepped forward and began introducing themselves, one by one.
but one student caught your eye— he looked tired, with bags under his eyes and a dull expression on their face. it was pavitr prabhakar. he seemed like he hadn’t slept in days, his movement and speech slow. you should talk to him after class. after all, the two of you went through the same thing.
losing a loved one to ghost face.
the sound of a hand slamming onto your desk had brought you out of your thoughts with a jolt. looking up, you met the haughty gaze of miguel o’hara. your eyes widened slightly, your blood running cold, as you looked into his piercing gaze.
there was something sinister in his eyes, something that sent chills running down your spine. the atmosphere in the room turned from comfortable to tense in mere seconds. your breath hitched as he stared you down.
“were you unable to comprehend my directions?” the other students turned to you, their eyes wide in anticipation. you tried to maintain your composure but the sheer force of his presence was unnerving. “i’m sorry.” you managed to mumble, eyes darting away from him.
“i don’t want your apology. just introduce yourself.” professor o'hara instructed coldly. you felt your right eye twitch, growing increasingly frustrated with him. “right. i’m [name] and my major is biophysics.” professor o'hara raised an eyebrow once you said your major. “is that so?” his tone was mocking and rude. you didn’t like this professor.
“do you think i’m lying?” you barked, losing your temper. you had issues controlling your emotions ever since peter died. “i didn’t say that—” professor o'hara couldn’t even finish. “then why do you sound like that?” you snapped, an angry scowl on your face.
“you’re pushing forty yet act like a child. seriously, why the hell was your tone like that?”
everyone in the lecture hall gasped at your comment, some students began to snicker among themselves while others were glaring at you for disrespecting professor o'hara. “do you think you’re funny?” he asked in a menacing tone. his tone had made you anxious but you tried to be nonchalant.
“never said that. why? do you think i am, professor o’hara?” professor o'hara saw straight through your act, chuckling darkly. “do me a favor and stay after class. i’m going to talk to you in private.” he ordered, a cold and hard expression on his face.
you gulped nervously, not daring to speak up or protest. professor o'hara glanced at you one last time before beginning his lecture. you felt a bad vibe coming from him but kept silent and continued to listen to the lecture. you sat nervously in your seat, bouncing your leg slightly.
it was a feeble attempt to ease your nerves. there was definitely something off about miguel o’hara. this wasn’t going to be a fun semester. the sound of books slamming sent a sinking feeling in your stomach, class had ended. the students all got up and began to exit the lecture hall.
you watched the room gradually empty, leaving you alone with him. you remained seated, trying your best to keep your cool when professor o'hara approached you. “i know about you.” you were taken aback by the directness of him. “what?” you responded in a low voice.
you took in a deep breath. how did this man know you? you’ve never seen him around the campus. the tension in the air was palpable. “yeah, i had a chat with your advisor.” you exhaled, unaware until now that you held your breath. how much did jessica tell him?
“oh.”
professor o'hara let out a heavy sigh before speaking again. “i do feel bad for the loss of your boyfriend— yet that doesn’t excuse your behavior.”
you felt a hollow sadness fill you at the thought of peter. a lump formed in your throat, as you struggled to hold back tears. you had enrolled in this course to avoid confronting your feelings, yet everything seemed like a painful reminder of his death
“i’m willing to let this go. if you keep this behavior up though, i’m dropping you from the class.”
please, go ahead and drop me from the class. that’s what you would have said if this class wasn’t a required course needed for you to graduate. you felt overwhelmed by the emotion you were trying to suppress. there was a heavy feeling on your chest.
you muttered an apology as you gathered your things. unable to meet his gaze, you turned to leave the room. tears formed in your eyes. your heart hurt at the thought of peter, the sorrow that welled up in you felt like it was going to explode.
you wanted nothing more than to run far away and hide from the world. to be free of your responsibilities, your feelings, and the painful reality that you were living in. you hated this feeling, it made you nauseous and sick, every fiber of your being wanted to leave the painful moment behind.
"hey, are you okay?"
you paused in your tracks, turning around to meet pavitr's gaze. "yeah, i'm fine." you murmured, turning around to walk away. you did want to talk to him, but right now your emotions wouldn’t allow you to. however, a large hand swiftly grasped your wrist, pulling you back to face him.
"you don't seem fine. listen— i know what you're going through. i heard the news about your boyfriend." pavitr remarked, his grip on your wrist remaining firm.
