After Class

Late Night Lessons in Seduction

A Novel

By: Ella Morris

First Kindle Original Edition, June 2013 Copyright 2013 by Ella Morris This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and situations either are the product of the author's imagination or are used factiously. All rights reserved . No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written consent from the author. Ella Morris, Author http://www.authorellamorris.com Twitter.com/EllaMorris https://www.facebook.com/authorellamorris

1
The sun shines through the window blinds in a classroom, casting rays of shade on the students scattered throughout the room. The room is large in size, giving it the feel of a lecture hall, but only a handful of the students chose to attend, leaving the room feeling rather vacant. Some students pay vigorous attention, jotting down nearly every single word they hear, while others lie with their heads in their folded arms, trying to sleep off last nights hangover to prepare for yet another tomorrow. Among the students is Taylor Murray, following suit of a few students and catching an unintentional afternoon nap. Taylors long blonde hair flows over her crossed arms and onto the textbooks, notebooks, and barrage of pens and pencils underneath her. Her classmate, Janessa Thompson, sits beside her, listening intently to the lesson being given and occasionally giving Taylor a bit of a nudge to wake her up. Tired of watching her classmate nap while she plays the good student role, Janessa jolts the bud of her pencil into Taylors ribcage, causing her to wake violently. Taylor fires Janessa an angry look with her piercing blue eyes, but Janessa simply ignores it and directs Taylors attention to the professor standing at the front of the classroom. Wakey wakey sleepy head, Janessa whispers to Taylor. Youre never going to get through college if you keep sleeping through class. At this rate, Im going to die before I graduate, Taylor whispers back, wiping some dried up drool from the corner of her mouth. She brushes through her golden hair with her fingers in an attempt to calm the mane that became unmanageable during her nap. She then finally starts to listen to the professor as he speaks, through squinted eyes. Remember, your final exam is in 2 weeks and it accounts for 50% of your final grade. The majority of you need to attain at least a 75% average on this exam to pass this course, scolds the professor, as he turns to the class from facing the whiteboard, jotting down the note: THE INFLUENCE OF SHAKESPEARE ON MODERN DAY LITERATURE PAPER DUE ON MONDAY Anything other than that is considered less than satisfactory in my books. The professor stands before his class wearing black, thick-rimmed glasses. There is a sense of maturity and wisdom in his demeanor, yet by his fashion choices, it is obvious that the man has not lost touch with the modern generation. He has a muscular build and intoxicating green eyes. For a man, he is very handsome and for an older man, he is even more attractive. He bears a 5 oclock shadow over his entire jaw line, giving him a rugged quality. His shirtsleeves are rolled up, showing his strong forearms and the veins that pump blood deep inside of them. A small group of female students often sit at the front of the classroom, completely taken by the professor and his appearance. They attempt suitable flirtations such as batted eyelashes and the occasional coy smile but are shut down immediately by his professionalism. He runs his right hand through his salt and pepper colored hair, before placing both hands on the back of his desk chair. He takes a moment, a breath and finally begins to lecture his class. I know that English 101 isnt the most enthralling class you will take during your college careers, but that doesnt mean that you all have to half-ass it, as the words escape his lips, his eyes lock with Taylors. Im expecting more from all of you. If this class is any indication of how you are all going to get through

your college careers, Id give up now and save your parents money. Janessa nudges Taylor in the arm following the professors words. She leans in towards Taylor, as if to tell her a secret. That means you Tay. Sleeping in class is a no-no, Janessa whispers, smiling. She turns her eyes back to the professor, then jots down a few more notes in her notebook before closing it shut. Taylor shakes off the accusation and looks to the clock, which reveals that yet another class is almost over. A sense of relief would come over her body, if she were not stressed beyond her limits. Fatigue can be seen evidently and blatantly on her face; she adorns bags under her eyes, her hair slightly disheveled and it is apparent that she is feeling the pressure involved with college. The girl who once took pride in the way she presented herself to the world, complete with smoldering eyes, tamed hair and sometimes, even the slightest glaze of gloss on her plump lips, is now nothing more than a stressed out ball of nerves held in tightly by drawstring sweatpants. She looks down at the heap of books before her and starts to pack up as the professor ends the lesson. Remember, your papers are due on Monday by the end of the class, the professor declares. I will cross my fingers this weekend for a better turn out than the last catastrophe that was considered a college level English assignment. The students are silent as they pack up their belongings and head for the door. They all shuffle their books, close their laptops and shove all of their materials into their bags or simply slide them off the tabletops in a collective bunch as they leave the room. Taylor and Janessa pack up their materials as well. Janessa perks up and is on her feet before Taylors brain can catch up to what is happening. Janessa notices her friends lack of pep. Whats up with you lately? Not getting enough play? Ive told you, I have a boyfriend and no, thats not it, Taylor mumbles with undertones of frustration, as she is slow to get to her feet. Then what is it? Janessa asks. Im just so Taylors words are interrupted by the professors demand. And Taylor Murray, Id like to have a word with you. Taylor rolls her eyes slightly, feeling even more frustration come over her. Good luck with that, Janessa whispers to Taylor. Ill wait for you outside. The girls finishing packing up their things and head down the stairs of the classroom. Janessa bolts for the exit before glancing back at Taylor. The two lock eyes briefly before Taylor turns her attention to the professor, as if Taylor is to say save me now all with just one glance before she approaches the desk with caution, like a soldier preparing themselves for battle. You wanted to talk to me, Mr. Zakarak? she quietly asks. She stands nervously in front of his desk, clutching her textbooks to her chest as if to use them as a shield for the lashing that she knows is about to come. Mr. Zakarak sits quietly at his desk. He shuffles through papers in his briefcase before even acknowledging Taylor. She waits in anticipation for what is to come next. It seems like it takes an eternity before Mr. Zakarak engages in conversation. He pulls out a bunch of papers, all bound together in a folder. He places it in front of Taylor. Do you know what this is, Miss Murray? Thats my last project, Taylor says as she recognizes what is placed before her. That would be correct, Mr. Zakarak proclaims, and do you know why I am showing you this? Taylor shakes her head no. Im sorry, I dont. Mr. Zakarak pauses briefly. He takes his glasses off and stares into Taylors eyes. This is an A+ worthy project. You put together a great paper, and its obvious that you have the chops to be a good student. The only problem is that you are showing up late for class, not to mention sleeping in class and handing in projects late and therefore, you arent getting the mark that you deserve, he says to her gently.

I would have loved to give you an A+ on this past project, but since you submitted it after the allotted time, you arent getting the full credit. Do you see what Im getting at? Taylor inhales and exhales deeply. The frustration and weight of exams nearing and project deadlines approaching is more than she can handle, but she shakes off the stress and looks into the eyes of Mr. Zakarak. I promise Ill have something better for you on Monday. I will work really hard this weekend, Taylor replies, knowing that she is lying between her teeth at the thought of all the impossible work that needs to be done. At a time when exchanging smiles would be expected, Mr. Zakarak turns the moment into a sour one. I would sure as hell hope so, he snarls back at Taylor. Now, you are dismissed. Baffled, Taylor beelines for the exit, not wanting to hear any other words come from the lips of Mr. Zakarak as she is on the brink of reaching her breaking point. Frustrated and overwhelmed, she leaves the classroom in a hurry and bursts into the hallway. Janessa stands just outside of the doorway, and it is obvious that she was eavesdropping on the entire conversation. Taylor knows that her friend was listening, but she walks right past her, heading towards the campus quad. Janessa runs up behind her to catch up, books flailing in hand as she scurries. Hey, what the hell was that all about? Janessa asks with a sense of curiosity, trying to stick her nose into Taylors business, once again, even though she heard nearly ever word during their exchange. He was so pissed! Taylor ignores her and continues down the hallway. Her eyes focused on her path ahead and she attempts to block out anything else that may interfere for it may get to her and she is doing everything in her power to keep it together. After being ignored by Taylor, Janessa urges on, wanting to pry the information out of her friend. I bet he has a crush on you. He always looks at you during class. I bet he thinks of you when he is porking his wife, Janessa says, as a smile curls on her lips, trying her damndest to get a rise out of her friend. The words are a catalyst to Taylor, who cannot fight off the frustration any longer. Her steps stop immediately and she turns to Janessa, fiery anger pulsing through her veins. Cut it out, will you? Im sick and tired of your childish banter. Cant you see that Im stressed? Dont you realize that I have to keep a 4.0 for the next 4 years or else my parents will flip? Do you understand how much pressure I am under? Taylor snaps at Janessa. Janessa stares at her blankly. Her mind cannot comprehend the lashing she has just received. Even though she wants to give her friend some consolation, she cannot muster the words. She feels attacked and even more so, she feels insulted. I dont know what crawled up your ass and died but its college. Give yourself a break! You are supposed to have fun and enjoy yourself, not stress yourself out to death, Janessa snaps back at Taylor. Try loosening up. God! Taylor wants to fight back. The fighting words are at the tip of her tongue, but she realizes she has more important issues to tend to, such as the important paper for Mr. Zakaraks class, among many other things. Getting into a fight with Janessa would simply be a waste of time. I gotta go, Taylor says to Janessa. She turns sharply, trying to hide the tears welling in her eyes. Whatever, dude, Janessa fires back, turning in the opposite direction on the campus quad, heading towards a group of college students out enjoying the weather playing Frisbee. Have fun being miserable while everyone around you is loving life! Taylor rolls her eyes and continues across the quad on this sunny afternoon. The warm breeze flows through her hair and tickles the trees beside her. It is unseasonably warm for this time of year and the rest of the college seems to be taking full advantage of it but Taylor is too focused on heading towards her dorm room to notice. Students gather on the quad, some eating lunch while others mingle in groups. Taylor

forces herself not to look at the students enjoying themselves, as jealousy would overcome her. As she walks, her cell phone rings in her pocket. Frustrated, Taylor picks it up and notices it is her parents calling her. Not wanting to deal with what they have to say right now, Taylor silences the call and stuffs the phone away. She continues walking in a steadfast movement, heading directly for her dorm building. Upon reaching the entrance, she grabs the handle in a swift movement and heads inside. The fresh air outside comes to a screaming halt the second she enters the dormitory foyer. The smell of bodies, sweat, mold and alcohol hits her like a ton of bricks. She has once again entered hell on earth. Misery continues to pour over her as she heads up the stairs to the seventh floor, feeling like she just reentered the prison that she is forced to call home. Taylor heads down the hallway to her room. As she nears the door, she can hear what sounds like people engaging in sex coming from inside her room. Taylor rolls her eyes and knocks on the door. Go away, a female voice shouts inside the room. Taylor becomes more and more frustrated, pounding on the door again. I said go away, the voice commands back. Taylor has had enough, like this is the last thing she needs right now. She fumbles for her keys in her pocket, and forces entry into the room. She grabs the door handle and slams the door open. Inside the room, lies her roommate, Nicole Smith, on a bed near the right hand side of the room with an unfamiliar young man. The sheets cover their naked bodies, but by the redness in their cheeks, their messy manes and the odor in the room, it is obvious to the senses what was occurring. Ah shit! Nicole screams. The sheets rustle on the bed. In a panic, Nicole kicks the male off of the bed with her legs, leaving him exposed on the floor. Blushing, Taylor turns to face the window, shielding her eyes from what she knows is already going to scar her for life. Get out! shouts Nicole from the bed, as she looks around for her clothing. Uh, where are my clothes? the young man asks, protecting his manhood with his hands as he gets to his feet. Over in the corner, now get out! Nicole cries. The young man notices his clothing, and starts to dress. Taylor is still facing the window, but occasionally looks back to catch a glimpse of the hilarity that is ensuing. No, dont get dressed you idiot! Get out! Nicole continues to yell after him. Taylor remains standing facing the window, her demeanor changing dramatically from when she first entered the room. Seeing the young man struggle and Nicole yell in utter humiliation is starting to crack her up. She begins to giggle but silences herself immediately. The young man looks back at Nicole, holding his clothes and continually protecting his erect crotch from being completely nude. So, should I call you? he asks as he stands before her. Nicole locks eyes with him briefly, before becoming even more enraged. What are you still doing here? I said get out! Nicole screams one last time. Flustered and even more embarrassed, the young man finally makes a run for it, darting out of the room and slamming the door behind him. Before the door closes completely, shrieks from other female dorm students can be heard among the hallways. Laughs and other sounds of shock can also be heard. Taylor still stands facing the window, but now she is smiling. She waits for word from Nicole before she dares to turn around, like she is waiting for her to try to come up with something to say. Embarrassed, Nicole finally locates her last article of clothing and attempts to make herself more presentable to her friend. After a few additional seconds of organizing her appearance, she finally lets out a sigh. Tay, I am so sorry, Nicole cries out in desperation. Im so embarrassed.

Taylor turns around slowly. She changes the expression on her face to give the illusion of disgust. When she locks eyes with Nicole, Nicole can only help but feel even worse about what just happened. Too embarrassed to speak, Nicole can only hang her head in her hands. Taylor walks over to her friend, grabbing a desk chair on her way towards the bed. She spins it around and takes a seat, never letting her eyes leave Nicole. I was about ready to lose my mind and scream at you, but I have to say, that was the funniest thing I have seen all day, Taylor smiles. Unfortunately, it is at your expense, but you just made my day. Now, tell me, who was this gentleman that you courted this afternoon? Nicole turns to her friend and gives her a playful nudge. She continues shaking her head. Oh shut up. I dont want to hear about it. In fact, I never want to talk about this again, Nicole says to Taylor. You know what? That sounds like a good idea to me, except, Im pretty sure you have scarred me for life, Nicole, Taylor says. Walking in on you and a new guy every week. Youd think Id become accustomed to it, you know, that it would get easier? Not a fat chance! You are going to owe me for all of the counseling Ill have to go through after college. Well, that is what I am in Psychiatry for, Nicole replies, sarcastically. You should be in Sex Ed. I have a hunch that it is your true calling in life, Taylor says under her breath, but loud enough for Nicole to hear it and get a rise out of it. Nicoles jaw drops with a smile and she playfully shoves her friend again. She is desperate to change the conversation and put the focus on a different subject. So anyways, how was class today? Did it kick your ass again? You look like shit. Taylor rolls her eyes and takes a deep breath in and out. She gets up and moves the desk chair to the desk where she takes a seat, turning to her books. She glances at them for a moment but returns her attention back to Nicole. I am losing my mind! I have a project due in every class every day next week, and to top it all off, my English prof reamed me out after class today, Taylor leans her elbow on the desk chair and uses her hand to hold the weight of her throbbing head. I hate English. I have no idea why I need it. I hate these god damn prerequisites. Im on my last straw, Nic. I dont know what Im going to do. Worst Tay, thats rough, but you shouldnt be so hard on yourself, ya know? I know that you want to work hard and I know that you want to impress your folks and all, but you need to take care of yourself. College is supposed Yeah, yeah, I know. College is supposed to be the time of my life. Im supposed to get drunk, mess around a bunch of randoms, experiment with my sexuality, smoke weed, do drugs and do everything else that is not involved with school. Nicoles face brightens. Exactly! Now you are on track! She giggles and lies down on the bed, swiping on her cell phone and checking for any updates. Taylor fires Nicole a look of sarcasm. Please, my parents are going to put my head on the block if I dont pass with a perfect 4.0 and Im pretty sure that Chad wouldnt appreciate me sleeping around. Seeing Nicole play with her phone reminds Taylor that she missed her parents call. She picks up the phone and sees a voicemail message. She listens to it. But hes not even here! The guy is two thousand miles away. He would never know! Nicoles eyes are fixated on her phone as she says the words to Taylor, as if she is texting something to someone behind Taylors back. Nicoles cheeks flush red as she tucks the phone away. On Taylors line, she can hear her mother giving her a lecture on how she needs to respond to her calls especially when her parents are paying for everything. Taylor rolls her eyes and slams the phone on the desk. Nicole notices her change in behavior. Whats wrong?

Just my mom. Its like my parents are trying to control my every move here. Im sick and tired of them, she says as she turns around to her desk and opens a textbook. Im not a child anymore. I just wish they could see that. At the end of the day, though, she would rather her social life suffer than have her parents breathing down her neck but she would never truly admit it. She continues studying the lines blankly in the textbook, as if it is just routine for her, but her thoughts are interrupted, as the textbook in front of her is slammed shut. Nicoles hand is in her line of sight and she stands above her. Nicole then places her hands on Taylors shoulders, bringing her head in close to whisper into her ear. The only thing you are doing tonight is coming out with me! We just got invited to this Frat Party over at Alpha. These invites dont come around too often. We are totally going! Nicole springs up and starts to gather a towel, body wash and other toiletries. Taylor, stunned, turns and looks in Nicoles direction. She starts laughing. Um, are you nuts? There is no way I can go out and get drunk tonight. I have to study, write a paper and... Taylors words are interrupted by Nicoles finger. Shh, you are coming with me tonight lady, and that is final! Just give yourself a small study break. We will go out for a few drinks, talk to some people and you can come back here if you want. You cant tell me you are honestly going to spend the next 6 hours wasting away in misery while the biggest party of the year is happening just down the street? Taylors eyes fixate on Nicoles finger placed on her lips. Her thoughts are forced from thinking about the party to the realization of what happened as she entered the room. Taylor slaps away Nicoles finger. Alright fine! Ill come, but as long as you get that dirty finger away from me. I dont know where that has been! Nicole laughs and taunts Taylor with her finger. Never mind my finger honey, you should be worried about this whole damn room. Nicole exits the room, winking back at Taylor, and laughing as she heads into the shared bathroom to freshen up for the nights events. Taylor, stunned by Nicoles words, looks around the room and shudders. She looks at her textbooks, the clock and then sighs. She knows that she should stay and study, but she thinks back to her moms lecture on the voicemail and it fuels her decision. She feels like rebelling and being bad. She needs some form of release. Her body is begging her for it. She slowly peels herself off of the desk chair and heads towards her closet, gathering a towel and other shower utilities for herself, glancing around at the room again, especially Nicoles bed. Im going to need a shower too, Taylor whispers to herself.

2
Even though darkness has set upon the college grounds, the students are just awakening and coming to life. All throughout the streets of frat houses, sorority pads and dormitories, crowds upon crowds of students flood the area. Some students are being dropped off from other locations via cab while others only have to walk a few steps to be at the party zone. Club music blares from the inside of the Alpha household. Some partygoers are outside on the front lawn, playing all sorts of drinking games while others dance and mingle about. Its a Friday night and it is the time for everyone to let go of the pressures of school and to finally give in to what college life is supposed to be all about. Taylor and Nicole approach the frat house and see a few familiar faces. They say hello to a few friends and classmates and continue their way into the house. The moment the two girls enter the house and before either of them can mutter a word, they are handed a beer in a plastic party cup and Nicole is whisked away by the young man she had a fling with earlier. Nicole can only make mumbling sounds before her new male friend locks lips with her in his drunken state. She tries to wave to Taylor but can only muster movement with her index and middle fingers, as her hand is stuck holding the beer in her red plastic cup. Taylor looks onward and watches as Nicoles new man friend takes her into a nearby bedroom and shuts the door behind them. So much for having a fun night out with her, Taylor says to herself. She looks at the other partygoers. Women are half dressed, only wearing short skirts and bras as some men do body shots off of them. A group of men are sitting around a dining room table, each of them chugging beer. There is another guy nestled close to a beer keg, filling up each of their cups as they become empty from chugging. Through the mess of bodies, Taylor finds it hard to find someone that she knows or that she wants to let alone, associate herself with for that matter. She looks down at her flat beer and decides to take a sip, only to want to spit it out on the floor a few seconds later. Feeling alone and thinking how this time could be spent studying and achieving that 4.0 grade average, Taylor spins around and heads for the door. Just as she spins, two beautiful women walk into the house. They are slightly older than everyone else but still carry that youthful, partying vibe. They are dressed to impress, wearing black cocktail dresses and their hair done to perfection. They are in full makeup and look like they were plucked off of some fashion runway in New York. After the two women catch her eye, Taylor suddenly recognizes a familiar face but not before the same thought process is reciprocated. Well if it isnt Miss Taylor Murray, the taller blonde says, coyly, crossing her arms and starring Taylor dead in the eyes. She bears a smile on her face that makes her slightly less intimidating. Standing before Taylor is none other than Chantelle Boudreau; Taylors role model and rival ever since Elementary School. Chantelle was the kind of girl that didnt have to work hard to achieve perfection. She always had the perfect skin, perfect hair, perfect family, perfect boyfriend and what Taylor envied the most, the perfect grades. Chantelle graduated from grade school with outstanding marks that were previously unheard of, only to be followed by getting on the Deans list with distinction and honors every year in college. She was the girl that every guy wanted and that every girl wanted to be, especially Taylor. Oh my god, Chantelle! What are you doing here? Taylor goes in for a hug and wraps her arms

around Chantelle. The two embrace and smile from cheek to cheek. Just because Im graduated doesnt mean I cant come to these parties every once in a while, Chantelle smirks. Still in shock, Taylor grabs at the thin air for words. Well its so good to see you! You look great! And you look like hell, honey. Whats the matter? Taylor knows the signs of stress can be seen across her face and that the lack of sleep is hitting her hard. She drops her head briefly but doesnt want to seem weak in front of Chantelle. This is her rival. She cant lose. She has to keep it together. Taylor musters up some confidence and tries to put on a smile. Just a college student trying to get good grades. You know how it is, Taylor replies, trying to keep the smile on her face but the pain and frustration she feels deep inside has no choice but to surface and shine dully through her lies. I know, college can be stressful, but there are always ways around getting what you want and not having to work too hard to get it, Chantelle says, smiling and winking at her friend next to her. Her friend smiles back and looks at Taylor. Chantelle sure knows how to get what she wants, the brunette next to Chantelle says, just as she notices someone that she knows. She waves to them in the distance. Ill catch up with you later, Chantelles brunette friend says as kisses her on the cheek and disappears into the crowd. Still trying to decipher what the brunette meant, Taylor looks towards Chantelle with a questioning gaze. Chantelle brushes her lips with her thumb and smiles coyly. She meets Taylors gaze. What did your friend mean by that? Taylor asks, puzzled. Chantelle takes a moment. Just as she is gathering her thoughts, a young male passerby walks up to her and stuffs a red plastic cup containing beer into her hand. Cant have any fun without a little booze there, hottie, he says as he continues on his mission to ensure everyone in the house has a drink. Chantelle immediately dips into the keg beer. It tastes flat but she downs it anyways, more so as a coping mechanism and slight escape from Taylors questioning gaze. So, are you going to tell me? Taylor asks, as she grows more and more curious. Chantelle looks around the party for an open sofa or someplace to sit down. She scans the room and notices a patio door open at the back of the kitchen. She grabs Taylors hand and leads the way. Cmon, lets go someplace a little quiet and Ill tell you all about it, Chantelle says to Taylor as they both make their way through the droves of drunk, sweaty, college students. Taylor and Chantelle slip out of the house and onto the back porch. There are a few college students outside; some of the students are positioned around a fire in the back corner of the yard while a few others hang around bushes expelling the alcohol-laced contents from their stomachs. Chantelle notices a porch swing unoccupied and dashes towards it, still pulling Taylor behind her like a hesitant dog on a leash. Chantelle takes a seat on the swing and Taylor stands before her, unsure if she wants to sit. Chantelle, what did you do? Taylor asks before she sits down. She is nervous and afraid of what Chantelle is going to say. Come. Sit down and Ill tell you all about it. Chantelle taps the empty seat beside her three times and gestures for Taylor to sit down. She finally gives in and takes a seat. She turns towards Taylor. Back in my first year of college, I was just like you. I was stressed out beyond belief, my parents were riding my ass every day and my relationship was struggling. I felt so much pressure and I didnt know what to do until I noticed that my Psych prof was acting the same way. Hed come into class frazzled and stressed, just like me. There was a rumor going around that him and his wife

were going through a divorce. My grades were slacking hard in his class so I figured Id make him a deal. I told him Id scratch his back if he scratched mine, if you catch my drift. Taylor looks stunned at Chantelle. Her jaw hangs wide open and her eyes glazed over in disbelief. Did you sleep with him? Her voice is almost a yell. Sssh!!! Chantelle fires back. She pretty much stuffs her hands over Taylors mouth as a way to conceal her. Im sorry, Taylor reacts, muffled by Chantelles hands. But seriously, did you? Chantelle shakes her head yes. I did. I mean its not my proudest moment, but once I did it with him, the word spread among the other male staff and before I knew it, I was giving hand jobs all over the place, graduated a year early and with a solid 4.0. My parents were proud, no one ever found out and I was golden. Taylor sits, shocked and speechless. She looks to the red plastic cup in her hand and downs the rest of the contents. It was necessary. She doesnt know what to say. Her mind is reeling. She thought Chantelle was the perfect student and the news is hitting her hard. Wow, Taylor says and that is the only word that she can press through her lips. Chantelle looks towards Taylor and puts her hand on her leg. The two lock eyes for a moment. I know its not what you expected but you know how tough college can be and you especially know what Im talking about when it comes to pressure from your parents. I just had to do what I had to do and even though I regret it, Im thankful for it. Taylor continues to sit stunned. She tries to speak but nothing comes out. Now that the cat is out of the bag, lets both get drunk and pretend we never had this conversation. How does that sound? Chantelle asks. Taylor shakes her head yes. She still sits in disbelief. Okay good. Now lets party, Chantelle says as she grabs Taylors hand and drags her back into the house. Taylor can only follow her lead and drops her red plastic cup on the way in, her hands unable to even grasp anything, let alone her mind.

