First Semester (Elton Hall Chronicles Book 1)

by Sarah Fischer

  “I have handed out an attendance sheet. It is set up to look like this classroom. Please put your name on the desk you are sitting at. This will be your permanent seat. I like to do this so that I can learn who all of you are and to eliminate any time picking seats. I do take attendance every class. It is vital to this class that you do not miss any lectures, but it will be your responsibility to contact me in advance if you need to miss a class.” Berneli looked around at everyone to try to sink this point in. Then he continued.

  “I accept doctor’s notes and proof of funerals. That is how an absence is excused. Any more than two unexcused absences will automatically fail you. I know this sounds harsh but I’m not here to waste your time, so I hope you will offer me the same respect. Let’s begin. I want to talk about books that interest you.” Berneli said all of this while standing next to my desk.

  He never met my glance but he kept hitting his knuckle on my desk to emphasize his points. He knew I was there and it brought a blush to my face. I took a few deep breaths to keep from fainting. Definitely not the impression I wanted to make today.

  “Literature is meant to cause discussions. It is meant to make you think and question things. There are so many different interpretations of scenes and character motivations that we could spend an entire class talking about one scene from one chapter of one book. So that is my intention. Starting next week, each of you will decide on a scene from the ones listed on the syllabus. All of the scenes are in the textbook and some background has been provided. But I encourage and expect you to do some of your own research.” He held up his textbook and then continued with his lecture.

  “I will come up with a schedule as to when each of you will need to share your scene. I want you to talk about the scene and why it caused controversy. While it will be up to each student to lead the discussion, it will be up to the rest of you to supply intelligent commentary. A large portion of your grade will come from your participation in these discussions.” Berneli had begun pacing up and down the classroom. However, he did manage to stop directly in front of my desk…again.

  Before heading back to the front of the class, he knocked his knuckle on my desk one final time. It grabbed my attention and I looked up at him. He was staring down at me and our eyes met. It seemed like forever but it was probably only half a second. I hoped no one else noticed.

  My heart was beating so hard I could hear it in my ears, but he was my professor and should definitely not be causing these feelings. Yet, when I snuck a look at him again, I could feel the butterflies swarming in my stomach. He turned around to write something on the board and through his fitted button-down shirt I could see the slightest outline of muscle. I remembered how firm those muscles felt and a jolt of electricity surged through my body. It seemed to congregate toward my core and left me feeling stimulated.

  Still, it made me think. I had seen good-looking men with their shirts off and it did nothing to me. I mean, I enjoyed the view, but it didn’t leave me with a desperate feeling. But just the illusion of his solid, chiseled back left me aching. Maybe it was his position of authority, maybe it was the professional button-down, maybe it was the fact that he was unavailable, or maybe it was all of it. Whatever it was, I found myself licking my lips and visualizing how he would feel if I slid my hands down his shoulders to the middle of his back, and then down to his lower back, right above his gorgeous chiseled ass.

  As if he could sense that I was admiring what was clearly the model for the David statue, he turned around and smiled. This seemed to take me out of my haze. I shook my head and tried to pay attention to what he was saying instead of what I’d like to do to him.

  The rest of the class seemed to go by without any more crazy fantasies that would make my grandmother roll over in her grave, or at least I tried to keep them at bay. Berneli dismissed the class and I gathered up my things to leave.

  The same thing that happened last class did this time. Most of the girls swarmed him, asking what all seemed to be deep and important questions. It was funny that these questions all involved the girl twirling her hair and sticking out her chest. I chuckled to myself and headed toward the door. Then it happened.

  “Miss Carrington, will you wait a moment?” Berneli called as he headed in my direction. I turned around and closed the distance between us. “I have a question for you,” he said as he quickly tried to usher his admirers out the door.

  I put my bag down on one of the desks and took my phone out to distract myself as my nerves took over. Plus, I was meeting Annabelle after class so I figured I should shoot her a text that I may be running a couple of minutes late. Judging from the persistence of a few of my fellow classmates, it was going to take all day.

  “Sorry about that!” He leaned against the desk next to me, flustered. “I don’t get it! They ask a million questions about the assignment after the class but none during the class,” he mused, bewildered. He slid his hands through his wavy hair, leaving it a little mussed. It was nice to see him looking a little rattled.

  “They just want to have some one-on-one attention,” I said, trying not to laugh. He really didn’t realize that they all were trying to hit on the new hot professor.

  “I guess I will need to get some office hours,” he continued, still oblivious to his effect on the class. This seemed to make him even more attractive. He then shook his head and looked at me. “So, I asked you to stay behind a minute because I was wondering if you would be first to start the book discussion on Monday of next week. I realize it is a little nerve-racking leading something like this first and that some of the other students may be a little hesitant to respond. I just think you would be the best person to start. Of course, I will be a bit more lenient with your grade,” he assured with a smug look on his face.

  “Oh, you will go easy on me,” I said, trying to hide my frustration. “I am up for the challenge,” I insisted, sitting up a little taller, annoyed.

  “I know you are. That is why I asked you,” he told me, and leaned across the desk, entering my personal bubble.

