Author Note: Thanks for the great response to this story! At least you all agree that you hate James.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from the Thompson Twins went to: edaddict3254, Midnight Cougar, sherylb, MissyDy, SassYNoleS, Scoobylover68, NKubie, MsAndreaRenee, and dawnhybb.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

Chapter 23 – Lies

"Someone said what?" I exclaim. God, I hope that one school play that Angela talked me into doing with her is paying off right now.

"Do you deny that you're in sexual relationship with Dr. Cullen?"

"Yes, of course," I maintain.

"Do you deny that you were with Dr. Cullen at Dave & Buster's on…" she pauses, picking up a sheet of paper, "October 21, 2017?"

I chuckle nervously. "I feel a bit like Bill Clinton here. It depends on your definition of 'with'."

"Please explain," she demands.

"Well, I did go to Dave & Buster's with my friends one night in October, but I can't be sure of the date without checking my calendar. I bumped into Dr. Cullen there and spoke to him briefly. We weren't there together."

"I see," she nods, looking like she doesn't actually see at all. "Tell me about your relationship with Dr. Cullen."

I look at her with what I hope are wide, innocent eyes. "We don't have a relationship, Dr. Thiel. However, I did know him before starting at UMSL."

"Oh?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"My transcripts should show that I graduated from Lafayette High School last May. However, up until the last semester of my senior year, I lived with my father in Chicago and attended Lincoln Park High School, which is where Dr. Cullen taught for several years. He was my AP English teacher."

"Why change high schools with only one semester left?"

Edward and I went back and forth over which story to give her here. I didn't want to mention a failed relationship at all, while he felt that I should give her the option that can't be easily verified.

"I'd broken up with my boyfriend shortly before Thanksgiving, and… it was hell surviving those last few weeks of the semester having to see him at school every day. He had also told his friends some less than flattering things about me after our break-up. When I visited my mother over Christmas break, she suggested that I come stay with her and her new husband."

"I see," she nods. "And you and Mr. Cullen both ended up at UMSL?"

"Believe me, both of us were totally shocked on the first day of class!" I can honestly tell her. "I hadn't made the decision to attend UMSL until after I moved to the area."

"All right, so the two of you spoke briefly at Dave & Buster's."

I nod.

"Why then do you think someone would report to us that the two of you had been seen kissing?"

"I-I honestly don't know. I don't recall seeing anyone else from school there that night. Are you allowed to tell me who reported us?" I'd love to tell her what I think about James.

She looks at me for a moment, her lips firmly pressed together.

"It wasn't a senior by the name of James Hunter, by any chance?" I offer when it looks like she's not going to reveal her source.

"Do you know him?"

I roll my eyes. "We've never been formally introduced, but we've had a couple of run-ins."

"Can you think of any reason why he would give us a false story?" she asks.

I nod. "James… propositioned me a few weeks ago, and I turned him down. He didn't seem very happy about it."

"Propositioned?"

"Let's just say he wanted to jump straight to the end of the third date."

"So you think he may be trying to exact some sort of payback?"

"Possibly," I nod. "It wasn't my first unpleasant encounter with him."

"Go on."

I take a deep breath. This is the part that worries me the most — explaining Edward's presence at my birthday party. "Our first run-in was at a birthday get-together that my friends threw for me at the Student Center back in September. My friend Jake is on the basketball team, and he invited all the guys on the team to stop by. He doesn't really like James, but James hangs around with the team, and so Jake kind of had to invite him along with everyone else."

"Go on," Dr. Thiel prompts again when I pause.

"My friends and I were playing pool when James came up behind me, ostensibly to teach me how to play. However, he… well, I think he was trying to hit on me, but he was standing way too close and didn't seem to get the message that he was making me uncomfortable. When I finally yelled at him to get away from me, Dr. Cullen sort of shoved him away, and after that Jake asked James to leave."

"Dr. Cullen was at a student's birthday party?"

