Chapter Text
She had just finished her second lecture of the day. The auditorium was slowly emptying as students zipped up bags, put on coats, and shuffled toward the exits in a low murmur of chatter. Beside her, Sarah had passed out barely twenty minutes into the lecture, her head tilted at an awkward angle against the seat. Taggie wasn’t surprised. When it came time to revise, it would be her own notes that the two of them would study off of. She didn’t mind, though. If anything, she liked the role. In their little circle, she was known as “the group mom”, in other words, the one who kept everyone on track, remembered deadlines, and made sure no one was left behind.
Taggie slipped her laptop into her bag and tucked her water bottle into the side pocket before gently nudging Sarah’s foot. “Hey, the lecture’s over. Time to wake up.”
Sarah woke up slowly, blinking like she’d just returned from another planet. “Already?” she mumbled, her voice raspy.
Taggie glanced at her watch and let out a soft chuckle. “It’s been over an hour. We’ve got another one starting in sixty minutes.”
They were beginning a new course today, one Taggie had been dreading since she first read the syllabus: Phonetics and Phonology. The very title made her stomach hurt. Out of all the modules required to complete her English degree, this one felt like the most difficult. Still, there was no avoiding it. She would simply have to endure it.
Sarah wobbled slightly as she stood, grabbing her purse from the floor with a yawn. The contrast between them was funny. Taggie moved through campus well-prepared. Large backpack over both shoulders, water bottle in one hand, phone in the other, as she checked the location of their next seminar. Sarah, by comparison, carried only a handbag filled with what she considered essentials: makeup products, a big bottle of perfume, her wallet, and a huge number of pencils. However, no notebook. It often seemed as though Sarah simply carried extra pencils on Taggie’s behalf, as if that counted as her contribution.
They made their way out of the large auditorium and walked out into the busy hall. The wide space was packed with students lingering near the cafés and food stalls that lined the area. It was lunch hour, and navigating through the crowd felt like parkour, dodging groups of friends laughing over sandwiches, weaving past someone balancing a tray of coffee cups, and avoiding backpacks that swung with every turn.
By the time they pushed through the heavy exit doors, the cold winter air struck them like a slap. Taggie winced. She hated winter. The scenery was beautiful, the fresh snow covering the ground in a white layer, clinging to tree branches and rooftops like something out of a postcard, but the charm ended there. The cold wind cut straight through her jacket, and the chill made her jaw tighten, her saliva feeling as though it might freeze mid-swallow. She shivered, pulling her jacket over her shoulders like a poncho in an attempt to trap some warmth.
The walk to the main academic building was short, yet every second spent outside felt horrible. Her breath formed little clouds in the air as she walked forward, already longing for the moment they would step back indoors.
Sarah walked a few steps behind Taggie, her feet dragging heavily across the snow covered path. She was still groggy from her nap in the auditorium, moving with the reluctant energy of someone who would rather be back in bed. Taggie glanced over her shoulder. “Sarah, please,” she said, impatience creeping into her voice. “I’m going to turn into a popsicle if we don’t walk faster.”
A grunt was the only reply, but the sound of quickened footsteps quickly followed it as Sarah reluctantly picked up her pace.
When they finally stepped inside the warm main building, the rest of their group was already waiting outside the large café, huddled together against the lingering chill seeping through the doors. The moment they spotted Taggie and Sarah, their faces lit up, and their hands flew into the air in exaggerated relief.
“Finally!” Seb exclaimed. “We were seriously debating whether you two had been caught in a blizzard out there.”
Taggie chuckled, shaking her head as the familiar banter washed over her. Archie gestured dramatically toward the staircase. “Shall we?” he asked, then slipped into an exaggerated posh accent. “I am famished, dear friends.”