  “Really, I thought it was to watch me squirm,” I countered as I leaned forward, closing most of the distance between us. I could feel his breath on my face. Unfortunately, this was becoming a normal feeling. Probably not something I should get used to.

  “There is always that. You are quite gorgeous when you get flustered. Your cheeks turn a flattering pink and your eyes get a fire in them that makes it hard for me to look away.” He swiped his knuckle gently down the side of my cheek.

  “We cannot keep doing this,” I insisted as I broke the overwhelming eye contact. I looked down at my desk and tried to keep calm. I really should have gotten up to leave but there was something that was keeping me anchored in place.

  “Then walk away. If you really don’t feel this spark between us, then walk out the door,” he whispered softly in a tone that reached an unknown part of me. No other man had even come close to finding this part. I wanted him to fulfill my every carnal need. I looked up at him and saw the same raw desire in his eyes.

  But he had given me an out. I should stand up right now and head out the door. Having an affair with a professor was a terrible idea. Having an affair with a professor who was only visiting for a year was probably an even worse idea. Yet here I was. Still glued to my seat and staring into the most enchanting eyes I had ever lost myself in.

  “I don’t see you moving.”

  “I am currently talking myself into getting up and walking out the door,” I said, though it seemed to lack the confidence I was trying to convey.

  “Maybe that is enough talking,” he suggested, and wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me into a kiss. It was light at first, with our lips barely touching. But then the kiss changed almost instantly to one filled with passion and wanton desire. His fingers weaved through my hair at the nape of my neck and he pulled ever so slightly. This seemed to ignite the animal within me and a moan escaped.

  Even though this was
only our second kiss, it was as if he belonged with me. I couldn’t decide what made his kiss so different than the ones I’d had before. It could have been the power behind those soft and supple lips or the way he took control of the kiss. I didn’t have to think, rather I just needed to follow his lead. It was relaxing not to have to think so much for once.

  I tried to lean into him and realized there was a desk between us. We broke the kiss for a second and looked down at the desk. It appeared that he noticed the problem too and he decided to do something. He pulled me up out of my desk and around his so I was standing between his legs with his arms around my waist and mine around his neck.

  This time I made a move. I leaned in and kissed him hard, hoping to get lost in the sensation of his lips again. I could feel his hands traveling down from my waist to my hips and resting there. Heat began to radiate from where his hands were and it filled me up. I slid my hand up the back of his neck and my hands skimmed into his silky, wavy hair. It was quite possibly the softest hair I had ever felt.

  His hands had now moved to my ass and he grabbed a hold of it, squeezing hard. My breathing turned ragged and I moaned again in pleasure. He chuckled and began to place a trail of kisses down the side of my neck. He got to the spot between my shoulder and my collarbone and he began to gently suck. My knees kind of buckled under me and I felt heat shoot between my legs. I wasn’t sure if I could recover from the effect this man was having on me.

  Then he broke away. Berneli pushed my hips away from him and slid off the desk.

  “We, ah, we need to slow down.” He took a couple deep breaths and then looked back up at me, the fire in his eyes still glowing. “I want nothing more than to take you here and now. But this is probably not the place for it. Someone could just walk in, and we definitely don’t want that.”

  As desperately as I wanted him to bend me over the desk, I knew he was right. This was not the time or the place.

  “Yeah. You’re probably right,” I admitted, but I still couldn’t move. Apparently, neither could he. We stood there for what seemed like forever just looking at each other. I didn’t want to let go until he did. It was so important that I stay connected with him. I couldn’t explain why, but it seemed vital at that moment.

  Who knew how long we would have stayed there just looking at each other if we had not been interrupted. Another professor walked into the room and placed his briefcase on the desk in the front. We quickly broke apart before the professor glanced over in our direction.

  “Oh, was I interrupting something?” he asked, looking a little bewildered.

  “No. It is my mistake. I need to set up office hours so my students don’t talk my ear off after classes. We were just about done here so we will get out of your way,” Berneli covered as he headed to the desk and grabbed his own briefcase.

  “Thank you for answering my questions, Professor Berneli,” I managed to say, even though it sounded unbelievably cheesy.

  “See you next class, Miss Carrington,” Berneli said with a wink. I watched him leave the classroom and quickly grabbed my bag. My mind was racing. There was no way that this should have happened. I really needed to learn some restraint, but more than that, I wished I was still in contact with my friends from home. I just met Annabelle and I wasn’t sure I felt comfortable talking to her about this.

  I had friends back home but no real best friend I felt I could confide in with something this delicate. After I broke up with my ex-boyfriend for cheating, a lot of them deserted me in favor of the sob story he told them. It didn’t just leave me disappointed in them, but also a little wounded. I wasn’t exactly sure who I could trust.

  It was just a physical thing. There was no way I was going to let something like that screw with either of our futures. No, I was going to need to put my foot down. This could not keep happening. Yes, Berneli was gorgeous and an amazing kisser, but there were plenty of other good-looking guys on campus. I was sure I could find one who would make me forget all about Berneli. I just needed to focus on not being alone with him. Public spaces were going to be my best friend.

