by Sable Sylvan
“Oh, come on, we were there at Bear Buns, we saw you having the time of your life!” said Marie. Every darn sentence the girl used seemed to end in an exclamation mark or a question mark. “How did you and Tashia get into the VIP area? How much did you have to pay to get picked to go on stage?”
“Tashia has a friend who works there, and if you must know, I didn’t pay to go on stage, that’s not how it works at Bear Buns…the dancers pick you, you don’t pick the dancers,” said Kim, giving Marie the benefit of the doubt.
“Oh…but, if you didn’t pay, then how on earth did you get on stage?” asked Marie. “Because, after all, we all know that a girl like you couldn’t just get picked…was it some sort of charity thing they were doing for foster children?”
That one sentence hit Kim like a wrecking ball. She’d blurted out during one of the trust exercises about family that no, she didn’t have one, because she’d been in foster care, switching between over a dozen families in high school since the passing of her grandmother…and now, Marie was using it to try and hurt her.
“Very funny,” said Kim sarcastically. “Sounds like you’re jealous you didn’t get picked, Marie.”
“Oh, I’m sure that if I go back, I’ll get the bears I want,” said Marie. “There’s no way that you were able to satisfy them anyway.”
The last thing Marie said made Kim think of exactly what happened in the cocktail room, and Kim couldn’t help but just start laughing, which wasn’t the response Marie or her minions expected.
“What’s so funny?” demanded Sabine.
“Oh, it’s just…the way you said that, Marie, I almost thought you were serious,” said Kim. “Y’all have a nice night, don’t stay up too late, we’ve got classes tomorrow. Bye!” Kim said the last part in the most sickly sweet voice she could muster before heading back to her room.
Kim and Tashia finished unpacking her room and finally hit the hay. Kim was not looking forward to going to class without breakfast, but she was going to grab a granola bar before heading to class. She’d get up in a few hours and try to make it to class early, to nab a seat. At least all she had was a freshman English course and an introductory chemistry course. Hopefully, there’d be cute boys in class that could get her mind off of Jace and Gabe…
Hopefully.
Chapter Five
After getting three hours of sleep, Kim woke up for her first ever day of classes. It was just what she needed to get her mind of the drama of the night before. She’d prepacked her backpack that weekend and lain out an outfit, a business casual blouse and a pair of dark jeans, with her navy backpack. After putting her hair in a neat ponytail and grabbing an iced coffee out of her mini fridge, she walked to her first class of the day, the mandatory freshman English class.
She threw her granola bar wrapper out in the trash outside the humanities building, chugged and chucked her iced coffee, and headed in after popping in a mint to get rid of her coffee breath. She was going to get to class right on time. Kim found the classroom. The professor wasn’t there yet. Kim took a seat by Tashia, who also happened to have the same freshman English class as her, but who had a language class before the English class, hence why they hadn’t walked over together from her dorm. Tashia had gotten to class a little early to snag them both seats. Unfortunately, sitting next to Tashia meant being right in view of one of Marie’s friends from the cheer squad who Kim couldn’t recall the name of. Kim hadn’t forgotten Marie’s snide words from the night before and wasn’t about to let it be water under the bridge. Kim knew better than to forgive or forget, especially when it came to mean girls.
Kim was writing down notes that were already up on the board, regarding due dates, in her planner when the professor came in.
“Sorry for my tardiness, class,” said a familiar voice that sounded as warm and sweet as liquid chocolate…a little too familiar. “My meeting ran over. I’m Prof. Clark, and I’m your freshman English professor. First order of business will be going over…”
The professor paused. Kim looked up, finishing what she was writing, and turned to look at the professor.
Khaki pants. Gingham button up shirt. Tweed jacket with leather elbow patches. A pair of black horn rimmed glasses, with a matching black leather briefcase, thoroughly worn, just like his shoes. All these props did not disguise the professor’s identity.