Bas rolled his eyes but joined the others as they climbed the rather steep stairs to the upper level. To everyone’s surprise, the queue at the cash register was short despite it being peak lunch hour. They scanned the day’s offerings, and Taggie opted for a simple turkey sandwich. She wasn’t particularly hungry, since her father had actually taken the time to prepare breakfast that morning before rushing off to another hectic day at Corinium. Declan O’Hara’s talk show had made him a recognisable face across the country, but unless people caught her surname, very few connected him to her. She found that anonymity was relieving. The last thing she wanted was extra attention.
They paid for their meals and took a good table near the windows. Sarah settled on Taggie’s left, while Bas took the seat to her right. No sooner had they begun eating than Archie spoke through his first massive bite, barely pausing to chew. “Did you guys hear about the new lecturer?”
“You’re disgusting, man,” Bas groaned, crumpling a piece of paper and tossing it at him. “Chew first”
Archie simply flipped him off with a grin. Sarah took a sip of her drink and leaned forward, cutting into her chicken. “I heard he’s really handsome,” she said, her eyes sparkling as she glanced around the group.
“I heard he flirts with the students,” Bas added with a smirk. Seb pointed at Bas and nodded in agreement, as though confirming a well-known rumour.
Taggie remained quiet, listening as she ate. She knew almost nothing about the new lecturer, only that he was someone they hadn’t encountered before. She had never been one to listen to gossip and made it a point not to let other people’s opinions colour her first impressions. She preferred to judge for herself.
“I also heard he’s a Tory,” Archie announced, looking around for reactions.
That piece of information landed with more weight than the others. Their campus sat in a very leftist area; conservatives were rare enough to stand out like bright flags. “And how would you know that, Archie?” Taggie asked, finally breaking her silence. “They don’t disclose political affiliations anywhere. They’re not allowed to.”
Sarah nodded in agreement. Taggie had never known the political leanings of any of her previous lecturers, so why would this one be broadcast so openly?
“My dad saw him at a Conservative party function,” Archie explained. “He looked very… engaged, to say the least.”
Taggie had no response. She chose to reserve judgment until she could see the man for herself. In the end, it didn’t really matter, as long as his personal views didn’t affect his teaching, what he did in his spare time was none of their concern. Still, she knew her father would be less than thrilled to learn one of her lecturers was a Tory. But then again, the less he knew about her own recent activities, the better. She had learned that lesson the hard way.
Once everyone had finished eating, they gathered their things and made their way across campus to the next lecture. The room assigned to them was much smaller than the earlier auditorium, creating a noticeably more intimate atmosphere. They claimed their usual spots in the far back left corner, the boys in the row ahead, and Sarah and Taggie seated behind them. Sarah leaned back slightly, looking as though she might attempt another nap, but Taggie knew she wouldn’t dare, not in such a compact space where everything was far more visible.
The room gradually filled with students, the air humming with quiet conversation and the rustle of notebooks and laptops. Taggie glanced up at the clock. Their new lecturer was already ten minutes late. University rules stated that if a lecturer was more than fifteen minutes late, the session could be cancelled, but she found herself hoping he would show up. The sooner they got through this dreaded phonetics and phonology module, the better.
Then, exactly fourteen minutes late, he arrived.
The door opened, and Taggie’s eyes locked onto the man as he stepped inside. As he walked toward the front of the room, time seemed to slow. He carried himself with a noticeable authority, his hair slightly tousled in a way that somehow looked intentional, paired with a button-up shirt neatly tucked into khaki trousers. Every pair of eyes in the room followed his movement. He moved as though the space belonged to him.
Sarah let out a small, involuntary gasp and grabbed Taggie’s arm. “Oh, he’s fit,” she whispered excitedly.
Taggie scoffed under her breath. “He looks like a prick,” she muttered back, earning a light slap on the arm from Sarah.
“Welcome to your first phonetics class,” the man began, his voice deep and commanding as his gaze swept across the room. “My name is Rupert Campbell-Black, and I will be guiding you through the ins and the outs of the subject.” He leaned casually against the desk behind him, completely at ease.
