Temptation (The Hunted, #1)(66)

"I am currently majoring in marketing. And for some reason I'm having a really hard time remembering why I chose it." I picked up my paper in my hand and waved it around. "I have a whole list of reasons on here why marketing is a great major, but I'm not sure how much of that I can believe anymore. Because sometimes you think you know something, but actually you have no idea what it's really like. Marketing is like that. It's a complete lie. I mean, we're all taught that marketing is sexy, right?" I blushed remembering my dream. "But it's really not. Marketing is ugly on the inside. Hideous, really."

I looked at Professor Hunter. He was fuming. It looked like he wanted to yell at me. Good. Screw him. I wasn't even close to being finished. My anger was bubbling over and I couldn't stop it now.

"Marketing lures you into getting something that you don't really need or want. A product can't cheat on you. A product can't lie to you. But a marketer can. And a marketer doesn't blink an eye when they lie and cheat. They hook you in and sell you awful products that you don't even want. You know what? I'm actually thinking about changing my major because of this assignment. Because I can't for the life of me think of a reason to continue pursuing marketing. Because marketing is a fucking joke."

"That's enough!" Professor Hunter slammed his fist on his desk.

"Marketing can go to hell." I grabbed my paper and ran out of the room.

"Penny!" I heard Tyler yell as the door closed behind me.

What the hell did I just do?





Chapter 44


Monday

The rain started to fall as I stood outside my dorm. I didn't have my sensor pass to get into the building. How could I leave class without getting all my stuff? I shook my head. That wasn't the question I needed to answer. More like, how could I give a speech filled with strange metaphors about Professor Hunter and marketing? My anger had just boiled over. It had almost been as bad as my dream. The whole class must think I'm completely insane. Geez, am I insane? Everything was a complete disaster. I wasn't even sure what I had said in my speech, but I was pretty sure it was time to drop the class. Was it past the deadline yet? There was no way I could ever face anyone in that class ever again. I had acted so immature. I wanted to know what Professor Hunter was thinking. I took a deep breath. What is Tyler thinking?

The light rain felt good against my flushed face. I closed my eyes and tilted my head toward the sky as I leaned against the brick wall. No one was coming in or out right now because it was during class. I was going to have to wait for a while. It wasn't too late to go back and grab my bag, but I couldn't make myself do it. My speech was supposed to be why I chose the major that I did. I had ended it with "marketing can go to hell." I would never live this down.

Finally someone came out of my dorm building. The girl gave me a weird look, probably concerned that I was a crazy homeless person trying to break into the building. But I was able to quickly grab the door handle before I got locked out again. I ran into my dorm and up the stairs. Melissa didn't have class right now, so our room would be unlocked, but she'd be in our room. Could I face her? All I wanted to do was bury myself under the covers of my bed.

I slowly opened the door. Melissa was on her feet and running over to me right away.

"Tyler just texted me. What's going on?"

I was sick of the lying and the secrets. I burst out crying.

Melissa gave me a big hug. "Penny, what happened? Tyler said you ran out of class during your speech?"

"It was worse than that." I pulled away from her. Melissa closed the door.

"Sit down, tell me everything."

And I wanted to. I so badly wanted to tell her about dating my professor and then finding out that he was married. And why couldn't I? I trusted Melissa. She was my best friend. I sat down on my bed and she sat down next to me. She rubbed her hand on my back.

Why couldn't I seem to tell her? Professor Hunter had broken my trust, I could break his too. I put my face in my hands. No, I couldn't. Despite everything I still loved him.

"I just lost it, Melissa. I don't even know what I said during my speech. But it definitely had nothing to do with the topic."

"I thought you wrote your speech yesterday? You didn't even seem nervous."

"I wasn't nervous. I just got so mad and snapped."

"But why?"

Melissa's phone buzzed. She gave me another hug and hopped off the bed. "Look, Tyler's here. He brought you your stuff that you left in class. I'm going to head out and give you two some privacy."

I wiped my tears away and looked up at her.

"We can talk later, okay? Penny, it can't possibly be as bad as you seem to think." She grabbed her backpack. "I'll see you later. And I'll pick up Chinese takeout after my classes are over."

"Thanks, Melissa," I sniffed. I grabbed a tissue from my desk and blew my nose.

She smiled and left the room. I blew my nose again. What was I going to say to Tyler? I grabbed another tissue and blotted my eyes.

After a few minutes I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," I said without moving from my bed.

Tyler walked in, carrying my backpack. He didn't look like his usual happy self. "That was quite the speech, Penny."