Olivia fumed the entire drive to the studio. How dare he not write her a letter. She had been his student for years, and not just any student, his star pupil. Olivia didn’t understand. At every recital, every performance, hers had been the highlight. She had always been in the spotlight.
She screeched the car into the parking lot and ran up the stairs to the studio as best as she could in Maddie’s wedges. The door to the practice room was shut. Without knocking, she flung it open wide and Mr. Tunbridge looked up from his desk with a start.
“Olivia.”
“How dare you?” she seethed.
“I know that you’re upset, but it’s not your time yet.”
“Not my time yet? Whose time is it?”
Mr. Tunbridge pushed his glasses up his nose and leaned back in his wooden chair. “Listen Olivia. I was only allocated one recommendation for the audition, and I gave it to Hannah. You need more time.”
“Hannah? Hannah?!” Olivia screamed. “Hannah isn’t half the cellist I am and you know it.”
“What’s gotten into you?”
Olivia took a deep breath. She had started off in attack mode and it clearly wasn’t going to get her anywhere. She sauntered over to her teacher’s desk and hopped up on top of it, settling her ass onto a stack of sheet music. She leaned forward so that Mr. Tunbridge could get a good look down her top.
“I’m ready. I have what it takes.”
Mr. Tunbridge seemed taken aback. “I think you’ve got the wrong idea.
“Do I?” Olivia said, and spread her legs wide in front of him.
“Hmmm.” He stroked his chin. “Perhaps we can make arrangements for a more, er, practical approach to your lessons.”
“If we embrace a more ‘practical’ approach, would that make me ‘ready’ for a recommendation?”
“It might take a few sessions, but I think that could be the outcome.” He slid a hand up Olivia’s thigh.
She shuddered. She hated him, but she leaned back on the desk and propped herself up on her elbows.
Mr. Tunbridge stood up so that he was positioned between Olivia’s slender legs at the edge of the desk. He ran his hands up her thighs and pushed up her skirt. Olivia concentrated on holding back her tears. She sat up and he put his hand on her neck, holding her still. He slid his other arm around her waist and yanked her forward, pressing her body against his.
“I always knew that you would become my star pupil,” he whispered into her ear.
Olivia felt like she was going to throw up. Mr. Tunbridge undid the halter strings on her top and pulled it down around her waist, revealing her plain white bra. He licked his lips and reached around to fumble with the clasp on her bra.
Olivia focused on the ceiling and tried to disassociate herself from what was happening to her body. She felt a tear slip down her cheek as he successfully undid her bra and pulled it off her. Her nipples puckered in the cold air. He licked his lips and leaned in to kiss Olivia’s neck. She gulped and tried not to vomit, Mr. Tunbridge was breathing heavily and making guttural groaning sounds. He slid her skirt up so that it was around her waist, revealing her white panties. As the hem of her skirt hit her waist, Olivia lost control of her tears and they streamed silently down her face. Mr. Tunbridge fumbled for his belt and Olivia’s heart dropped when she heard his pants fall to the floor.
“Olivia don’t!” Maddie screamed.
Olivia snapped out of her trance to see Maddie panting in the doorway. Mr. Tunbridge turned and frantically grabbed for his pants.
“Maddie. This is something that I have to do,” Olivia said quietly, and covered her breasts with her crossed arms.
“You heard her.” Mr. Tunbridge said. “You need to leave.”
“I’m not leaving,” Maddie said. She put her hands on her hips and took a wide stance, like a football player, getting ready for a play.
“I’ll charge you with trespassing.”
“Go ahead. I’ll tell them that you are here taking advantage of my sister.”
“Olivia came here of her own volition and spread her legs in front of me. She wants to be here, and last I checked she is an adult.” He buckled his belt without doing up the zipper and strode toward Maddie. He grabbed the door and tried to close it but Maddie wouldn’t budge. He put his hand on her shoulder and tried to shove her out into the hallway. “Get out of here. Now.”
“She’s not going anywhere.” A loud voice boomed from the hallway.
Olivia gasped, “Blaine.”
She heard his boots stomp up the stairs. He appeared behind Maddie and shoved the door so hard that the frame splintered. It hit Mr. Tunbridge straight in the face and he screamed as blood gushed from his nose.
Blaine burst into the room, his eyes wild. He surveyed the room and rushed over to the desk. He wrapped Olivia in his arms. She sank against Blaine’s familiar chest and started sobbing loudly. Blaine stroked her hair and held her tightly against him.
Mr. Tunbridge stood up and wavered on his feet like a drunkard.
“Get out. All of you,” he stammered.
Blaine stepped back from Olivia and kissed her softly on the lips. He took off his t-shirt and pulled it over Olivia’s head. She threaded her arms through the sleeves and clutched the extra fabric tightly in front of her.
“I believe that you owe this lady a letter.”
“I don’t owe her anything.”
The shirtless biker stepped forward, his hands balled into fists at his side. “Write the letter. Now,” he growled.
“I will do no such thing. And from this point on, she’s no student of mine.”
Olivia’s eyes were wide. “No!” she screamed. “I need this.”
Blaine turned to face Olivia, “You don’t have to do this.”
“I do.” Olivia said quietly. “It’s what I’ve worked for my entire life, and what do you even care? Why don’t you just let me do this and go be with that biker whore.”
“Liv.” Blaine pulled back and grasped her hands in his. “Nothing happened with her. Nothing will ever happen with her.”
“But I saw it with my own eyes,” she sobbed.
“You saw her all over me when I was black out drunk. Listen, I’ll explain everything to you, but right now I just want to get you out of here and away from this predator.”
“Predator. Pfft. The girl wanted it. She’s a smart one, choosing her future over a dirty biker,” Mr. Tunbridge said from behind Blaine.
Blaine froze. He slowly turned to face the man that had insulted him. He took one huge step forward and punched Mr. Tunbridge in the face so hard that he spun around, hit the wall, and collapsed to the floor. Blaine kicked him in the ribs and called out for Maddie.
“Liv. I promise I will make it up to you,” he whispered to her. “Right now, you and Maddie need to get out of here. Give Maddie your car keys and I will come and get you later.”
“What are you going to do?” Olivia asked.
“I don’t know yet,” he said. He grabbed her face and kissed her gently. “Now go, get out of here.”
Olivia searched his face and found comfort in his eyes. She knew that she would trust this man with her life and that she would do anything for his. She hopped off the desk, still wearing Blaine’s black t-shirt, which was more like a dress on her, and she and Maddie scampered down the stairs, holding each other’s hands tightly.