I shake my head. "He wasn't invited. He said he'd stopped by The Nosh to get dinner and saw us there with the cake and everything. He came by to wish me a happy birthday, but when he saw what James was doing, he intervened."

"Why didn't one of your friends help you?" she asks.

"Jake and Alice were playing pool with me, but Alice's back was turned and Jake had just gone to get a drink when James approached. Maybe James was…" I frown as the thought jumps into my brain for the first time. "He might have waited until Jake was out of the picture before he approached me."

"I see," she nods. "I'm wondering then why he waited so long after supposedly observing the two of you kissing before coming to us."

I shrug. "He may not have known initially that Dr. Cullen is actually a professor."

"That seems likely," Dr. Thiel agrees. "Dr. Cullen is new to UMSL and he's not that much older than most graduate students. Perhaps James only recently found out that Dr. Cullen is a professor and that you're in one of his classes."

"And after I turned down his, er… invitation," I remind her. I really hope she's buying my story. As Edward and I had discussed, I stuck to the truth as much as possible.

"Why didn't you file a complaint about Mr. Hunter's behavior?"

"Well, I felt kind of silly for being so upset. He was hitting on me in a room full of people, so nothing was likely to happen."

"But he's made you feel uncomfortable twice now," she points out.

"Yes."

"There have been a handful of complaints about him over the last three and a half years, though nothing was ever substantiated." Dr. Thiel watches me closely. "I'm sure you understand that we have to investigate all reports of inappropriate conduct, no matter how untrustworthy the source."

Oh shit! My heart starts pounding again. What if they've found someone else to corroborate James's story?

"We are aware that both you and Dr. Cullen were at Lincoln Park High School at the same time, though your transcript from your senior year shows only your teachers from Lafayette. I'm pleased that you volunteered this information readily, rather than hiding it."

"I have nothing to hide, Dr. Thiel."

She nods. "Mr. Hunter was unable to provide the names of anyone who could corroborate his story, nor did he offer any proof. I am tending to agree with you that coming forward was an act of revenge for refusing his advances."

I can almost, but not quite, let out that breath I've been holding. It sounds like we did find and delete all copies of the photos.

"We will have to verify your story against what Dr. Cullen has to say, but if we have any more questions, we'll contact you via email, all right?"

"Ok." I give her a small smile.

"You may leave now," she returns my smile.

Hoping that my legs aren't shaking, I stand, grabbing my coat from the hook and opening the door.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Swan."

"Good afternoon," I nod, throwing my coat over my arm.

"Have a good day!" the woman who'd come looking for me says with a big smile once I've stepped out of the Dean's office.

"Thank you," I manage as I practically run out of there. I head straight for the nearest ladies room and lock myself in a stall, then pull out my phone. I'm pretty sure Edward only teaches morning classes on Thursday, so he's not in class right now. I just hope he's alone.

Just talked to Dr. Thiel. I think she bought the story! You'll be called in soon. Delete this.

I wait on pins and needles for some sort of response.

Thanks.

And now I can let out that breath. Edward is the next one in front of the firing squad, but at least he has some time to prepare.

I think we're good. Meet you at Bread Co 6pm?

I can finally breathe again after seeing Edward's text. I assume "I think we're good" means he's spoken to Dr. Thiel and she bought his story, too.

K, I text back, before I remember that he hates it when I don't use complete sentences… or words.

Just one minute late, I pull into the parking lot of the same St. Louis Bread Co. where Edward told me his story over two months ago. Opening the door, I'm surprised to see him standing there in front of the case of pastries.

"Hey," he breathes, wrapping his arms tightly around me. "It's gonna be Ok," he whispers.

Once he's let me go, Edward smiles at me, taking my face in his hands and softly kissing my lips. "Do you want to get something to eat?" he offers, and I nod my agreement.

After we've ordered, I take my drink cup over to the fountain. Edward has just a bottle of lemonade again, making me smile at the memory. Our same booth from last time is open, and he chooses that while I'm filling my cup.

