Page 2 of Pining For My Professor
2
“So,you got what you always wanted! Now can yourelax?”
Alicia and I are at the mall, shopping not for sensible graduation sandals (like I wanted), but new white sheets that we can immediately twist into appropriately sexy togas for tonight’sparty.
“I don’t understand why I need new sheets,” I say, running my finger across the edge of a frilly, decorative pillow. “Ihavesheets. Can’t I just take them off mybed?”
“Max, you’re not getting it. This needs to be perfect! New sheets will be a good omen, getit?”
“Is this about Dave?” I ask. Alicia has had a crush on Dave for years, and he’sfinallysingle. I suspect that she wants to accumulate as many good omens as she can before making her movetonight.
“It might be,” she whispers, coyly. “But how did you manage an ‘A’ in Dylan’s class? I heard henevergives them out. I got aB-!”
“Never?” I ask. Despite Dylan’s laidback aesthetic, I have heard that he can be quite the tough critic. He knows that a lot of students just take English classes for the easy grade and wants us to really appreciate the material for what it is, not just for what it can do for our GPAs. Still, I always assumed that he gave at least a few As asemester.
“Not that I’ve heard,” Alicia responds, “and it’s ironic – he’s a hard ass with areallyrocking hardass.”
I swat at Alicia playfully. We’ve discussed Dylan in this way before, but it always leaves me a bit unnerved, as if he’s a secret I want just for myself. I secretly get jealous every time I see another girl glance just a little too long when he turns to write on the board. I know it’s insane – he’s myprofessorand probably at least ten years older than I am – but every time I see his biceps straining against his crisp, perfectly tailored button down I feel all reason and rationality leave mybrain.
“Anyway, he must really like you,” Alicia continues, grabbing a set of matching twinsheets.
I feel my cheeks redden and instinctively reach up to feel myface.
“You mean, he must really like my writing,” Iurge.
Alicia can tell that I’m a bit freaked out. “Oh my gosh, relax,” she squeals, “let’s focus on a hair and makeup concept. I’m thinking long, beachy waves and a light smoky-eye: Athena meets KendallJenner.”
“Ah yes, stay tuned for ‘The Real Housewives ofOlympia!’”
