Page 144 of The Other Side of Green

I stared out of the window. “I wasn’t lying when I told everyone that I don’t know who I am. I have no clue who my father is, my mother was mixed-race, but I realize now that it really doesn’t matter. What are genetics apart from something you’re given, a hand that fate deals you? It’s what you do with those genes that counts.”

“Spoken like a reformer for social change.”

I slumped in my seat.

“Anyway, I was about to come and find you.”

I pulled a face. Why would a lecturer be looking for a student outside of lesson time? Unless… I gulped. Goddamn it. I wanted the upper hand in this conversation. I wiped my tingling palms on the denier stretched across my thighs.

“Actually, sir, I wanted to show you something. I need your help.”

He held up his hand. “Me first! CNN called the student services department. They want to do a feature on you. How amazing, Lyra!”

I think he may have been talking Martian because I didn’t understand a word he said.

“What?”

I started at him, mouth open, no words.

“It really seems you are a poster child for a new generation, Lyra, and no one deserves it more. You are a true talent, absolute purity.”

He wasn’t going to shut up.

I opened the envelope and with shaking hands tossed the pictures toward him.

“Professor Greene, please. I need your help.”

He stopped, gaze dropping to the pictures now scattered on his desk. He frowned and adjusted his glasses. “Oh.” He looked some more, cheeks staining a faint pink. “Oh,” he repeated. “Is that Jack?”

He pulled at his collar, rearranging the red and white bow tie before finally looking up. “Lyra. What is the meaning of this?”

“It’s what I came to tell you. The Collins family are trying to blackmail me. They want me to say that the whole racism thing has been a big misunderstanding.”

“Why would you agree to that?”

Jesus, did he want me to spell it out?

“Because otherwise they are going to release evidence that Jack Cross had an affair with Brittany. They’ve got a statement from her saying he coerced her into sexual relations.”

Greene paled. “And did he? That you know of? I’m guessing you know the answer.”

“No, sir, he didn’t.”

“This is a serious accusation, Lyra. A crime that would need to be handed over to the authorities.”

I nodded, almost numb from the scalp of my head down. “I know it’s not true. There is no way Jack would do that with someone.”

His face flickered a frown. “How?”

He glanced between the images again and then lifted his face to meet my eye.

“I know it’s not true, because… b- because,” I stuttered. “Jack Cross is in love with me and I with him. And we have been for as long as I can remember.

Professor Greene stared at me for the longest time while I experienced possibly the worst sweat of my life—and I’m not talking about standing on stage being watched by hundreds of people sweat. No I meant something much worse. Stickier, slicker, and generally guilt-ridden.

“Sorry, Lyra, you’re going to have to explain more. How can you be in love when you’ve only known each other a matter of weeks?”

I shook my head, the seams of existence slowly unpicking at the edges. “I’ve known Jack all my life. He lived in the house next to me while we were growing up. He was my brother’s best friend, until he left. Actually, it was Jack who made me play the violin. Jack and Grams. Then he left and I didn’t think I’d see him again, until I sat here in your office that day and he walked in…” I trailed off from my word splurge.