Schooled by Love

by Lily Langford

  Lily Langford

  Schooled by Love

  Copyright © 2019 by Lily Langford

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  First edition

  This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

  Find out more at reedsy.com

  Contents

  Her Student Lover

  Her Bossy Lover

  Her Surprise Lover

  Thanks for Reading!

  Her Student Lover

  “Alright class. I know you’re disappointed but it’s time to end for the the day.”

  You can practically hear the sigh of relief in the air of the classroom.

  “Thank you for your undivided attention and I’ll see your on Tuesday. Don’t forget to do your reading.”

  There are a bunch of mumbles responses, but nothing distinguishable. That’s pretty much what I expect. I sit back down in my chair at the front of the room and watch the students who file out of the classroom.

  I’ve been a World Literature professor at the University for 7 years now and it’s been a wonderful experience. Each semester my classes are filled with new students who are ready to learn and engage with my curriculum. It’s a pretty great gig.

  I set about gathering my belongings and getting my papers put back together. My office is here in the English building but it’s on a different floor from this classroom, so I have to transfer my belongings around with me. It’s not a big deal. I do it for all my classes. But I have to make sure to pay special attention to collecting my things, because one time I forgot my glasses case and I lost my reading glasses forever.

  It was a very dark period in my life.

  Today I’m slipping my computer back into my messenger bag when a voice breaks into my thoughts.

  “So Professor, am I going to see you at the Senior social tonight?”

  I look up at Andrew, my goofball of a teaching assistant, who is standing in front of my desk with a big grin on his face.

  “I don’t know.” I tell him. “I think the question is, will I be seeing you?”

  He makes a face.

  “Because you’ll be so busy grading essays.” I remind him.

  “Oh. right.” He nods his head. “I’m actually heading off to the library right now to get to work. I’m sure I’ll be done quickly.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure.” I tell him. “Judging by the glazed looks of the student in class today, I’m not sure how well they’re comprehending the material.”

  Andrew leans over and picks up a sealed manila envelope, which I had stuffed all of the essays into.

  “Thanks for the warning, Professor.”

  I smile as he walks out the door. Andrew can be a goof, but he’s been one of my best students in the past few years. That’s why I jumped at the chance to hire him when I was looking over applications for the open position of my teaching assistant.

  He likes to joke around, but he knows when it’s time to get serious and get things done. We’ve had quite a few deep conversations over the years during my office hours, talking about books and literature and our lives.

  He probably knows more about me than he should, but that’s not something that bothers me too much.

  We’re all adults here.

  I finish typing up the notes that I’m working on and then gather up my belongings so that I can head to my office to work, before my next class in an hour. When I get there, my friend Kelly, who teaches freshman English composition is tidying up her desk.

  “Hi Michelle.” She says to me. “How are you doing today?”

  “Not too bad.” I tell her. “How about you?”

  “I’m just doing my weekly desk cleaning.” She says. It’s amazing how much dirt and dust builds up over just a couple of days.”

  I nod my head, but don’t say anything in response. Kelly is a great person, but she’s also a little repetitive. We share an office right now due to part of the building being renovated and I’ve found that the best way to not get annoyed with her is to only listen to about 75% of what she says.

  “Some mail came for you.” Kelly says.

  I sigh.

  Of course it did.

  My Mom was so proud of me when I got this position all of those years ago she started mailing cards to me at the office.

  I was able to keep it a secret for the longest time. Katie, who is the administrative assistant downstairs, would always send me an email to let me know of I had any mail.

  But now that Kelly and I are sharing an office, it’s near impossible to keep her out of my personal business.

  “Who is it from?” She asks. “I hope you don’t mind me asking.”

  “It’s fine.” I tell her. “It’s from my Mom, actually.”

  “That’s sweet.”

  I smile at her. “If you say so.”

  I put my belongings at my desk and sit down in my comfy swivel chair, preparing myself for whatever family news I’m about to read in Mom’s correspondence.

  It’s an interesting letter, for sure. My youngest sister is getting married. She would have told me herself but she’s been having trouble finding time to communicate with the family while she and Craig are on their mission’s trip in Africa.

  My older brother just went skydiving and he says it was the best experience of his life. I’m not surprised. He always has been the kind of guy who loves to take chances.

  Meanwhile, I’m the girl that moved only an hour away from her hometown and has been steadily working at the same job for years now.

  Without meaning to, I let out an audible sigh.

  “Are you ok?” Kelly asks, looking up from the plant on her desk that she’s watering.

  “I don’t know.” I tell her. “I’m thirty two years old and I have no idea what I’m doing with my life.”

  “That’s not true. You have a great job. You have a great life.”

  I sigh. “I don’t mean with work, Kelly. I mean with the more important things. I don’t have a husband or a family of my own. I don’t even have any interesting hobbies.”

  “I’m sure that’s not true.”

  “Maybe. I don’t know. I think I’m having caffeine withdrawal. I’m going to head over to the library cafe to get a latte. Do you want anything?”

  I agree to grab her a cup of tea while I’m over there. On the walk I try to put my stress and worries out of my mind, but it doesn’t work. I wish I knew how to feel better.

  +++

  Kelly had offered to pick me up and give me a ride to senior night so I took her up on it. It’s always better to arrive at these kinds of events with another person, especially when you don’t have a husband to drag along with you.

  It works out well that Kelly and I are both single and can accompany each other tonight. She tells me that if I want to leave at any point, I should just let her know, but I tell her that won’t be necessary.

  I want to have fun tonight.

  Senior night in the English department is a lot of fun because it’s basically just a giant party. First we all have dinner together and then there is a short awards ceremony where they give out scholarships for the next year as well as a few awards for Seniors.