Right in front of Kim was one of the men she’d slept with the night before…Jace, the cinnamon bear shifter who she had hoped she wouldn’t ever have to see again. Even worse? His eyes were locked right on hers, and she couldn’t seem to make herself look away.
“Going over what, professor?” asked a student.
“The syllabus, sorry, I just blanked,” said Jace. He opened his briefcase and took out a plain red folder. “Take one of each handout inside the folder and pass it on. The theme of this freshman English course is, as you know, early modern American horror fiction. You’ll find a full list of required and recommended texts in your syllabi. I know for many of you, this might be your first college course, but, I still expect college level work from you.”
“Mr. Clark, if you’re a teacher, why are you so young?” asked the cheerleader.
“First off, it’s Prof. Clark,” said Jace. “Secondly, I’m technically a doctoral candidate. I take classes at the university, albeit higher level classes, and I also teach classes here, mostly basic intro level freshman English classes, although I’ve been known to dabble in teaching some classes for upperclassmen.”
“Okay, but, like, how old are you?” asked the cheerleader, popping her gum.
“If you must know, I’m twenty-five,” said Jace. “And gum is forbidden in my classroom, which I’ll give you a pass on this time as you haven’t read the syllabus yet, but please remove that gum immediately.”
The cheerleader got up to throw away her gum, and after watching that happen, Kim kept her head down. Kim was vigorously taking notes about everything on the syllabus, even though it was printed out precisely so she would not have to write it all down, just so she could avoid having to look at Jace. Kim just hoped that her cheeks weren’t burning a bright red.
Tashia poked her. Kim looked up. Tashia passed her a folded note.
Kim opened the note. It read, “Is that the same guy from last night?”
Kim looked at Tashia and widened her eyes, as if to tell Tashia to knock it off, but instead, she got somebody else’s attention.
“Ms…Matherson, was it?” asked Jace, pretending to check the role sheet. “Is there something interesting you’d like to share with the class?”
Kim glared. Was Jace really about to pull that shit? “No, sir,” said Kim. “It’s nothing.”
“Good,” said Jace, before he continued explaining the syllabus.
Kim couldn’t believe what had just happened. Jace, after what happened last night, not only was her professor, but was calling her out over nothing. This day couldn’t get any worse…except for the fact that she realized that the only thing hotter than seeing Jace on stage, and having him pleasure her in his cocktail room, was seeing him dominate the classroom. There was denying it. It was a fact that he was undeniably, absolutely, totally, and without a doubt even more sexy in a tweed jacket than in purple sequin hot pants, more dominant in the classroom than on the stage, and downright more manly when he was telling her off versus wooing her with sweet, sweet compliments.
Kim just worked on looking occupied during class, answering questions when she had to, like when they’d gone around and introduced themselves between the cheerleader’s chewing gum scolding and Kim’s note scolding. Other than that, she was basically watching the clock. Finally, the clock hands were in the right place, and the professor dismissed the class…but before Kim could leave, she heard the words she really, really didn’t want to hear come out of Jace’s succulent moist lips again, come out of that very velvety mouth.
“Ms. Matherson…a moment, please,” said Jace.
Kim turned slowly and walked ba
ck into the classroom. “I have another class I’m going to be late for,” said Kim.
“This won’t take more than a minute,” said Jace. “Kim…I had no idea that you were my student when we had sex last night.”
“Jeeze Louise, keep your darn voice down!” said Kim. “Don’t go around saying things like that.”
“Just be assured that I will keep things professional in the classroom, but Kim…that doesn’t mean I won’t be trying my hardest to seduce you out of the classroom,” said Jace.
“Excuse me? Did you just threaten me?” asked Kim.
“It’s not a threat, it’s a promise,” said Jace.
“Same difference,” said Kim.
“Kim. You’re my fated mate and Gabe’s. That’s a big deal…and at some point, you’re going to have to accept that fate obviously wants the three of us to be together,” said Jace.
“Yeah, yeah, I didn’t believe it last night, I won’t believe it tonight,” said Kim. “I’ve got a class to get to, so if you don’t mind I’ll be leaving now.”