"and i heard the news of your best friend, gwen told me." you replied, a sympathetic expression on your face. pavitr released a shaky sigh, nodding his head. “it feels so surreal— this entire situation. how have they not caught him yet?”
“i really don’t know.” you responded softly, gripping onto the straps of your bag tightly. “i know we just met but i want to be friends. we need to be here for each other, especially at a time like this.” pavitr remarked, a sad expression on his features.
“yeah— yeah that’s fine. you’re right.” you nodded your head gently in agreement. pavitr smiled weakly at you, releasing his hand from your wrist. “do you want to walk around for a bit?” you offered, staring at pavitr with tired eyes.
pavitr let out a small hum as the two of you walked around campus. it was silent but not an uncomfortable one. the two of you clearly enjoying each other’s company.
“you’re quite a snarky girl. standing up to professor o’hara like that.” pavitr spoke up, causing you to laugh nervously. “no like seriously, you have balls. no one has ever done that before.” he continued, a serious expression on his face.
“really? he seems like such an asshole.” you replied, eyes widening in shock. “he’s notorious for being like that— he’s known for failing students he doesn’t like.” you felt yourself wince at his words. if you had known that you wouldn’t have snapped at him.
“god, i should have seen his rating on rate my professor before enrolling.”
pavitr laughed loudly at your joke and for a moment you saw happiness twinkle in his eyes. you smiled at him before the two of you paused. the site in front of you was truly breathtaking, lush green grass and pink blossoms filled your vision. a beautiful wooden bench stood in the middle of the field.
"this would have been a perfect hangout spot for us." you sighed heavily, rubbing your arms to calm your emotions. pavitr noticed and placed a gentle hand on your shoulder. "yeah, it would have." he responded, his eyes locked on the bench.
you walked towards it, taking a seat. pavitr quickly followed, sitting down next to you. the two of you sat together in silence, drinking in the peaceful atmosphere and taking comfort in each other's presence. the memory of what could have been danced in your minds, reminding you of all that was lost.
you two didn’t realize, but tears were streaming down both of your cheeks. moments pass, neither of you two speaking. it felt like an eternity, the air thick with emotion and the memories of the past flooding back into your mind.
finally, pavitr turned to you, his eyes filled with sorrow and regret. "i wish things were different." he whispered softly. “me too.” you whispered back. you sniffled quietly, biting your bottom lip to stifle a sob.
pavitr softly asked, "how was he like?" as his gentle brown eyes met yours. "my boyfriend?" you replied, your lips slightly parted as you glanced away. "yeah." he answered, his smile weak and tearful. "he was amazing," you began, your voice rising slightly. "he was perfect. i'd do anything to get him back."
pavitr nodded, his eyes downcast and a mournful expression on his face. "how was miles?" pavitr had a mournful expression on his face. “he was such a bright kid." pavitr answered, his voice mellow and weak. his eyes met yours, his gaze full of sadness and regret.
"he was really into art. he used to drag me and my friends to flower fields all the time so he could draw us." your heart broke for him, seeing the sorrow in his eyes. “that’s beautiful.” you responded, your voice barely above a whisper.
“yeah— god, i miss him so much." pavitr said, his voice choked and teary. he pressed his face into his hands, his heart shattering into a million pieces. you rubbed his back softly, attempting to comfort him. however, your face grew hot and wet with tears, unable to stem the flow of emotion.
you sobbed openly, overwhelmed by the tragedy of the situation. then, pavitr quickly embraced you in a tight hug, crying into your shoulder. your sobs grew louder and more intense, your heart aching for the both of you. unbeknownst to you— there was someone watching you two.
the man was standing behind a tree. watching you. always watching you.
III
it had been two days since your encounter with professor o'hara and pavitr prabhakar. after your long crying session, you two exchanged numbers and began texting each other every minute. it was refreshing to have someone to talk to and check in with.
as the hours passed, your text conversations grew deeper and more personal, allowing you both to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
having pavitr in your life made you feel less alone and more hopeful about the future.
the two of you were currently at woodsboro’s graveyard, flowers in hand. your eyes lingered at peter’s tombstone, your eyebrows knitting together as you collapsed onto your knees. you placed the flowers on the ground, a bittersweet smile on your face.
“i’ll always miss you.” you whispered softly, placing your hands on your lap. you turned your gaze towards pavitr, he was also on his knees with teary eyes. it was cruel— from how little their deaths were apart miles and peter’s tombstones were right next to each other.
they were taken away too soon.