3
Hours pass and Taylor is a few too many drinks into the night. She is in the heart of the makeshift dance floor in the living room and is surrounded by people she doesnt know too well. Nicole is off with her male suitor and hasnt been seen since the beginning of the night. Chantelle and her friend are off doing body shots on the kitchen table as cheers from the crowd edge them on. It is nearly 1:00 am but by the looks of it, this party has just begun. Taylor is swinging her arms above her head and letting completely loose. The bass from the club music takes over and she can feel the stress leaving her body. After months of hard work and stress, she is finally letting go. She is enjoying herself. She is having fun. It is a cathartic moment for her and a necessary one. She needed this. She wanted it bad. At the peak of her enjoyment, Taylor can feel a vibration in her pocket. It is her cell phone going off. It snaps her out of her moment and back into reality. She pulls the phone into her dazed view. It is her boyfriend, Chad, on the other line. Taylor snaps out of her drunken haze and excuses herself outside of the house. She swipes open the phone, steadies herself and answers it. Hey baby, how are you? Taylor yells into the phone, sounding like the quintessential drunk college girl. Hello, Taylor? Where are you? What are you doing? Do you know what time it is there? Chad asks on the other line with an underlying tone of rage and worry. Taylor tries to calm herself and tries not to slur her words. Hey Chad, Im sorry. Nicole pressured me into coming out tonight and we are just on our way back to the dorm now. S - sorry I didnt call you earlier. Chad falls silent on the other line. Taylor can tell that he is upset. Listen, we are just going to start walking back so Ill call you when Im in bed, okay? Taylor waits anxiously for a reply. She is starting to teeter on her feet. Whatever, bye. Chad hangs upon the other line. Taylor, unaffected by the tiff, shoves her phone back into her pocket and heads back inside. Upon arriving back inside the home, she sees Chantelle and the brunette getting ready to leave. They are both attempting to hold the other up but fail to do so. They stumble out of the home and walk up to Taylor. You guys are leaving? I thought you came here to show us younglings how to party, Taylor snarls at the two girls. Chantelle smiles and composes herself briefly. She shifts her weight from the brunette onto Taylor. She hangs off of her and brings her lips up to Taylors ear. Its up to you now, Taylor. You hold the reigns. Make momma proud. She breaks from the halfhearted embrace and winks at Taylor. Oh, you can take the reins on that woman, Taylor says. Theres no way I can top you. Chantelle taps Taylor on the shoulder and smiles. You say that now, but if you are anything like me, we will see how long you last. The two girls walk past Taylor and hail a cab off of the street. A few moments later, they are gone into the darkness of the night. Taylor stands watching the cab drive down the street and Chantelles words ring in her head. Was it that easy? How did she get away with it? Is it something that she could do? She shakes off any thoughts that she might have, turns and heads back into the party. Just as she is about to finally enter the house, Nicole comes bursting through the front door. It takes her a moment to

notice Taylor but when she does, she grows excited and jumps on of her, nearly taking down both girls to the ground when she does so. Taylor! Ive been looking all over for you. Where have you been? Nicole shouts into Taylors ear. She is beyond intoxicated and reeks of sex and liquor. Looking for me all night? Bullshit! Thanks for ditching out on me, you broad, Taylor says to Nicole, laughing. Nicole breaks from the drunken embrace and laughs. She grabs onto Taylors shoulders. You love it. Whatever, lets go home. Im wiped and I cant handle another tequila shot. After the phone call with Chad and the bizarre conversation with Chantelle, Taylor is ready to head home. At this point, she needs all of the sleep that she can get. She grabs onto Nicoles waist to brace her and wraps Nicoles right arm around her neck. Alright, lets get us home. The two girls walk across the lawn of the house and make their way back to the dormitories. The once warm spring air has now become far cooler and the wind wisps their hair and chills their skin. It is a refreshing sensation and helps them both to alleviate some of the nauseous affects from the alcohol. Taylor and Nicole both continue walking and realize that this walk might be one of the longest they will ever take together. Both of them intoxicated find humor in even the smallest things on their trek back to the dorms. So how was your night? Taylor asks Nicole, drunk. Is this guy a keeper? I cant remember the last time you hooked up with the same guy twice. I think this means youre married. Taylor stars humming the wedding march song and walks Nicole down the sidewalk as if walking down the aisle. The two girls laugh and Nicole shoves her weight into Taylor. See, this is the Taylor that I love and remember. Its good to see you let loose and actually enjoy yourself for once. Yeah, I guess it was a fun night, but Chad called me and he sounded pretty pissed that I was out and not studying. Sometimes I feel like he puts more pressure on me than my parents, Taylor says to Nicole as the two of them cross the street, arm in arm. Dump him! Seriously. Dump him. You had so much fun tonight and that is what college is all about. Maybe you need to spread your wings a bit more, Nicole demands. Nicoles words cause Taylor to think briefly and to consider the thought greatly. The consideration is short lived as Taylor remembers her encounter with Chantelle. Oh! Youll never guess who I saw tonight. Freaking. Chantelle. Boudreau! Seriously? Shes a real winner, still going to college parties even though she graduated forever ago, Nicole says with distain. It is obvious that she doesnt feel as positive about Chantelle as Taylor does. What is she doing with her life anyways? More like who is she doing, Taylor snaps back at Nicole. Taylor knows that she should keep the information a secret but has a hard time hiding things from Nicole. What? You got some gossip tonight? Do tell! Nicole looks towards Taylor as the two girls near their dorm. The two girls approach the front doors to the building and Taylor stops them before they enter. She looks around her in all directions, making sure that no one is in the near vicinity. She brings Nicole in closer and spills the beans. The reason why Chantelle got through college with an A+ in every class and a perfect 4.0 grade average, is because she nearly fucked every professor she had! After a brief moment of shock, Nicole bursts into laughter. Well little Miss Perfect isnt so perfect after all, hey? Wow! Thats hilarious. Shes such a slut. Taylors mood tanks almost instantly. She idolizes Chantelle and Nicoles words pierce through the fact that she is not one to model a career around. Thats good, Tay. Thats real good. Nicole grabs onto the front door of the dorm building and

pulls herself inside. Man, such a good night! Taylor heads in after her and the two girls stumble around the lobby until they reach the elevators. They head up to their floor and exit the elevator. The two of them are desperately trying to be quiet as they make their way to their room, but no one is able to be quiet when they know they have to be, especially when they are drunk. The two of them start laughing uncontrollably in their drunken stupor, for absolutely no reason, and start running towards their room. Nicole uses her key and opens the door first. She bolts inside and Taylor follows suit. Taylor slams the door behind her and the two girls jump onto their designated beds, laughing and enjoying themselves. Taylor stares up at the ceiling of their room. She relishes in the fun she just had and exhales deeply. In the same moment, she turns over to Nicole and catches a glimpse her desk in the corner of her eye. Her attention is then drawn to the stack of books and open laptop. She knows that she has an immense amount of work before her and the pressure starts building again. So, did you have fun for once? Nicole asks Taylor. It takes Taylor a moment to realize that Nicole is talking to her and she breaks from her focus and depressed state briefly. Yeah, I had a blast, thanks, she says half assed. Taylor shifts her attention back to her desk. She looks at the clock on the wall and realizes it is 2:00am. She knows she better get to work, even if her thoughts are clouded and her judgment affected. Alright, sleepy time for me, says Nicole as she undresses. Nicole slips out of her party clothes and into her underwear. She slides her body beneath the covers of her bed and turns away from Taylor. She begins to pass out, makeup still on and teeth unbrushed. Taylor fights the fatigue and intoxicated feeling. She pulls her phone out of her pocket and remembers the phone call with Chad. Not wanting to deal with another argument at this hour of the night, she opens her text message function on her phone and decides to send Chad a text. HEY BABE, SORRY ABOUT TONIGHT. DIDNT WANT TO CALL AND WAKE YOU. WILL CALL IN THE MORNING. LOVE YOU. NIGHT. Taylor turns off her phone and places it on the bedside table. She looks at her desk again and contemplates the idea if she should read just one chapter before she heads to bed. Finally, she decides one hour wouldnt hurt and she climbs out of bed. The rustling of papers on her desk and the glowing of the laptop wakes Nicole. She groans and snarls at Taylor. Dude, go to bed! Your books will be there in the morning. I promise. Taylor breaks from her readings and whispers to Nicole. Sorry, just wanted to catch up on something. Ill be done soon. Dude, youre drunk! Just go to bed! She pauses momentarily. Maybe you should sleep with your prof and you wouldnt have to pull this shit anymore, Nicole snaps as she rolls back over and tries to sleep. At first, the words offend Taylor but she cant think of anything to say in defense. Then, much to her dismay, she starts to actually consider the idea given to her from Nicole. Staring at the massive workload before her, she feels the heat and she feels like she is losing her grip on reality. The conversation she had with Chantelle is now coming forward in her mind. She looks at her email folder on her laptop and sees Mr. Zakaraks name. She thinks to herself, what would be the harm in asking? How bad would things get if he said yes? In her state of clouded judgment and the drunken haze, Taylor clicks on Mr. Zakaraks name and opens a new email draft. She begins typing with furor and desperation, despite feeling the effects of the

alcohol and how the room seems to be spinning. DEAR MR. ZAKARAK, IVE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID AFTER CLASS TODAY AND I AM WRITING TO YOU FOR SOME ADDITIONAL HELP. AFTER THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION, I WAS THINKING THAT MAYBE WE COULD COME TO SOME SORT OF AN AGREEMENT IN REGARDS TO MY STUDIES. MAYBE IF I WAS TO PERFORM SOME FAVOR FOR YOU, I COULD RECEIVE AN A+ IN RETURN. I DONT MEAN TO COME ON STRONG, BUT I AM AT MY WITS END. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. SINCERELY, TAYLOR MURRAY Taylor stares at the computer screen and her eyes are squinting from the bright light. She hovers her mouse over the send button and allows it to linger there for a moment. As she continues to stare at the computer, she can feel the effects of the alcohol intensifying. The room begins to feel as though it is spinning severely and her nausea is becoming more and more dominant. Before she knows it, Taylor can feel the alcohol wanting to exit her body. She instantly darts up from the desk opens the girls dorm room and bolts for the bathroom. This commotion causes Nicole to wake up. Taylor, what the hell is going on? Nicole looks around the room and notices the door is open and Taylors laptop is still on. Nicole gets up, saunters over to the door, slams it shut and then stumbles over to the laptop. She trips up on the chair and her hand accidentally slams down on the mouse, pressing the send button on the email browser. Nicole composes herself, slams Taylors laptop shut and slides back into her bed.

4
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Mr. Zakaraks strong right hand slams down on the buzzer of the alarm clock placed next to his king size bed. The clock strikes 7:30 am and it is time for him to wake up. He opens his eyes and looks to the other side of the bed. It is empty. He pulls himself together and swings his legs over onto the side of the bed. He sits himself upright and lingers on the side of the bed for a moment. He looks over at the bedside table and notices his wedding band sitting there. He hesitates for a moment and decides to put it on. After yawning and stretching on the bed, he heads down the stairs of his home and enters the kitchen. He puts on a pot of coffee and pulls his laptop out of his bag. He sets it on the kitchen island and waits for it to boot up. In the same motion, he checks on his cell phone charging on the kitchen counter. He has a voicemail message from his wife. He listens to it. Hey James, its me. Sorry I couldnt get a hold of you last night. I was too busy with this gala. Ill be sure to check in later. I love you. Bye. He puts the phone down and stares at it for a moment. A part of him wants to call her back to check in but he refuses. He ignores his phone, walks over to the refrigerator and looks for something to ease his morning hunger. The coffee maker brews a single cup of coffee and the aroma alerts him that it is ready for his enjoyment. He walks over to the laptop on the kitchen island with his coffee and fruit salad in hand. He sets his items down beside the laptop. He then shifts his attention to the laptop, which is notifying him that he has new email messages. After a sip of coffee, Mr. Zakarak opens up his email in a new window. He navigates through the usual junk mail, offering him products that he doesnt need erectile dysfunction remedies, Russian mail order brides and single hot 18 year olds in his neighborhood. He also checks a few staff emails, but nothing captures his eye. He notices that his spam folder has a (1) beside it and usually, he would disregard anything that enters that folder, but today, he finds himself curious. After dipping into his fruit salad with a spoon, he opens up the folder and notices Taylor Murrays name. She is the sender of the email, with no subject line. Mr. Zakarak opens up the email and reads it. His eyes trace the words across the screen. As he reads, his face grows more and more puzzled. When he finishes, he has to read it twice to make sure that he read it correctly. Shocked, Mr. Zakarak shuts his laptop, as if he was looking at something he shouldnt have been and perhaps someone was accusing him. His heart flutters in his chest and his stomach is in knots. He stares blankly at the kitchen island, lost in a train of thoughts. He picks up his coffee mug and takes a huge gulp. Well, thats one way to start the day.

5
Taylor lies on the bathroom floor with her head pounding. She is curled around the porcelain toilet and feels like hell. She is awake, yet too afraid to move, for any sudden movement could result in another bout of vomiting. Realizing she forgot her cell phone in her dorm and not strong enough to get up, she lies and waits for the nausea to subside or for someone to come rescue her. Never before in her life has she felt this awful. The taste of alcohol and vomit lingers on her tongue and her body reeks of booze. Her clothes are bathed in sweat and her skin is pale. She lies with her mind racing about the nights events, trying to piece together the pieces but some parts are missing. She can hear voices outside of the stall she is in wondering about who is under there and if they are okay. Taylor wiggles her toes to signal that she is still alive, but too weak to talk. After what feels like eternity of lying on the bathroom floor, Taylor can hear Nicoles voice calling after her. Tay! Taylor! Hey have you seen Taylor? Nicoles voice calls in the distance. A few moments pass and Nicole comes racing into the bathroom. The giggles start even before she opens the stall door where Taylor lies motionless. Miss Taylor Murray, there you are! Nicole exclaims as she swings open the bathroom stall door holding a glass of water. She smiles at Taylor. Good morning sunshine. Ugh, I feel like Ive been hit by a bus. I really drunk bus. Like a bus filled with alcohol. Oh god. I dont even want to think about alcohol. Even the movement of her lips feels like she is going to puke. Her mouth starts to fill with saliva again. Well, obviously we need to work on your alcohol tolerance. Until then, this should help, Nicole says as she holds out the ice cold glass of water. Come and get it. Taylor knows that sitting up might make her vomit, but she knows she needs the hydration and badly. Nicole crouches down to help Taylor to sit upright. The two girls work slowly until Taylor is up. She grabs for the water. Her hands shake as she presses the glass to her lips, but she downs a bit of water. It helps to ease the shakes and the taste in her mouth. She goes in for another sip. Ive got to say though. It sure is fun seeing you like this. It kind of makes my life, Nicole smiles, as she stands upright again. Come on though, lets get you showered up and smelling less drunk. Taylor knows that a shower would do her some good. She shakes her head yes. Nicole helps her up and guides Taylor toward the showers that are located within the shared bathroom. Here, Ill start running the water for you and you can hop in. Then, Ill go get your things and have them here waiting for you when youre done, says Nicole as she reaches her hand into the shower to turn on the hot water. Now, go freshen up. Taylor looks at her with squinty eyes and speaks the fewest words possible in fear of the water coming back up. How are you alive this morning? Nicole smiles and taps Taylor on the shoulders. Im a pro, honey. This is every weekend for me. Im like a college veteran. Taylor shakes her head in bewilderment. She then slowly undresses and hops into the shower. ***** After her shower and as mid afternoon approaches, Taylor is finally seated at her desk. The Tylenol

offers her some relief from the headache that pounds on throughout the day and with some small bites of food in her belly, she feels more stabilized. Taylor tries again to piece together the night and suddenly remembers her fight with Chad. She reaches for her cell phone, turns it on and waits for it to boot up. When the phone comes to life, Taylor receives all of the missed calls and missed text message notifications; each and every single one of them from Chad. Her heart sinks in her chest. She dials Chads number immediately. The phone rings once. Twice. Three times. No answer. Just when she feels like all hope is lost, Chad answers on the other end with a Hello? Hey! Im so sorry! Taylor says with an apologetic voice into the phone. I had a crazy night last night and I never do that. I am so sorry if I upset you. I promise it wont happen again. Chad falls silent on the other line and this causes Taylor to feel sick to her stomach again, but for another reason. Its alright. I was just worried about you. Its not like you to go out and get drunk, says Chad. I just got a little worried and Im sorry I overreacted. I just really miss you. I miss you too. College sucks without you and I feel like Im losing my mind, says Taylor as she stares at the pile of schoolwork and studying in front of her. I just have a lot on my plate right now and last night was a bad idea. Chad laughs. How are you feeling today? Taylor sighs into the phone and holds onto her head. I am never, ever doing that again. That much I can tell you. Thats what they all say. So, whats stressing you out? You can talk to me, you know? Chad says as he tries to offer some form of comfort, despite being miles and miles away. Just everything. I feel like I dont get a break from school ever and when Im close to the finish or feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel, it just keeps piling on, says Taylor as she runs her fingers through her long, blonde hair. Im just frustrated and I dont want every conversation we have to be about school or how stressed I am. Chad smiles and it can be heard in his voice. I dont care what we talk about. I just want to hear your voice. Taylor smiles ear to ear and butterflies fill up her stomach. How lucky am I to have you in my life? Not as lucky as I am to have you babe. But you get to work. Start studying and just know that I love you no matter what. I will talk to you later, okay? Taylor doesnt want the phone call to end. She knows that as soon as she hangs up the phone, she is back to the life that she cannot stand. Okay, Ill talk to you soon. I love you too. Bye. Oh and say hi to Nicole for me. Bye! Chad says on the other line as he hangs up. Taylor stares at the phone for a minute, wondering why Chad wants to all of a sudden be Mr. Friendly with Nicole. She thinks nothing of it and hangs up the phone. As she does, she knows that the paper for Mr. Zakaraks class isnt going to write itself and that is the first form of work that she needs to check off of her list of things to do. The time is 3:30pm and Taylor knows that she has wasted a lot of precious time. It is now or never. It is time to get this paper done and to prove to Mr. Zakarak that she is better than what he thinks of her. It is time that she got that A+.

6
The weekend seems to pass faster than it ever has before. It is Monday morning and Taylor is getting ready for the day. She is in the dorm bathroom, washing up, applying makeup and feeling good. She worked hard on her paper and she is ready to prove to Mr. Zakarak that she is back on track. After a very drunken Friday night, Taylor buckled down on Saturday and Sunday and finally feels like she has a grip on reality. Rested and put together, Taylor decides today to spruce up her wardrobe. Instead of opting for the usual sweatpants, she decides to actually look presentable. She puts on a pair of tight jeans, a white button down shirt and some brown stylish boots. She feels good again and she feels like herself. The first two classes of the day seem to whiz past her. She jots down all of the study notes her notebook can handle and that her hand can write down. She listens intently and doesnt fall asleep. During lunch, she enjoys something healthy and homemade, rather than delving into the world of fast food. She sorts through her schedule, planning study days and what she wants to accomplish. Finally, college life doesnt seem so bad after all. Taylor walks down the hallway and approaches the room where her English 101 class is held. Students gather outside of the lecture hall, waiting for the previous lesson to finish so they can enter. Taylor stands and waits. A few moments pass and her classmate, Janessa, meets up with her. Hey Tay, how are you? I heard you had a pretty crazy weekend! Taylor looks at Janessa slightly stunned. She braces herself for the worst. What are you talking about? Everyone at the party loved you! They thought you were the bomb! You were doing so many Jell-O shots, it was insane, Janessa exclaims, in an excited fashion. I had no idea you were going! I would have totally gone. Go figure. The one party I miss, is the one where Taylor Murray lets loose. Taylor smiles and blushes. Well, it was certainly a sight to behold I am sure but let me tell you, Saturday morning was a whole different story. Im never doing that again. Thats what they all say, Janessa says as she winks at Taylor. So, did you get your paper done after that lecture bullshit Zakarak gave you Friday? Taylor grips her paper tight in her hands and holds it to her chest. Heres hoping! By the way, Im sorry about Friday. I was just really stressed and I didnt mean to take it out on you. Janessa pats Taylor on the shoulder. Hey, its not a big deal. Im sorry too. She smiles at Taylor and the two share a forgiving moment. The previous class is done and students leave the room. Taylor and Janessa file in along with the others. They take their usual seats in the lecture hall and wait for Mr. Zakarak to arrive. Realizing she has a few minutes to check up on some things, Taylor pulls her laptop from its carrying bag and opens it. She waits for it to boot up. So, what did you do this weekend? Taylor asks Janessa. Not much, surprisingly, says Janessa. I kept it pretty chill actually. I decided to maybe study for once. And how did that work out for you? Janessa sighs deeply. You see these bags? She gestures to her eyes. Thats about how well it went. Taylor laughs and turns her attention to her laptop. She accesses her email and sees an unread

message in her inbox. She clicks on it and sees that it is from Mr. Zakarak. Taylor becomes slightly nervous. She anxiously opens the message to reveal its contents. MISS MURRAY, PLEASE SEE ME AFTER MONDAYS CLASS. -MR. J. ZAKARAK Taylor looks confused at her computer screen, unsure what the email is about and why it was so short. She notices that Mr. Zakarak has replied to a message previously sent. Taylor has no recollection of sending him a message so she looks at the thread. As Taylor reads the email she sent to Mr. Zakarak, she sits paralyzed. Her cheeks flush a bright red and her heart pounds loudly and forcefully in her chest. Sweat is starting to form on her forehead and on her palms. She feels embarrassed. She feels like she is going to be sick. Oh my god, I have to leave, Taylor says to Janessa, as she panics and packs up her belongings. Janessa looks at Taylor confused. What? Why? What happened? Taylor ignores her and continues packing up her things. I have to Miss Murray, please sit. Class is about to start. Mr Zakarak enters the classroom and silences any movements of hers. She freezes as his words pierce the air. She stands, not knowing what to do. She knows that she cant leave and she has to face what is about to come. She sits down again and sits quiet. Tay, what the hell is going on? Janessa whispers. Nothing. Its nothing, says Taylor, her attention never leaving Mr. Zakarak. Mr. Zakarak sets his belongings down on his desk. He organizes his things and is ready to start the lesson. He approaches the front of the class. I hope you all had an enjoyable and exciting weekend. I know I did, he says to the class. Taylor knows that the comment is directed towards her and she tries to fight off the embarrassment. I also hope you all hand in your papers at the end of class. The students shake their heads yes and Mr. Zakarak smiles with approval. Good, I am looking forward to it. Now, lets begin on a new topic. Mr. Zakarak turns to the whiteboard and continues on with his lesson. For the entire class, Taylor and him exchange weird glances. The awkwardness sets in and fills the space between them. The tension is thick, palpable. Taylor sits for the entire lesson, her heart in her throat. She can barely even focus on the words coming out of his mouth and every single time his eyes scan the classroom, she fearfully looks away as he glance gets closer to hers. The end of class is nearing and this is the moment that Taylor has been dreading. A much larger lump in her throat forms, as she knows she has to face her drunken mistake. As you leave class, please stack your papers on the corner of my desk, says Mr. Zakarak as he takes a seat in his chair. He watches the students hand in their papers, one by one. Janessa starts packing up her things and gets ready to walk down the stairs to leave the class. She turns to look at Taylor. You coming Tay? Taylor gathers her things slowly, trying to avoid the approaching moment for as long as she possibly can. You can go without me, she says. Ill be right there. Okay cool. Ill wait for you outside class. Janessa finishes gathering up her things, walks down the stairs, and hands in her paper and leaves. Taylor is the only student left in the classroom and she still stands gathering her things. As she walks down the stairs, it feels like the walk of shame. She can feel Mr. Zakaraks eyes burning a hole in her the entire time. She doesnt look. She cant bring herself to do it. This is the worst moment of her life. She can barely hold onto her books her hands are trembling so bad.

