© Copyright 2017 by Kristine Robinson - All rights reserved.
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Table of Contents
Copyright
Title
Double Grades
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First Time & New Adult - "Sporty Secrets"
First Time & New Adult - "Hidden Passions"
First Time & New Adult - "First Touch"
First Time & New Adult - "Freshman Year"
First Time & New Adult - "To Kiss A Girl"
First Time & New Adult - "Summer Crush"
First Time & New Adult - "Coming Back To You"
First Time & New Adult - "I Choose Her"
First Time & New Adult - "Destined"
First Time & New Adult - "Secret Teachings"
First Time & New Adult - "New To College"
First Time & New Adult - "Make Me Smile Again"
First Time & New Adult - "After Divorce"
First Time & New Adult - "Virgin Beginnings"
Contemporary - "The Masseuse"
Contemporary - "Under The Rain"
Contemporary - "The CEO"
Contemporary - "My Boss Is A Pain"
Western & Cowgirl - "The Boss"
Western & Cowgirl - "The Chase"
Western & Cowgirl - "Bad Tordado"
Ménage - "The Sold Virgen"
Ménage - "Two Loves"
Ménage - "Menage a Trois"
Thriller & Suspense - "A Dangerous Game"
Thriller & Suspense - "Love And Crime"
Thriller & Suspense - "Private Investigator"
Thriller & Suspense - "Officer"
Thriller & Suspense - "Her Sister"
Double Grades
By: Kristine Robinson
Stephanie was sweating the fact that she was going to get a bad grade in Gender Studies. It didn't seem fair that Professor Cronkite was so strict when it came to attendance and other things like homework. In so money of her other classes Stephanie was allowed to miss days at will, and pretty much do whatever she wanted. But in Gender Studies it wasn't that way, and it didn't seem fair. Gender Studies was supposed to be class about empowering women, but what it really came down to was the way that it empowered Cronkite.
Cronkite liked to be called by her last name, and nothing else. Referring to her as professor Cronkite was what she referred to has “dead naming” her. Although she hadn't changed genders she believed that she'd changed so much on the inside that there was no way to genuinely refer to her with a name that only referred to her in a state of unconsciousness. Cronkite liked to talk about how she had been asleep, but then she became woke. It was because of this, and the way that Cronkite was a very proud, young, black women, people like Stephanie her peers were intimidated by Cronkite.
Lexie, Stephanie's roommate and best friend, wasn't as afraid as Stephanie when it came to Cronkite, but there was still a good amount of distance that Lexie kept between herself and Cronkite. Lexie said it was because Cronkite was just a little too much sometimes, and not in a bad way, but just in an overwhelming way. This was a common thought in the student population, and it was something that pretty much no one who knew Cronkite at all would have disputed.
Stephanie needed to figure out a way to impress Cronkite, though, because it wouldn't be long until there was no way to get her grade up, and the drop date was nearing. Gender Studies was a class that Stephanie really wanted to have on her transcript because she thought it made her look intellectual. And maybe it it, or maybe it didn't—that didn't really matter anymore. Because soon she would have to make a very real, and very had decision to either keep or drop the class. That was a decision that could keep her in college an extra year if she didn't want to miss out on her summer.
And Stephanie wasn't one to miss out on the summer partying that went along with the college experience. That was one of the reasons that Stephanie found herself in the situation she now did. She and Lexie liked to party, and liked the attention of the schools many young men with seemingly nothing else to do all day but to give them attention at the drop of a hat. Stephanie wanted to keep doing what she was doing, but knew that if she did there would come a point when Cronkite would put a pink slip in the mail to her parents about grades being too low to participate in any extra activities.
Stephanie sat in the last few minutes of Cronkite's class, watching the second hand on the old clock slowly make its way across the clock's white face, ticked with black lines. She hated that there was always so much dead air in the class sometimes—periods when Cronkite would ask a question and wait for an answer that took one, sometimes even two minutes of complete silence to garner an answer.
Stephanie would have raised her hand and taken a shot at the answer, but there was something that always made her shy around Cronkite. Lexie was sort of the same way, but it wasn't nearly as pronounced. It was because Cronkite was the kind of teacher who didn't mind letting students know that she was looking at them, checking out their outfits and other things of that nature. It wasn't necessarily in a sexual way, and most of the time kit came of motherly.
Stephanie felt like when Cronkite she stripped all her clothes off, though. And even though Lexie was always there to back up Stephanie story, it always made people take pause because Cronkite was one of the most politically correct teachers at the university. She'd been teaching Gender Studies for many years and it didn't appear that that was going to change anytime soon. Because not only was Cronkite a great teacher, she was also semi-famous.
Although her roles were always minor, and she maintained that this was something that had to do with her long hours as an instructor at the school, she had appeared on several big name lesbian sitcoms. Most of the students who took her classes were in love with her, and although Cronkite always maintained that she had no knowledge of any of this, Stephanie knew better.
