The College Professor

Chapter 01

He bored me, he had his goals in life and they weren't even close to mine. He liked skiing and the mountains, hiking and wildlife. I liked swimming and the beach, sand in my hair and seafood. He enjoyed rock music, I liked that and so much more. He disliked my best friend, I disliked his. Indie movies for me, dull action blockbusters for him. I liked going to parties, he liked staying in. I liked books, he didn't. He liked science, I didn't.

We sat down at the kitchen table in his one-bedroom apartment at some point. Three weeks before I would have never even thought of this but now I was over it. He was over it, too.

"We can take a break, just not talk for a week or two, maybe we can see passed all fo this then" he suggested and I nodded. He didn't like my drinking, I didn't like him wanting to sit in front of the TV all the time. We had fought over me not wanting to move in with him, we had fought about him not wanting to backpack through Asia with me after graduation. We didn't see eye to eye and this was the last year of college.

"Let's do it then" I agreed and streched my hand out. He took it, held it and closed his eyes.

"A month ago everything was fine."

I didn't say anything, he knew how frustrated I was with this relationship. Maybe it wasn't meant to be. Who knew? Not talking to each other for a few days might clear things up though.

"Let's make it two weeks. No texting, talking or anything."

"Okay." He squeezed my hand and I nodded. "I love you, you know that, right?"

"I love you, too" I replied, got up, grabbed my bag and kissed him goodbye. "It'll be fine."

"I hope so" he mumbled against my lips and we kissed a last time before I left the apartment.

Three days later and I was okay. Sleeping alone all the time was tough but aside from that I just felt like I had a lot fo free time. I was watching less TV and reading more, I was going out with the people I liked, I was sitting in a cafe to read a book, I watched that Sairose Ronan movie. Everything was done in time and I didn't have to do late nights in order to keep up with the course work.

All the free time and I enjoyed it for the first seven days. When I sat down on Sunday though, after breakfast without anything to do I felt lonely. Not alone but really lonely. The easy company I had always gotten wasn't available at the moment and it was hard to pass the time.

On Facebook I read about a theme night at the bar on campus and felt like going. Tessa, her friend Alissa and their boyfriends were going. They asked if I wanted to bring anyone else, I didn't.

Maybe I'd see my professor again. Maybe he'd talk to me indecently again. Due to his absence the course had been organised by his assisstant this week and I was curious to see if there was anything different between us. He was still the person educating me and I was still his student - just maybe though there was something else. Worst case, he didn't remember talking to me.

What I wore that night wasn't necessarily fancy, it was simple and only the big earrings hinted that I had put a second thought into what I'd be wearing. Hair not washed, black jeans and black t-shirt - I couldn't have looked any more boring.

Penelope was still sitting in the kitchen as I started making a quick dinner - eggs on toast with ham. She tilted her head and just poured wine into the other glass that she had gotten out of the cabinet next to the dining table.

"So how has the time been without your boyfriend?" she asked and I shrugged.

"Okay, I guess, good even at times. I forgot how many spare hours there are in a day though."