Upon approaching the desk, she holds out her paper and sets it down on the corner. Before she can let go, Mr. Zakarak grabs it from her hands. The motion causes Taylor to make eye contact with him, even though it is short lived. She turns away from the gaze abruptly and hangs her head in embarrassment. I look forward to reading this, Miss Murray, says Mr. Zakarak as he places her paper on the top of the pile. He shuffles the stack of papers into his hands and slides them into his briefcase. Taylor stands, waiting before his desk. She knows that the conversation is approaching and she doesnt want to talk about it. She wants to make things right and to apologize, but she just cant find the words. Mr. Zakarak allows the silence between the two of them to linger. He wants Taylor to feel threatened. It gives him a sense of power that he enjoys. He gets off on it. She doesnt have to know that he, too, is at a loss for words. After avoiding eye contact long enough, Mr. Zakarak finally looks up at Taylor and she meets his gaze. They stare deeply into each others eyes, both knowing what is about to happen next. Taylor goes to open her mouth, but Mr. Zakaraks voice cuts her off. Listen, Miss Murray, I know that college is fun and that sometimes you can get a little carried away, he says as he leans forward into his desk. But what you said was highly inappropriate and it will not be tolerated in my class or in this institution. Taylors heart and head sinks further, the embarrassment and shame she feels starts reaching her core. I am so sorry, Mr. Zakarak. I dont know what I was thinking. I promise that it wont ever happen again. It wasnt like me and I am sorry. I cant apologize enough. Mr. Zakarak sinks his head and exhales deeply. He gets up and puts on his suit jacket. As he does so, it pulls his dress shirt tight, showcasing his muscular chest underneath his shirt. His pecs are rock hard and solid, with his nipples being slightly erect. This motion causes Taylor to look and it subconsciously causes her to shift her movement. It flusters her a bit, like she saw something she shouldnt have. She continues to stand before him, clutching her belongings to her chest and using it as some sort of a metaphoric shield as she always does with him. He finishes putting on his jacket and grabs his suitcase. On another note, I look forward to reading your paper. Ill see you on Wednesday, Miss Murray. You are dismissed. A breath of relief comes over Taylor and she bolts for the exit. Her heart is racing and the sweat drips on her brow. The exit to the room seems like it couldnt be farther away. She walks as fast as she can, without running, like the threshold of the door is safety and she cant get there fast enough. He watches her leave, his eyes falling to the floor once the mane of blond hair disappears around the corner. He sits for a moment on his desk, his eyes lingering in the direction Taylor walked out of the room. He sits, silent and just stares. Then, he goes into his suit jacket and pulls out his cell phone. He looks for a missed call notification or a text message- anything - and receives nothing. He wrinkles his nose and stuffs the phone back into his pocket, grabbing his belongings and heading for the door. Meanwhile, Taylor walks right past Janessa, who as always, has been listening to the conversation. She runs after her classmate to catch up and to get a bit more information on what just happened. Taylor! What was that all about? What did you do to him? she asks, running to catch up. She meets up with Taylor and stares her dead in the face. Stop it! Seriously, I dont want to talk about it, Taylor says sternly, as she picks up some pace to her step. She wants to run but cant because of her wardrobe decision today. Why out of all days is this happening to her? Why cant she get anything right? Just hold up and lets talk! Janessa says next to her. She is desperately hoping for a response and now her demeanor is more concerned rather than intrusive. The words that escape Janessas lips hit Taylor hard. She wants to talk about it. She wants to get it off of her chest. The thoughts racing through Taylor stop her dead in her tracks. Janessa stops alongside

her. Taylor notices a nearby bench and sits on it. Janessa sits beside her. Offering some comfort, Janessa places her hand on Taylors leg. Do you want to talk? Im here to help, she says softly. Taylor takes a deep breath and her bottom lip quivers as she inhales. Before speaking, she lets out a big sigh. She is trying to quell her nerves but is failing to do so. Her cheeks still burn a fire red and the sweat perspires down her forehead. After a few decisive moments and thinking if telling anyone what happened is a good idea, she begins to speak. Okay, you cant tell anyone. Do you promise? Taylor asks Janessa. She doesnt turn to talk to her but instead stares straight ahead. Janessa looks at her and holds up her pinky in front of Taylors face. I pinky swear. Taylor locks her pinky with Janessas and turns towards her. Panic and fear are stamped across her face. Alright, so I got a little drunk on Friday, as you know, well as everyone knows. Anyways, I met up with a friend that Ive known for years. She told me that her secret to getting through college with a 4.0 was that she slept with her teachers. So, having that thought in my mind, I guess I wrote a drunk email to Zakarak in hopes to get the same result. The only thing is that I swear I didnt press send but I must have. I was so drunk I didnt remember much of the night, Taylor says to Janessa, tears welling in her eyes. How could I do something like that? Janessas jaw hangs wide open. She is shocked and stunned. She stares at Taylor and has no idea what to say, akin to the way Taylor looked at Chantelle when she broke the news. Her mind is racing and her thoughts are skewed. Taylor was always an innocent and well-behaved girl. All Janessa can do is pull her in tight and embrace her. Janessa and Taylor hug each other close. After being able to piece her thoughts together, Janessa is finally able to speak. So, whats going to happen now? Was he mad? Taylor breaks from the embrace. She brushes some tears from her eyes. I dont know. All I know is I cant face him again. I have to get out of his class. But there are only a few weeks left in the semester. You only have like 2 weeks left. You can last. Taylors shakes her head. The stress is building in her body again. Just when she thought that everything was finally going well in her life, everything has crumbled down before her again. She was so close to getting it right, but once again, it is slipping through her fingertips. The two sit in silence for a moment. Janessa thoughts bring a smile to her face. Or you could blow his brains out and make him forget all about it. Taylor does not take the joke too kindly and she storms off, tears streaming down her face. Janessa wants to run after her and apologize, but holds true to her statement. She sits on the bench, smiling to herself. I know Id do it.

7
A metallic black, perfectly polished, brand new BMW coupe whips around the corner in a swank part of town. Each of the houses in this area line up perfectly and although brand new, they all have a sense of nostalgia about them. The car continues whipping around corners. A few more twists and turns and the black BMW drives up a driveway to a spectacular home. It is modest in size yet the landscaping out front and the brick detail gives this house the million-dollar appearance that every homeowner in this area strives for. Mr. Zakarak steps out of the car. He reaches inside and pulls his suit jacket and briefcase from the backseat. He walks up towards his front door, while pushing the lock and car alarm function on his keypad. Mr. Zakarak enters the home and sets his briefcase down on the floor. Honey, Im home! He sets his suit jacket on a nearby sitting bench and places his keys in a small bowl designated for keys and other trinkets. After no response from his wife, he continues walking through the entrance to the home. He enters the kitchen and sees no one. He peeks his head outside and still cant find his wife. While loosening up his tie, he walks upstairs towards the master bedroom. He opens the door and his jaw drops simultaneously. On the bed in the master bedroom lies his wife, in the most seductive pose imaginable. She is adorned in the finest lingerie that hugs her body in all the right places. A bustier fits her snug and shows off her curves and luscious breasts. Stockings and garters add the finishing touch making her look sexier than Mr. Zakarak has ever seen. Her short brown hair contours her face perfectly and her lips are plumped up with a dark red shade of color. Ive been waiting here for you, she sighs. All he can do is stare at her. He cannot find any words nor does he really want to. The attraction to her is there but the willingness to act upon her advances is not titillating him in any way. A few moments pass and he finally finds his voice. You look great, Tiffany. She becomes offended and covers up under the shield of the sheets. Expecting him to pounce on her with unadulterated desire and not receiving the response she was looking for, she lies on the bed, disappointed. Tears start to well in her eyes and her face flushes red. Im trying here James. Im trying my damndest to make this marriage work, but I cant do it on my own. You need to put in some effort. I dont see you for the whole weekend and when I come home, I get this. How am I supposed to feel? He stands before her a broken man with no options. I am trying. Im trying as hard as I can but you know how busy I am with work. All I want to do when I come home is sleep and eat and that is if I even have the time. So, I dont see you for a few days and this is what I get? How does that make any sense, James? Tears start to stream down her face and her heart is breaking into a million pieces in her chest. He can see it all happening right before his eyes. He walks over to her and sits on the bed. Im sorry. Ive just been going through a lot right now but dont you ever think for a second that I dont love you. I want this marriage to work and I want to be with you, he says as he brushes the tears from her eyes. I love you, Tiff. He kisses her deeply. All at once, the anger dissipates the moments their lips touch. Its like they both forgot the power of a passionate kiss and how it can bring the two of them together. While their emotions are high, they both just want to be closer together and figure that it will help to ease the problems. The sexual tension starts

to rise and James flings the sheets off of his wife. He studies her body in the lingerie and it turns him on. He wants her. He needs her. He loves her. The two continue kissing passionately, tears still streaming down Tiffanys face. Finally, she feels the love from her husband that she has been looking for and yearning so desperately for. As things heat up and articles of clothing are shed from his body, his thoughts are immediately interrupted with thoughts of Taylor. Instead of his wife lying scantily clad beneath him, he visualizes Taylor before him. He pictures her golden blonde hair intertwined in his fingers. He pictures her supple breasts spilling out of the top of the bustier. He pictures her body quivering underneath his. Despite trying to neglect these images, he cant help himself. Receiving that email from Taylor caused something to erupt in him. All day, he found himself thinking of her and the more he thinks about her, the more attracted to her he becomes. It lights a fire deep inside of him, all which he takes out on his wife. The whole time the two make love, all he can think about is Taylor. He gets lost thinking about her youthful frame underneath his matured yet sculpted body. He thinks about how soft her skin must be to the touch and how beautiful she must look with a sex glow on her body. He thinks about the warmth of the breath of her skin on the nape of his neck, when his body is on top of hers. He thinks about how good her tight pussy must feel, and envisions himself entering two fingers into her body to tease her before he thrusts in his hard cock. He pictures her biting on his neck. He fantasizes about her nails clawing into his skin. He thinks about the way she smells, the way she tastes and how her breath gets caught in her throat when she climaxes. This all results in a very powerful orgasm, perhaps one of the strongest of his life. After both of their bodies are composed, they lie on the bed together, her head on his chest. He strokes his fingers through his wifes hair and his mind races. He doesnt want to feel this way but he cant help it, no matter how hard he tries. Taylor has taken him and he doesnt know what to do about it.

8
After walking as fast as her legs could possibly carry her, Taylor is finally back in the safety of her dorm room. She slams the door behind her and allows her breathing to return to normal before she dares to take another step. When she is strong enough to walk, she heads straight for her desk. She sits for a long moment, thinking about what she did on Friday and the message she sent to Mr. Zakarak. The more she thinks about it, the more embarrassed she becomes. A vibrating comes from Taylors backpack. She reaches for it and sees that Chad is on the other line. She quells her nerves and answers the call, not wanting to hint to him that anything is wrong. Hey babe, how are you? Hey love, Im good. Just had a free moment and figured Id check in. How are you holding up? Feeling better than the last time we spoke? he asks with comfort in his voice. Taylor wants to tell him but she knows she shouldnt. She doesnt need any more issues to arise at this point in time. The last thing she needs is for her relationship to fall apart. She takes a deep breath and puts on her best acting performance. Yeah, Im much better. I had a really good weekend, got a lot of stuff done and now Im feeling back on track! Feeling like myself again. When the lies escape her teeth, she bites her bottom lip. She hates lying to Chad but knows she has no other choice. He would be devastated. She is his whole world. Good! Im glad! I just want to make sure that you are happy. Thats all that matters to me. Im good. Really. I am. So hows school? Doesnt football camp start up soon? Taylor asks into the phone. Things are going well. Our exams dont happen for another month so its pretty low key over here. Football camp is in two weeks and Im a little nervous about that. Anyways, I actually have a pretty quiet week coming up so I was thinking of flying over to see you for a few days. How does that sound? he asks with a sense of hope. Relief mixed with a touch of panic comes over Taylor. After not seeing Chad for months, shed give anything to be held in his arms. On the other hand, exams are approaching hard and fast and she needs the time to study. Plus, this new tiff with Mr. Zakarak and the odd tension between the two of them is weighing down on her. She thinks about it and realizes that seeing him might be just what she needs. Yes, Id love it! I miss you so much. I would love to see you. And you can still study and everything. Ill keep myself busy while Im there but I just want to spend a little time with my girl. Taylor smiles into the phone as she speaks. And I want to see you. Okay good. Listen, I gotta head back to class so Ill talk to you later okay? I love you, he says as he smiles back with his voice. I love you too. Bye. Taylor locks her phone and places it on the desk. Guilt comes over her and weighs down on her shoulders like a ton of bricks. The balance of school and a relationship is proving to be too much for her. She wants to see Chad next week, but she looks at her calendar and realizes that he is possibly arriving at the worst time. Exams will be weighing down on her soon and that is typically when she locks herself in her dorm for a few days and shuts out the world. Thinking of him does bring her a sense of relief and seeing him might even help to calm her further. She realizes that it is a good thing and an important thing

for him to come and visit. They need to spend that time together if they expect their relationship to last. She could use his strong arms wrapped around her body to keep her safe. The door to the girls room slams open and Nicole comes inside. She is upset and crying. Tears stream down her face. The motions interrupt Taylors train of thought immediately. It startles her. Nicole, whats wrong hun? Taylor asks concerned. Nicole falls onto her bed and is bawling. Taylor walks over to her to offer her some comfort. What happened? He cheated on me! That bastard! Nicole shouts in her pillow, muffling the sound of her voice although it is still audible. He fucking cheated! Taylor thinks hard and cant remember whom Nicole was dating, if she were dating anyone at all. Through Nicoles random encounters with many men, Taylor shuffles through her memory, trying to keep track of whom she might be talking about. She realizes that Nicole is talking about the guy in their room and the one from the party. The guy from last week? Nicole screams into her pillow. Hes such an asshole! Taylor rubs her back and offers her some comfort. Everything will be okay sweetie. I promise. Youll find someone new. Nicole sits upright in the bed, her mascara runs down her face and snot fills her nostrils. Taylor reaches over for a nearby box of tissue and offers her friend a sheet. Nicole wipes away her tears and cleans up her nose. Stupid men. I thought we had something special. Youre so lucky to have Chad. He would never do anything like this to you. Hes so perfect. The tears start to well in Nicoles eyes again and Taylor tries to deflect the conversation to something else. Want to hear something that will cheer you up? Nicole stares down at the ball of used tissues in her hand, tears stream down her face. You can try but I doubt it will work. I guess on Friday night when we were royally hammered, I emailed my English prof and basically asked him if we could sleep together so I could get an A+. Nicole snaps out of her sad funk immediately. She stares at Taylor. Her face is shocked. She moves her mouth to try to get the words to come out, but fails miserably. All she can do is stare. Taylor bites her bottom lip and exhales deeply. Pretty fucked right? Nicole starts smiling and eventually starts laughing. Tay! What the hell? What happened? Did he say something? Did you bang? Oh my god! Who are you now? Taylor cant help but smile and giggle at the situation. She lies down on the bed in front of Nicole and places her backhand on her brow. I have no idea. He talked to me after class and now everything is so awkward. Im just thankful Im not expelled. Well of course you wouldnt be expelled. I bet he wants to. The words punctuate Taylors thoughts. Her heart rate increases and her stomach goes into a knot. That familiar lump forms into her throat again. Do you think so? She catches herself and tries to change her thoughts. I mean, no. That would never happen. Oh totally, a hot piece of meat like you. Meow! I bet hes jerking it to you right now. Youre so gross. Taylor playfully slaps Nicole, smiling. For a moment, she thinks of Mr. Zakarak differently. A sense of giddiness and excitement falls over her. He is a very attractive man and someone that could bring a lot of security to her life. Despite their age difference, he still carries a sense of youthfulness with him. She remembers the way that his shirt tightened and she can only fantasize about what else is underneath those clothes. Then, she is reminded of Chad. Oh, and Chad wants to visit me in a week. Would that be okay with you? Nicole shakes her head in agreement. Yeah, thats totally fine. Hes more than welcome to stay

here and I can keep him busy so Mr. Zakarak doesnt find out that you are banging someone behind his back. Nicole gets off of the bed and heads over to her desk to start working. Thanks for cheering me up Tay. I was not expecting that. Taylor stares up at the ceiling, thinking of Chad and Mr. Zakarak. Nerves start to come over her again and stress. Yeah, glad I could help, she says sarcastically.

9
Wednesday afternoon approaches and Taylors nerves are in a bundle in her stomach. English class is next and she doesnt want to go. The last thing she wants to do is to face Mr. Zakarak today. The embarrassment and shame that she felt on Monday still sits on her shoulders and she cant shake it. However, she knows she has to go and face him. She has to pass this class and she cant have any more downfalls. Her grades cant take it. She stands outside of the classroom and waits for the room to empty as usual. The only difference in today is that Janessa isnt there. Taylor feels better knowing that she only has one person to deal with, yet she feels a sense of comfort in Janessa that wont be there today. The bundle of nerves grows and grows. As soon as the class is empty and the class can file in, Taylor bolts for the back corner. She sits farther back than usual and wants to conceal herself. She wants to hide herself and go incognito for this class. She knows that this is going to be the longest hour and a half shes ever endured and it will be even more painful alone and with a sense of vulnerability hanging over her. Mr. Zakarak enters class and as soon as Taylor notices him, she gets butterflies in her stomach. She is struck by his appearance. Instead of opting for the usual suit and tie, he is significantly dressed down today. He walks into the classroom wearing a nice pair of dark wash jeans and a tight fitting black polo. He has his usual dark rimmed glasses on but this time, but something is different about his face. Taylor can see from the back of the room that he wears a bit of stubble on his face. It makes him look a bit more rugged and edgy. Taylor cant help but want to check him out. When Mr. Zakarak puts his briefcase on his desk, his bicep flexes. Taylor notices this and is even more intrigued. She wants to look away, but cannot. She finds him completely intoxicating in this moment. She is getting turned on. Her panties start to moisten and she shifts in her seat. He opens his briefcase and grabs the bundle of papers from Mondays class. He puts them on the corner of his desk. Before we start class, I took the liberty to read and grade all of your papers both Monday and yesterday, and would like all of you to come and pick them up. The students gather at his desk and collect their papers. Taylor waits at the back of the crowd, anxiously waiting for the perfect moment to butt in line to avoid an alone moment with Mr. Zakarak. She fails though as she is the last one to get to her paper. Instead of having her pick it up off the desk, Mr. Zakarak hands it to her. Miss Murray, I was very impressed. Glad to have you back. He hands her the paper and looks into her eyes. Up close, Mr. Zakarak looks even better. The muscles ripple in his tight polo shirt and Taylor can see the veins in his arms. The stubble on his face and neck make him look completely irresistible. Taylor gets lost for a moment in his eyes. She collects herself and grabs the paper. She received an A. She smiles and looks at him. Thanks Mr. Zakarak. Her eyes are shining and her skin is glowing. She is proud of her mark and finally feels back to herself. You can call me James, he replies. His eyes accidentally scan her cleavage as he speaks. Flustered, he turns away quickly, hoping that she didnt notice his inappropriate glance. Taylor feels desired in that small moment. She walks back up to her seat with a newfound sense of confidence. As Mr. Zakarak continues the lesson, Taylor cant help but stare at him in awe. She finds herself growing more and more attracted to him. When he interacts with his female admirers in the front

row, Taylor can actually feel herself becoming envious. She wants to get his attention and she wants to be the one that he playfully flirts with. The hour and a half class races by and Taylor doesnt want to leave. She wants to be in the same room as him and she wants to stay there for as long as she can. She cannot take her eyes off of Mr. Zakarak nor does she want to. The other students in the classroom gather their things and leave, except for the group of female admirers. They walk up to Mr. Zakarak and chat him up, flirting and laughing. Taylor hurries to gather her things. She wants to interrupt the flirt fest and have his attention back on her. As she walks down the stairs towards the group, Mr. Zakarak notices her. He watches her long legs walk down the stairs in her tight black yoga pants. Her hair falls from the messy bun in her hair down to her lips. Her pink tank top hugs her tight stomach and breasts as they bounce up and down from the stairs. He nearly salivates at the sight of her, ignoring the group of young women in front of him. Excuse me, he says to the group. I need to talk with Miss Murray. The girls turn around sharply at Taylor and give her the nastiest look. They wrinkle their noses at her and turn back to Mr. Zakarak, brushing off Taylor and turning their demeanor back to the flirty, valley type. Taylor waits quietly for the girls to finish up with their attempted passes at the professor. He waves them off politely. Ill see you ladies on Friday. Good work on your papers. In unison, they say their goodbyes as well and head for the door. Taylor starts as far back from the desk as she can. She is nervous. Her attraction to Mr. Zakarak is growing and growing by the moment. He makes eye contact with her and smiles, which causes her to blush. I just wanted to mention how proud I am of you and your work, he says to her. Taylor goes to speak but her words get caught in her throat. She clears it. Thanks, I worked really hard on it. It shows, says Mr. Zakarak. Its always good to see a student with so much promise excel in her work. I knew that you had it in you. You are a bright, ambitious, dedicated and beautiful young woman. The world is at your fingertips and you just have to decide what to do with it. As the compliments fly out of his mouth, Taylor can feel her cheeks redden. Thank you, Mr. Zakarak. That really means a lot to me. Again, call me James, he says to her. He pulls out a business card from his briefcase and hands it to Taylor. My cell number is on there. If you ever want to talk or ever need any help in my class, especially in regards to the approaching exam, you know how to get a hold of me. Taylor takes the card and looks down at it. She looks back at Mr. Zakarak and wonders if he is flirting with her. Rather than saying something coy back, she smiles and hints at leaving. Thank you, Ill keep that in mind. I have to go study though, so I will see you on Friday. Even though she wants to stay, she cannot handle this moment right now. Its too much for her. He is too much for her. Its a date, he replies. Take care. Taylor walks for the exit, flustered. She feels a sense of giddiness coming over her. He was flirting with her and it has made her feel something she has never felt before. How was such a perfect gentleman intrigued in her? All she is, is that of a flustered college student. He has masters in English. He was her superior, but was he falling for her? She wonders if he was thinking about her in the same way that she thought of him. As Taylor walks back to her dorm room, all she can think about is James. She thinks back to how good he looked in class today. She thinks about how rugged and masculine he is. She thinks about how good his voice sounds when he says her name. When Taylor reaches her dorm room, she spots Nicole listening to some music and studying. Taylor wants to interrupt her and tell her about James. She wants to gossip and she wants to see her reaction. She taps her lightly on the shoulder.

