“What is this?” I asked as I picked it up.
A few of the words written below: ‘All students from second year from english, business, history, biology, journalism, will have to write and present an essay at the Pennsylvania’s biggest conference room, and there are 10 winners per region. Participation isn’t obligatory but it will help with your final score and attendance.’
Oh.
“It’s in two weeks. Are you going to participate or just attend?”
I didn’t know what to say… this was a great opportunity for my future career in journalism… my parents would love this but I felt unsure about my abilities.
“I will participate,” I said.
He walked back to his seat. “Good. So,” he spoke to all students now, “we will be booked in a hotel, students and a few professors, including me. This presentation is very important. It can effectively open doors for your future career and help your CV shine. Plus it will be a great way to network since there will be many important people.”
“How long should the essay be?” A girl asked him and she was literally eating my professor with her eyes, he didn’t notice.
“2000 words, enough for a fifteen minutes presentation.”
Mr. Reynolds was excited about this contest. His eyes sparked. For a brief second he looked at me and smiled. Maybe I had imagined it.
The class was over.
I let everyone go and I took longer than necessary to pack my things. I know I shouldn’t do this but I had to ask him.
He definitely noticed I was yearning to talk to him.
“Mr. Reynolds,” I said as I walked up to his desk. He was scrolling on the laptop.
He eyed me suspiciously and then stood up.
“Yes?” He looked around. No one was here and the door was closed. If anyone came now, I would have just looked like a nerd student asking questions.
“Why did you humiliate me like that?”
He seemed taken back. “Nadia, I didn’t humiliate you. I had to call you out just like I did with any other student this month. I can’t give you special treatment or others will be able to tell-” he suddenly stopped, maybe realizing he shouldn’t say it.
“Tell what?”
“Nothing.”
“Tell me. What will they be able to tell? How we ignore each other? How bad it hurts?”
“You are ignoring me, Nadia. You. Not me. Last time I saw you, you ran out of my office.”
“Because you keep saying I’m your f**king student!” I raised my voice.
Mr. Reynolds stood up and came closer to me, he now stood inches away from my face. If I didn’t judge by his angry expr**sion, I’d think he would kiss me.
“Lower your tone. I won’t let you speak like this to me, understood?” His voice was deep and authoritative. My heart beat fast in my chest. He’s never spoken to me this way…
Despite my heart racing and feeling nervous of the way I pissed him off, I wanted to continue pushing his buttons.
“Or what? You will ignore me ha*der?”
Maybe I shouldn’t have done that.
In one second, he grabbed me and put me up against the wall. I was confused and worried someone could enter but also electricized by this sudden dominance switch from him.
“Because I will f**k you until the whole f**king institute hears you screaming my name.”
I gulped down ha*d. My mouth was dry and my p**sy was w*t. This is all it took?
“I will enjoy it.”
He laughed for a second, his eyes darkening with a wicked seductive hue like never before.
“No. I doubt you will.” He let me go. He fixed his tie as his jaw clenched. My heart was still hammering out of my chest. I loved the gentle side of him but this… this woke things in me that would make me cheat on my boyfriend.
“Go write your essay.” Short, concise and cold.
“I’ll write it when you f**k me,” I winked at him and laughed as I was already rushing to the door and he had no way of catching me without making a scene. His face was priceless.
I considered that a win.
When I closed the door behind me, a woman in her fifties appeared.
“Good morning,” I said even though I didn’t know who she was. Then I remembered I saw her before talking to Charlotte, she was the biology teacher.
“Is professor Reynolds inside?” she asked and I nodded suspiciously. Why did she ask? Do they even know each other? Does biology and history mingle? Maybe they drink coffee together. I guess she is old enough.
He is married and loyal. I needed to remind myself of this constantly. But he did admit he would f**k me so what if he would f**k her too? I was spiraling.
“Yeah… He is.” I was standing in her way, she raised her eyebrows. Now she was suspicious of me. I needed to calm down. I couldn’t be this reckless.
Charlotte came up to me, hugging me by surprise, but I kept looking at the closed door. What were they talking about? I had to know.
“What’s up?” she looked at the door. “You had history class? Did you hear how they are organizing a college trip for a presentation contest?”
All her speaking was going and coming out of my ears.
“Who is your biology professor? What’s her name?”
“Amelia Fitzgerald. Why? You wanna add an extra course?” She laughed but I forgot to reciprocate so her expr**sion changed.
“Just curious to see who we are going with on our trip,” I replied.
“Will you present? It could be exciting!”
“Yeah. Sure. Exciting is the word I would use to describe it,” I said as my mind wandered to my professor. What would happen if I had to see him everyday at the hotel for three days? Everyone would be there but maybe… maybe we would go unnoticed- f**k, I needed to stop. I was with Sebastian, he was probably going to be there since he studied business.
We walked to the cafeteria, well, mostly she dragged me away. When I sat down, I saw Isaac Thompson. He was suspended only for two weeks and I had the displeasure of seeing him quite often this month. Isaac wouldn’t take his eyes off me and I felt uncomfortable.
Charlotte noticed but said nothing.
“I still wonder who snitched on me. I just didn’t want Seb to know, he is always eyeing me now.”
She took an unusual long time to reply. “Is he doubting you?”
“Yeah, I think. Maybe he thinks tall, blond Isaac twisted my attraction.”
“Could that happen? He kinda cute,” she said and I looked at him for a brief second. Blue eyed guys with porcelain skin weren’t my type. My type was Mr. Reynolds.
“As if. Dude is a complete piece of shit. I’d rather drink bleach.” We bursted out laughing and he noticed us. His expr**sion was unreadable but something told me this won’t be the last time he will cross my path to annoy me.
Teacher Mrs. Fitzgerald and my professor came walking into the cafeteria. They were laughing and bickering and it hurt my soul. Since when they were friends?!
Penelope sat down near me, with a coffee in her hand. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.
“It feels like I haven’t seen you in ages.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.