༺ ★ ༻
“god, i really don’t wanna go to quantum physics.” you groaned with an annoyed expression. “neither do i” pavitr laughed as he playfully shoved you. “but it’s only the second day of class, we shouldn’t be too hard on him.” the two of you were walking towards professor o’hara’s lecture hall.
“how can i not be? did you not see what happened last class?” you scoffed. “surely he forgot about it— it’s been four days.” pavitr assured you. “i hope so.” you murmured, a light smile on your features. the two of you reached his lecture hall.
you had a bad feeling in your heart as you took a small step inside. you didn’t like professor o’hara, there was something wrong. the feeling you felt when you looked him in the eyes, you had felt it deep in your bones. it sent shivers down your spine.
“[nickname], come sit here!” pavitr waved, interrupting your thoughts. “why in the front? can’t we sit in the back, pav?” pavitr shook his head with a wide grin on his face. you sighed softly as you walked to the seat next to him, placing your things down.
the two of you talked about what you did over the weekend before professor o’hara entered the lecture hall. his cold gaze darted towards you, raising an eyebrow slightly. he was confused on why you were sitting in the front row.
“good morning— we aren’t going to have a lecture today.” he spoke up, the students slowly exchanged looks with each other. “instead, i want to talk about the ghost face case.” you felt your expression sour. professor o’hara definitely was aware that there’s two students that had a personal connection to the case.
“as you all know, ghost face has been a menace to our community for a while now, and their actions have been devastating for the families that have been impacted. however, i want to dive deeper into the case and see what you guys think." professor o'hara explained, leading the class into a socratic seminar.
the students nodded in agreement as he directed the seminar, the discussion becoming more lively as they shared their thoughts and theories. you and pavitr stayed quiet in the background, listening and absorbing all of the information.
as the socratic seminar progressed, the students shared their theories and proposed new lines of inquiry. you and pavitr were clearly uncomfortable with the discussion and felt increasingly agitated and anxious. your personal connection to it made it impossible for you two to stay completely neutral.
as you were forced to listen to theories and suggestions that went against everything you believed to be true, you felt a wave of anger and frustration wash over you. at the same time, pavitr seemed equally uncomfortable, his expressions growing darker.
a random student raised their hand before speaking. “do you guys think ghost face victims are willing ones? i mean— everything we know about them shows that they’re most likely an attractive male.” they spoke, seemingly confident that they were right.
you felt your stomach churn at their words, your eyebrows knitting together. you clasped a hand over your mouth, fighting the urge to vomit. before you could speak, pavitr quickly cut you off. “are you serious?” pavitr asked, his voice choked with emotion. his eyes were filled with fury.
his face was contorted with frustration and anger, it was clear he was disturbed by this particular theory. “if you think that you’re f*cking stupid.” he continued, his voice cracking slightly. the student rolled their eyes at him, the rage building in your chest. “what? it’s a valid theory.”
“your theory is insensitive and disrespectful towards the victims.” pavitr answered, his eyes narrowing at the student. his fists were clenched at his sides, his body trembling due to all the emotions he was feeling. the student smiled coldly, their eyes flashing with cruelty and contempt.
"i said what i said," they answered, their voice dripping with scorn. pavitr was seething, but he managed to stay calm. "do you truly believe that ghost face victim’s are willing to die in the hands of a monster?" the student laughed, their expression full of callousness and apathy.
"of course i do. is that really so hard to believe?"
the classroom was stunned, the students unable to process the student's lack of compassion and empathy. your eyes widened softly as you watched the scene go down. pavitr was relentless and he continued to press the student for an answer.
"do you have any evidence to back up your claims?" he asked, growing increasingly frustrated. the student grew angry, their expression hateful and furious. "i’ve witnessed how ghostface treats people firsthand," they answered, their voice full of arrogance and ego.
“have you been targeted by ghostface?" the student hesitated for a moment before they spoke. “no, i haven’t.” the student answered, their voice confident and bold.
“have you seen ghostface kill a victim?”
“no.”
“have you ever had a loved one die to ghost face?”
“no.”
"then shut the f*ck up!" you snapped, slamming your hands against your desk. "how can you say you’ve seen how ghostface treats people first hand then say no to all of his questions?!" the student was taken aback by your sudden rage, but you didn’t even wait for them to respond.