Nicole spins around and greets her with a smile. She pulls the ear buds out of her ears. Hey you, I wanted to talk! I have some news. Taylor wants to be the one to gossip first but she allows Nicole to talk. Whats up? Me and Tim are back together. We made up. Taylor shuffles through her memory. She doesnt want to sound stupid and ask who Tim is. She quickly puts the pieces of the puzzle and realizes that Tim is the name of the random guy. Oh good! Thats great news hun. No wonder you have such a big smile on your face. And I should say the same for you. Why do you look so red and giddy? Taylor clears her throat and doesnt want to talk about it after all. Its nothing. Its obvious that something is up and that she wants to share some news so Nicole dives deep into Taylor like she always does, trying to pry the news out of her. Oh come on, you are such a shitty liar. Whats going on? Is Chad coming sooner? Taylors heart sinks for a moment. She instantly feels guilty for thinking about James and fantasizing about him while in her relationship. She doesnt want to think about James anymore and makes up some sort of a lie. No, he just called me and got me all excited to see him. Awe, how cute, Nicole says as she spins around in her desk chair and faces her books again. She puts her ear buds back into her ears and starts studying. Taylors face goes from happy to sad in seconds flat. She thinks about Chad and how much she loves him but cant shake the image of James in her mind. She lies back in her bed and thinks for a moment. She thinks about James and how he is all of a sudden having this effect on her. She thinks about how he made her feel today and how much more of a man he is than Chad. Taylor pulls James business card out before her face again. She stares at his name and phone number. Without thinking, she grabs her cell phone and enters his contact information into her phone. She starts typing Mr. Zakarak, but deletes the first few letters and simply titles him James. You never know, she says to herself. You never know.

10
The entire drive home from school, all James can think about is Taylor. He thinks about what being with a younger woman would be like. He thinks about what she looks like in the nude. He imagines her with perky breasts, a tight stomach and a beautiful rear. He imagines what she tastes like and how she feels. He thinks about what it would be like to kiss her. Thoughts of Taylor consume him. He is taken by her and he cant control it. When he arrives through the front door of his home, he can smell his wifes cooking. The aroma of a good home cooked meal fills his nostrils and makes his stomach grumble. Hey, Im home, he shouts from the doorway. He closes the door behind him and does his usual routine of placing his briefcase down and keys. He walks towards the kitchen and the smells that are enticing him. Busy in the kitchen, is Tiffany. The table is set in the dining room and soft music fills the home. He watches his wife work for a moment. He watches her put love and care into the meal they are about to enjoy. He looks at her body from behind and the soft curves she possesses. He sees the nape of her neck from her short brown hair. He studies her appearance from a distance before greeting her properly. Looks like someone has been busy. She turns around quickly, startled. Oh James! You scared me! I didnt know you were home. I was done in the office early, so I came home to you. This smells delicious. What are you making? Tiffany stands proudly at the stove, stirring and conjuring up some magic. Homemade spaghetti and meatballs with my mothers special sauce. James breathes in the smells deeply and exhales. Well it smells great. He puts on a faade to pity his wife, but all the while he thinks about Taylor. Would you like a glass of wine? Its already on the table. Why dont you sit down and pour yourself a glass? Dinner will be ready shortly. Just let me wash up first. James walks towards the bathroom and closes the door behind him. He stands for a while, looking at himself in the mirror. He studies his appearance, as if trying to look within. His mind still races with thoughts of Taylor and he tries to snap himself out of it. He turns on the water tap to as cold as it can go, allows the water to fill in his palms and he splashes it on his face. The cold water sends shivers throughout his body but that only intensifies his feelings for the young woman. He dries himself off, washes his hands and puts on a brave face. He doesnt want his wife to know that something is on his mind and distracting him from being with her. James sits at the dining room table and pours himself a glass of red wine. His wife enters, carrying a big bowl of fresh pasta. She places it down on the table beside him and kisses him on the cheek. I dont get a kiss when you come in the door anymore? James smiles and looks at her in the eyes. Im sorry. Its just been a long day. He kisses her on the lips, but keeps it at just a peck. Tiffany turns sharply to sit at her end of the dinner table. She throws a dishtowel on the table in frustration. I thought we agreed that you werent going to bring your negative energy home from work? Are you being serious? James asks. I just got here and youre already on my case? Tiffany pours herself another glass of wine. I thought you said that you were going to try to be a

better husband for me. She sets the bottle down on the table and brings the filled glass to her lips. Her eyes pierce into James heart and her attitude seeps into his veins. James is furious inside. I dont need this, he says as he gets up from the table. Im leaving. Right, just walk away James. That will solve all of our problems, Tiffany spits the words out of her mouth as she polishes off her glass of wine. I make you this huge fucking dinner and all you do is walk out? Fuck you! James is already halfway out the door when he hears her call out after him. A part of him wants to go back inside and duel it out. He wants to accuse her of doing things wrong and for driving him away like this, but he doesnt let it bother him. He shakes it off, gets into his car and heads back towards the college. He heads closer to Taylor.

11
James bursts through the door of Taylors dormitory. Unannounced, Taylor was not expecting him at all, and lies in bed clad only by the bed sheet. He slips into bed with her, neither of them saying a word, allowing their bodies to do all of the talking. He slips out of his clothing, carefully shedding each layer piece by piece, allowing Taylor to take in the sights. She watches his muscles flex as he takes off his shirt, his tanned skin glistens in the moonlight and she can see his sculpted six pack clear across the room. He stands before her only in his underwear, his massive cock barely concealed by his tight black boxers. He grabs at the blankets and slips in them with Taylor, her warm flesh greeting him. He lies on top of Taylor and presses his naked body down on hers as hard as he can. He traces his strong hands over the mounds of her breasts, down the sides of her torso, along the lines of her stomach and finally between her legs. Taylor moans as his fingers hit her flesh. She is dripping and she cant contain it. He enters her with one finger and then two. That feels so good, Taylor whispers to him. James continues moving his fingers inside of her. He moves them to simulate sex, and then he changes it up and flicks her hot spot. With each thrust, Taylor is driven more and more wild. He kisses her deeply and bites and sucks on her bottom lip. His tongue massages Taylors and the passion between the two of them is insurmountable. He pulls away and begins tonguing at her ear. Between his fingers deep inside of her and the tonguing of the ear, Taylor doesnt know if she can handle much more. I want to taste you, James whispers to her softly. The words drive Taylor even wilder. Her body responds by becoming more and more wet. James smiles at her and starts kissing her body all the way down. He takes her breasts in his mouth and massages them deep. His tongue flicks against her hard nipples and she moans in delight. He traces his tongue all the way down her stomach and as he comes up on her spot, he avoids it and traces his tongue on her thighs. Can I taste you? James asks, inches away from her. Yes, please, Taylor, replies, practically begging for it. James licks her deeply, allowing his tongue to hit her from just above her anus all the way to her clitoris. He spreads her legs as wide as they can go and continues the motion a few times. Even though she is dripping, James wants her wetter. He wants to be covered in her juices and swallow every last drop. With each flick and movement of his tongue, Taylors body quakes and shakes. She pulls and tugs at the sheets, looking for something, anything to paw on. James takes her clitoris in his mouth and sucks on it. He then reenters her body with two fingers and stimulates her spot while gently licking her clitoris. Taylor digs her head further into the pillow and bites it all the while letting out soft moans. He picks up the pace. He moves his fingers inside of her in circles, filling her up in every direction. He stimulates her clitoris as fast as he can. He repeats this a few times and that is all it takes. Taylor feels the tension building in her body. She can feel the need for release and she craves it. Not more than a few seconds pass and Taylor lets go. She can feel the juices leaving her body and she can feel everything happening at once. She can feel James tongue licking up everything and drinking it in. After Taylor is able to catch her breath, James meets her lips again with his. Taylor can taste her warm juices on his lips. It turns her on. She can feel his rock hard member growing between her legs as the passionate kisses deepen. He is able to slide inside of her with ease, already bursting out of

his underwear. He playfully enters her with just the tip of his penis and Taylor reacts by letting out a loud moan. In one swift movement, James thrusts as hard as she can and enters her completely. The sensation of the clitoral orgasm causes her spot to become very sensitive. With every thrust of his hard member, Taylor feels closer and closer to another orgasm. Her entire body tingles. All of a sudden, the door flies open and there, in the doorway, stands Chad. James moves off of Taylor quickly and stands before Chad. Listen, I am so sorry. I Chad walks towards him, silent. Taylor has no idea what he is going to do. All she can do is scream loudly and hold up the covers to shield herself. She then feels her body shaking. She feels someone holding onto her and shaking her. Taylor. Taylor. Wake up, the voice says. Her body continues to shake. Taylor suddenly springs up from her bed and sees Nicole. She realizes it was all a dream. You were having a nightmare, Nicole says. Are you okay? Taylor catches her breath and swallows hard, her throat feeling raw from screaming. Yeah, Im fine. What were you dreaming about? Nicole asks, her arm around Taylor to offer her some comfort. Embarrassed, ashamed, aroused and feeling all sorts of other mixed emotions, Taylor searches for some sort of a lie. I was going to be shot, she says. But I dont know by who. She wants to tell Nicole the whole dream but she feels too guilty. Jesus! Well, are you okay? Im fine, I think. Well, you go back to sleep okay? Ill be here if you need me. Nicole lies Taylor down on the bed, tucks her in and kisses her on the forehead. Night Tay. She walks over to her bed and gets nestled back under the covers. Goodnight, Taylor says as she turns over to her other side, blocking out Nicole. Her mind is still racing with the thoughts of her dream. Her heart finally returns to a normal pace and Taylor tries to get comfortable. She places one hand underneath her pillow and the other between her legs. When she does so, she notices how moist she is down there. The thoughts and fantasies of having sex with James have really taken its toll on her body and in more ways than one.

12
Ring! Ring! Ring! Taylors cell phone buzzes on the desk beside her. She pulls herself from her pillow and grabs it. Hello? she answers, in her groggy morning voice. Good morning sunshine, Chad says on the other line. Hey, how are you? Taylor asks as she finishes her yawn. She props herself upright on the bed and rubs her eyes to ride the morning haze that comes over them. Were you sleeping? Dont you have class in 10 minutes? Taylors eyes look towards the clock. Chad is right. Its 8:50 and class starts in 10 minutes. She is going to be late. Shit, I gotta go. Ill call you later, Taylor says as she slams her phone shut, not even waiting for a response. She slips into the closest nearby outfit, grabs her things and heads for the door. She runs through the hallway, flies down the doors and bursts through the front entrance. She sprints across the quad as fast as her legs can move. Just as the professor is about to slam the door shut to commence class, Taylor turns the corner down the hallway. Wait! she yells. Wait for me! The professor turns her head and waits for Taylor. I was wondering where you were. Get in. Taylor slides into the classroom and the professor shuts the door. She begins the lesson with her class and Taylor sits down to settle her nerves. She calms her breathing and is able to focus slightly. As class passes, the morning jolt of energy she had is slowly fading. She feels awful and exhausted. However, she knows that she not only has a full day of classes to attend but also a full night of studying that she has to get through. As the clock hits 11:00 am, class comes to an end and the professor reminds the class of their upcoming final exam. A lump grows in Taylors stomach as she nearly forgot about it. As the day rolls on and more classes pass, the same realizations come to Taylor; exam week is approaching hard and fast. She needs to get a grip on reality if she expects to pass, especially with that perfect 4.0. The day comes to an end and Taylor heads back to her dorm. The first thing she does is have that morning shower, which is now nearly 8 hours overdue. Afterwards, she fixes herself a small meal and sits down to start studying. An hour into her studies, her phone rings. Its Chad. Hey, Im sorry I didnt call you back, Taylor says as soon as she opens the phone. What happened this morning? Chad asks on the other line. Its obvious through the tone in his voice that he is very concerned. Are you okay? Taylor feels as though Chad is interrogating her and she loses her cool. Ive told you before, Im just stressed with school. I dont need you to belittle me. Whoa, I was just asking you a question, Chad snaps back into the other line. I just love you and care about you. I dont want to see you upset or in over your head. Taylor instantly feels guilt and sorrow come over her. She feels bad for not only snapping at Chad but for having the dream about James. Even though she says nothing about it to him, the tone in her voice reveals it all. Im sorry. Im so sorry. Theres just a lot going on right now and I feel like Im losing control. I dont mean to take it out on you. She begins to sob. The stress in her body flows from the tears in her eyes and the sobs in her throat. Im sorry. Sensing that she is genuinely upset, Chad cant help but feel bad for her. Its okay. Really. Its fine. Im sorry you feel this way. I wish there was something I could do, but I promise to try and make it better

for you when I come and see you next week. Taylor stops crying as soon as she comprehends the words Chad says. She completely forgot that he was planning on visiting her. Even more stress piles itself on her shoulders as she realized just how difficult it is to balance school, a long distance relationship and unadulterated desire for a certain male professor. After no rely from Taylor, Chad becomes concerned again. Next week is a good time, right? You still want me to come see you? Does Nicole not want me to come? Whats going on with you and Nicole? Taylor asks. Nothing, why? Chad says back to her. Did she say something? Taylor shakes her head and sighs. No, she didnt and next week is fine for you to come. Ill shuffle a few things around and well be okay. Good. Im excited to see you, Chad says as the smile can be heard in his voice. Ill let you get back to it. I love you and Ill call you soon. I love you too, Taylor says into the phone. Talk soon. She hangs up and as she does so, she can feel the weight of everything crashing down on her. Even though she has so much on her mind and on her plate, there is really only one thing that she is focusing on and that is James. Each time she thinks about him, it feels like every worry she has in the world is immediately erased. There is something about James that is reassuring to her and that calms her nerves. Maybe it is because she is so strangely attracted to him that he distracts her from everything else or maybe it is something more than that. As Taylor sits by her desk in her dark dorm room in her lonesome, she starts to think about James more and more. She tries to fight the thoughts of him and continues reading through her study notes. However, it is no use. Every line of text she tries to read and memorize is instantly interrupted by an overpowering thought of him. The dream she had last night nearly sent her over the edge. The way that he made her feel in that dream was unlike anything she has experienced in reality before. The way he kissed her and touched her felt better than any man who has touched her in the past, even though it was all a dream. The more she thinks about him and tries not to think about him, the more turned on she becomes. Taylor shuts off the desk lamp and lies back in her chair. She lets her hands flow over her body and imagines them being the hands of James. She pictures him kneeling before her, grazing her breasts under her clothing. She imagines him sliding his hands all the way down between her legs and fingering her. She touches herself to try to make the feeling come to life. She becomes more forceful with herself, just like she imagines James would do to her. Taylor really gets into it. She slides another finger inside of her and imagines them to be James. She pictures him going down on her just like he did in the dream and the more she does this, the more turned on she becomes. She grabs at her breasts with her free hand and the hand between her legs becomes more vigorous and more forceful. Just as Taylor is near the brink of orgasm, the door to their dorm room flies open and the light comes on. Nicole and Tim stand in the doorway, catching Taylor in the act. Taylor composes herself, adjusts her clothing, turns around quickly to face her desk and turns on her lamp. Hey, Taylor says to them with her back turned. Tim stands stunned and so does Nicole, but she is able to put together a sentence in her shocked state. Hey, what are you up to? Nicole shakes her head at the question as soon as the words escape her lips, knowing that it was an inappropriate one to ask. Embarrassed beyond belief, Taylor grabs some of her study materials together. I was just studying but if you two want to hang out here then I can go to the library. She doesnt turn around once to make eye contact with them.

No, thats fine, says Nicole. I just came back to get a change of clothes. Im going to spend the night at Tims. You can stay here. She rustles through her closet, gathers a few things and stuffs them into a pack. Ill see you tomorrow okay? Taylor shakes her head yes. See you then. As soon as Nicole and Tim leave, Taylor folds her arms on her desk and buries her face in her arms. The embarrassment slowly starts to leave her body when her cell phone signals a text message. Taylor knows whom it is from before she even looks at it. She opens up the phone and reads the message. OMG! I THINK YOU GAVE TIM A PERMA BONER. Taylor bursts out laughing. Even though she is embarrassed, she knows Nicole finds humor in the situation. She replies back. IM SO EMBARRASSED. FML. Nicole replies back in seconds of receiving the message. DONT BE. IT WAS HOT. ;-) SEE U TMW. NIGHT. Taylor laughs and shuts her phone. She places it on the desk beside her. After calming herself down from the interruption, she focuses on her books and studies for the remainder of the night. She crawls into bed a few hours later and hopes to finally get some rest. She knows the faster she can fall asleep, the faster she will see James tomorrow and that is something that she is definitely looking forward to; more than she should admit.

13
Taylor spends Friday morning studying hard at her desk. Her first few morning classes before Zakaraks are all review classes and she knows that she could spend the time studying and working harder. After her near blowout with Chad last night, getting caught masturbating and having a rough sleep due to thinking of James, Taylor wants to focus and get some serious work done. Cup after cup of coffee, Taylor is feeling good. She is powering through her notes and getting a substantial amount of work done. She is studying just like she used to and she is retaining the information that fills her brain. Come lunchtime, Taylor finally slips into the shower to freshen up for English. She wants to look good for Mr. Zakarak and she wants to make him notice her. She wants him impress him and to make him want her badly. Taylor gives herself enough time to put some effort into her appearance. She puts a slight wave into her hair to give her that bombshell look. She puts on smoky eye makeup to really make her blue eyes pop. She fits into a pair of tight skinny jeans and a black tank top that hugs her in all the right places. She pairs her outfit with cute kitten heels and she is ready to head out the door. Before she does, she squirts a bit of perfume on her neck. She feels sexy. She feels ready. As Taylor struts to class, she catches the attention of nearly everyone she passes, both men and women. Everyone is struck by her appearance. The men drool over her and she even gets the occasional whistle, while the women sneer at her and it is obvious they are envious. Taylor is in phenomenal shape and today is the day that she is not afraid to flaunt it. In fact, she wants to. After her borderline runway performance through the quad and hallways, Taylor reaches the classroom and sees him across the hall. They both meet each others gaze instantly. Not wanting to stare at each other for the entire way, Taylor tries to look down to her feet and James does the same. They both try to look busy but cant keep their eyes off of each other. The second he saw her, she took his breath away. The jeans Taylor was wearing hugged her curves perfectly and left little to the imagination. As she strutted down the hallway, her blonde hair framed her face perfectly and her breasts bounced just at the cusp of her tops neckline. She looked irresistible and it made James nervous to get closer to her. As they walked closer to meet in the middle, Taylor noticed that he looks even better than he did the other day. He wears a black suit and white dress shirt that is slightly unbuttoned, showcasing the right amount of chest that is sexy yet classy. His hair is freshly cut close to his head and reveals more of that salt and pepper coloring. He is not wearing his glasses today but instead allows his gorgeous green eyes to be seen. He continues sporting the stubble and this time, it has grown in slightly. He looks modern, and fresh but still has a rugged quality to him. Taylor cant take her eyes off of him. The two finally meet at the classroom door and exchange smiles. James moves his hand in front of Taylor and signals for her to enter. After you, Miss Murray. She smiles and looks deep into his eyes. As she passes him, she curls her hair behind her ear with her fingers. Thank you James. Hearing her say his name sends chills down his spine. When she passes by him, he can smell the fragrance coming off of her skin. The combination of the perfume paired with her pheromones is overwhelming. It is intoxicating and James inhales it deeply. He follows her into the classroom and closes the door behind him. He allows the students to settle while he does the same. He takes off his suit

jacket and Taylor watches his every move. She watches him unbutton the jacket and pull it off of his body. As he does so, the shirt clings to his chest and is slightly see-thru, allowing her to see more of him than she should. He puts the jacket on the back of his chair. He then takes his shirtsleeves, unbuttons them and rolls them up slightly. Taylor can see more of his tanned skin and the more she sees, the more she wants. Once again, Janessa fails to come to class and this fact delights Taylor. She feels free to flirt and look at James without having to deal with any immediate consequences. She settles into a spot closer to the front of the class than her usual spot tucked into the back. Before James starts the class, Taylor can sense that something is wrong. She doesnt know what it is exactly but she has this intuition. The way that he is carrying himself inside the classroom walls is different. There is sadness in his face and a lack of sleep can now be seen. Her heart yearns for him and she wants to know what is going on. James starts the lesson chipper but as some students start acting up and acting immature with him, his tolerance dissipates. He even snaps on one student and kicks them out of his class, something that he has never done before. This action solidifies to Taylor that something is not right and she wants to know what is going on. James spends the rest of the class defeated and deflated. He sits on the edge of his desk and barely interacts with the class. They participate in a group discussion on a novel study the class was working on as a review lesson, but James barely mutters a word. The students are the ones to carry the lesson along. Dismissal cannot come soon enough. As the class wraps up, the students leave silently. The usual female admirers approach James, but he instantly waves them off. He has no time or desire for meaningless flirtations today. The class empties and soon it is just Taylor and him alone in the room. She approaches his desk with caution. Mr. Zakarak, I dont mean to overstep any personal boundaries but are you okay? she asks with concern in her voice. Taylors voice causes James to feel a sense of calming. He looks at her deeply and smiles. Im fine. This time of the year is just very stressful. Im sorry you had to see me like this. Taylor walks closer and as she does, the tension between them thickens. James still sits on the edge of his desk and Taylor now stands only inches away from him. Their bodies both tremble at the distance and how they are so close yet so far away. I know what you mean and its fine. Dillon deserved it. He shouldnt address you like that, Taylor says softly to him. Are you stressed too? James asks her, looking right into her eyes. There is an unspoken moment between the two of them. Their glances suggest that they could easily help the other in forgetting about any existing problems in seconds. So stressed and frustrated Taylor says as her voice trails off. She wants to hint at the fact that the frustration is due to the sexual desires she has for him. She wants to tell him how badly she wants to straddle him on that desk. She would give anything for him to tear off her clothes and have his way with her right then and there. As her voice trails off, James rises from his desk. He stands facing her. He places his hands on her shoulders and their skin meets for the first time. He can feel the warmth radiating from her shoulders and how smooth her skin feels. She can feel his strong hands gripping her tight, yet caressing her gently. He looks into her eyes again. Youll be fine. Youre a smart girl and whatever is troubling you, I know youll get through it. Taylor stares at him and it takes everything out of her not to lean in and kiss him. And you know, you can come to me for anything that you need, he says to her. Anything. The sexual tension between them is unbearable and James can feel it. He instantly stops caressing her shoulders and shoves his hands into his pockets. He turns away from her and walks towards the back of his desk to gather his things. Taylors body is trembling. She steadies herself and still remains in that one spot. Maybe this weekend you can help me prepare for the exam?

James knows the underlining question in Taylors voice. His heart starts to flutter and his palms sweat. He turns to meet her gaze. You have my number. Why dont you give me a call when youre in need of assistance? Taylors breath catches in her throat and her chest quivers. Seeing the effect he has on her drives James crazy. The two lock eyes for a minute more until Taylor needs to leave before something happens. Id love to. Have a good weekend. You too, James says as Taylor heads for the door. She looks at him once more before disappearing into the hallways and smiles. He smiles back. The second Taylor leaves the room, James sits quietly and plays with the wedding ring on his finger. He feels guilty for wanting Taylor and for hurting his wife in the way that he has been. His marriage is falling apart and he is not one to allow things to end so suddenly. Despite feeling the intense attraction for Taylor, James knows that it is wrong. He wants to make things right with his wife. He wants to hold onto the woman that he fell in love with. With a newfound sense of hope, James collects his belongings and heads for the door, determined to make things right.

