Lessons

Lessons pt 03

Student Kruspe was feeling his unrest was growing inside him while observing the last students who were entering the lecture hall and taking their seats. He cursed quietly, looking at his watch as the professor closed the door after the last student. Richard Kruspe turned to take his seat but stopped, uncertainly looking around him, not knowing which one to take. He seemed to be completely lost as he was standing there on the stairs, letting his fellow students to pass by him while feeling his heart beating madly inside his chest and so the fear, which was slowly rising as well. Where the fuck is he, damn it?!

Richard nervously looked around again and then realized that everyone's eyes were upon him. He wasn't wondering at all – not only that he was the only one student in the lecture hall who still didn't take a seat, but also he was the main topic of all conversations among students in the last twenty-four hours. It was the first time in his life that he had lost his precious wrestling match and suddenly he blushed, feeling anger.

That was all his fault, he thought and clenched his fists. Damned Landers!

Richard was aware that bunch of girls used to come watching his matches and trainings, drooling and staring at his muscular body and crotch so visible underneath his tight-fitting wrestling singlet, but he didn't know Paul was among them as well. Not until yesterday. Richard was winning, as usual; he exerted superior control over his opponent and pinned him to the ground, which would be considered as winning condition if he was holding both of his opponent's shoulders on the wrestling mat simultaneously. But that didn't happen – in one moment, Richard briefly looked towards the audience and accidentally saw Paul sitting there in the first row. One, brief look, but enough to distract his whole attention, which allowed his opponent to finally free himself and exert control over Richard from his defensive position. This move, known as "reversal", gained a six-point lead to his opponent and finally marked an end to the match, leaving the popular student in complete shock and astonishment.

Not sure how he had been able to let that happen, Richard had been so mad then and still he was. But he knew that it was all his guilt after all, due to distraction which was bothering him all week long. This thought was making him even more furious. Why did Landers' look distract him so much? Did he just upset him, his presence reminding him of his blackmail? Or was it something else standing behind it? Something, that was causing him insomnia, disturbing his dreams, his concentration, his everything...

Yes, there definitely was something that was disturbing his concentration in that amount he didn't manage to learn even the simplest things which he needed for today's arithmetic exam. He couldn't do it. No, not alone. Realizing there was no point in waiting anymore, he cursed again and turned to take the closest free seat, completely ignoring the girls who were eagerly looking at him in hope he would sit next to them. He was already about to sit down, but then he heard the door opened and the very last student came in.

"Landers!" the professor delightedly called out as his lips widened into a wide smile after seeing his best student. "Sorry I'm late, sir..." Paul said gaspingly as he was trying to catch his breath. He corrected his tie which had been thrown over his left shoulder; he must have been running. "Not at all!" the professor happily exclaimed. "Just in time! Please, take a seat!"

"Thank you, sir", Paul nodded and then started climbing the stairs to get to the upper seats. He passed by Richard who immediately changed his mind about his seat and quickly followed him, still slightly shivering from relief as he saw the shorter man's venue. "I've already thought you won't appear at all!" the younger student quietly said to Paul as he caught him up. "What's the matter, Kruspe?" the shorter man responded and smiled mockingly without looking at the younger student at all. "Didn't learn for today's exam?"