Hot For Teacher(47)

“The point is, no matter how anyone tries to spin the story, your reputation will be ruined, and my name will be dragged through the mud. We need to wait this out.”

“I don’t want to stop seeing you.”

“That’s not my first choice, either, but how do you propose we act normal on campus?” Edith looks at me. She has a point. I open my mouth to protest, but she raises her eyebrows, challenging me, and I know she is right. I hate it when she’s right…



Edith

It’s weird being in my apartment again. After they fix my door with a new reinforced steel door, which Jack likely picked out himself, he wants to stay. Shelby and Aiden want to drop by, to bring me a fattening dinner from the Grease Lounge, but I am really tired. I am still feeling wiped out from the flu and sore from Jack’s undivided attention between my thighs. My body is pretty much giving up on me, so arguing with Jack depletes the rest of my energy. When he looks my sofa over, he says he wants to buy me a new bed. I explain it pulls out into a full-sized bed, but I was so sick and tired last week, I hadn’t bothered to pull it out. Everyone is exceptionally pushy, but I push back, declaring I need some alone time, earning me pouts and dirty looks. It is only Monday, so I promise I will see everyone tomorrow, making Jack promise to treat me like the rest of his students. I even threaten to call the janitors to have them steal his podium. He grunts and leaves, leaving me alone, wondering why I sent him away in the first place. After spending the weekend at Jack’s, my studio apartment does feel a little lacking, but I have everything I need to get by. Granted, a television or a computer would have made everything easier, and my phone only has basic texting features. I try to study a little, but that is pointless because my mind wanders right back to Jack, so I turn off the lights and drag the covers over my body. When that doesn’t work, I try fluffing my pillows. The last thing I remember is flipping my phone over and reading the digital display at 2:15am.

Today is Tuesday, so I am heading over to campus for my class with Jack. I try mingling with other students and sit in my regular seat, which I haven’t seen since last week. As I pull out my book and notebook, my phone beeps.

JH: Hi Beautiful.

I look around, wondering where Jack is. He gave me his number before he left my apartment, but I didn’t expect him to use mine. He is standing at his podium, obviously texting.

JH: You look tired. Did you sleep well?

Barely. Nice podium, BTW.

JH: I’m kind of attached to it. Meet me after class?

Why? Where?

JH: Because I miss you.

Okay. I plan on going to work after class, though.

JH: You don’t have that job anymore.

Don’t pout. It’s the other job. The one you haven’t made me quit yet.

JH: How many jobs do you have, woman?

Just enough to support myself. : - ) You’re being bossy.

JH: Fine. I’ll drive you, just meet me.

Ok

JH: Don’t worry about a quiz today. : - )

I put my phone back in my bag, both relieved and annoyed. We aren’t having a quiz today, and I know Jack is doing it because of me. This is exactly the shit that is going to get us caught. I listen to Jack’s lecture and manage to remember most of what he’s said, making sense of my jumbled notes. As long as I have some things prepared when I meet with Daniel for our tutoring session, it won’t be so bad.

I stand in a small park across from one of the library halls and wait. Jack pulls up and I quickly get in his car. As soon as I buckle my seatbelt, he takes off. We are both quiet the first few minutes.

“God, today was torture for me. Seeing you and not being able to touch you…” Jack grabs my hand, squeezing it gently.

“Jack, you can’t skip quizzes because of me,” I say, looking at him.

“Actually, you can thank Daniel for that. My unhelpful TA forgot to make copies of it and didn’t have it prepared.” Jack looks over, smiling at me.

“Okay…,” I say slowly. “So, then, why are we meeting like this? Someone could have seen us. Where are you going?”

“I want to show you something.”

Jack pulls up to a small Victorian house in a nice neighborhood about five minutes from campus. A new car, a red Prius, is parked in the driveway. “What’s this place?”

He takes my hand and walks me up the steps of the front porch. He takes a set of keys from his pocket and opens the beautiful double front doors to the house. We step inside and walk around the first floor, stopping in the back of the house and the large kitchen. I step forward to the counter and double sinks, looking out into the neatly manicured backyard.

“This is what I want, Edith. For you. For me. For us.” Jack steps behind me, but doesn’t touch me. I’m blown away, but a pit forms in my stomach at the same time. We can’t have this, at least not anytime soon.