"are you dumb? no like seriously, you seem really f*cking slow.” you continued, your voice laced with hatred and contempt. your cheeks were flushed in anger, lips tight, and eyes narrowed. the student was flustered and angry, but they didn't want to concede any ground.
they snapped back, their voice brimming with arrogance and spite. "why do you care so much? it doesn't even affect you." you felt yourself boiling with rage, your heart beating faster in your chest. you responded with a sharp edge to your voice, pointing out the obvious fact.
"we've both lost loved ones to ghostface, so of course it affects us. don’t you have any empathy?" your voice was filled with anguish and pain. it was taking everything in you to not get physical. after taking in the tense atmosphere, professor o’hara sighed and cleared his throat, causing your head to snap in his direction.
"that's enough." he said, his voice calm and firm. you and pavitr exchanged a look, both of you clearly upset by this entire seminar. “[name] and pavitr, please step outside the classroom.”
“what? we didn’t even do anything—” you protested, feeling justified in your anger. this student had managed to disrespect both you and pavitr. it enraged you. how could professor o’hara not see that?
“enough. this isn’t up for debate.” he snapped, his voice echoing off the walls. “both of you, get out of my classroom.” he ordered, a slight scowl on his face. “come on, [nickname].” pavitr mumbled softly, clearly wanting to leave the lecture hall and escape the tension in the room.
his voice still had traces of hurt and frustration. your eyes were fixed on him, and you nodded in agreement. with a final glare at the student and professor o'hara, you and pavitr slowly got up and left the lecture hall. outside, the air was still and empty, but your hearts were still filled with rage.
you spoke up loudly, your fists clenched at your sides. "can you believe that sh*t?!" you exclaimed with anger, your voice loud and fierce. pavitr looked at you and slowly nodded. "f*ck, that person was cruel." he agreed, his voice full of disbelief. you both stood outside for a moment, processing the encounter.
“does professor o'hara expect us to wait around?" you asked, your eyes darting towards the lecture hall. pavitr thought for a moment. "i don't know." he finally said. "but i'm not waiting around for that asshole just to lecture us. come on." you nodded, still angry and hurt by the student's words.
you both began to walk away from the lecture hall. suddenly, a familiar voice called out. "where do you two think you're going?" you and pavitr turned around to be met with professor o'hara. you both felt nervous and uncertain.
you and pavitr stayed silent, feeling intimidated by professor o'hara's sternness. "i will not allow any more incidents like that in my classroom." he spoke, his voice full of anger. "do you both understand?" before you could answer, pavitr stepped in. "professor, you need to understand that that student was completely out of line."
"i know that, pavitr." professor o'hara said patiently but firmly. "then why are you blaming us?" pavitr pressed, his expression full of anger and frustration. "i’m not blaming you two." professor o'hara said calmly, despite pavitr’s heated voice.
"but, i cannot have my students disrupt the learning environment with arguments and accusations." pavitr's face grew even more frustrated and angry. "but, professor, we have a right to be angry. that student was cruel and thoughtless."
"pavitr, i agree. they were way out of line and completely inappropriate." professor o'hara responded, his voice still calm but now more stern.
"why didn't you stop them then?" you asked, clearly frustrated. professor o'hara's expression grew even more stern. "you— don't get me started with you." he responded. your eyes widened. "but, this isn't even my fault!" you exclaimed. "that student started it!"
"i told you last class that if you don't stop this behavior, i'll drop you from the class." professor o'hara reminded you, his eyebrows furrowed.
"you're going to drop me from the class for an argument that wasn't even my fault?!" you exclaimed, anger filling your voice. "that student was insane! you were the one who even did this seminar. no offense professor, but what kind of idea is that?"
"yes, i would." professor o'hara answered, his voice calm and firm. he didn’t even bother replying to your second comment. “but i won’t. instead, the two of you will write an apology to the student.” you and pavitr quickly looked at each other, shocked by his request.
"but that's not fair!" you protested. "i should be allowed to defend myself." professor o'hara stayed firm. "enough. unless you really want to be dropped from the class, then don’t write the letter."
you opened your mouth to protest again, but before you could speak up, professor o'hara raised his hand. "i don't want to hear another word from you or pavitr, is that understood?" he said sternly. your face flushed with anger, but you knew arguing with him any further would be pointless.
you stayed quiet, your expression full of resentment. pavitr stood by your side, still seething at professor o'hara's decision, but he didn't say anything either. professor o’hara simply turned and walked away into his lecture hall, leaving you and pavitr standing in disbelief in the empty hallway.