14
Honey, Im home, James shouts as he enters the front door. Instead of organizing his belongings like he usually does, he stuffs everything onto the nearby entrance bench. Im in the kitchen, calls out Tiffany. James enters the kitchen and sees his wife standing there. He looks at her and can tell she has reached her last straw. His eyes trace her entire body, picking up on any negative body language that she may be giving off. I want to talk to you. Theres no time for small talk, James, she says to him. This isnt working. Im not happy. James wants to say that the feeling is mutual but he doesnt want to give up. He continues looking into her eyes and can see the pain that she is feeling. What do you want me to do? Ill do anything. Dont let me lose you. Tiffanys eyes fall and she pulls out a suitcase from behind the kitchen island. I just need some time to myself. Maybe a bit of a break might be good for the both of us. James heart sinks in his chest. We can work on things. I She cuts him off. You cant take time away from work. I know that and I wont allow my happiness to be sidelined because of it. James bites on his bottom lip. He feels a sense of hopelessness. He refuses to put in an effort if the feeling isnt mutual. Okay, fine. You win. Go. Just walk away from our problems. Thatll fix everything. If you can walk out on me, then I can certainly do the same to you. I hope your heart breaking in your chest feels as good as mine did. Frustrated with her husband, Tiffany pulls on her suitcase from behind the island and exits the front door. Her heels click on the hardwood floor beneath her and with every click, James can feel his anger raging on. Tiffany slams the front door behind her. The sound of a vehicle can be heard revving up its engine and its tires squeal on the pavement as it speeds away. Shes gone. Inside the home, James is left standing in a rage. He looks at the fruit bowl perfectly placed on the kitchen island, swats it and finds pleasure in the glass and fruit crashing to the floor. His perfect life is not perfect and he has known that for a long time. James heads on over to the fridge, grabs a beer, cracks it open with his teeth and downs it as fast as he can. Before he can finish the first one, he opens the fridge to take out a couple more. He walks over to the nearby couch, turns on the TV and intends on spending the night in his sorrows, hoping the alcohol will make him numb from the pain of his broken heart.

15
Friday night hits the college and parties are happening everywhere but Taylor sits quietly by her desk, reading and studying. She remembers what happened last Friday and the way it made her feel and swears that it wont be happening again anytime soon. She relaxes and is dressed down. The makeup is scrubbed off and her hair up in a bun on the top of her head. She wears loose clothing and holds a cup of tea close to her lips. She is comfortable even though she has a massive amount of work to get through tonight. The clock is at 7:00pm and Taylor feels ready to get some serious studying done. An hour later and in the midst of studying and focusing intently, Nicole comes through the dorm door and interrupts Taylor. Nicole enters the room with her hands shielding her face. You arent diddling yourself again are you? Taylor laughs and throws a pillow at Nicole. The two make eye contact and Taylor rolls her eyes. Thanks for that. Its what friends are for, Nicole laughs as she hops onto the bed. So what are you up to tonight? Taylor gestures to the assorted books that lay out in front of her. Care to take a lucky guess? Being a loser and studying on a Friday night? jokes Nicole. If I had another pillow, Id throw it at you, but maybe this mug will have to suffice, Taylor says as she teases Nicole with the cup of tea. Taylor devilishly smiles but then her smile fades. Yes, you are right. I am being a loser and studying. What are you doing? Care to take a lucky guess? asks Nicole, smiling and playfully lying on her bed. Taylor wrinkles her nose and thinks for a moment. Having drunk unprotected sex with Mr. Tim? Nicole laughs. You bitch. Guess again! Damn, I thought that was a given, jokes Taylor. She sits for a moment in silence, wracking her brain. I dont hun, I give up. Theres not much else that you do on a Friday night. Nicole gets up off the bed and motions for Taylor to move over. She does and Nicole brings her desk chair over. Make room loser, because its going to be a loser study fest tonight. Taylor nearly spits out her tea. Is that so? she asks. No big parties tonight? Not tonight, Nicole says as she wheels her chair around the room to her desk. She grabs her backpack on the way. I need to get something done, but tomorrow is a different story. Oh yeah? says Taylor. Whats happening tomorrow? Only the biggest club opening to hit this town in years and guess who has 2 tickets? Taylor looks at Nicole blankly. You have tickets to the opening of Shade? Nicole smiles and reveals the tickets from her bag. She wheels over to Taylor with them in hand. Thats right Tay, one for me and one for you. Now, I know youre going to give me some sob story about how mommy and daddy are picking on you, but lets make a deal. We study tonight and I wont make a peep. Then, tomorrow during the day, Ill be gone and let you focus all day and you promise that you will get all dolled up and come have a few drinks with me at Shade. Deal? Taylor thinks to herself for a moment but before she can answer, Nicole shoves the ticket down Taylors sweatshirt. Pleasure doing business with you, she says as she wheels away to her desk. Nicole puts her ear buds in her ears and stars studying away. Taylor turns slowly to face her desk again. She looks at the ticket and then at the work before her.

She thinks to herself, a few hours at the club wont hurt anyone. How bad could it be?

16
The bass pulsates through the floor and into the bodies of a jam-packed nightclub. Serving staff wears only the tightest of clothing and everyone is in fantastic shape; their bodies rippling beneath their tight work uniforms. Patrons crowd the dance floor and the latest top 40 mix of music fills the space. Drinks are being downed, martini shakers tossed into the air and money thrown around like it is nothing. Taylor and Nicole dance in the middle of the dance floor at Shade. The bass line to the club music takes them away and they both get lost in the moment. Fellow students swarm around them and dance with them, forming this huge group of moving bodies. A few men take Nicole to the side and grind with her for a moment. The sexual tension between everyone could be cut with a knife. Even though she is surrounded by temptation, Taylor avoids contact with anyone but Nicole. Despite being intoxicated again, Taylor now knows how to get a grip on reality and how to handle herself in the heat of the moment. She allows Nicole to dance and decides she could use another beverage, more so for hydration than anything else. Taylor walks up to the bar and orders a V odka 7. The bartender prepares the drink for her in record time and is taken by her appearance. How about this one is on the house if you save me a dance later? When he asks the question to Taylor, she gets a whiff of his cologne. It is the same fragrance James wears. Instantly her body is overcome with arousal and anticipation. Goosebumps cover her skin and she can feel her body moisten at the thought. Taylor composes herself for a moment and hands the bartender a 10-dollar bill. Not this time. She carries her drink and places it on a nearby, unoccupied table, which is like striking gold at this club tonight. Her body still reeling with the arousal at the thought of James and she can still smell the fragrance worn by the bartender. Her body is quivering and she tries to quell the sensation with the liquor. She takes a gulp, but it fails to work how she wants it to. The alcohol consumption is only intensifying her desire for him. Her inhibitions are being thrown out the window. She wants him and she wants him now. Not only does the alcohol intensify her arousal, but it also clouds her judgment. She reaches for her cell phone tucked away in her clutch. She opens the phone and starts a new text message. JAMES, ITS TAYLOR. CAN YOU MEET? I WANT TO SEE YOU. Instead of stuffing the phone in her clutch, she keeps holding onto it, waiting anxiously for a reply. Her nerves are becoming stronger so she reaches for her cocktail and downs the remainder of the contents. After no reply, she considers opting for another drink, more so as a way to deal with her nerves than to quench her thirst. As she turns to head back to the bar, Nicole comes up behind her. Hey biotch, I was looking for you. Nicole playfully nibbles on Taylors exposed shoulder. She was always one to get a little too close for comfort once alcohol was in the picture. Want a drink? Hell yeah I do, Ill have a Vodka 7, Taylor replies. Nicoles drunken smiles widen. I love having you out more, you know that? I fucking love it! She kisses her a big wet one on the cheek and turns to get the drinks.

Taylor watches her leave, her mind still consumed with thoughts of James. Just then, her phone shines bright with a new text message from James. Taylor opens her phone quickly. She is anxious and nervous. Her eyes read the reply. TUTORING AT THIS HOUR? ;-) Taylor giggles to herself. The way he was able to command her via only a small text message was beyond her. It left her feeling tongue-tied, or perhaps in this case, finger-tied. Was he just being facetious? Was he being serious? She had to reply but had no idea what to say. Just then, as if perfectly executed with his flirtation, James sends another text message. WHEN AND WHERE? Taylor is shaking with anticipation and she is becoming moist between her legs. She shifts her body around, trying to compose herself but she cannot. Before she can send a reply, Nicole is back with the drinks. Come on, lets go dance! The only thing Taylor wants to do is to leave this place and see James. She tries to think of a way to dodge Nicole. I just have to use the bathroom. Oh, let me come with you. Ill hold your drink. Frustrated, Taylor agrees. She figures she can fire off a message to James while she is in the stall. The two girls stumble over to the bathroom and wait in the brief line up. Girls are coming in and out of the washroom, some of them looking a little green. As Taylor and Nicole get closer to the stalls, Taylor becomes more and more anxious. She is itching to respond to James. Nicole tries to create some small talk with her but Taylor is so distracted. Thankfully, Nicole is too drunk to notice or to care. She is in her own world and is unaware of what her friend is up to. Finally, Taylor enters an empty stall, sans Nicole. Her only priority or care is to send James a reply instantly. SURPRISE ME. A feeling of seductive power comes over Taylor. She feels sexy and she feels desired. It excites her. James responds promptly. MACDONALD HOTEL. 30 MINUTES? Before Taylor can even fully digest the message, she responds. ITS A DATE. ;-) Taylor closes her phone and puts it back in her purse. She leans up against the bathroom stall wall. She is giddy. She is excited. She is turned on. Just as she relishes in the moment, Taylor realizes she needs to find a way to get out of here. She needs to find a way to get away from Nicole. As she thinks for a few seconds, she realizes she should fake becoming ill. She knows that Nicole would let it slide and that she could pretend she is heading back to her dorm. She figures she would be able to get back to the dorm from her rendezvous with James

before Nicole returned home or else she would hope Nicole would do what she usually does on a Saturday night; find someone to sleep with. Taylor opens the stall door and tries her best to look ill, something that would surely have gotten her an Oscar. It works with Nicole perfectly. Oh my god Tay, are you alright? Nicole asks, very concerned. She places the drinks down on the bathroom counter, both of them nearly empty as Nicole almost polished them off. Should we leave? Taylor fights her urge to vomit, really trying to milk the performance she is putting on. No, sweetie, Im fine. I should go though but you can stay here. I will be fine. I just need to go to sleep. You cant go in a cab alone, someone might take advantage of you. Little does Nicole know that her words are exactly what Taylor wants. She wants James to take advantage of her. She wants him, bad. Taylor continues acting completely inebriated and ill. She walks over to the sink and splashes her lips with some water, when she is really looking at her appearance to make sure that she is presentable for James. Im going to go, but you can walk me to the door? Ill be fine. Really. I can handle myself. Im just tired. Nicole buys it. She grabs Taylor by arm and locks her in. Okay, Ill walk you to the door and help you get a cab. The two girls walk through the crowded bar and just as Nicole tries to play the good friend role, she is swept away from Taylor by some random guy. He grabs at Nicole and starts kissing her neck. Nicole holds onto Taylors arm and wants to keep walking with her, but she is too easily swayed by the males presence. Their grip loosens and eventually Taylor is on her own. In any other situation, she would be pissed that Nicole would act in this manner, but tonight, she couldnt be more thankful. Once she is finally outside, Taylor hails a cab and gets one instantly. She opens the door and hops in the back. Where to? the cab driver asks. Uh, MacDonald Hotel, Taylor replies. Thanks. The second the cab driver puts the car in drive and starts taking her to her destination, Taylors heart flutters in her chest. The anticipation is killing her and her leg shakes are a visible sign of that. She tries to sit back in the seat to relax, but it is no use. She gazes at the city skyline surrounding her and prepares for what will be the longest cab ride to what will hopefully be the ride of her life.

17
James paces in the presidential suite of the MacDonald Hotel. After every other room was booked and the hotel is at capacity, it is the only room he could find. That is the excuse he will play out to Taylor, even though the Jacuzzi tub and outdoor terrace are both spots he might want to later explore. As he paces, his eyes trace the room. He looks around to make sure that it looks suitable for Taylor. He wonders if he should take off his jacket and shoes. He is nervous and by the trembling of his hands it is very obvious that he is not the cool and collected man that he usually is. How could one young woman have such an effect on him? It blew his mind. He heads over to the nearby in room liquor service and cracks a mini bottle of rum. He downs it straight in nearly 3 gulps. It steadies him a bit and allows him to feel a brief sense of calmness. Just then, all of the calmness is interrupted as the cell phone that is gripped tight in his grasp rings. It is Taylor. He answers. Hello? Hey, Im here but the elevators are key guarded. Want to come pick me up? Taylor says softly on the other line. Sure, Ill be right down. James hangs up his phone and puts it in his pocket. In the same exchange, he pulls out the room key and heads for the door. He reaches for the doorknob with his left hand and as he does so, he stares down at the wedding band on his finger. It stops him dead in his tracks. James looks down at his hand and quickly has the urge to remove the ring. He pulls it off of his finger and stuffs it into his pocket. He walks down the hallway and thankfully doesnt have to pass anyone on his way since this is a private floor. Upon reaching the elevator, he hesitates for a moment. He thinks of his wife and how he doesnt want to hurt her. A lump forms in his chest for a moment but not as large as the lump forming elsewhere on his body. He is driven by desire. He wants Taylor and he isnt going to stop until he gets her. He presses the down button and waits. Taylor stands in the lobby of the hotel. It is busy and many guests are exploring the features of the hotel. A harpist plays nearby and the music soothes Taylor. She tries to control her breathing but she is nervous as well. She tries not to make eye contact with others. She doesnt want her eyes to reveal the truth of why she is here. She sways while standing, but only a little, as the alcohol is still very prominent in her veins. She doesnt smell of liquor but her stance says otherwise. She is tipsy and feeling the effects of alcohol. Heading down the elevator, James can feel his stomach in knots. The sweat on his brow is increasing and he tries to wipe it off with every chance he can get. As he stares at the light illuminating from the top of the elevator, he watches carefully as he sinks closer and closer to the lobby. After what seems like eternity, the elevator doors open and there in a sea of guests looking to head up to their designated rooms, is Taylor. Her appearance strikes James immediately. She wears a tight black skirt, with perfectly matched stockings and her high heels make her legs look like they run a mile long. Her hair is in soft curls and her makeup is dark and mysterious. Her trench coat hangs open slightly, just enough to show off her curves and her voluptuous breasts hidden ever so slightly in her clingy top. She smiles and bites her bottom lip. The seas of people flood the elevator and Taylor enters as well. She cannot go near James because the elevator is at capacity. Instead, they stand close yet so far away. The sexual attraction and tension

couldnt be higher than it is right now. The guests each pick their designated floors and swipe their keycards. James must personally swipe his in order for him and Taylor to head up to the presidential suite. He pushes through a few people in order to make it happen. As he does so, his fragrance is let loose among the elevator and Taylor notices it instantly. It makes her weak just as when she smelled it in the bar. All she wants to do is have him right then and there. Waiting to go up to the room is painstakingly tedious for them both. As the elevator reaches higher floors in the hotel, more and more people shuffle out until it is just James, Taylor and another couple. They still dont greet each other or even dare to look. Even though they want it bad, a part of them holds on until they are completely alone. When the last two people leave the elevator and the doors finally shut to head up to the private floor of the presidential suite, Taylor turns to meet James gaze. The two lock eyes instantly and the tension between them becomes palpable. They both want to rip at each others clothes instantly but nerves take over and the fear of being caught so they wait. No words are spoken between them, because everything is said with their eyes. They are both scared and fear the unknown but at the same time, there is a sense of comfort and sureness between them. The elevator signals they have arrived at the presidential suite. Taylor wants to make some humorous comment about this being the most expensive affair ever, but she refrains. She is too nervous to speak. The doors open and James gestures for her to go first. After you, he says softly and in the most seductive way possible. He waves his hand in front of her and nearly brushes her body as he does so. This action triggers something inside of both of them. The tension is unbearable at this point. Even though they want to wait until they are shielded by the privacy of their room, they just cant take it anymore. Its time. They are ready. Taylor turns towards James and forces her body into his and her lips press on his at the same time. James cant help but wrap his arms around her body to pull her in close. They share a warm, passionate kiss, which soon leads to the want for more. In the breakaway, both of their gazes undress the other. Taylor leads him by the hand and walks down the hallway. They only get about halfway to the room when James swings her around and forces her up against the wall. He kisses her lips and makes his way down her neck, all while pinning her hands above her head the entire time. Never before has a man taken control of Taylor like this before and she is dying inside. She wants more. She needs more. She pushes him off of her, anxious to get into the room but James fights back. He grabs at her legs and continues forcing her into the wall, teasing her and allowing Taylor to feel the growing member buried not so deep in his pants. He is hard and this sensation drives her wild. Finally, James lets her go and starts walking on his own, calling Taylor after him with nothing but his body language. She is begging and pleading for more without saying a word so she follows instantly. James swipes the keycard to the room and opens it. Before they can get inside, they kiss one more time, this time nearly devouring each other. The door to the hotel room slams shut and the two continue to kiss passionately. Their tongues wildly massaging the others and their lips never part. They stand for a while and kiss. The moment James sheds her coat from her body is the moment that the fire between them really starts to intensify. After she stands before him without her jacket, he is able to get closer to her. She reciprocates the motion and starts to unbutton his dress shirt. As she finishes unbuttoning and pulling the tucked in shirt from his pants, she finally gets a look at what he has to offer. James body is the most masculine body Taylor has ever had her hands on. His chest protrudes and his pectoral muscles are perfectly shaped. He has just the right amount of hair to give him even more sex appeal yet it is not enough that it is overbearing. Further down his sexy torso, he has rippling six-pack abs and oblique muscles that give him those

sexy lines down to his pants, complete with a treasure trail of hair down to his crotch. His body and how well he maintains it stuns Taylor. She stops kissing him briefly to allow her eyes to wander and soak him all in. She wants to see more and tears the shirt off of his upper half. There is only more to want and to grab at. James arms ripple and his biceps prove how strong he is. Completely taken by what she sees, Taylor freezes. She feels unsure and feels inadequate. She is less experienced than James and she becomes intimidated. The thoughts are interrupted when James starts kissing her neck and pulling down her shirt to expose her bare breasts. He cups her right breast softly as he kisses down her dcolletage. The sensation of his strong hand massaging her in the right way could bring her to orgasm on the spot, especially when he moves further down on her and takes her nipple in his mouth. He tongues it gently and sucks on it. Taylor moistens even more. James takes control and backs Taylor onto the bed where she lies down. She shuffles her body near the pillows and rests her head. Instead of crawling on top of her, James slowly peels the clothing off of her body, keeping a distance so he can truly see her in the best light. From a moment that was so animalistic and raw, James wants to remember this moment and see Taylors body completely for what it is breathtaking. He slides her shirt all the way down her body and past her heels. He then makes his way to sliding off her skirt, revealing her stockings, garters and lace panties. Seeing Taylor nearly naked drives him wild. He craves to see more. He picks up the pace as he unlatches the garters from the stockings on Taylors legs. At the same time, he takes off her heels. All that is left on her body is the tiny black panties that dont leave much to the imagination. James tears them off of her and finally has her completely nude before him. Her body is shaking and quivering as he positions himself on top of her. James wants to use his position and power to his advantage. He wants Taylor to beg for him and he wants to live out a closeted fantasy in his moment. He slides a finger between her legs to tempt her. James plays with her clitoris and flicks it gently. This causes Taylor to become paralyzed with pleasure. Her moans get caught in her throat and her body quivers like an earthquake. James takes things a step further and slides his finger inside of her. Feeling a part of James inside of her only makes Taylor want more. She is dying to have him inside of her. This is the moment she has been waiting for. I want you to fuck me, whispers Taylor. After the words escape her lips, her cheeks flush red. Never before has she uttered such words but it felt right to say it. It was the only thing she could say. After deciding she has been through enough agony, James cant wait to indulge in her. He props himself off of the bed and stands before Taylor. He unlatches his belt and the button on his pants. He slides them off of his body and stands there in his briefs. They cling to him in all of the right places, concealing his rock hard member barely. Finally he slides them off and reveals his monster of a cock. Taylor nearly gasps at the sight. He is very well endowed and Taylor knows that this is going to feel good. Before engaging in coitus, James grabs a condom from his pants pocket. He begins tearing at the package. Taylor watches him apply it to his body. He watches him stroke the condom down to the base of his member and Taylor can feel her body shaking with anticipation. He crawls on top of her and kisses her deep. Simultaneously, he slips himself inside of her. The moment the two of them become one, it feels as though time stands still. Days of intense sexual frustration, arousal and curiosity are all finally coming to life. With each thrust, James forces himself deeper and deeper inside of her, filling up every single inch of Taylors body. Her face is clenched and her eyes shut tight. Her body is in a state of paralysis. James feels amazing inside of her, and is able to satisfy her in a way that she has never experienced before. The further he goes and the harder he thrusts, the more

comfortable Taylor becomes. She starts biting on his lips, nibbling on his ears and pawing at his back. The rougher she is with him, the more he reciprocates until the two of them are engaging in wild, passionate, rough sex. James flips her over onto her stomach and Taylor awaits his entry with delight. Feeling him thrust his way deep inside of her again drives her wild. This time Taylor decides to show him what shes got. While thrusting into her from behind, Taylor slows him down with her hips. She moves her hips in deep circles, giving James a feeling of pure euphoria. Both of them are far too consumed to even speak. Taylor continues moving her hips on James and he pulls at her hair. Hes feeling powerful and he loves it. He grabs at her skin and spanks her butt. The dirtier he gets with her, the wetter she becomes. James can feel his orgasm approaching hard and fast but he wants the moment to last. He wants to feel Taylor come and he wants to make it happen. He starts to slow down and just as he does so, Taylor mutters the only words she can. Im going to come. The words light a fire in James body. He pulls Taylor upright, while he still enters her from behind. He positions her close to him able to kiss her neck and grab her breasts. He continues thrusting inside of her and Taylor reacts to the pleasure. Her body tightens and all at once, she goes limp. Her breathing increases rapidly and she convulses. Her moans become higher pitched and she climaxes. Moments later, James grabs onto her entire body tightly and moans into her ear as he does the same. The condom nearly bursts from the amount of ejaculate. He lingers inside of her for a while before exiting. They both collapse on the bed. Sweat glistens their bodies and Taylor still trembles. She lies beside James, her mind racing. The effects of the alcohol are wearing off and she starts thinking of Chad. Guilt starts to come over her body. She pulls up the covers of the hotel bed to shield herself, trying to guard her body from James. He rolls over and kisses her in the same motion. The moment he does so, she forgets all about Chad. After kissing her deeply, James pulls away and brushes the hair from her face. He studies her beauty, as if looking at her for the first time. He stares deeply into her eyes and smiles. Taylor cannot help but smile back. Well, I would say that deserves an A+, James whispers and laughs. Taylor turns on top of him and straddles him on the bed. She kisses him and bites at his bottom lip to tease him. Want to try for an A++?

