Taken Care Of

There probably will not be another update up until Monday!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

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The dean's office was housed in the faculty building on the northern end of campus.

It was expansive, with large windows looking out at the sprawling campus grounds.

Photos of generous donors and esteemed alumni hung proudly on the walls.

Enid tried not to stare as the dean, a balding man wearing a tweed suit a size too small sat down behind the desk.

Dr. Drewitt and Dr. Romano sat beside her, dwarfing her small frame on each side.

Dr. Easton stood behind her; his large hands warm against her shoulder blades as he clutched the back of her leather chair.

"So, gentleman and lady, what brings you to my office?" Dean Thomas's thick southern accent startling her.

His slightly beady eyes landed on her and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

She opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by him snapping his fingers.

"That's it! I knew I recognized you. You're the cello player the music department has been so excited about!" His twang turning the "you" into more of a "yew".

She smiled uncomfortably and nodded.

"Yes, I'm Enid McCarthy. It's nice to meet you sir." She introduced herself politely.

"Indeed, indeed. Quite a lot of talent you've got in that tiny little body I hear." He smirked, his mustache curling as he did.

She heard the professors surrounding her shift slightly and felt Dr. Easton's hands clutch the seat tighter.

"Enid is a remarkable musician and student." Dr. Drewitt cut in, his voice sharp and warning.

Dean Thomas stroked his mustache as he glanced at the three men surrounding her before looking back at her with increased interest.

"Mhm," he said, his eyes studying her, "and why are you three here with her?"

"She is a student of all of ours. We want to make sure that things get taken care of." Dr. Romano's usually amorous voice now guttural and commanding.

"What are you four needing exactly?" His fuzzy eyebrows curving with curiosity.

Fingers brushed gently over the exposed skin on the back of her neck, comforting her.

Strengthening her.

"I-I was attacked on Friday night at the bonfire. A boy tricked me and drugged my drink. He tried to- to..." Enid couldn't finish the sentence.

"He assaulted her. She managed to fight back and get away, but if she hadn't, I am positive he would have raped her." Dr. Romano finished for her.

She gave him a small smile of gratitude.

Dean Thomas leaned back in his plush office chair, lacing his fingers together before him.

"Did you know this boy?" He asked, watching her closely.

"No, I had never met him before. He asked me to help him find his glasses that he dropped, and he must have drugged my water while I searched." She responded shakily.

"Hmm. So, you don't know who it was?" The man's portly body languid as though they were discussing the weather.

"I don't know his name, no. But he was wearing a sweatshirt for one of the fraternities. Kappa Sigma." She explained.

The man raised his eyebrows before standing and retrieving a yearbook from the bookshelf behind him.

He flipped through the pages until he found the correct one and handed it to her.

"This is the pledge class from last year. Is it any of them?" His presence near her sent strange sensations crawling along her skin.

She studied the image closely, the boys were all dressed in extravagant formal wear, matching mischievous grins painted on each of their faces.

A familiar head of shaggy brown hair stood at the far end.

She glanced up quickly and pointed to the boy.

"This is him." Enid said breathlessly, her stomach clenching as she stared at the face of the boy again.

"Oh no, girly. That can't be him." The man chortled.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"That's my son." He continued and her heart froze to a stop.

The professors, who had been like silent guardians, looked at the men with the most poisonous expressions she had ever seen.

She would have peed herself if she had been the one on the receiving end.

"It's him. I'm sure of it." She stated strongly, thinking about the fear that he had sent coursing through her.

The blurry image of a fire in the distance.

"My son would never do such a thing," he glared as his round cheeks began to turn a ruby red, "And besides, he was home with me on Friday night."

He smirked victoriously, his beady eyes shining.

"If Enid says it was this boy, then it was." Dr. Easton's terrifyingly cold voice came from behind her.

"Well, I'm telling you, it was not him." His southern accent thickening in his agitation.

He glared at the four of them before he suddenly turned, his face turning back into one of forced politeness.

"I'm very sorry this happened to you, Enid. However, if you cannot remember who did it, I'm afraid there's not much I can do." His smirk cruel.

"I-" her astonished exclamation cut short by a powerful hand on her shoulder.

Glancing up, she met the ocean eyes of the man looking down at her.

She wasn't sure how, but he seemed to be communicating with her just through his eyes.

Let it go.

We'll handle it.

Hands twisting together, she turned back to Dean Thomas with a frown.

"Okay. I'll come back once I remember more." She spoke through gritted teeth.

For the first time in her life, Enid felt a surge of violence.

She wanted to strangle the imbecile of a man before her.

Standing shakily, she walked in a haze as the three men guided her outside.

Swirling thoughts spun in her mind, distracting her from the conversation going around her.

Brought back to the present by a hand clasping her arm, she found that they had walked to a small, private courtyard behind the library.

"We're going to take care of it, little bird." Dr. Romano promised, his jade eyes flashing dangerously.

"You don't need to worry about it, angel. He's not going to get away with what he did." Dr. Drewitt stated calmly from behind her.

His tone almost too calm.

She turned to find his hands clenched at his sides, his jaw set tightly with anger.

"Take care of it how?" She asked, her voice small.

"He's going to wish he had never even looked at you, Enid." Dr. Easton's cruel tone would have made her tremble with fear if he hadn't stepped toward her, brushing the back of his fingers across her cheekbone.

"Just- I don't want anyone hurt. Maybe you could just speak to him." She bit her lip.

"Oh, don't worry, darling. He won't feel a thing." He chuckled darkly and she berated herself for finding it so attractive.

"In the meantime, just continue with your schedule as normally as you can. If you feel you need to miss any classes, just let us know. We'll keep you caught up." Dr. Romano's usual flirty smirk in place.

"Are you feeling up to still attending the fundraising event with me tomorrow?" Dr. Drewitt asked.

She had forgotten about it completely with all that had occurred over the last few days.

Cursing her forgetfulness, she nodded quickly.

"Yes, of course." Her response earning her a beaming smile from the angelic blond-haired man.

"Fantastic. We'll leave just after your cello lesson tomorrow." He winked at her.

Smiling and feeling lighter again, she turned so she could see all three of the men at once.

"Thank you so much. For your help on Friday night and today. And for the amazing opportunities you have provided to me. I don't know how I'll ever repay you." She said, a blush painting her cheeks.

She shuffled bashfully and glanced away from them.

"No thanks necessary." Dr. Easton responded at the same time as Dr. Romano spoke.

"I'm sure we'll find some ways for you to repay us." His smirk darkening along with his eyes.

"It's our pleasure, angel." Dr. Drewitt smiled at her, before nudging Dr. Romano harshly in the side.

Enid's face lit up in a smile.

Her heart beating against her ribcage, attempting to fly toward the three immortals standing before her.

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Comments fill my heart with joy!

All my love, Sappho ✙