“Of course I know what insurance is! I just don’t know what that means for this specific instance! It’s not like I can call up my parents’ insurance company and ask them to include sleeping with my teacher on the policy!”
Lindsey after. “Ha ha, if only it worked that way! No, you’re right—you can’t do that, but you can do it another way. Write down everything that happens. Like an expose. Remember, we talked about those in class?”
“Yeah, but even if I do that, who’s to say that I didn’t just make it up?”
“Record yourself.”
“There’s no way I’m going to be able to set up my phone without him knowing.”
“Well . . . maybe not a video. But have the voice recorder on. I’m sure he’ll make some sort of vocal indication as to what you guys are doing. And who knows? Maybe another time you suggest that you guys make a video. I don’t think there’s any guy that would turn down getting to make a sex tape—it’s like every guy’s secret fantasy. Whether they’ll admit it or not. And then you’ll have all the evidence that you need.”
“Evidence that would show I was totally going along with it, too!”
“Of course, but he’s more in the wrong here. He’s the one who would get in trouble; not you. And this is only if he tries to back out on his end of the deal. This is just your insurance. You probably won’t even need to show anyone.”
I took another gulp of my water, this time enjoying the tartness, because at least it was a mild distraction to this conversation. But as I set my glass back down, I realized that this was my parents’ fault. Anything that happened now was at least indirectly related to them, because of how much pressure they were putting on me. I knew they’d be beyond pissed if they ever found out that I had done something like sleep with a professor, but I’d do everything I could to make sure that never happened.
8.
Leo
I showed up to class early, walking into an empty classroom for maybe the first time ever. Even on the first day of class, there had already been a dozen students seated by the time I’d arrived. But now here I was, the place empty, and it seemed peaceful and calm, and maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to show up early more often.
No sooner did such a thought cross my mind than Kristin arrived.
“Oh,” she said as she walked into the classroom. “You’re here early.”
“Am I?” I tried to sound nonchalant, though the truth was, I was looking forward to this class more than I could ever remember looking forward to a class before. Usually, I was dashing into the classroom a few seconds before the official start, Kristin waiting like a patient dog for her harried owner, doing her dutiful duty of answering student questions and going over homework.
She ducked her head as she pulled her messenger bag strap off and over her shoulders.
“Yes,” she said with a smile. “But it’s nice to have a few minutes with you before they start pouring in.”
She dragged one of the chairs over next to me, and when she sat down, our legs were touching. I waited a second and then pulled mine back.
Last night, I’d spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about whether or not this was something that I should actually do. I knew this was something illicit, something that would be frowned upon, and yes, something that would potentially get me fired if word got out. Was this really something that I wanted to pursue? It was. Not because I couldn’t take a more traditional route to get laid (hell, all I had to do was text Colette and she’d be over at my place on her back in 10 seconds flat) but because this was giving my life the sort of excitement that had been sorely lacking since I’d been canned from the magazine.
If Tessa showed up today wearing something that would let me know she was still interested, I’d consider it the green light, full steam ahead. If she didn’t, then I’d just pretend like the whole thing had never happened. Hell, I’d even give her the fucking grade she wanted anyway; what did I care?
Kristin was talking to me, and I nodded every so often, gave a noncommittal grunt or hmmm every few seconds. I had no idea what she was saying. Kristin wanted to work in newspapers, or write a column, or have a blog article she wrote go viral, and I knew she viewed me as someone who had achieved what she hoped to.
“. . . very exciting, don’t you agree?” Kristin looked at me.
“Definitely,” I said, nodding vigorously. I knew if I waited a moment, she’d give some sort of clue as to whatever the hell it was she’d just been going on about.
“Though if I were the one in charge, I would change the name. Benton Daily Journal. That’s so . . . I don’t know. Unexciting. But that’s beside the point, for right now, anyway. I think it’s great that the school will finally have a newspaper again. I told Shannon I’d be willing to help you out in any way possible.”
“I’m sure she was thrilled to hear that.”
“She was.”
I was glad when students started filing in, not just because that meant Tessa would be arriving, but because Kristin and I could stop talking about the fucking school newspaper, which was already turning into a huge pain in my ass. I watched as the students came in. Tessa was usually one of the first, but I counted 12 students at their seats before I glanced over at the doorway and saw her there. I blinked, not certain for a moment that I could trust what my eyes were seeing.
Tessa appeared to be wearing leopard print leggings with a short black skirt over them. Every student in the classroom turned to watch her walk in, and she did so, with her head down, hurrying to her seat as quickly as possible. I realized as I watched her come in, though, it wasn’t a leotard, but one of those cycling skin suits, and about an inch of the shorts part of it was visible below the hemline of her skirt.
Kristin caught me looking but took it the wrong way. “What the hell is she wearing?” she muttered to me, barely concealing the roll of her eyes. “Is it dress like your favorite animal day and no one told me?”
“Must be,” I said, finally forcing myself to tear my eyes away from Tessa. Well. I wanted a sign that she was still interested in doing this—clearly, she was.