  After that the night usually turns into half dance party and half open mic, where some of the creative writing students workshop their pieces and perform slam poetry and whatever else they want to do.

  By that point in the night, most of the faculty goes home and the students are allowed to hang out un
til the bar closes.

  Earlier in the day I was regretting having to go to this event but now that I’ve warmed up to the idea, I definitely want to have some fun. The first thing I do after Kelly and I give our coats to the coat check is that I head for the bar.

  “What do you want?” I ask Kelly. “First round is on me.”

  She looks surprised. “Oh, I’ll just take a Coke. I’m driving.”

  I narrow my eyes at her.

  “Really?”

  She nods so I get her what she wants. Then I get a gin and tonic for myself. We go over to a bench along the side of the room and I agree to wait to Kelly while she heads to the restroom.

  I see some of my students from the past and the present rushing around the room and greeting each other and finding their name cards at the dinner tables. The seating is completely randomized in an attempt to get people to open up and spend the night talking to someone they don’t know as well for a change.

  “Hey Professor.”

  I look up and Andrew is approaching me with a small smile on his face. He looks handsome in dark slacks and a tweed blazer. It looks like something he either bought in a thrift shop or inherited from his grandfather, but the look somehow works for him.

  “Hi Andrew.”

  He comes over and sits down next to me on the bench.

  “So I just so happen to know some people in high places.” He says.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that we weren’t seated at the same table when I first got here, but the situation has since been rectified.”

  “Do I even want to dig further into that explanation?”

  He shakes his head

  “That’s what I thought.”

  He just smiles.

  “What about Kelly?”

  “I couldn’t switch Kelly.”

  “Oh. Well, that’s fine. I can’t expect you to do me too many favors tonight.”

  He looks surprised. “I did you a favor?”

  “Sure.”

  “What other kinds of favors do you want?”

  I’m confused by what he means, but we’re interrupted by Kelly so I don’t get to ask him about it.

  “Man, that was a long line.” She complains.

  “Alright everyone.” Says Mr. Holland, the president of the University’s English department. “I would like to invite everyone to take their seats. The program will be starting in just five minutes. I repeat, the museum will be starting in five minutes.”

  I say goodbye to Kelly as she wanders off in search of her seat. I follow Andrew as he leads us to our table and we say hi to the other students who are sitting with us. It appears that I’m the only faculty member at our table.

  Andrew is acting pretty strange this evening, and he continues the strange behavior throughout the awards presentation. When there’s a break and dinner is served I dig into my meal quickly. I’m already on my second drink and I don’t want to get drunk because of drinking on an empty stomach.

  “This is good food.” I mumble, as I dig into my chicken.

  Andrew nods. “Yeah, it’s way better than anything I’ve cooked for myself lately.”

  I watch him chew and I’m lost in thought for a moment, imagining what his lips would be like on mine.

  Wait. What?

  The alcohol is clearly going to my head. I excuse myself from the table so that I can go to the restroom and splash some cold water on my face. After I exit the stall and go to wash my hands, I stare at myself in the mirror.

  Why am I not exciting? Why am I not lovable. I’ll be going to another family wedding next Summer when my little sister ties the knot, and I’ll probably go alone because I can’t keep a guy interested for more than a few weeks for the life of me.

  I splash some cold water on my face and pat it dry with a paper towel. I feel cooler, but not any better about my current predicament.

  I’ve been gone for a while so I’d better head back to the table. Right as I exit the bathroom door, I run into someone.

  “Oh gosh, I’m sorry.” I say. “I wasn’t looking.”

  “It’s ok.”

  It’s Andrew standing in front of me. He has his medium length dark hair pushed behind his ears and he looks happy to have found me.

  “I was worried about you.” He explains. “I came out here to see if you were ok.”

  “Why were you worried?” I ask. “I’m fine.”

  “I don’t know, you just left the table kind of quickly.”

  I smile. “I’m fine. Thank you for checking on me though.”

  “Of course.” He says. I’d do anything for you, Professor.”

  I look up into his dark eyes. I’ve never felt anything sexual before when he calls me by that nickname, but everything is feeling different tonight.

  Either I am in a weird mood, or the air between us has changed.

  “Anything?” I ask.

  “Within reason, of course.” He says, with an awkward laugh.

  It’s now or never.

  “Will you kiss me?”

  The look on his face is complete and total shock, and I want to melt right into the floor. I can’t believe I said something so inappropriate.

  I mean, he works for me for God’s sake.

  “I’m sorry.” I tell him. “I’m so sorry. I have to go.”

  I turn to bolt towards the nearest exit but he grabs my arm before I can move.

  “Don’t go.” He says.

  I turn and look up into his dark eyes, trying to read the emotion behind his words. I’m at a loss. I have no idea what he wants right now.

  “I should.” I tell him.

  “No, Professor.” He says with a small smile on his lips. “I want to kiss you. I just don’t know if it should be somewhere so public.”

  He’s right. The hallway that we’re standing in is right outside the bathroom which means that anyone at our event could pass by at any moment.

  I want to kiss my teaching assistant, but I don’t want to start an English department scandal. That’s not exactly something on my bucket list.

  “Come with me.” Andrew says, lightly grabbing my arm.

  I do as I’m told and follow him down the hallway. There’s a door to the right that has a sign indicating that it’s a meeting room. The lights are off and Andrew tries the doorknob. It’s unlocked.

  “Here?” I ask.

  He shrugs. “Do you have a better idea?”

  I don’t, so I follow him into the small dark room. As soon as the door is closed and I lock the door, my arms search for him. He finds me in the dark with his hands first, and he pulls me close so that he can whisper in my ear.

  “I want you, Michelle.”