The Teacher's Pet | Slowburn MJ FanFic

• | Chapter Thirty-Eight | •

| Thursday Afternoon. . .

The rejection letter from UCLA still stung like a deep, open cut that refused to heal as the taunting memory kept rolling over and over again in Riley's mind as if to add more salt to the wound. Even Lauryn Hill's majestic voice was unable to keep her distracted long enough before she found herself wrapped back inside the malevolent web of insecurities crowding her thoughts.

She slowly blinked away the daze that clouded over her brown eyes which were fixated upon the bright screen of her MacBook, then forced herself to focus back on the task at hand. Within seconds of staring at the webpage of one of the many colleges she was researching, she knew it was something she wasn't even remotely interested in. Picking up her teal ballpoint pen, the unimpressive college was instantly crossed out among her long list.

Her lips parted to release an annoyed huff before she put her face in her hands. It seemed like she couldn't find the perfect dream college and the pressure of discovering anything somewhat close enough on such short notice was starting to undoubtedly grate her nerves. She felt like pulling her hair out at this point.

That is, until she felt someone wrap their arms around her waist from behind and pull her into a hug. Startled, she nearly fell off the stool with her grip tightening around the pen.

She felt a vibration against the crook of her neck and her dark eyebrows deeply creased as she quickly removed an earbud, and hesitantly asked, "What?"

"I said 'hey, gorgeous'." Michael said after letting out a confused chuckle, but then noticed the earbud she was holding in one hand. Riley immediately relaxed her back against his chest at the sound of his familiar voice that never failed to make her smile.

"Well, hello to you too, handsome." She replied before slapping one of his arms still wrapped around her waist. "And don't sneak up on me like that. I almost stabbed you with this pen."

This time he quietly laughed, then said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. What were you listening to?"

She grabbed her phone and held it up. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill album appeared across the screen and Michael hummed under his breath.

"What do you know about Lauryn Hill, Ry?" He joked with his fingers ticklishly digging into her sides and she withheld a loud laugh as she failed to push him away. Once he heard a small giggle escape, he finally stopped.

"First of all, don't try to play me like that. My brother put me on a few years back, so I know a lil' somethin' somethin'." She said as she gave him a faux stink face, and he chuckled. "Secondly, what are you doing in the library, anyway? Aren't you supposed to be on your lunch break?"

He rested his chin on her shoulder as he watched her close out the tab of the rejected college she had glanced at. "I actually just came from a quick meeting in one of the conference rooms and I happened to see you sitting here in the back by yourself. I thought you could use some company."

"A little company doesn't hurt." She turned her head a little to match his smile. She felt pleasant tingles throughout her body when he began to trail a slew of soft kisses down the side of her neck, but then she craned her neck away with the same smile still gracing her face.

"Michael, stop. We might get caught."

He groaned in disagreement. "Ry, you chose the most secluded place in the library. There's no one back here." He noted, glancing around at the empty tables and aisles.

"But there are cameras." She added, running the tip of her pen down the list to find another suitable school.

Michael furrowed his perfect eyebrows as his eyes searched the area once more, then rolled them as he stood up next to her. "You're talking about that busted camera right there?" Riley looked up and followed where he was pointing at. On top of the ceiling was a broken, circular object with wires hanging out as if it was gutted by a technician. "And before you say anything," he spoke as she turned back to look at him, "all the cameras are toward the front. This is the only one back here."