18
James car pulls up about a half a mile away from the dormitory where Taylor lives with Nicole. He puts the car in park and allows the engine to continue running. She sits, staring at the building and thinking about how she is going to get inside. She prays that Nicole isnt there and that she isnt going to get busted but with the time being 3:10am, Taylor knows that her chances are very slim. So, whats your plan of attack? James asks beside her. The streetlights illuminate only part of his face, casting this shadow on him that makes him look so sexy and mysterious. You know, you could just stay the night at my house. I promise we can sleep in separate beds. Taylor looks over to him and gets lost in his eyes for a moment. Dont be such a tease, she says while pushing him in the chest playfully. Any excuse to touch him, she takes advantage of. I cant. I told Nicole Id be in bed sleeping off the alcohol. I have to go. James sighs deeply. He doesnt want her to leave and he wants to spend the night with her in his arms. Taylors gaze goes from the building into James eyes. His eyes are much more welcoming. Well then, my dear, you better get trekking, he says. Id be a gentleman and walk you to the door but I just dont think that is appropriate right now. Taylor giggles quietly. Its the thought that counts. She looks towards the building and knows she is losing precious time while sitting in the vehicle with James. She inhales and exhales deeply and unfastens her seatbelt. You doing this? James asks. Taylor shakes her head yes. Im doing it, she says as her eyes meet his one final time. Unsure what to say, she lets the silence linger a bit. Hoping James knows what to say, all she can do is look at him. Well, then you better get moving, kid, he says to her. James doesnt mean for the pet name to come out and he looks slightly embarrassed after the fact. Kid, hey? Its cute. I like it, says Taylor. Ill see you on Monday. She opens up the car door and is just about to get out before James grabs her by the arm. One more thing, he whispers as he pulls Taylor back into the car. He leans into her close and kisses her deep. As soon as their lips touch, Taylor is melting once again. Every nerve ending in her body is firing and she is being driven wild with lust. Just as she wants to get into it, James pulls away. Now you can go, he whispers. Flustered, Taylor composes herself and exits the car. She starts moving across the street towards her dorm, the headlights from James car illuminating the way for her. She moves swiftly, yet carefully, ensuring that she cannot be seen from all angles. As she approaches the front doors to the building, she can hear James car take off. The moment this happens, she can feel butterflies in her stomach. Not being near him or having him close makes her have this sense of nervousness. She shakes it off and continues through the building. Taylor starts walking up the stairs and just as she does so, she can hear voices in the lobby of the building. She listens for a moment. One of them is Nicole. Adrenaline starts pumping through Taylors veins. She knows that Nicole takes the elevator and Taylor needs to get to the seventh floor before Nicole does. She starts sprinting up the stairs. Even though

she is athletic, after having mind blowing and life altering sex of that magnitude and James hard body pumping into her, its safe to say, she is a little weak. By the time she reaches the fourth floor, her legs are about to give out, but she pushes through. The sixth floor hits and Taylor knows that she isnt going to make it. She needs another plan of attack. Taylor waits by the stairs entrance on the seventh floor and just as she is about to open the door to bolt down the hallway, Nicole comes out of the elevator. Taylor stands for a moment, her heart beating in her chest. She waits for Nicole to enter their room and as soon as she does, Taylor runs for the shared bathroom. She enters the bathroom and feels safe but only for a brief moment. She needs to put on a performance to trick Nicole. She knows she cant bring her purse into the room with her because Nicole would know that she was lying. As she stands and thinks for a moment, she can hear footsteps coming towards the bathroom. Taylor darts for an empty stall and stands in there while the girl enters the washroom. Taylor peeks out from under the stall and sees Nicole entering the washroom. Her breath gets caught in her chest and she panics. She knows she cant head back to the room because Nicole has already been in there. She feels trapped. Nicole enters into a stall a few down from Taylor. She can hear everything that Nicole is doing. She tries to reposition herself in the stall to be quieter. She waits. Nicole exits the stall and heads for the sink. She washes up, grabs some paper towel and is just about to leave when Taylors cell phones text message function goes off, causing a loud jingle to fill the bathroom. She sees that the message is from James and she stuffs the phone into her pocket. Taylor? Nicoles voice calls out. Is that you? Taylor knows she is busted and she cant do anything other than fess up. Yeah, its me. Have you been in here all night? Were you sick again? Nicole asks as she bangs on the door. Are you okay? Taylor realizes she can fake it. She knows that she can pretend that she was sick in the bathroom all night again. She gets ready to put on her Oscar award willing performance, method acting and all. She opens the bathroom stall and pretends to be falling over. Nicole grabs her immediately and takes care of her. Oh honey, says Nicole. We really got to train you. She laughs and acts as Taylors crutch, unaware that Taylor is actually fine. Lets get you to bed. The two girls walk down the hallway together. Taylor feels waves of relief come over her. She continues pretending to be intoxicated just for Nicoles sake and so she can get away with this act until she is safe in her bed. Taylor amps up her drunken state with small mumblings as the two girls walk. Youre the bestest friend any one could have Nic, she mumbles as the two walk. Im so lucky to have a friend like you. Nicole laughs as she keeps walking Taylor down the hallway. She grabs her dorm room key and opens the room for the two girls. Okay, you lush, lets get you into your bed. Nicole helps Taylor to crawl into bed. She takes off Taylors heels, coat and uncovers her bed cover for her. She allows Taylor to get under the covers before she tucks her in. The whole time Nicole is helping Taylor, all Taylor can think about is her phone and what the text message says. She wants to read it and is very eager but knows that she needs to wait until Nicole is fast asleep. Alright, there you go. Now, rest up okay? Nicole whispers gently as she kisses Taylor on the forehead. As she leans in, Taylor can smell the alcohol scent on her breath. She watches Nicole turn to head for her bed and wonders how she can keep herself so composed while being so intoxicated. For a moment, Taylor becomes worried. Maybe Nicole has a drinking problem but all is interrupted as Nicole says Goodnight! Taylor lies for a moment in silence on her bed. She can hear Nicole rustling and when she finally

hears silence, she is able to think clearly. She lies awake and all she can think about is James. She thinks about the way he made her feel and how it was something that she has never experienced before. Her heart patters in her chest and her body trembles as she reminisces on the events that just occurred not more than an hour ago. She can still taste him on her lips and she can still feel the lingering effects of the mounds of pleasure he gave to her. It was amazing. He is amazing. Taylor continues lying still, waiting for Nicole to fall asleep. When she can hear the faint sound of snoring, Taylor rises slowly from her bed. She searches through the darkened room, looking for where Nicole stashed her coat. She finds it hanging on the back of her desk chair, which is a few steps away from her bed. Taylor quietly rises out of bed and tip toes along the hardwood floor. The floor creaks beneath her steps. She gets to her jacket and carefully slides her hand into the coat pocket. She finds her phone and yanks it out. As she makes her way back to her bed, she can hear Nicole rustling in her sheets behind her. The moment she hears Nicole grunt, she stands perfectly still. Another moment of silence falls over her and she quietly starts tip toeing again. She reaches her bed and climbs in. Finally, she feels like she can move freely again. She gets comfortable in her bed and opens up her cell phone. The light blinds her at first so she shoves it under the covers. Knowing that the light could easily shine so bright and wake up Nicole, she changes the brightness settings solely based on memory. She brings the significantly dimmer phone up to her eyes and reads the text message from James. HOPE OPERATION SNEAK-IN WAS A SUCCESS. SLEEP TIGHT KID. Taylor cant help but smile and become overtly giddy. She starts typing in a message but realizes the tapping of her manicured nails could annoy the light sleeper, Nicole. She knows that she has to keep this brief. THANKS PARTNER IN CRIME. TOTAL SUCCESS. NIGHT. XX The moment Taylor closes her phone, she realizes she wouldnt have put on a show or tip toe around to read a text message if it was anyone other than James. A sense of guilt pours over her hard. From one moment of feeling untouchable and a sense of sexual power, Taylor now lies awake, thinking of Chad and how she betrayed him. She thinks of Nicole and how she just lied to her. This wasnt like her to act like this. She was a good girl. She was a good friend and a good partner. Even though she is stricken with this form of regret, Taylor cant help but smile at the thoughts of James. They soothe her and make her feel like everything is going to be all right. She imagines him beside her, holding her close and protecting him in her big arms. It is enough to make her doze off and come 4:00am, Taylor is finally asleep after what will surely be a night she wont soon forget.

19
Taylors planned 8:00am wake up call hits her hard and fast. It is Sunday morning and the sun breaks through the blinds casting rays of shade on the two girls as they sleep. The room smells of alcohol and Taylor can still smell the scent of James on her skin. He is the first thought that crosses her mind this morning. The way he makes her feel and the sensation she gets from it causes her to feel awake, even though her body would disagree. She knows that she has an intense week ahead of her. It is exam week and she needs to do well or else her parents will have something ugly in store for her. She pulls herself out of bed and takes a big stretch, opening up her body and allowing more air in. She feels sore from James, yet she finds it pleasurable the way her body aches. Suddenly, her cell phone rings. She cannot help but want it to be James on the other end but is wrongfully mistaken when the caller ID reveals it is Chad. As soon as his name comes up and stares Taylor in the face, her mood changes drastically. Afraid, she lets the call go to voicemail. Shes not ready to face this yet and she doesnt know if shell ever be. The ringing of her cell phone causes Nicole to wake up. Who was that? Nicole asks, in her groggy, hung over state. Chad, says Taylor, having to clear her throat as she speaks. Why didnt you answer it? Isnt he coming this week? She forgot. Amidst studying and her new fixation on James, Taylor completely forgot that Chad was planning on coming this week. This sense of panic takes over her body. She shakes her head and hangs it down by her chest. She wants to let out profanity. She wants to curse and she wants to let her true feelings show but she cannot in front of Nicole. She makes up yet another lie. I just still feel sick. I wasnt ready to talk yet. Ill call him back. Nicole stretches and sits upright in bed. Are you excited to see him? You guys havent seen each other since like Christmas break. Yeah, its been a while. Of course Im excited to see him, Taylor says as yet another lie spits through her teeth. So is our room going to turn into some love palace? asks Nicole as she yawns. She smiles big at Taylor. No, Taylor says to her. I wont be following in your footsteps and tainting this place. Yeah, you say that now, but when you go months without seeing each other and getting no action, youll think otherwise. The words getting no action make Taylor feel guilty. She tries not to let it show. Well, we will see I guess. Nicole continues waking up and looks at the clock on the wall. Why are you awake? Its 8:00am! Studying. Its exam week. I need to get to work. Youre crazy, says Nicole as lies down again. Ill see you this afternoon. She rolls over and heads back to sleep. Taylor sits, motionless on her bed. She looks at her cell phone and all she can think about is Chad. She feels sick to her stomach and doesnt know what to do. In the meantime, all she can do is wash away the scent of James and change out of the clothes that will remind her of this feeling.

20
The warm Sunday afternoon invites James to relax on the patio of his home while firing up the BBQ. He sits, while inhaling the smell of grilling meat, alone and holding onto an empty beer bottle. He sits a while, motionless, staring out at his perfectly groomed lawn. His thoughts race back and forth between his wife and Taylor. He feels the same guilt as Taylor, even if his circumstance is different. He feels a pain inside for betraying his wife and for allowing things within their marriage to get a bad as they did. Occasionally, he gets up and rotates the steak grilling on the BBQ. Other than that, he sits in silence, thinking about what he did last night and how many people it might end up hurting. He knows that it was wrong to sleep with a student, no matter the circumstance. He needs to be the adult and make sure that this never happens again. He finishes grilling his steak and slides back inside his home through the glass patio door. There, he prepares a salad to accompany his meal. As he finally sits down to eat, James has lost his appetite. All he can think about is how wrong last night was. He feels sick to his stomach. He wants to talk to Taylor and tell her that they can never do this again, even though the thought kills him inside. She gave him something that he hasnt felt in a long time. He is just not sure what that is. He goes to pick up his phone and his nerves get the better of him. He just cant bring himself to do it. He worries that if he calls her, maybe she will be with friends or in a position that will give away their secret. No matter how badly he wants to end it so he can feel a sense of relief, he will have to wait until tomorrow. He will have to break her heart then. James throws away his untouched meal and heads upstairs. Even though it is only 7:00pm, he is wiped from the night before and he feels like sleep is the only thing that is going to help him now. He shuts the blinds in his room and slides under the covers of his king size bed. The house is lonely without Tiffany and her absence is starting to wear on him thin. He takes off his glasses, sets his alarm and closes his eyes. After tossing and turning for nearly 2 hours, James lies awake, frustrated beyond compare. He lies still, clutching the blanket near his chest. His mind is racing with thoughts of Taylor, his wife and how this whole situation could result in him losing his job. Regret pours out of every pore on his body. He lies awake for hours, his mind racing and the lump in his stomach growing as every sleepless hour passes.

21
Monday morning hits and it is the start of exam week. Already this morning, Taylor has been awake since 6:00am, hitting the books hard, preparing for an exam this morning. Even though she has been buckling down and working hard, her train of thought becomes interrupted, as Mr. Zakaraks class grows closer. She feels anxious inside. She has no idea how she is going to act or what he might say to her. She doesnt want to enter class and for other students to notice that something is going on between them, even though the suspicions must already be there. A few hours later, Taylor enters her first exam in her Zoology class. She is able to focus and to fly through the exam no problem. Zoology was never her thing. Even though she has a love for animals, this reminded her of a beefed up biology class something she could write about in her sleep. She nailed it and she knows it. After leaving the exam, she feels in control. She feels like she just aced that exam and that she can finally get a good grip on the grueling week ahead. The only thing she has to worry about now is dealing with James this afternoon and Chads arrival on Thursday, which are both weighing her down in more ways than one. A break in her day comes and Taylor spends the time eating a sandwich and studying in the quad. For once, she allows herself to drink in the springtime air. She immerses herself in college life, without having to get drunk to do so. This small break reenergizes Taylor and gives her the strength that she needs to face what is next. She needs all the energy and help she can get. The walk to James class feels like the walk of shame. Every pair of eyes she passes, she avoids completely. She doesnt want to let anyone in and she doesnt want to give it away because she feels like she is wearing the mistress stamp all over her face. What would they think if they knew the truth? What would happen to her? To James and his career? The thoughts make her rethink that lunch choice. The closer she gets to the classroom, the more nervous she becomes. Taylor can feel the sweat perspiring underneath her arms and on the back of her neck. She feels nauseous and dizzy. When she finally enters the classroom, Janessa is there waiting for her in their usual spot. Seeing Janessa stuns Taylor to her core. Now, she has more than one person to deal with in this class just what she needed. As Taylor walks up to Janessa, she tries to conceal her true emotions. She puts on a brave face and tries to act like her normal self. Hey stranger. Where have you been? Ugh, Ive been so sick. I had this horrible flu last week, says Janessa. Taylor sits down beside her and organizes her books. Even though she is engaged in conversation with Janessa, her eyes cannot help but want to stare at the front door to see James when he enters. Oh, thats not good. Talk about timing too. How are you feeling now? Much better! Still tired but at least Im not puking my guts out. On the plus side, being out of commission for like a week gave me lots of studying time. I hate exam week. Me too, confesses Taylor. Me too Her words trail off as James enters the room. Her heart gets caught in her throat the moment her eyes fall on him. She tries to shake it and revert her attention back to Janessa, who is also struck by the professors appearance. Damn Zakarak looks good! Someone got a hair cut, Janessa says under her breath to Taylor. She

continues staring at James, her eyes tracing his body up and down, checking him out completely. And that stubble thing hes got going on. My god! Isnt he a total babe? Taylor cant help but feel a sense of jealousy as Janessa continues to salivate over his appearance. Instead of saying some catty, Taylor decides that agreeing is the best choice and that maybe Janessa will stop talking about it. Yeah, hes a good looking man for his age. For his age? Cmon Tay. Hes like a hot 35 and hes the hottest guy in this whole college! Period! I wonder what he looks like naked. I bet hes a total stud in the bedroom. His wife is so lucky. Just as Janessas words punctuate the air and Taylors heart, James starts the lesson. Good morning class. I hope you are all well rested and ready for exam week. He cant help but want to look in Taylors direction but he refuses. We are going to use this class as review. Ill tell you all what you need to prepare in order to be ready for our exam on Wednesday afternoon. If you have any questions, now is the time to ask them. James keeps himself busy throughout the review class, ensuring that he keeps his attention away from Taylors direction. He connects his laptop to the projector so he can compile a review document for the class to follow. He pulls down the white projection screen overtop of the whiteboard and then walks over to the door so he can kill a few lights in the classroom to make the projector more visible. So, the exam will consist of three components: First, you will be given an original Shakespearean piece of literature that you must analyze and relate to modern day society. The second part of the exam will be a reading comprehension section, where I will supply a piece of poetry and you will be asked 45 questions based on that. The final section of the exam will be a mini essay. You will be given a topic related to something we have discussed at some point in this class and will be writing a 1000 word mini essay. Remember to include proper essay structure as you write. The students in the class all write down the exam components into their notes. Some students stay calm and cool while others are obviously nervous for this exam and very unprepared. Im so fucked for this exam, whispers Janessa to Taylor. I am such a sucky writer. Knowing that she already has a perfect grade on this exam, Taylor feels so much guilt and remorse, she can hardly look at Janessa. She continues staring at the words reflected onto the screen by the projector. Every now and then, she looks at James but he ignores her. James continues jotting down a few more examples for the students. As he finishes up, he starts shutting down his laptop and unplugging it from the projector. He then walks over to turn the few lights back on in the room. So any questions? The class sits still and silent. No hands are raised. James turns to flick on the light switches and as he does, Janessa raises her hand. He looks up at her and sees Taylor sitting right beside her. This is the first time all class he looks at her and all he can think about is her lying naked in his arms. Yes, Miss Thompson? he says to Janessa. You have a question? He tries his best to not look at Taylor, even though it is impossible. Yeah, how much time is allotted for this exam? Two hours, James replies. Time management will be crucial for this exam. The Shakespearean analysis should take no more than 45 minutes of your time. The reading comprehension should take you another 30-45 minutes and the essay should eat up the rest of your time. He walks back over to his desk and rolls the white screen back up to its resting state. He organizes his belongings. The class isnt over yet but James is done. He cant take it anymore. Thatll be all for class today. I will leave exam review material on my desk if you would like it. If you need further assistance, please email me and we can set up an appointment in my office tomorrow or Wednesday morning. Otherwise, I will see you all on Wednesday. Good luck.

He packs up his things and heads for the door as fast as he can. Even though he wanted to talk to Taylor and to tell her that things were over between them, he just couldnt bring himself to do it. Something inside of him prevented him from doing it. As soon as he is gone, Taylor finally feels like she can breathe. She lets out a sigh and packs up her things. She sees the stress across the faces of other students in the class in regards to the approaching exam, including Janessa and she cant help but feel wrong for doing what she did to ace this exam. Well, back to the grind, right? says Janessa. 5 exams to go this week. I better get cracking. See you on Wednesday! Janessa packs up her things and heads for the door, completely unaware of Taylor and the negative energy that surrounds her. The other students exit the class and Taylor remains there for a few moments. There are 15 minutes before the next class begins and she decides to stay there alone with her thoughts. She sits in her spot and feels another lump forming in her stomach. She knows that she needs to talk to James and to make things right. She knows that she needs to write the exam and pass it the proper way. Knowing that she took the easy way out on achieving her goals will be something that she will regret for the rest of her life. Even if she wanted to be like Chantelle for her entire life, in this moment, she just wants to feel like herself again. She knows that she is bigger and better than this. She knows that stooping to this kind of level is below her, even if James makes her feel something she has never felt before. In the middle of her thoughts, she receives a text message. Automatically, Taylor assumes it is James asking her if the two of them can talk but it is in fact Chad. The message reads: 2 MORE DAYS! CANT WAIT 2 C U. GOOD LUCK ON YOUR TESTS! LOVE YOU. Just as Taylor is about to respond to the message, another text comes through. This time, it is from James. CAN YOU MEET IN ME IN MY OFFICE ASAP? Taylor can feel her body shake at the question. She wonders if she should just meet him there or text him back. She figures she wants to avoid small talk with him at all costs, so she gathers her things and gets ready to head straight to his office. Time is precious and cannot be wasted anymore.

22
James sits in his office by his desk. Even though the sun shines brightly outside the office doors, the interior of the office remains dimly lit. The room has a rather 1950s feel to it. There is vintage furniture all around and his office resembles more of a library than an office. Books line the walls floor to ceiling all stacked perfectly and in order. His desk is constructed of the finest wood and same with his bookcases. Everything is neatly placed and sits where it lies with care. He sits with his laptop open, typing away. His eyes occasionally look towards his phone where he waits for Taylors reply. Knock! Knock! Knock! Someone taps on the door. James rises from his desk and opens the door. There stands Taylor. They lock eyes for a moment but James quickly breaks the silence. Miss Murray, please come in. Taylor enters the office. Being her first time in here, she looks at the scenery before her. With everything so neatly placed combined with the vintage feeling of the room, she finds herself even more attracted and intrigued by James, but all is quickly interrupted as James speaks. Please, take a seat. He instructs Taylor to sit as far away from him as possible. James hesitates for a moment by the door to his office, wondering if he should keep it open or close it. Even though he wants his privacy to speak to Taylor about their situation, a part of him wants to keep the door open as a way to prevent something from happening. After a moment passes, James decides to close the door. Hed rather people suspect something than having them actually hear it with their own ears. After closing the door, he returns to his desk where he sits down. He props his elbows up on the desk and faces Taylor. We need to talk. I want to write the exam, Taylor cries out, while still keeping her voice soft. The last thing she wants is for someone to hear. What we did should have never happened and Id hate to go through life knowing that I received a perfect grade by doing something immoral. James sits for a moment in silence. A part of him is saddened that Taylor feels the same way as him. Even though this is the perfect scenario and that things will end, a part of him doesnt want it to. He stares at her golden blonde hair and her beautiful blue eyes. Well, then you can write the exam in full on Wednesday and we will grade your exam properly. Taylor shakes her head in agreement. She tries to avoid making eye contact with him at all costs. When she does speak, she stares at his desk or another line of sight. So, what did you want to talk to me about? James sits for a moment and brushes his hand over the stubble on his face. I just wanted to say that I was sorry. Taylor finally makes eye contact with him. There is an unspoken moment between the two of them. They stare into each others eyes longingly, the same way they did in the hotel room. James cuts the moment short and breaks the gaze. It was wrong of me to take advantage of you like that and I am sorry. I acted unprofessionally and should have never done that to you. It wont ever happen again. I hope you can forgive me. Taylor locks eyes with him. His green eyes pierce through her body. She fights the words as she says them, like her body is rejecting the thought. You are forgiven. Lets just forget this ever happened, says Taylor. She rises from her chair and extends her hand to James. Truce?

James smiles and relief comes over him. He stands to meet her and walks over to her slightly, still keeping a barrier between them. He extends his arm and gently grabs Taylors small hand. He envelops it in his. Truce. The two stand there for a brief moment, their hands interlocked. Even though they both just agreed that this must end, something pulls them in. The skin-to-skin contact sends a tingling sensation throughout both of their bodies. The fight from avoiding prolonged eye contact fails and they both stare at each other. Through their gaze, they are able to communicate that they dont want to hurt anyone but that they just cant fight it anymore. Its too much. They are addicted to it. They both meet in the middle and their lips press together. They nearly devour each other the moment their lips touch. Sparks fly through their bodies and they are both filled with this newfound sense of electricity and desire. James brings his hands up to cup Taylors face as he kisses her deep. Taylor wraps her arms around James build and pulls him in tight. As powerful as the kiss is, they stop. They break away from the moment and compose themselves. James is the instigator. We cant do this. Not here. Not now. Taylor agrees. Youre right. The last thing we need is someone catching us. James doesnt want to say it but he has no choice. But I have to admit, the whole sex in the office thing is kind of a fantasy of mine, says James as he playfully looks into Taylors blue eyes. Taylor cant fight it. She has to give in too. Hes just too damn tempting to her. Well, you said we could book an appointment with you anytime for additional help in preparation of the exam, so what does your 10 oclock look like tonight? James and Taylor both smile and laugh. I think we can arrange that, says James. Ill see you then. Its a date, Taylor says back as she heads for the door. She leaves his office without thinking. As soon as she is down the hall, that is when it hits her. She cant keep doing this and it needs to stop. Chad is flying halfway across the country to see her and meanwhile, she is sleeping around. Taylor gives her head a shake and wonders if she should turn around and tell James to forget it. As bad as she wants to be able to have the strength to do that, thoughts of him naked and pressed up against her take over and win.