Stephanie knew that Cronkite knew all about it, and that for Cronkite it was all part of the power dynamic that shed spoke of in class. Because it wasn't the usual power dynamic, it wasn't the whole intimidation game people play. It was more about how much one can create an atmosphere of contextualize outside of the situation existing in time and space that influence can't help be asserted. Cronkite was the kind of person who was in control, unless she didn't want to be. And that was something else she talked about, being vulnerable. She talked about how none of her students should ever become jaded. Because if they did they would miss out on things, and those thing might not be the easiest to come back around to. Sometimes when people let other people pass them by in life, that was the last time they really met someone of that caliber.
Stephanie thought of all of this as the bell finally rung and everyone in Cronkite's Gender Studies class stood and rushed for the door.
“Class,” Cronkite said. “I want you all to read the assignments this weekend! I know some of you think you're slick, never reading and just listening to other people talk in class. That's not really what's supposed to be going on here. Some of you need to put a little more work in.”
Stephanie wasn't sure if she wanted to stay after now, or what until office hours in a little bit. Lexie would be down for whatever. Stephanie was going to be the one to have to make the decision on what they did, as always. Stephanie didn't mind being the ring leader, but she knew that if she and Lexie hung out after class with Cronkite things would shift to Cronkite taking the lead, in a very subtle way.
“Everyone,” Cronkite said. “Please! Don't forget the readings and if anyone wants to talk to me feel free to stay after class.”
Stephanie and Lexie lay out on the grass. It was beautiful day on campus, and Cronkite had office hours that lasted for nearly a three hour chunk of time. There were always people in and out, but Cronkite was sure to keep people moving, never letting things stagnate.
“You know,” Stephanie said. “There is something about her I really like. I'm not sure what it is, but there sure is something about her.”
“You mean the waw she's an absolutely banging black chick who is way smart and totally attractive? Because that's how I see it,” Lexie said. “And I don't mind saying it out loud. But I'd never actually do anything about it is the thing.”
“Yeah, well,” Stephanie said. “I have to to get a good grade in this class. I can't not get a good grade! That just isn't an option. If I don't get at least a C the school is going to send out one of those weird Orwellian letters to my parents about how I'm a fuck up and can't manage to keep all of my classes near a C average.”
“How are you failing so badly? I get it's hard, but holy cow” Lexie said. “Did you check out the extra credit list to see if there is anything you can do that would keep your grades up at least a little bit? I mean, she does offer a lot of that sort of thing, but maybe you aren't so interested in that sort of thing. It would be a good deal of work.”
They walked around the building where Cronkite's office was. They both knew they were going to have to go in and speak with her, but Stephanie wasn't in an hurry.
“What do you think I should do? You've had her before in classes,” Stephanie said. “And you said you really liked her the last time you took her for a class. It was like you two had been best friends. Why aren't you going to bat for me right now?”
The sun beat down on them so that they gravitated toward the air conditioning as they talked. It was a lot to talk about out on a hot day. The temperatures were unseasonably high, and had been for awhile. Global warming had been something that was all over the news, and of course something that each of the young women was well schooled on being as super progressive as they were. Stephanie especially prided herself on being the best Democrat in the room, and Lexie was just happy to be on the right side of history. Neither of them really minced words about it, although Stephanie was much more likely to engage someone being an asshole than Lexie was.
“How about I go in there and just talk to her and see what happens,” Stephanie said. “It couldn't hurt, could it? I mean, if Cronkite tells me to fuck off, then I just fuck off and that's the end of it. I can still drop the class, and it's all good. But if she tells me that it'll all be all right, or whatever shit I've heard of some professors saying to their students, then I'll stay.”
“Let's be real,” Lexie said. “You want to see if she wants to fuck you, and you'll take the special treatment as something to that effect.”
As they entered the building they lowered their voices.
“That's a pretty crass way to look at it,” Stephanie said. “But sure, if you want to look at it that way, then sure, that's what's going on. Because I really need to get a good grade, Lexie. I get that you have all good grades, great grades, the best grades! But I don't, so I need help. And Cronkite might help me because I'm attractive, yeah, sure, it's crossed my mind.”
“Oh my goodness,” Lexie said. “Hush! You don't need to get all defensive just because you have a crush on someone and want to do something about it. Isn't that what's college is all about?”
The girls made their way up a winding staircase. The humanities building was where the Gender Studies wing was located. They were on Iowa State University campus, after the state had gone liberal and decided to dump a bunch of money into the schools, and gave special grants to all the schools. It was a great time to be a student, because there was so much funding for classes there was never a shortage of field trips or materials.
“Now quitting fooling,” Stephanie said. “I need you to have my back when we go talk to Cronkite. I don't want to have to worry about you clowning around on me because you think she's cute, too.”
“I'm not going to do that at all,” Lexie said. “Believe me. I'll talk to you more about it after the fact. But, because were getting to the top of this staircase and then after that I'll probably not speak for a minute, I will say I'll fill you in after—but I've heard students have had great success convincing Cronkite to change grades with a little bit of flirting and maybe a date or two.”