“Kim, there’s one last thing,” said Jace.
Kim sighed. “What?”
“Just because we have a relationship doesn’t mean I’ll be grading you any differently than the other students,” said Jace. “I was serious about it when I said that I wanted to see college-level work…and I know you can provide that.”
“Why, because you’ve slept with me?” asked Kim.
“No…because I was on the committee that selected you to receive the Dean’s Scholarship,” said Jace. “I didn’t connect the dots until I saw you here this morning. I read your essay. I know what you can produce, so if anything? That’s the level of excellence I’ll expect from you, every time, because I know you can deliver it. So don’t disappoint me, Kim…and don’t disappoint yourself.”
“You…oh, God,” said Kim, “I’ve got to go.”
Kim grabbed her bag and headed down the stairs. She was going to be late for her science class if she didn’t run but what Jace had said to her had to have been true. How else would he have known that she had applied for that scholarship, or that there was an essay component? And if he’d really read what she’d written, then it meant he knew something about her that was absolutely not his right to know about her.
Kim made it to the science classroom and had pulled herself together. She was two minutes late, but hopefully, the professor would be late like Jace.
She entered the medium sized lecture hall and tried to discreetly find a seat, but as she did, the professor, who was scrawling on a large blackboard, said, “Ah, our first tardy student of the semester.”
The rest of the class let out nervous laughs and Kim’s face turned bright red as she made her way to a random free seat. What kind of a jackass of a professor called people out for being late on the frikkin’ first day? She could already tell she wouldn’t like this guy.
But that’s when she saw something she’d recognize anywhere from behind. A shock of hair, somewhere between chocolate covered chili peppers and cinnamon dust in terms of color, with some blonde streaks. It couldn’t be, no frikkin’ way…
The professor turned. “Who was it who was late?” asked the professor, looking down at a clipboard.
The students didn’t point at her, but because they were all focusing on her, it wouldn’t be hard for the professor to figure out it had been her. Kim raised her hand with a sigh.
The professor looked up and made eye contact with Kim. The amber eyes she knew all too well from the night before were locked on hers like a lion locked on a particularly weak gazelle. A look of recognition passed over both their faces, each reading the other’s epiphany as clear as day.
“And you are?” asked the professor.
“Kimberly Matherson,” said Kim. Yup. Her worst nightmare had just come true. Not only was Jace her English professor, but Gabe? He was teaching her chemistry, because of course he was, because apparently, she was a monster who was being punished in a Hell on Earth, or somebody in the Department of Fate and Karma had a grudge against her, or at the very least, a sadistic, messed up sense of humor.
“Kimberly…Matherson,” said Gabe, looking through the role sheet, pretending he hadn’t been balls deep in the student sitting in the center the front row of his class, pretending he didn’t want to be balls deep in her mouth to teach her a lesson about being tardy. He was hoping to any higher powers above that were listening that his stiffened cock would not show through his pants to the one hundred students paying rapt attention to his every word. “Kimberly, it’s your first day, so I’ll give you a pass, but, as you’ll find in the syllabus, which you can pick up after class given that you’re late, you’ll learn that class attendance is recorded and is mandatory, unlike some other lecture style classes. A limit of four tardies or two absence, with two tardies equivalent to an absence, will be allowed for the semester. This policy does not extend to the lab component, which requires absolutely perfect, on time attendance…”
Kim took notes of everything Gabe said and just hoped for the class to end sooner rather than later. Gabe finished going through the syllabus, explained the first homework assignment, and details about section and lab, and finally excused the class five minutes early.
Kim approached Gabe once the other students had cleared out.
“So what are we gonna do about this?” asked Kim.
“About what?” asked Gabe.
“About this,” said Kim, motioning between her and Gabe.
“I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about,” Gabe lied, wearing a smarmy grin.
Kim picked up a syllabus from the table. “You’re Prof. Gabriel Johnson?” asked Kim.