  ***

  I was heading to the cafeteria to see Annabelle when I heard my name called from behind me. I turned around and there was Trent. He had a big smile on his face and was heading my way. This was the perfect distraction.

  “Hey, sorry about our date. My life gets a little crazy at the beginning of the year with Greek life,” Trent said as he fell in line with my stride.

  “I understand. Life happens, right?” I was trying not to sound too disappointed. I could like Trent. I wanted to like him, but then I remembered what Jason had said.

  “Can I make it up to you?” he asked as we entered the cafeteria.

  “I heard you were getting back together with your ex.” I hoped I didn’t come off as bitter, but even to my own ears I had failed.

  “Nah, we’re over. How about that date, then?”

  “Depends on what you have in mind,” I said, trying to contain my excitement. The very real excitement that was flowing through me.

  “Do you have plans for Saturday? My frat is having a party and I’d love it if you were there.” He looked me in the eye and I could feel his intensity. He did seem really sorry.

  “Sure. Sounds like fun,” I managed, biting my lip. My first frat party. This made me quite anxious, but I had a feeling it would be worth it. Or it would be a good story to tell one day.

  “Great, I’ll text you the details.” We said bye and he headed back out the cafeteria door.

  So within twenty minutes I was hooking up with my professor and setting up a date with a frat guy. I wasn’t sure when my life got this exciting, or if I could even handle it. I shook my head and decided to worry about all of this later. I needed to get to my journal and write it out and analyze what I was feeling.

  I looked around the cafeteria and saw Annabelle and Jason sitting near the windows again. His head was thrown back as he laughed at something she said. Her face lit up as he said something to her. For a minute, I didn’t want to go over and break up their moment, but then Annabelle turned and waved at me. I headed over there and sat down.

  “Sorry! My professor needed to talk with me after class about an assignment,” I said, trying to sound innocent.

  “What assignment? Classes just started,” Annabelle asked, confused.

  “We have one coming up in my literature class and the professor wants me to start this book discussion on Monday,” I informed them, looking around the cafeteria. There was no way I could make eye contact and continue this conversation. Clearly it was not a lie, but it also was not the whole truth.

  “Isn’t Berneli the new literature professor?” Jason asked while he shoveled pizza into his mouth.

  “Yes, he is,” Annabelle responded before I had the chance. She looked at me and smiled, appearing way sneakier than I could have thought.

  I tried to take some deep breaths to keep my face from turning bright red. She already suspected, I didn’t need to confirm her theory.

  “Man, I wish I was in one of his classes,” she continued. “He is gorgeous and I could just listen to that accent for hours. I wouldn’t mind being held after class to talk to him. What do you think, Violet?”

  Luckily, Jason started talking so I did not have to reply.

  “I think you’re drooling, Annabelle,” Jason teased as he handed her a napkin. She shoved his hand away and slapped him on the arm.

  “Oh, did you just walk in with Trent?” Annabelle asked, changing the subject. I was thankful to have something else to talk about. I relaxed and told them about the party.

  “So, are you guys coming with me? I don’t want to go by myself,” I pleaded.

  “Yeah. Someone needs to keep you out of trouble,” Annabelle said.

  “Mind if I bring my girlfriend?” Jason asked.

  “Who is your girlfriend?” I asked. Since they met, Annabelle and Jason had been pretty inseparable. I wasn’t sure how his girlfriend felt about that, or
even if she existed at this point.

  “Her name is Janice. She is studying environmental science here. It takes up a lot of her time so I bet she will want to take a night to blow off some steam,” he said, grabbing his phone and showing us a picture. Janice had brown hair that went down to her shoulders and those blue eyes that made men drool. It was a picture from the shoulders up so that was really all we were able to see of her but she seemed pretty.

  “Yeah, bring her along. It will be nice to meet her,” I told him, eyeing Annabelle’s reaction. She started to grab her bag and was digging around for something. I had a feeling she was not as okay with meeting Janice as she was pretending.

  “Great, I’ll send her a text.”

  I went to get food and the rest of lunch went by without incident. We said goodbye to Jason, then Annabelle and I headed to our next class since they were both in the same wing of the castle. When Jason had turned the corner, I figured it was a good time to talk about Janice.

  “She looked nice,” I said, trying to gauge her response.

  “I guess so, but I don’t know why she has, like, no interest in hanging out. I spend so much time with Jason and I’ve never even glimpsed her. We are probably just going to have to wait and see on Saturday.” It seemed to me she was being just a little bitter. I smiled. I had a hunch that she may like Jason more than she was letting on.

  “I guess so,” I said, deciding not to push her buttons too much yet. But Saturday was definitely going to be an interesting day for all of us.

  We parted ways and headed to our classes.

  ***

  After class ended, I headed back to my dorm room. Annabelle texted that she was going to the EET office to get some work done while she had some spare time. I wasn’t hungry for dinner yet so I figured it would be a good time to work on my homework. I was still struggling with statistics so I probably needed to give it one more try.