“Each lecture will be followed by a seminar. Every week you’ll have a short writing assignment, and at the end of the month, a bigger essay based on the assigned material.”
Taggie’s eyes widened. She was used to academic writing by now, but her dyslexia made every essay a significant challenge. Most courses had one major paper or exam at the end, not this relentless stream of assignments. Still, she had no choice but to manage it.
A hand shot up. Rupert nodded toward the student, who cleared his throat. “Isn’t this schedule a bit too hectic for such a small course?”
Rupert’s lips curved into a smirk, as if he took quiet pleasure in the discomfort he was causing. “I don’t know,” he replied smoothly. “You tell me, since you’re apparently the one teaching the class.”
The student fell silent, clearly flustered. Rupert continued, his tone firm. “If you think this is too much, consider dropping the course. No one forced you to enrol, and no one will force you to complete the work. But if you want to pass, you’ll listen and do as I say.”
A few scattered nods could be seen throughout the room. Taggie felt her jaw tighten. He sounded incredibly entitled. From the very first moments, she already knew she did not like him.
“Now!”, the man said and clapped his hands together. “Let’s dive into the Great Vowel Shift”.
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He turned out to be a decent lecturer, though. Thorough and articulate. He explained complex concepts at a slower pace that allowed Taggie to keep up with her notes, even if her spelling was imperfect. The words were at least readable, which was all that mattered. Sarah, meanwhile, contributed essentially nothing. She spent the entire lecture openly ogling Professor Campbell-Black, her chin resting dreamily in her hand. He glanced in their direction several times, each look prompting a fresh wave of quiet giggles from Sarah.
As the session drew to a close, he wrapped up with his usual confident air. “The instructions for the upcoming seminar will be available on Canva, along with today’s PowerPoint slides and the relevant pages from the course literature.” He stepped behind the desk and began unplugging his laptop, gathering his notes and belongings with efficient movements.
“Come on,” Sarah whispered urgently, tugging on Taggie’s sleeve with barely contained excitement.
Taggie suppressed a groan. She already knew exactly where this was heading. Reluctantly, she packed her things and followed a visibly thrilled Sarah Stratton to the front of the room.
“Mr. Campbell-Black,” Sarah said sweetly, drawing his attention.
He looked up from his desk. “Yes…?”
“Sarah Stratton,” she replied, flashing her most charming smile.
“Miss Stratton. How can I help you?” His eyes drifted slowly from her face down to her toes and back up again, making no effort to hide his appraisal. Sarah clearly enjoyed the attention. Taggie, however, rolled her eyes. The rumours about him were apparently not exaggerated. Did he have to be so obvious about it?
“I’m very confused about the material,” Sarah began, with pretend innocence. “Specifically the Di… Diph….”
“The diphthongization and mergers,” he finished smoothly for her.
Sarah lit up, clearly delighted that he was engaging with her. “Maybe I could stay behind tomorrow after the seminar? You could give me… a thorough explanation.” She looked him up and down suggestively.
Taggie wanted to gag. She felt like an unwilling spectator in a scene she had no desire to witness.
“Sounds good, Miss Stratton,” Rupert replied, his voice laced with amusement. Then his gaze shifted to Taggie. Those piercing eyes locked onto hers. “And you, darling?”
She froze.
“How can I help you?”
Darling? The word felt startlingly unprofessional, especially in front of other students.
“I don’t need any help, thank you,” Taggie replied, her tone cool and firm. She had no intention of giving him the impression that she was interested in anything beyond the coursework. She refused to behave like the blushing schoolgirls who seemed to orbit him.
“That’s a shame,” he said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips before he winked at her and returned to packing his things.
Ew.
Taggie turned on her heel, grabbing Sarah’s arm as they hurried out of the room. Only when they were a safe distance down the corridor did she speak. “Sarah, are you out of your mind?!” she hissed, gripping her friend’s arms.