23
Taylor sits quietly alone in her dorm room with her thoughts. After her brief encounter with James this afternoon, she sits studying while gazing up at the clock every so often. With every gaze, the appointment time grows closer and closer. Taylor can feel herself becoming more nervous as the clock reaches 10:00pm. This sensation within her feels akin to her first time with Chad and without the alcohol, everything feels a bit more real. As the time approaches 9:30pm, Taylor begins to pack up her things. She slips into some sexy lingerie she has on hand that she was originally saving for Chads arrival, but figures she would test it out first. Besides, shes certain James would appreciate it more anyways and have more knowledge on how to get her out of it or what to do with it She slips on her trench coat over top and finishes the look with a sexy pair of high heels. Taylor feels dangerous and she feels unstoppable. She feels a sense of sexual power come over her and it seeps out of every pore. Even though she wants to keep this under wraps, the idea of being caught kind of turns her on. The good girl skin that she once wore so proudly is slowly shedding from herself, revealing the true vixen underneath. Just as she is about to leave, Nicole comes through the room. She stands and stares at Taylor adorned in heels, full make up and a trench coat. Um, where are you going? Its almost 10:00 pm? Taylor searches through her mind for an excuse and with her recent lying binge, she is able to come up with something quickly. Im surprising Chad with some sexy pictures for when he comes. I found a photography student on campus who has access to one of the studios and she is going to do them for free in exchange for portfolio building. Just as the words escape Taylors lips, she feels proud of herself. She likes the fact that she was able to come up with something so ingenious in the nick of time. It excites her. She tries to calm down her excitement, as to not give the lie away. And she does it this late? Nicole asks, as she obviously doesnt buy it. Well, its exam week and this is the only free time that she has before Thursday. Nicoles thought process can be seen in her eyes and on her face. After a moment passes, she believes Taylors lie. Well, go have fun and you know I want to see these sassy pics when theyre all done! Of course, Ill see you later, says Taylor as she heads for the door. She closes the door behind her and feels invincible. She knows that if she is able to get through Nicole, then she can get through anyone and anything. She struts through the hallway of the dormitory and feels unstoppable. She walks with her head held high and her hips swaying side to side. She struts through the campus quad as the sun finishes its dissent. The orange, pinks and reds that color the sky add a certain ambience to the whole experience. Taylor can feel a sense of romance in the air. She feels excited. Taylor approaches James office, which is set outside. The professors offices are all lined up facing each other to an outside hallway. Taylor stops before walking down the hallway to ensure that no one else is around. When the coast is clear, that is when she takes her first few steps. As soon as her heels click on the paved walkway, James can hear them. His heart starts to pound in his chest. He looks at his watch on his wrist and the time says 9:55pm. He smiles to himself, and appreciates that Taylor is early. He wouldnt expect anything less.

Before Taylor can even knock on the door, James opens the door and yanks her inside, all in one quick motion. He gently closes the door behind him and pushes Taylor up against it. He tears open her trench coat and is forced to take a step back. The image overwhelms him. He stares at Taylor adorned in her black lingerie. The corset pulls her waist in and gives her body this incredible shape. For a moment, this visual reminds him of his wife lying on the bed and how all he could do is think about Taylor. Finally, he has her where he wants her. Wow, he says, as those are the only words that can escape his lips. He continues staring at her body and caressing her gently. Taylor pulls the jacket completely off of her body and lets it fall to the floor. Should I keep it on or take it off? she asks coyly while still allowing James to salivate over her appearance. Oh, youre keeping that on, he says as she picks her up and puts her on top of his desk. Taylor sits upright as James presses his body on top of her. She pulls at the buttons of his shirt and loosens them, exposing his ripped chest. She cant help but touch and paw at him. He kisses her deeply and forces his tongue in her mouth. Taylor gladly accepts it and massages it with hers. They kiss deeply for a moment, allowing Taylor to become moist. James slides his fingers down to between her legs to test her. Once he feels that she is ready, he unzips the front of his pants and allows his member to come through. Taylor glances down and notices that it is bigger than she once remembered. The sight of it and how it throbs for her only further turns her on. James slides Taylors thong to one side and forces himself deep inside of her. The moment their bodies meet is nothing short of pure ecstasy. Taylor struggles to keep her moans silent, but the sheer pleasure is simply overwhelming. James grunts quietly as he grips at her skin and thrusts his way deeper inside of her. During mid coitus, he briefly glances around the room and soaks in the experience. The thought of one of his all-time fantasies becoming a reality causes a smile to form on his lips. Taylor notices and becomes slightly concerned. What is it? she asks softly, mid moan. This fantasy is so much hotter than I could have ever imagined, he softly sighs back. Knowing that James is truly enjoying himself causes Taylor to feel even more empowered and sexually confident. Would it be hotter if you were taking me from behind? she teases. She doesnt even have to finish her words before James has her bent over his desk. The position causes him to go deeper inside of Taylor, which results in even louder moaning. However, they are so consumed in the moment that nothing could distract them. They are loud and obnoxious, their moans resembling the loudest of porn stars in the industry. Footsteps can be heard coming down the hallway, silently. James and Taylor dont notice and they continue engaging in sex. The footsteps come closer and stop outside of James office door. Before knocking, the silhouette stops and can hear moaning from the room. The sounds of a young woman can be heard, muffled but enough to distinctly know what is happening behind the door. The body moves over to the window and peers through the slightly open blinds. There stands Tiffany, who had come to reconcile with her husband, staring through the blinds and seeing James take Taylor from behind. Shocked by what she sees, Tiffany turns her body away and rests quietly on the windowless wall. Tears form in her eyes and a lump in her throat. She cant help herself and she bursts in through the door. James! What the hell is going on here! she screams at the top of her lungs. Taylor and James stop dead. He pulls himself out of her and tries to conceal his body. Taylor is ghost white and has no idea what is going on. Tiff! Oh my god! Tiff! What are you doing here?! Tiffany has tears flowing down her cheeks at a rapid rate and is nearly hyperventilating. I was I was... She is overcome with emotion. Through her tear-blinded eyes, she makes eye contact with Taylor,

who is too paralyzed to move that she cannot even conceal her body. Instead, she stares at Tiffany and is motionless, still half dressed in lingerie. Tiffany stares at her in the eyes and the emotion comes over her even stronger. James, feeling awful, tries to console her. Baby, Im so She slaps him. Hard. Get away from me! She screams as loud as she can and runs down the hallway, loud enough for everyone to hear but thankfully, the professor offices are quiet and they are the only ones there. Shit! James puts himself back to together, grabbing at his shirt and trying to do up his pants again. Oh my god, Taylor says quietly to herself, tears starting to well in her own eyes. Im so sorry. James ignores her and continues getting ready. I have to go. Im sorry Taylor. We should have never done this in the first place. I dont know why we were so stupid to do it again. Im sorry. I have to go. He gets himself as presentable as he can be and heads out the door, not even bothering to check on Taylor nor lock up his office. Tiffany! Wait! He runs down the hall after her. Taylor lies there, half naked and ashamed, her eyes are welling up with tears and the sensation that she is about to vomit is almost overwhelming. All she can do is start to break down and pack up her belongings. Never before has she felt so ashamed and embarrassed. She was always such a good student and always such a good girl. How could this have happened to her? What was going to happen to James? To her? To Chad? She couldnt take it anymore. She needed to talk to someone and she needed someone now. She grabs the rest of her belongings and heads for the door, heels in hands as her feet scrape along the pavement as she runs back to the safety of her dorm.

24
Taylor cannot run to her dorm fast enough. She feels like she is running through an Olympic race, only she can barely see what is ahead of her due to the enormous rain drop sized tear drops that gush out of her eyes. She dodges through the trees, across streets, and through the grass, all the while her feet scraping along the pavement and leaving a bloody trail. She bursts through the doors and through the main lobby of the dormitory, where other students are situated on picnic bench style seating, playing cards and watching TV in the social area. She runs right past them to the safety of the elevator, however, all eyes are on her. Even though she is running, she can still feel the glares of other students and can even hear the faint murmurs of whispers. What happened to her? Taylor darts for the safety of the elevators, and thankfully, they open immediately and empty. She presses the close door button frantically and repeatedly, doing her damndest to block out the glares and stares of the other students. The doors shut. She is alone. All Taylor can do in this moment is break down even further. Never before has she ever openly sobbed this hard in her life. Her entire body is nearly convulsing and she cant control it. The saliva is pooling in her mouth and she catches herself gagging a few times as she tires to quell the nauseous feeling. She is sick to her stomach from the sight of Tiffany walking in on her and James. She knew he was married but the last thing she ever expected was his wife to walk in on them. How could they have gotten caught? What was going to happen? The elevator ride up the 7 floors is painfully slow. All Taylor wants is the safety of her bed. All Taylor wants is the comfort of someone to hug her and tell her that it is going to be okay. That is when it hits her even harder. Taylor needs to get herself composed before she dares to see Nicole. She cant tell her about this! She cant tell anyone about this. Nicole was never one to keep her mouth shut and gossip was like an addiction to her. What if it spread around campus? James would lose his job. Taylors reputation would be forever tainted. It just wouldnt be good. Taylor does her best to pull herself together. She fiddles with her lingerie underneath her trench coat and puts her heels back onto her bloodied feet. She stares in the reflection of the mirror stainless steel panels in the elevator, moistens her index finger on her right hand with her tongue and does her best attempt at removing the mascara stains that start from underneath her eyes to down past her jaw line. The elevator ride stops suddenly. Taylor stops what she is doing and her heart sinks. With only two more floors to go no less. Of course this was happening tonight. The elevator doors open on the fifth floor and a young woman enters, slightly intoxicated. She carries with her a bag of books and booze. She locks eyes with Taylor. What the hell happened to you? Taylor replies quickly, dodging the subject. Are you going up or down? Im going up. Huh? the drunk girl replies, still staring at Taylor through half squinted eyes. Forget it, Taylor says to herself. She turns in the other direction and crosses her arms, shutting herself off from the drunken moron. Why are you wearing a trench coat? Its like summer here?

Taylor ignores her. Well, whatever. I was just trying to have a nice conver Cant you see that I dont want to talk to you! Cant you just leave me alone?!Taylor snaps. The young girl just stares at her blankly. Dude, Im sorry. Just relax. College is What?! Fun?! College is supposed to be fun right? You know how fucking sick and tired I am of hearing about how college is supposed to be fun? You know what college is supposed to be? Hard work. Youre here because you want to do something better with your life and youre here because you want to have a degree, get a better paying job and be something that matters in this world. Im here because Im doing everything in my power to be successful and Im sorry Im not a drunk slut like you. Taylor snarls and walks out of the elevator, blood pumping through her veins. College was turning out to be a complete and total disaster. No, this wasnt fun and no, she wasnt going to waste her time when she could be studying. Enough was enough. Taylor hit her breaking point. No longer was she going to go out. No longer was she going to have fun. No longer was she going to let the opinions of anyone get in her way. That wasnt going to happen. Taylor marches to her dorm room and could care less what Nicole thinks at this time. She yanks the keys out of her pocket, and opens the lock. Then, she bursts through the room and sees a familiar yet, at the same time, very foreign sight. Of course, in typical fashion, on the bed, lies a man, naked from head to toe and only concealed by the body of Nicole. She straddles herself on top of him, facing him, her back arching as she pumps her body on top of him. His fingers dig into the skin on her hips, as if he is trying to make himself a part of her even further. The scene plays out in slow motion to Taylor, as if time is standing still. That is when it hits her. She recognizes the man beneath Nicole. She is familiar with the scar on his abdomen that was from surgery when he got a cleat to the side. She sees the birthmark on his leg that she has known since she was 17. She recognizes those pumped up pecs, those chiseled abs and those biceps that intensify when he grabs anything. She sees those plump pink lips, perfect teeth, that beauty mark right above his top lip and those baby blue eyes and jet-black hair. It is him; it is Chad. Taylors heart sinks in her chest and simultaneously, time seems to resume its usual speed and right as Chad is about to orgasm inside of Nicole, his gaze snaps and sees the dorm room door wide open with none other but Taylor standing there. He feels the same pain as Taylor. He feels the same shock. He feels everything and more. All they can do is lock eyes in a frozen gaze. It takes Nicole a second to realize what is happening, but when she does, she screams at the top of her lungs. Oh my god! Taylor! What are you doing here? It literally could be the worst thing possible that Nicole could have said in that moment. What am I doing here? Taylor asks calmly. What the fuck are you doing with my boyfriend? Nicole leaps off of Chad and conceals herself with the nearest article of clothing, which just so happens to be Chads letter jacket. She wraps it around herself, only further fueling the rage inside of Taylor and adding more salt to the wound in her heart. She says nothing though, and continues burning a fiery hole through Chad. Baby, we can explain everything, he tries to console Taylor, but his rock hard cock that remains erect says otherwise. He notices the bloodstains pooling out of her shoes and the trench hangs slightly open, revealing some lingerie. What happened to you tonight? Are you okay? What did you do? Taylor feels sick. Her heart is pounding in her chest. She wants to yell and scream. She wants to beat the hell of out Chad. She wants to break Nicoles neck but all she can do, in this moment, is cry. Nicoles heart sinks even further. For all she knows, Taylor was out tonight getting those sexy

boudoir photos done for Chad for his arrival. Im so sorry, Tay. You, she walks right up to Nicole and gets right into her face. You, disgust me. Taylor chokes on her words as she leaves the room. She doesnt even bother to look back at Chad. He doesnt deserve another breath from her lips or another beat of her heart. Taylor grabs a warmer jacket, placed on the chair by her desk and leaves the room. Im moving my stuff out tomorrow. I want you both gone in the afternoon. Tay! The semester is almost over, Nicole says back to her. I dont fucking care. But where will you stay? Chad asks. The words stop Taylor dead in her tracks. Immediately, she sought the comfort of James and how she feels when his arms wrap around her, but then she remembers what happened previously in the night. He ran after his wife. He didnt stay with Taylor. She was just a girl to have fun with and toy with. She wasnt anything special to him. Even though his gaze said differently, it is always actions that speak louder than words. She was alone. She had no one to turn to. Since she dived so heavily into her books at the start of her college career, the only true friends she had were Nicole, who was her friend from high school, and Janessa, who was only her friend from class and only spoke to her because Janessa was the first one to start conversation. Taylor was too shy and too into her studies and now, when she needed someone the most, she had no one. The walk down the hallway was something that her body was forcing her to do, not because she wanted to. With what happened with James and now this fallout with Chad and Nicole, Taylor felt at a loss. She had no one to turn to. No one to have her back and no one to love her. The girl who once had it all and who everyone else envied, had now lost it all in one fell swoop and over the course of a few hours. Where was she going to go? As Taylor wraps herself in her warm jacket and bundles up as she leaves the dorm building, she grabs her cell phone and calls the only person she knows she can talk to about this situation. The phone rings. Even though its late, she knows that the person will pick up. Hello? Taylor says into the phone. Yeah, its me. Her voice starts to crack a little bit. Shes nervous. Um I was wondering if I could come over? I know its late. I just really need someone to talk to. She pauses and waits for a reply. Its the one she wants and a tear escapes her eyes again. Taylor wipes it away. Thank you so much. Ill be right over. Taylor stuffs her phone into her jacket pocket and heads for the main drag, hailing down a cab and heading into the night.

25
James car roars down the block and up the street to his home, where Tiffany is already getting out of her car and heading up the driveway. She notices his vehicle and runs inside, trying to get away from his as fast as she possibly can. Wait! He calls out after her in his car, even though he knows that she cant hear him, he wishes that she could feel his remorse. Just as James breaks the threshold on the driveway with his car, Tiffany is inside and the door is locked behind her. James gets out of his car as fast as he possibly can and head up towards the door. He goes to unlock it with his key but is interrupted by his wifes voice calling out to him through the door. Dont even think about coming in here! Tiffany. I dont want to hear it, Jameson! Go! James stands helplessly against the door, his head placed on it and his hands on the doorknob. Just please open the door. Let me explain. Explain what? What is there to explain James! We are falling apart! James can feel a lump forming in his throat and he is choking back the tears. Tiff Just please leave. I dont want to talk right now. Where am I supposed to go? We have to talk about this. We have to figure it out. There is silence behind the door. James can hear Tiffany walking away from the door. He goes to enter his key and turns the knob but something is preventing him from gaining entry. Tiffany has placed a chair behind the door and James cannot open it. He sticks his head through the crack of the door. When you are ready to talk, Im here. Im not leaving. He closes the door behind him and locks it. Then, he sits on the front porch and waits. He waits for Tiffany to come talk to him and he waits for the moment he can explain to her what is going on. He cant help but feel his heart ripping out of his chest. He knew this was a bad idea from the start but he never expected that things would get this bad. It was a simple agreement and was only supposed to happen once. How could he have let this get out of control? Just then, his mind is flooded with thoughts of her of Taylor. He thinks about how young he makes her feel and the way her face lights up when she smiles. He reminisces about her shyness and how that much more adorable it makes her. He thinks about her perfect body and the way his hands can fit around her perfectly, as if her body was made for his. James takes out his phone and prepares a text message for Taylor, but his fingers prevent him from typing. Instead, he stuffs the phone away, packs his suit jacket into a little makeshift pillow and curls up on the stoop. Tiffany heads upstairs to the master bedroom where she peers out of the window to see if James is still there. She notices that his car is still in the driveway and in the faint of the night, can barely see his feet dangling off of the front porch. Was he seriously going to stay there the whole night for her? She would wait until the morning to find out.

26
Taylor sits in sweatpants, a t-shirt with no makeup, her hair freshly washed and her eyes still bloodshot from all of the crying. She holds a mug of warm cocoa to her lips and sits next to the fire raging from the pit outside. Then, the screen door to the deck opens and out walks Chantelle, carrying a tray with an assortment of dessert goodies and other treats. She also carries a sweatshirt around her arm. Ready to put some weight on your bones? Also, I thought you might get chilly, so I also brought you a sweater, she says as she slides the screen door closed with one hand and continues to walk towards Taylor out in the backyard. Taylor smiles as Chantelle approaches, and grabs the sweatshirt from Chantelles extended hand. Thanks again. I really appreciate you taking me in for the night like this. Anytime, girl. You know the saying, once a Spartan always a Spartan. We need to stick together. She smiles and sits down on the bench next to Taylor and hands her something sweet to snack on. Hungry? Once a Spartan, always a Spartan, hey? She wishes she could say the same fo Chad and Nicole right now. Even though Taylor cant even fathom the thought of it, she feels obligated to have a bite of chocolate and caramel, since Chantelle has been so welcoming and hospitable. Thanks. Sorry its so late. Chantelle shakes her head. No, no, no, Im always up this late. I swear, switching from the night shift in the ER screws my schedule for at least a few days, so you caught me on a good night, she smiles at Taylor. Taylor smiles back and turns to the fire before another tear can escape her eyes. She tries to hold it back. Chantelle notices Taylor trying to swallow back the tears. She puts another piece of chocolate in her mouth before speaking. So, you dont have to talk about it if you dont want, but Tay, what happened tonight? Taylor shakes her head. I dont even know where to begin. Well, start at the beginning of the night? Taylor is instantly teleported back to the image of Tiffanys painstaking gaze when she saw Taylor as James young mistress. She cant even feel guilty for it because of what happened after. I dont know Chantelle sits quietly beside her. She takes a sip of cocoa from her mug, waiting and hoping that Taylor breaks. I He cheated she says under her breath. Chantelle slides over closer to Taylor on the bench. Tell me what happened, babe. Taylors bottom lip begins to quiver and she puts her finger to her lip to stop it, but it is no use. No dam can stop the floodgates that are about to pour out of her eyes. Chad cheated on me. Im so sorry, Chantelle says, wrapping her arms around Taylor, embracing her close. She pulls Taylor in and Taylor automatically cradles her head into Chantelles chest. The comfort is warming and very reminiscent of a mother protecting her youth. What happened? Taylor tries to speak between bouts of tears, her voice is shaky and unsteady the entire time. I

dont know. I just came home from I just came home and there he was on the bed with Nicole She cries harder. Are you serious? Chantelle can hardly believe it. Little does she know thats not even half of the story. Im so, so sorry, she continues pulling Taylor in close. And right before exams no less. Chantelles sentence pierces through Taylors gut. Shes instantly taken back to the moment with James. Even though the thought disturbs her now, her heart yearns for him and aches. She tries to stop it, but she cant. It just comes out. She cant help it. I slept with him. Chantelle barely hears Taylors whisper. Whats that, babe? You did what? Taylor swallows hard and sits upright on the bench. She faces Chantelle and looks her dead in the eyes. Chantelle looks right back at her with a concerned look stamped right across her face. Whats going on? Taylor takes a deep breath in. I did it. I did what you told me to do. Chantelle mulls over the words for a bit but still cant comprehend it. What did I tell you to do? I just wanted an A+. I just wanted to be successful. I just wanted to make them proud Taylor starts to break down again. Chantelle watches the break down before her eyes and that is when everything starts to click. Did you sleep with a prof? Taylor shakes her head up and down slightly, turning her gaze away from Chantelle in embarrassment. I dont even know why. She starts to cry again. Did something go wrong? Or do you just feel bad? It was easy for me, she laughs to herself. Taylor remains quiet, finding the courage to speak. It went bad. Did someone find out? Taylor shakes her head yes. His wife. Chantelles jaw drops. She turns her gaze to the fire, not knowing what to say. The motion causes Taylor to feel even more unsettled, like she did something else wrong. What? Chantelle shakes her head. I dont know, Tay. Im busted! Im busted, arent I? She becomes inconsolable and drops her mug onto the ground, holding her head in her hands to conceal her tears. Chantelle returns her hand to Taylors back and rubs it slightly. You just need to figure out how to mend it. You just need to make sure that his wife understands and that she doesnt go to the board. Does anyone else know? Taylor shakes her head. I have no idea. Chantelle sits quietly beside her. You just need to apologize. Tell him that youre sorry, hopefully he does the same and hopefully his wife doesnt freak out further. Realistically, she should be pissed at him but you know how it always goes with these things people get mad at the wrong person. Taylor shakes her head. I know what I have to do. How did you get away with it though? Chantelle shrugs her shoulders. It only happened once and no one let their emotions get the better of them. Its just sex, after all, right? The question is one that Taylor can barely comprehend, but one she answered anyways. Youre right. Its just sex. Was it just sex though? The way he brushed her hair out of her face and caressed her skin? How it felt like more than just a rendezvous? The way they looked at each other like no one else mattered in the world. How time literally felt as though it stopped still when they were together. How it happened more

than once and how it was bound to happen again. The two girls sit quietly, side by side, staring blankly at the fire. Chantelle says nothing, but hands over more goodies for Taylor to snack on. No, Im fine. She turns them away. Chantelle grabs a handful and shoves them into her mouth, using it as a homemade filter to try to block out anything that might come out of her mouth, as single raindrops start to fall from the sky.

27
The rain intensifies and thunder roars throughout the night sky as the sheets rustle as Tiffany tosses and turns in the lonely king size bed. Her mind is racing, her eyes still puffy and red and the sniffles still riddle her nasal cavity. Her heart pounds in her chest at a rapid rate the more she thinks about what just happened. Yes, her marriage was slipping through the cracks but she was doing everything in her power to make it work. She gave James his space. She cooked him dinner every night. She did her best to keep the spark alive. It felt like it was all on her shoulders. She was the only one trying to do any repairs. It just wasnt fair. Knowing that James was still on the front stoop drove her mad. She felt a fire ignite in her veins. How could he do something like this to her? After 10 years of marriage, this is how he repaid her for everything? No, it wasnt going to happen like this. Tiffany rises from the bed and turns on the bedside table lamp beside her to try to locate her robe through the dark room. She finds it folded over a chair by the vanity and wraps herself around in it. Then, she locates her furry slippers and slips her feet inside of the cozy interior, one foot at a time. She leaves the light on for her return and then leaves the master bedroom. The walk down the grand spiral staircase feels like it takes forever. That, paired with the lightheadedness she experiences from all of the crying, is enough to make her want to faint, but she charges on. She must. She has to. James rolls over on the front stoop trying to protect himself from the rain as it pelts down on him like tiny punishment reminders of what he has done wrong. He can hear footsteps leading up to the door amidst the cries from the sky. His heart races in his chest and he turns over all the way, ready to face his wife again. Tiffany unlocks the door slowly and it feels like it takes an eternity for it to open. The cool night storm air hits her and it is a breath of fresh air, despite locking eyes with James. He stands to greet her and stares at her in the rain. Tiffany neglects to turn on the front light and stares at him in the dark. Tiffany, he begins. Its over, James. We both know its over. You just knew it before I did. Now I know too. The tears choke James as he starts to speak. No, its not over. It doesnt have to end. I love you. Tiffany shakes her head. I will always love you, but I dont deserve this. No one deserves this, James. We are lying to ourselves. Its not fair anymore. James tries to fight back. I cant accept that. He charges into the home and grabs Tiffany by the face, pulling her in for a deep and passionate kiss. His soaking wet clothes immerse Tiffany in wetness. She tries to fight back and her lips pucker when his lips touch hers, like her body is trying to reject him. He presses on, trying his damndest to get a rise out of his wife, even for one last time. He slams the door closed behind him, while the thunder still roars in the background. He presses Tiffany up against the front entrance bench, and forces his body against hers. She can feel him against her, but not in the way that she is used to. James tries to kiss at her neck and become more vigorous with his movements but Tiffany lies there, lifeless and defeated. She knows better. You cant even get it up, James. Stop trying.

