Beyond The Lecture Hall

Chapter 5: Unspoken desires

Finally, it's Friday, and I'm thrilled to see Ms. Olsen again and hear her angelic voice. As always, I arrive super early and now find myself in the university corridors, eagerly waiting for Ms. Olsen's appearance. While waiting, I'm engrossed in a book, but not just any book—it's a steamy lesbian romance. I'm completely absorbed, unaware that Ms. Olsen is standing right beside me. "Ms. Aiden?" she says, catching me off guard. Surprised, I hastily close my book, hoping she didn't catch a glimpse of its contents. "Oh, hi Ms. Olsen. Sorry, I didn't hear you," I say, feeling my face flush with embarrassment. "It's alright. I called your name a couple of times," she chuckles. Curious, she looks at the book in my hands and asks, "What are you reading there?"In a nervous frenzy, I search for an explanation, not wanting to actually tell her. "Um, it's a book about animals," I stammer and manage a nervous smile. "What's it about?" she asks, genuinely interested. I don't want to disclose the truth and quickly come up with something. "Uh, it's about different animals and their habitats," I blurt out, hoping it sounds plausible. To my dismay, Ms. Olsen's face lights up with delight. "Oh, I love animals! I'll definitely have to read that book," she innocently says. Panic sets in as I hope she won't actually follow through on her words. "Ha ha, yeah," I nervously laugh, my heart racing. With a kind smile, Ms. Olsen interrupts our conversation. "Alright, Ms. Aiden, I need to go and prepare for the lecture. See you then!" she says. "Bye," I manage to say, feeling a wave of relief as she walks away. Reflecting on the encounter, I cringe at the awkwardness of it all. The close call with the book was nerve-wracking, but for now, I can only hope that Ms. Olsen's doesn't actually buys the book.
I spot Harper approaching, and we greet each other with a warm smile. However, I find myself uncertain about whether I should tell her about the "thing" with Ms. Olsen. The lecture is about to start, so we decide to enter the lecture hall together. As we step inside, we notice several students already seated, eagerly awaiting the start of the lecture. Taking our places, the room fills with anticipation. The lecturer begins, and I make a firm commitment to myself to immerse fully in the material once again. However, as the lecture progresses, I become increasingly aware of my face flushing, a sign of the effect Ms. Olsen has on me. Harper notices my blushing and playfully winks. I catch Ms. Olsen stealing glances in my direction, but each time our eyes meet, she quickly averts her gaze. The lecture ends, and as the other students go out, Ms. Olsen calls my name, requesting that I remain behind. Harper smirks mischievously and says, "I'll wait for you outside." Left alone with Ms. Olsen, a sense of curiosity mixes with anticipation. She looks at me intently and praises my work, as she always does. Then, unexpectedly, she asks if I will be at the off-campus coffee shop today. Momentarily taken aback, I manage to respond, "Yes." Realizing my hasty reply, I quickly amend, "I mean, yes, I will be there. Why do you ask?" A genuine smile graces her lips as she replies, "No, I also plan to go, and since you're a regular, I thought we might have the chance to chat." Feeling a surge of excitement, I reply, "Oh, great! I'll see you there, Ms. Olsen!" She responds with a warm, "See you then.". Exiting the lecture hall, I momentarily forget that Harper had been waiting. "So, did you two have hot sex in there?" she blurts out, unable to contain her laughter. I motion for her to lower her voice, whispering, "Don't be so loud, dude! It's nothing like that—just something related to school." Harper persists, "Val, I have this feeling you're hiding something from me. You know I'm always here for you." Taking a deep breath, I say, "Alright, come with me. I'll tell you everything." Finding a nearby bench, I begin to recount the details of what had happened. Harper listens intently, her expression alternating between shock and amusement. Finally, she exclaims, "She totally wants you" I chuckle, trying to downplay the situation, "Come on, Harper, let's not jump to conclusions. She's just being nice and cares about her students." Harper raises an eyebrow skeptically, sarcastically remarking, "Oh, yes, because she cares so much about her students, right?" Rolling my eyes, I respond, "Well, maybe I've been the only one who has opened up to her. It doesn't necessarily mean anything more. As much as I wish it did." Harper persists, her voice filled with conviction, "Val, I saw how she looked at you today when I was winking at you. Trust me, there's something there." Letting out a laugh, I playfully tell her to drop it, refusing to entertain the idea any further. Deciding to head home since my next lecture professor still isn't in university. I stroll along the familiar path, and can't do anything but think about Ms. Olsen. God. This women really does things to me, I can't wait to see her at the coffee shop.