Sarah giggled, completely unbothered. “What do you mean?” she asked with wide, innocent eyes.
“Don’t play dumb,” Taggie said, almost annoyed. “This could get you into serious trouble.”
She didn’t even want to imagine the potential consequences if things escalated. She hoped Rupert had enough sense not to cross any real lines, though his inappropriate comments were already concerning enough.
“I didn’t do anything,” Sarah shrugged, still smirking. “I don’t know what you’re on about.”
Taggie sighed. This girl could charm her way out of anything. As the self-appointed “group mom,” Taggie felt responsible for keeping Sarah in check.
That marked the end of the school day. Taggie decided not to stay late to study with the group. Caitlin was home from boarding school, and she didn’t want to miss a single moment with her younger sister before she returned to campus.
The drive home was peaceful, a big contrast to the noisy, wild chaos of university life. It felt as though someone had finally hit the mute button on the world. Taggie exhaled deeply, the tension in her shoulders easing as the quiet countryside roads replaced the crowded campus paths.
She pulled into the driveway beside her father’s car, grabbed her bag, and headed toward the front door. Before she could even reach for the handle, the door burst open, and Caitlin launched herself into her arms.
“Taggie!!” she squealed. “I’ve missed you so much, you have no idea!”
The initial surprise melted into warmth. Taggie dropped her school bag and wrapped her arms tightly around her sister, holding her close.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, you two, step inside and close the door,” Maud called from inside, her voice laced with dramatic complaint. “You’ll have the electricity bill skyrocketing from all the heat escaping. This house needs to stay warm in this dreadful winter!”
The sisters laughed softly and stepped inside, shutting the cold air out behind them. They wandered into the kitchen and living area. Their father sat on the sofa, absorbed in the newspaper, while their mother hovered near the piano, her fingers ghosting lightly over the keys as if afraid to disturb him.
Caitlin and Taggie settled on the sofa opposite Declan. He lowered the paper slightly. “Tell me, Taggie,” he asked without fully looking up, “how was your first phonetics class?”
“It was alright,” she replied, leaning back and resting her head against the cushion, “but the lecturer seems… very special. Full of himself, to say the least.”
“Oh yeah?” Her father’s interest peaked. “Who is he?”
“Rupert Campbell-Black.”
“Rupert Campbell-Black??” The name echoed simultaneously from her parents and Caitlin, but in very different tones. Declan sounded concerned, bordering on angry. Maud and Caitlin sounded intrigued.
“That man has quite the reputation,” her father said with a serious tone. Taggie hadn’t known much about him beyond campus gossip; she rarely followed city news or social circles.
She must have looked confused, because Caitlin jumped in with a giggle. “Let’s just say there aren’t many women who haven’t slept with him.”
Maud tried to hide her own amused smile. Declan, however, was far from amused. He finally set the newspaper down completely. “That man is everything I despise in a person. No morals whatsoever. Active in the Conservative Party, entitled beyond belief. And it doesn’t help that he’s filthy rich on top of it all.”
It all clicked into place for Taggie, the way he had looked at Sarah, the arrogant way he carried himself in the lecture hall.
“Promise me, Taggie,” her father continued, his voice serious. “Promise me you won’t spend any time alone with him. “Don’t let his interest catch you.”
She nodded quickly. “I rarely need one-on-one time with lecturers anyway. I do fine on my own.”
“Taggie, darling,” her mother said, sweeping her hair back with a casual gesture, “isn’t there an open house at the university soon?”
Taggie nodded. She had even volunteered to help out.
“Maybe I should pay your school a visit,” Maud mused, her eyes sparkling with poorly concealed interest. “Just to see the place for myself.”
“Maud,” her father warned in a low tone.
“What?” she replied innocently, though everyone in the room knew exactly what she was thinking
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Thank you for reading. I'm just testing out the waters with writing again, especially when I'm obsessed with these two as of current. If you have any feedback of some sort or just want to drop a comment, feel free to!