James takes a step back and his head hangs down. Im so sorry. I dont know what happened with us and I dont know if I ever will, but what I do know is that this isnt working anymore. I cant keep being the one who puts in all of the effort. I cant be the one who tries to make us work while you are off fucking some young blonde thing. I deserve real love too and I dont have it with you, Jameson. Yes, I used to but something changed. You changed. We changed. She chokes back the tears. The two are only inches apart but the distance between them feels like it spans decades. Its over, Tiffany repeats. You know it too. As a man, James refuses to acknowledge that this is the end of his marriage. He cant accept that something that was in his power has failed. He, as a husband, has failed. He, as a man, has failed. The tears well in his eyes even further. Im so sorry. Dont, Tiffany begins. I should have ended it a long time ago, but I couldnt accept that it was over. Now, after tonight, she swallows hard. I know its the end. James nods his head in agreement. So, Ill pack up my stuff and Ill leave town. When the semester is over, we can finalize the divorce and figure out the legalities of our assets. James again, nods his head in agreement. Tiffany steps forwards and grabs him gently by the cheeks. She brings his gaze up to meet hers. Defeat is marked across his wet face and it is stained by tears, snot and shame. Just be careful. You worked hard for this career and I know how much it means to you. Dont. Fuck. It. Up. She loosens her grasp on him and heads upstairs toward the bedroom. James already knows he is confined to the couch tonight. She doesnt have to say another word. He walks solemnly into the sunken living room, and undresses out of his wet clothes. He carries them into the kitchen and plops them into the sink. The cool still air of the house stings his wet naked skin. He grabs a nearby throw and wraps himself on it before lying down on the leather couch. His mind races and he cant help but let a few single tears roll down this face. Was this really the end? Was that it? He loved Tiffany and he always will but he knew he couldnt fight his attraction to Taylor. He always remained a faithful and kind husband. He never wanted to do anything to hurt his wife, but when Taylor came around and even from the first time he saw her, he had to have her. He just knew he couldnt, which is why he put so much pressure on her in class to do well. He wanted to see her succeed like he knew he could. He wanted to see her surpass any expectation he had in her, and she always did. James lies awake on the couch for what feels like hours; a piece of his heart ripped right out of his chest. His divorce is over, his job is at risk if anyone finds out and he could lose everything he has ever worked hard for. Was Taylor even worth it? He didnt know and at this point in time, he wasnt sure he wanted to find out.

28
Wednesday morning seems like it couldnt go by slow enough. Taylor hasnt spoken to Nicole or Chad since their blowout and without classes in session during exams, Taylor is forced to sit in her lonesome of Chantelles living room with her thoughts. She has no one to turn to. She knows that she cant talk to any classmates about this because the word would spread like a wildfire and James would certainly lose his position. She cant call her parents, because they would literally disown her and neither James nor Chad are viable options for her to turn to. This is the first time in her entire life where Taylor has felt alone. As her English exam with James approaches, Taylor can feel her emotions hitting her like a ton of bricks. As she walks to the classroom, she fights back the tears. When she comes around the corner to the classroom to write her exam, Janessa stands there and greets her. Hey, Tay. You ready for this? she asks, eagerly anticipating the exam. Ive been in such a groove lately that Ive got a good feeling about this! Taylor opens up her mouth to speak but when she does, a tear escapes from her eye. It takes a moment for Janessa to stop babbling before she even notices. Tay, you alright? Whats wrong? Not wanting to get into it right now, Taylor sucks it up and makes up an excuse. I just got into a fight with my parents, but Im okay. Ill be okay. Janessa tries to offer her some comfort and to alleviate her pain. Hey, I know how overbearing parents can be, but youll make it through. Youre a smart girl and the perfect student. You got this! The word perfect sends chills through Taylors body. At one time, that was all she strived for. Now, all she wants is for things to go back to the way they once were. She looks to Janessa. Thanks for the support, Jay. I appreciate it. The two girls head into the classroom and Taylor braces herself to see James sitting at his desk, but cant make him out as the sea of students flood the exam room. Taylor finds herself looking over and through people to try to find James. Dude, are you alright? Taylor ignores Janessa and continues to look for James. She sees an older man, heavier set and those familiar thick-rimmed glasses but it is paired with a full-grown white beard. Its not James. Its someone else. Taylor feels distraught. Even though she knows that she is locked into this exam either way and is guaranteed a perfect grade, her nerves get the better of her. Where was James? Why didnt he show up today? Was he okay? Please seat yourself where an exam is placed and sit quietly for further instruction, the older gentleman instructs the class. Good luck! Janessa whispers to Taylor as she leaves her in the first row of seats, sitting right in front of an exam. Taylor continues walking up the stairs to a new level. She walks past a few students and then eventually finds herself away from the crowd and separated. She sits quietly with an exam placed in front of her, turned upside down. She does her usual exam routine by placing a highlighter, pencil and pen on either side of the exam, as if she is laying out cutlery for a meal. Everything has a place and needs to be

there. It is her good luck charm, despite not needing it. Everyone settles in room and the room gets quiet. They wait for the next instruction from the teacher. Now, my name is Mr. Smith and I am here filling in for Mr. Zakarak. He will be grading your exams and you should receive your final marks within a few weeks of writing the final. As instructed to you before, you understand that you have 2 and a half hours to complete the exam. Please use only a pencil for this exam for all three parts. Again, manage your time properly and I will keep you all updated on how much allotted time you will have left. We will start sharp at 2:30pm and end at 5:00pm. Are there any questions? No hands in the class rise. The clock is at 2:29pm. Then at 2:30pm sharp, you may begin. He sits back at the desk and grades papers of his own class. The class all sits quietly. Some of them signal to their peers in the class with a good luck thumbs up or smile. Janessa turns around and smiles to Taylor. She smiles back, unwillingly. Her mind is elsewhere right now. Everyones pencils are shaking in their hands. The anticipation is killing them. All of the studying, all of the hard work, all of the hours they put in, it all boiled down to this. The digital clock changes over and its go time. Everyone flips over their exam in unison, Taylor is the last one to go. Everyone starts reading and writing away, some of them starting on the essay portion first while others get busy filling out the multiple choice selections as fast as their pencils can allow. After some thought and staring at the front of the classroom and not seeing James, it hits her. She has to write this exam to prove to him that she didnt just sleep with him for the grade. She did feel something for him. She just didnt know exactly what that was. Finally, Taylor looks down at her exam and begins to read the first part of the exam multiple choice based on a novel study they did in the beginning of the year. Easy enough. She flies through the first portion of the exam with ease. Taylor feels a sense of relief come over her. This was much easier than the midterm she wrote a few months ago. She felt like she knew every question. She went on. Up next, reading comprehension based on a Shakespearean sonnet they had studied in class. Taylor paid extra attention in class that day, as any piece written by his brilliance captivated her and pulled her in. Done. Onto the essay. With hours left in the exam, Taylor began to write the essay. First, an introduction on the topic. Her thesis came to her with ease. Up next, some concrete ideals filled in with her argument. She even found herself filing through excess information in her head. She was surprised in herself and how simple this exam was. Why was she so worried in the past? All she had to do was believe in herself and her abilities. She was as smart as she thought she was. She just didnt have the confidence before. With a half hour left in the exam, Taylor completes it in full. That is when she notices an extra page attached to the exam. What was this? An additional question she wasnt prepared for? Her nerves start to get the better of her again. Maybe she did need all of the extra help she could get. She flips the page. On a single sheet of paper with loose-leaf lines reads at the top three simple words. What is love? The question stops Taylor in her tracks. Was this a message from James? Was this intended all along? Was this just some joke? She didnt know. Class, you have 30 minutes left. With a 2% marked beside it, she knew if she didnt answer it, it wouldnt weigh too heavily on her

mark. Then again, maybe if she didnt answer it, she would lose him forever. She couldnt take that chance. With a half an hour to rack her brain, with this question, she writes down as much as she can before she hears Times up! Please hand in your exams at the front of the class on the desk. Also, please remember to write your name on the back of the exam on the blank page to let Mr. Zakarak know whom he is grading. Thank you and good luck with the rest of exam week. The students all stand up from their chairs and all of them are relieved that the exam is over, but more importantly, that they can get up and stretch their legs. Everyone heads down to the desk to drop off their papers and as soon as some students cross the threshold of the classroom door, joyous cheers can be heard. Janessa beats Taylor to the punch and hands her exam in first. She waits by the door for her classmate. Taylor hands off her exam to the professor and smiles at him and a strong sense of relief come over her; she did it and she did it better than she ever thought she could. So, how did you think you did? Taylor and Janessa exit the room together. I think I did really well actually! Taylor exclaims. What the hell was up with that last question? I had no idea what to write! I dont know what love means. Im only 21! Taylor laughs. You know Zakarak, always keeping us on our toes. True that, Janessa replies. So whats next? More exams? Done for the year? Wait, isnt Chad coming to see you? Taylor stops walking dead in her tracks. Janessa walks a few steps ahead of her until she realizes that Taylor hasnt caught up to her. She turns around. Whats up? Taylor swallows her words. Nothing. Hey listen, I gotta run. See you around? Janessa smiles at her. I hope so, bud. Take care and lets hang out before we head home for the summer, okay? And just so you know, if you ever need someone, Im here for you. She hugs Taylor and Taylor welcomes the warm embrace. Despite her flightiness, maybe Janessa was a great friend and someone that she could rely on. She was going to need a new roommate next semester and Janessa might just be the perfect fit. Thanks, darling. Ill text you soon! Taylor lessens the embrace and walks past Janessa. She smiles as Taylor passes her and stands for a moment, reflecting on their friendship blossoming. See you soon, Janessa says to herself, as the warm summer air teases with her hair.

29
Taylor flies through the campus quad and head towards James office. Will he be there? Will he be waiting for her? She had to find out. She gallops in her step and looks very reminiscent of a gazelle, running through the plains, with the eyes of prey all over her. Yes, she is a beautiful young woman and you can bet that all of the young men on campus take notice and do they ever. Eyes follow her throughout the entire campus quad as Taylor makes her way, unbeknownst to the attention, to James office. Just as she is steps away from turning the corner to hit his office, she runs into none other than her newfound mortal enemy and the douche bag himself, holding hands and walking together. Taylor! She falls quiet and doesnt acknowledge either of them. Their hands snap out of the others and fall by their sides. Tay, lets talk about this, Chad says to her. Talk about this? What is there to talk to about? Taylor snaps back. Its done. Its over. I said I want you both out of my life and I couldnt be happier. Nicole and Chad are speechless. However, Taylor feels like she has nowhere to go. She cant head into James office, not with them so close. Yes, she was unfaithful but did she really owe it to Chad to tell him? She thought not. I have to go, Taylor says as she struggles to force herself to go in the opposite direction. Taylor! Nicole calls out after her. She runs to head to Taylors side and stops her with her hand on her arm. Taylor freezes and looks at Nicoles hand before meeting her gaze. What do you want? I just want to explain. Please. Just give me a chance! Taylor just stares at her. I thought you were my best friend. I thought I could trust you, but now I know the truth. You are just a no good dirty slut who cant be trusted. Nicoles eyes well with tears. Tay Im done, Nicole. Im done. She looks in Chads direction with the same stern gaze. Im done. Taylor snaps her head back around and heads towards the main strip to take a cab back to Chantelles, where she had been staying. Never before has she has the courage to stand up to someone like that. She always was the one people walked over. She always was the one that got hurt in the end, but no, not today. She had to stand up to them and she had to say something. Even though it hurt, it felt good. It felt right. Chad walks up to Nicole to bring her comfort. She accepts the embrace and the two hold each other in the middle of the hallway. Just then, a man peeks his head out from his office and it is none other than James. He notices Nicole and Chad embracing and wonders if he heard Taylors voice in the distance. Was he just hearing things? Maybe he was just making up things in his mind. He couldnt tell the difference anymore. He looks at Nicole and Chad for a brief moment and then pulls his head back into his office, hoping she will come greet him, but she never does.

Taylor continues walking in the opposite direction back to her dorm when she gets a call on her cell phone. Was it James? She picks it up immediately and doesnt even bother to investigate who is calling on the other end. Hello? Sweetie! How is my baby girl? Its her mother. Perfect. What impeccable timing. Taylor rolls her eyes. Hi, mom. Are you okay, baby? Yeah, Im fine. Are you sure? The question hits Taylor hard and it is no use trying to deflect it. A mother can always tell when something is wrong and Taylor knew either way, her mother was going to find out. I dont know anymore Taylor tucks herself away in a cozy corner of the campus quad, so no one can see her or hear her. She sobs quietly to herself. We got a call from Chantelle last night and she said that you were going through a pretty rough time. We havent heard from you in a few days and we were worried. Taylor swallows hard. What did Chantelle tell them? She braced herself for the worst. Chad was a nice boy, but honey, you need a nice man. You are so mature beyond your years and he just wasnt going to be the right one for you. We are so sorry about what he did for you and what happened with Nicole, but soon you will be home with us and we will protect you. Taylor sobs some more. She could care less about Chad and Nicole at this point and returning home for the summer was one of the worst options she had. She didnt want to leave. With only a few more exams left in the semester, and barely a week left on campus, she didnt have much time to smooth things over with James. What if she never saw him again? What if all of this wasnt even worth it in the end? Oh baby girl, youll be home soon. Just a few more exams. Remember, your dad and I are very proud of you. That was the first time Taylor had ever heard those words come from her mothers mouth. It stunned her. Just when she needed to hear it, it came and was it ever soothing. Thanks mom. I love you. I love you too. Call me whenever you need me, okay? Im always here for you, even if we are miles apart. Taylor smiles into the phone as her emotions start to clear. Thanks ma, love you too. She hangs up the phone and holds it in her hands for a while. Should she text him? She wasnt sure. What would she say? She didnt know. With all of the emotions flooding her these past few weeks, she knew the best thing for her was to go back to Chantelles, hit the books and maybe, just maybe, this nightmare called reality would finally go away.

30
James returns to his office chair with sadness. Taylor never came to his office after the exam and it hurt. After the fallout with Tiffany, all he wanted was the comfort of Taylor and the smell of her skin. It reminded him of home. She felt like home. Deciding that distraction was the best method, James dives back into the mound of paperwork on his desk when a knock is at the door. His heart leaps in his chest and he stands up. Tay Sorry, did I interrupt something? Mr. Smith replies, quietly and nervously. James retracts like a turtle hiding in his shell, and sinks back into his chair. Gregory, please, come in. Mr. Smith opens the door slightly with a box full of papers and sets them down on James desk. Here are the final exams from today. I have the morning class marked in red and the afternoon class marked in blue. I also did my best to alphabetize them, but you know how busy it is with the season and Thats more than I could have asked for, James interrupts him. Thank you again for today. Mr. Smith stands before him. Anytime. Are you okay, James? James swallows hard and it takes everything in him not to break. He stares at Gregory in the eyes. Ill be just fine. Thank goodness for summer. He smiles and leaves the room, closing the door slightly behind him. James smiles to himself but the smile fades. Yes, thank goodness for summer and the break from work but summer to James also meant filing for divorce, more stress and Taylor leaving him. It wasnt really the breath of fresh air and stress reliever he once thought of summer to be. It was always something he looked forward to, and now he was dreading it. He cant take the suspense any longer. James digs through the box of exams and of course, goes straight for Taylors. Did she even write the exam? He didnt know. He had to find out. He grabs the stacks of papers and tosses the red one aside. He uncovers the stack of blue papers and tries his fastest to locate Taylors. He hits all of the As, then the Bs. Is this actually alphabetized? He cant tell. Then it is apparent that it is not, as J surnames pop up everywhere. Followed by an F. How hard was it to find one paper in a stack of 70? In this moment, impossible. After what feels like hours of filing, and paper cuts on nearly every finger, James can feel the sweat intensify on his brow and the saliva pooling in his mouth. He does his best to remain steady. Thats when it hits him. Maybe Taylor didnt even show up to the exam. Maybe she got her end of the bargain and that was it. Maybe it didnt matter to her anymore. Was she coming to his office to tell him that? Was that actually Taylors voice that he heard? He becomes frantic. He files through all of the blue papers so quickly, that everything becomes a blur. Its not there. Where is it? He throws all of the papers aside and everything becomes jumbled. Papers are strewn across the room and blanket the hardwood floor, but its no use. He cant find it. He goes through all of the red papers, one by one, as fast as his hands can go.

No. Not there. She didnt write it. Hes certain she didnt write it. His heart sinks and he folds his head into his arms on his desk. Mr. Zakarak, a voice calls out. James head pops up from the mound of papers and he sees Mr. Smith standing in the doorway holding a single paper. My apologies. I must have dropped this on my way to your office. James motions for him to come in. Is everything alright? It looks as though a tornado just ripped through here. James is embarrassed and has no excuse. Mr. Smith just walks in slowly and hands him the paper upside down. We all have our own methods of marking. He smiles and closes the door behind him. James laughs to himself and finds the situation ridiculous. He knows exactly what he has in his hands and turns it over slowly. The name reads none other than hers, Miss Taylor Murray. He opens the exam. There, are the most neatest and most beautiful handwritten answers he had ever seen. He is taken by the exam and has trouble blindly finding his seat once again. With a robotic motion, he picks up his glasses, puts them on his face, and picks up a red pen and starts going to town. He follows every word that Taylor has written, with precise detail. It is perfect. Just like her. He cant help but find himself grading the paper. Multiple choice everything is correct. Reading comprehension near perfection. The essay beautifully written. Final grade A+. James takes a moment and notices that his hand begins to shake. He tries to grab it with the other hand to steady it but it is no use. There is one question left and that is the most important one. The only one that mattered to him. The one he wrote for her. He turns the page and reads the question, What is love? Then, he slowly starts to read her answer. Love. Love is your eyes and how they read my soul. Love is your fingers dancing on my skin. Love is your energy pumping through my veins. Love is the taste you leave in my mouth. Love is when I am with you. James cant help but embrace the paper to his chest like a teenage crush would back in the day. He bites at his bottom lip to try to conceal his emotions. Finally, he got the validation he was looking for. He pulls out his phone and reopens the message folder, which contains every single exchange between the two of them and begins to type.

31
The college grounds seem to empty by the day, as cars, vans, trucks and a wide assortment of other vehicles are packed up with the assistance of family members, as college students leave the grounds for another summer. They wont be back until the fall and when they do return, they will be in different rooms, meet new people and have new experiences to help them grow and learn from. The semester comes to a close, and everyone couldnt be more thankful. One of those students is none other than Taylor Murray, who has now completed exams and is heading out of the campus grounds to enjoy one of her last days in the city before she heads back to her hometown with her folks. This year, has been memorable and this semester, even more so. In just a few short months, her entire life has been turned upside down and she couldnt be in a better place. The air is hot and Taylor is dressed slightly down, but still rocks a gorgeous pair of dark washed skinny jeans, a tight white tank top and the cutest ballerina flats her closet has to offer her. She carries with her a purse and the biggest smile she has worn in years. She could take a cab but opts to walk instead, several blocks away to a small caf on the kitten corner of the massive shopping centre. The hot summer sun glistens on her skin and bronzes her already olive skin. She is glowing. Taylor nears the caf entrance and pulls on the door, holding it open for an elderly couple that is exiting the busy establishment after locking down their matching macchiato. Taylor disappears into the caf. Its hard to see in the busy restaurant. The place feels packed from wall-to-wall. She tries her best to maneuver around people and head to the back of the caf, her head bobbing from side to side the entire time so she can see ahead of her as far as she can and that is when she spots him. James. He is sitting at a private booth, all cozy in the corner of the packed restaurant. On the table, sit two Americanos, black, and a lovely bouquet of flowers. He looks incredible, wearing dark wash jeans, a tight grey v-neck shirt and contact lenses, letting those green eyes shine through. His hair is neatly trimmed and he sports that usual stubble that got her heart racing in the first place. It is as though he can sense her from across the room and without her even signaling her arrival, he knows that she is there. He can feel it. He turns to meet her and there she is, locking eyes with him. That familiar feeling washes over both of them, where time feels like it is standing completely still. Even though she is caught in a crowd and steps away from him, it feels like they are the only two in the room. She cant get to him fast enough. Then, it happens. Taylor stands before him and he stands to greet her. They smile for a while before he extends his hand to greet her. Lets start this off the right way, shall we? he smiles a comforting smile. Im James. Taylor giggles slightly and interlocks her hand with his to shake it. Nice to meet you James. Im Taylor. The two shake hands and as their hands break apart, James cant help himself. He pulls her in by the waist and holds her close to him. Taylor automatically wraps her arms around his broad shoulders and places her hand on the nape of his neck. His skin is warm and so is her touch to him.

He buries his face in her neck and breathes her smell in deep. Shes even sweeter than how he remembered her. He nuzzles there for a moment before placing his lips by her ear. He whispers. Ive loved you from the moment Ive laid my eyes on you. The words are exactly what Taylor has yearned to hear for the past week. James text message instructed her to meet him here the day after she was done exams, as he wanted her to focus on her studies, because he knew how much it all meant to her. She smiles at the sound of his voice and the reassuring tone. Ive loved you all along, she replies. Both are overcome with emotion. This is the moment that both of them have longed to hear. Even though it was tough and even though it wasnt going to be easy, it was going to be worth it. When they break from their embrace, James gestures for Taylor to sit down at the booth with him. They slide in close together and he places his strong arm around her to pull her in close. She is his now. He wants everyone to know. I ordered you a coffee. Americano, no room. Thats what you like, right? Taylor smiles and takes a sip. Its perfect. Youre perfect. James smiles and takes a sip of his coffee as well. And these are also for you. He hands her the bouquet of a dozen calla lilies, some in full bloom, others waiting to blossom. I know you are leaving tomorrow for the summer but I wanted you to have this. He points to one of the flowers in full bloom. This is our love now, full vibrant and full of life. He points to one that has yet to bloom. And this one, this one is our love for the next 3 months. Its there, and we both know its there, but we have to wait to see it, to feel it and to smell it. Taylor lets a single tear shed from her eye and looks at him. I dont want to go. He grabs her gently by the chin and pulls her in close. Ive waited for you for 37 years and I would wait forever for you. Whats 3 months? He smiles and she reciprocates. Then, he pulls her face in close to his and envelops her lips with a sweet summer kiss, as the two enjoy their last day of summer, together, until their love can blossom again in the fall.

Thank You!
I cannot thank you enough for purchasing and downloading my very first book! It was a pleasure to write and I truly hope that you enjoyed it. Please let me know if you did! It is my goal to write novels for enjoyment and satisfaction, so I want to hear how I did! Please feel free to leave comment in the form of a review on Amazon, to let future readers know what you thought of the book! As well, feel free to reach me on Twitter at @MsEllaMorris and we can connect! As always, find me on Facebook and I will be glad to chat with you there. I hope that you stay tuned to my Amazon Author Page and that you watch out for my new books. They are coming. Im just getting started. Until next time, Ms. Ella Morris xo

About the Author

Im Ella Morris and I am a mother of two beautiful baby girls. When Im not pursing my greatest passion of writing, I can usually be found playing house, or being out in the garden with the company of my furry friends, Simon and Garfunkel my two dogs. I am very family oriented and love spending time with those closest to me. I have a mad chocolate addiction and in my spare time, which feels non-existent, you can find me at any coffee shop trying the latest concoction with extra whipped cream.