Stephanie raised her eyebrows and looked like she was about to squawk some kind of protest, but Lexie took her by the shoulder and firmly pushed her through the door. They both walked through the Gender Studies' floor. Cronkite's room was somewhere up head on the left, and both Stephanie and Lexie would have hurried to get there rather than tarry in the halls, but there was some sort of scuffle going on by the drinking fountain.
“You mother fucker!” one of the undergraduates said. “I can't believe you have the balls to come in here and try to tell me how it works. I can have dreadlocks if I want, that doesn't mean that I'm racist!”
It was one of the Gender Studies main undergraduate organizers. He was an amazing person both of the women knew well, but he also had a fiery temper. There hadn't been any blows, and someone came out of a room and broke up the two young men. As quickly as the flashpoint had appeared, it dissipated.
“Holy shit,” Lexie said. “I've never seen anything like that happen hear before.”
They walked down the hall, keeping their voices low—it seemed someone inappropriate to laugh or speak loudly after the tense moments before.
“I hear that it has to do with the way the right wing is coming back, like they did with Trump,” Stephanie said. “You know how it goes, everyone gets scared and it's super hard to tell if it's nothing, or if we should be concerned. I mean, I'm always concerned. It's not like I'm one of those people who just don't give a shit, but at some point I have my own stuff to focus on.”
“And soon, even more,” Lexie said. “You'll see.”
Stephanie wasn't sure what to make of Lexie's last comment, and before she could really think about it, they were in Cronkite's room.
“Well hello,” Cronkite said. “I'm so happy to see that you two decided to come see me during my office hours,” Cronkite said. “I saw Stephanie looking like she sort of wanted to stay after class, but then everyone was running toward the door. I totally get it, it's a nice day out. And you know what, if I were you I'd try to enjoy as much of the sun as you can. You never know what the weather is going to be like tomorrow.”
Cronkite's office was a really cool space, with a plush Persian rug and few pets. The pets were little critters, creatures like scorpions and tarantulas. Stephanie and Lexie took a moment to look around, their eyes bouncing from one spine of a book to another like a typewriter working its way down the line.
“I have to say,” Cronkite said. “Especially because I think it's why you're here, that Stephanie's grade is a little low.”
Stephanie nodded and gulped. Lexie smiled a lopsided grin and had a seat in a chair tucked in the far corner of the room.
“Well,” Stephanie said. “You see, you're right. And I know that there really isn't much extra credit I haven't already done, and also, that I've kind of been missing classes because I drink to much and stuff like that. But I really think I deserve another chance, because, well, I come to class with a good attitude.”
Stephanie was still standing, with Lexie at her back. Cronkite slowly made her way around her rather large oak desk and had a seat in her nice green, well upholstered chair.
“That's very true,” Cronkite said. “You do come to class with a good attitude. And you know what, that counts for something in my class. I know that it can be hard to go to college. And I'm not just saying that. There is so much to do, and you get to figure out who you want to be.”
Stephanie wasn't used to the fema
le she was talking to taking control of the conversation like Cronkite had, but it wasn't so bad. It was nice to be able to just be a regular bystander when it came to things like decision making. If Cronkite wanted to run the conversation, that was fine with Stephanie—she sat down in the seat in the middle of the wall, kitty corner to Lexie's seat.
“Here's the deal,” Cronkite said. “I have to see what you're attitude is like outside of class. You know what I mean? It can't be something where you get outside of the classroom and you're an extra idiot.”
Stephanie didn't know what to say, but she couldn't help but catch Lexie's smile out of the corner of her eye. This wasn't the way that Cronkite usually talked in the classroom; although forceful, she never seemed this aggressive. As Cronkite sat behind her big desk she seemed extra delicate, with her high cheekbones accenting her small Afro in a way that makeup never would. Stephanie was so struck by her beauty that she forgot what she was doing there. Lexie jumped in for her.
“Cronkite,” Lexie said. “I know that this may sound a little strange, but is there anyway that Stephanie could make it up to you outside of class, somehow? She really can't afford to have this on her record, and you know how the school can be. They don't ever see it from the students' point of view. All of their decisions come out of manuals.”
“I totally understand what you're saying,” Cronkite said.
She leaned back in her chair and surveyed Stephanie with a smile. “But this has to be her idea. This can't be something you came up with and just thrust into the conversation with no prior planning or input from Stephanie. So, Stephanie, let's hear about this from you. What do you think about this idea?”
Stephanie didn't know what to say. She sat there, her hourglass figure so different from Cronkite's petite, but busty, figure.
“I think that I need to have a B in this class,” Stephanie said. “And I know that—
Cronkite's laughter tinkled like broken glass from behind her hand. Lexie was also laughing a small laugh, one that she was doing her best to conceal.
Double Grades Page 1