“That’s right, Gabe for short,” said Gabe. “But of course, only my most intimate acquaintences use that name with me.”
“Gabe, cut the shit,” said Kim. “We slept together last night. You called me out in front of your class. There’s no frikkin’ way I can take this class.”
“Interesting,” said Gabe. “So do you want to transfer out?”
“Yes,” said Kim. “Are there any free spots in another professor’s course?”
“Well, that’s really a you problem, Ms., what was it, Matherson?” said Gabe. “But yes, there are free spots in other courses. Out of curiosity, why did you happen to pick my course?”
“Because…out of all the professors on WCSRate, you were the most highly ranked for freshman chemistry,” said Kim. “And…even though I’m not a chem major, it’s really important that I not only take chemistry, but do well in it.”
“You mean get an A,” said Gabe, leaning against the wall.
“No, I mean understand it,” said Kim. “It’s personal. I…failed chem back in high school, okay? It’s the only class I did poorly in, and I want to do well in it so I can put that failure behind me.”
“Ah, I understand, and of course, you definitely don’t want to get…intimate with me,” said Gabe, getting close to Kim. “Because what, that’d be dangerous, right? So it’s too bad that you’re gonna have to stay in the class of someone you obviously have feelings for.”
“You think I want this?” asked Kim. “I don’t, but apparently, you know what, Jace was right. Fate does want me to be near you two. I got placed with Jace for freshman English.”
“Wait, you mean to tell me you have both of us as profs this semester?” asked Gabe. “Holy shizz, you better not let my clan elders hear about this because they’ll take this as frikkin’ proof fate’s real. Oh, poor Kim…stuck having her two handsome, smart fated mates as her profs.”
“Yeah, boo-hoo, frik my life, right?” asked Kim. “But please excuse the tardy. Talk to Jace. I was kept after class by him.”
“Jace kept you?” asked Gabe. “And he teaches you before you have this class? Fine. I’ll get it sorted so it doesn’t happen again…but don’t take that as a license to be late.”
“Let me guess, you’re gonna give me the same spiel he gave me about how e
ven though I’m your supposed ‘fated mate’, you won’t give me any special treatment?” asked Kim.
“That’s right, sugar tits…but you also might want to get on board with the fact you’re meant to be with us, and that the harder you push fate away? The harder she pushes right back,” said Gabe.
“‘Sugar tits’? Really?” asked Kim.
“What else should I call a girl who’s practically flashing me?” said Gabe.
“Flashing you? What?” asked Kim. “I’m seriously confused.”
Gabe directed her attention to a large mirror used for the physics course that took place in the same lecture hall. Kim looked in the mirror. Her shirt wasn’t unbuttoned, but the lights in the lecture hall were different than the lights in her room, and it turned out the top she was wearing was pretty much sheer in the lecture hall lights…and that made her black lace power bra stand out like a sore thumb.
“Oh…my gosh,” said Kim. “I have two more classes to get to today, and no time to change.”
“If only you had a fated mate who keeps a spare hoodie in his classroom for rainy days,” said Gabe. “But I guess that’s none of my business…”
“Gabe, please, it’s the first day of my classes, and I –”started Kim.
Gabe put his finger on Kim’s lips. “Shh. I’ll give you the hoodie, I just wanted to see you squirm a little…just like last night, in the cocktail room,” said Gabe. “Come on.”
Gabe led Kim to his office which was just a few rooms away from the lecture hall. His office was meticulously neat. He had a closet with a few jackets inside and he passed Kim a plain black hoodie that nobody would be able to identify as his.
He held it out to Kim and then took it back.
“What?” asked Kim. “I thought you were lending it to me.”
“I am, but, I’m going to ask you to give me something in exchange,” said Gabe. “Dinner. With me and Jace.”
“Dinner? Are you frikkin’ kidding?” asked Kim.
“I don’t know…I feel like I should be the one taken seriously given I’m not the one flashing my curves to every hot blooded man on campus,” said Gabe.