"So the Dean called you in this afternoon?" I ask as soon as I've sat down.

"Yeah," he nods. "Thanks for the warning."

"At least one of us got one."

He looks at me questioningly.

"One of the office support staff showed up at the end of my Astronomy class and told me the Dean wanted to speak with me upstairs."

Our buzzer goes off suddenly, and Edward stands to get our dinner. I enjoy the view of his backside. Sue me, it's been nearly two weeks since we've had sex!

"I wasn't sure she was buying the story at first, but once I asked her who had turned us in, things started to go better," I explain once he's sat back down. "She seemed to believe and connect with the idea that James would try to get some sort of retribution for his spurned advances." Given the whole #MeToo thing going on right now, it wouldn't surprise me if Dr. Thiel faced something like that herself earlier in her career.

Edward nods, giving me a small smile. "That's great. That part of the story obviously wasn't something she and I discussed, since I only saw James the one time."

"Are we really all good then?" I ask. "Your story matched mine and she believed us?"

"She believes we're not having an affair," he confirms, and I breathe a sigh of relief. "However, based on my having you in class earlier and some of my answers to her questions, she isn't certain that I can be 100% objective with you."

"What do you mean? You treat me like anyone else in class. You always have." Even after we had sex for the first time, he gave me a B-minus!

"I told her the truth, Bella — that you'd been one of my top students back in Chicago. She could tell that I hold some… fondness for you, I think was her word. As far as she knows, I stopped by and wished you a happy birthday and I spoke to you that night at Dave & Buster's."

"So what does this mean?" I ask, starting to panic.

"Relax, baby," he says, reaching across the table to take my hand. "Dr. Thiel would like Dr. Wall, who teaches the other section of your course, to take another look at your work to make sure that it's been graded objectively. I'm sure he won't find any problems because you're right, I'm able to shut off my feelings for you when I'm grading your essays. It's just a precaution."

"Ok," I sigh. "So… do you know what happens to James now?"

"I imagine nothing," he shrugs. "They might tell him that they investigated and found no wrongdoing. No one can prove whether he made the whole thing up as some kind of revenge."

"Dr. Thiel mentioned there have been unsubstantiated complaints against James during his time as UMSL. I wish they would've been able to verify those; maybe he wouldn't even have been at UMSL anymore."

"I need you to be very careful now, Bella," Edward says. "I don't trust that guy. I don't trust that he won't try to hurt you once he realizes his plot failed. Please don't go anywhere where you might run across him other than the cafeteria. That means no frat parties."

I think back to Jake's comment that there were rumors James had roofied a couple of girls. "I'll be careful," I promise. "Do you think he'll approach me about the deleted photos? He's gotta know I was at least involved."

Edward nods slowly. "I don't think I'll be surprised if he does. I wish I could just wrap you up and keep you safe."

I smile. "Maybe Jake can be my bodyguard again tomorrow. I don't think he's leaving for their next game in Kirksville until Saturday morning."

"That would make me feel a lot better," Edward agrees. "How about dinner at home tomorrow night? Then I pretty much need to spend the weekend grading." Yeah, because my class's papers are due tomorrow!

"Dinner, and then… Netflix and chill?"

"I love your one-track mind sometimes," he grins. "I know you hate it, but I've been wanting to actually try that St. Louis pizza. Can we get that?"

I groan dramatically. "Well, they also sell pastas and sandwiches, so… I'll live."

A/N: They're safe! For now, anyway, as Edward is worried about James trying to get revenge once he finds out his dastardly plot failed.

Many of you suggested that Bella should try to say that James misconstrued something innocent, but she went the other possible route and claimed that he hadn't seen anything untoward at all. She had the truth on her side about James's behavior, which was enough to convince the Dean. Edward isn't quite as good of an actor, apparently, and couldn't 100% hide his feelings for Bella.

Next update on Thursday.

For a teaser: Kind of a joke, but it's yet another title for two separate songs (at least) recorded by different artists. I'm sure someone guessed it the last time!