Thin Love (Thin Love, #1)(72)
She leaned against the woman’s desk brimming with irritation. “My performance improved from the 3.95 average to the 4.12 average when the cross country season ended and I had more time to study. That freed up at least seventeen hours a week and I was able to devote more time to all of my classes.” She stood up, smiling when some of the professor’s conviction waned. “I carry twenty-one hours, Professor Alana, which means I have to find some way to study for a huge course load and yet, by some miracle, this stupid haole is able to maintain a 4.0, same as I did in high school when I graduated as Valedictorian. If you’re going to make assumptions and accuse me of cheating, then maybe you should have actual proof first.”
She didn’t wait for whatever was threatening to leave the woman’s mouth. Keira knew what this was about and she knew fighting with Kona’s mother because the woman wasn’t getting all his attention would only cause drama between them. Things had been great for the past three weeks and other than the occasional moody comment each of them made when practice and classes had them snapping at each other, she and Kona hadn’t fought once. She didn’t want his mother to change that.
She was almost to the door when she heard the professor’s chair scratch against the floor. “How do you know I don’t have proof? I’m a professor, Ms. Riley. Proof is fairly easy to come by.” There was a threat in that statement, one that made Keira pause, one that had her balling her hands into fists until her nails bit against her palm. There was no way she was going to let this woman screw with her grade.
Keira turned around, took the steps slowly, tilting her head to watch Professor Alana. “Why not discuss the thing that’s really pissing you off?” When the professor’s expression remained blank, Keira shook her head, finding it difficult not to laugh at how the woman seemed to force herself not to frown. “You want to know about me and Kona?”
“I want you to realize this won’t have a happy ending.” She left her chair, movements elegant, easy, before she sat on the edge of her desk. “What do you imagine will happen? You and Kona date through college and then what? You get married?” The women brushed her long, black braid off her shoulder and a weird flush colored her dark complexion. “Have children? Struggle when the pressures of his career and your lack of one chip away at something that should have never happened to begin with? I know what your intentions are, but I can promise you I won’t let you or anyone else threaten my son’s future.”
It took Keira a few seconds to let the professor’s words sink in. She and Kona had known each other for two months and had only been officially dating for less than half of that time. His mother had never liked her, even before she met Kona. Keira didn’t know or care why, but now she had them married with children in something that resembled a bitter, loveless union. Keira hadn’t even slept with him yet, much to her frustration, so why would she even be thinking about their future?
What the hell is this woman’s problem?
“Lady, get one thing straight about me right now.” She stepped forward and the professor’s easy lean against her desk became straight, uncomfortable. “I don’t give a shit about money and fame and all that bullshit. I don’t believe in marriage and I’ve known for a long damn time that happily ever afters only exist in Disney films. If you’d get your nose out of the air for five minutes, you’d realize I’m not some football groupie and I’m nothing like most of the girls on this campus. My plans are my business and if they concern a life with Kona, then great. Right now I like being with him and whether you believe it or not, he likes being with me.”
When the woman’s eyes slipped to narrow slits that barely revealed the whites of her eyes, Keira let her anger go, realizing that arguing with this lunatic was pointless. “This whole Oedipus vibe you’re giving off is stupid and pointless. I’m not trying to steal your boy from you and I have no ideas about the potential wealth he might have one day. I’ll make my own way. I always have. That won’t change just because Kona is in my life now.”
She was done with this woman. Done with the territorial claim she wanted to make over Kona. Keira turned on her heel, took three steps toward the door before the woman’s voice stopped her.
“You are an insulting, disrespectful brat, Keira Riley and I promise I can make things very difficult for you.” Keira looked over her shoulder, watching Alana as she stepped away from her desk. “Starting with your academic standing.”
It was rare that Keira used her “rich bitch” card, but this woman was trying to use her teaching position as a tactical advantage, trying to scare Keira with the flagrant threat of claiming she was a cheater. Instead, Keira let a wide, lethal smile pull her mouth until her cheeks ached. The Cheshire smile, as Kona called it.
“Oh, you can try it. It might actually be funny to watch you accuse me, of all people, of something I would never do.” She turned around and dropped down one step. “I can imagine you going to the dean, or as my mom calls him, Mikey. They’re second cousins. Did you know that? Or,” she said, taking another step, “maybe the Chancellor, you know, Uncle Bobby. He was my dad’s best friend in college. They were frat brothers and he made sure that I landed the room I wanted when I applied here and that my cousin and I didn’t get stuck in the smallest freshman dorm.”
Keira’s smile lowered but it wasn’t because she felt less confident or was no longer amused by the ridiculous way Professor Alana seemed to have been completely deflated as she fell back against her desk.