The semester had been going well up till now. You knew from the beginning it would be so hard getting back into the swing of things after such a long absence from school. But you are determined to see it through. "I must be mad" you chuckle to yourself as your car pulls into the last space in the lot "again". When will you learn to leave the house earlier and be able to park closer. You grab your books and start your brisk jog to the campus, admonishing yourself for being late as usual and vowing for the hundredth time to never do so again in the future.
In all fairness night classes haven't been so bad actually. You have been able to further your education and the cost hasn't been too bad. You know if you only stick with it that you will get that raise at work and be able to start really climbing the "ol corporate ladder".
The Business classes haven't been too bad and you have mastered Physics, but History has been tough. It figures, out of all the classes you would need to get the degree it would be history that slows you down. "Who needs history anyways?" you think. "Not like Caesar or Hitler will ever be a client of ours? The whole thing makes no sense!" Inside though you are really scared. It's that one class that is holding you back and causing you the greatest grief.
You arrive at the kiosk, mildly out of breath from your brisk walk and join the milling throng of students all clambering for the coffee machines. You grab a cup of strong brew and sit down at one of the many tables to muse upon the day. Why does it seem so easy for the others? They don't seem too much older than yourself? You have taken great pains to make sure you had not lost your zest for life, and the cynicism that comes with age has not affected you yet. You are aware it is lurking in the background somewhere, waiting to pounce upon you at any given moment, turning you into one of those "old folks' you used to laugh about. You smile at the thought and put it out of your head "Not for me!" you say under your breath. You have kept yourself well. You even have a few boyfriends vying for your attentions. Yes you are beautiful. So why do you feel so down? It must be that damn class you have had trouble with. You push to the back of your mind the fact that you have never met your true love or known the passion that can come from a romance that was meant to be.
You turn your cup up to get the last drop of the bittersweet coffee, and wonder why it seems impossible for them to make a campus brew that doesn't taste like crap. Out of the corner of your eye you glance at the clock and a chill runs through you. You are late for class! This cannot be? You have been so careful! You grab your books and hurry off.
You enter the History building and notice the halls are empty. Not a good sign. "Shit" class has begun. It would be like that grizzled son of a bitch to make a big deal outta me being late again. "Hey I have a real job and a real life, not like some old fossil in some minor college teaching a night course" you say to yourself as you hurry up the stairs.
You silently open the classroom door and peek in timidly. Your classmates stop talking look back at you and smile in unison. You are well known for habitual lateness. They all chatter amongst themselves as you take your seat. You notice that the teacher isn't even there yet. You take your usual seat in the back of the class. "This has got to be your lucky night" your friend leans over and says to you. "Professor Thompson is never late, but he hasn't shown yet. We're going to give him another ten minutes than all go out for a class party to celebrate our luck. Why don't you come along? It'll be good not to hear him drone on and on about some stupid thing for one evening huh?" She smiles at you and you know in your heart you feel the same way. Besides you didn't finish the report due today anyways and another day or two extra would be a Godsend. "Sure Nancy I would like that".
You start to watch the clock with your fellow students and join them in a joke or two about the Professor. You think about how much fun it will be to not have class for one night. To go out and relax. To maybe sip a glass of wine and dance a bit. It's been so long for you that you wonder if you have forgotten how. The noise of footsteps out in the hall makes you aware that those dreams are not meant to be tonight.
The door opens and he steps in. You stare wide-eyed. It is not Professor Thompson.
The class goes silent all but for you as you give a slight gasp. He is the most handsome man you have ever seen. You instantly realize that you feel a passion inside you that for too long has been a stranger. You feel like you are under a spell as he approaches the podium. His voice is deep and reassuring. You look to your friend but she seems just as enthralled as you do. You are aware that all the other girls in the class are smiling and noticeably attracted to this new teacher. "This is all I need now!" you think to yourself. "I'm having trouble in this class and they put this hunk in as a substitute! Thank God it will only be for one night and we can get back to Thompson. He may have been a bastard but at least I didn't have to sit through the class with wet panties!" You watch the new instructor with passionate fascination as he explains to the class that Professor Thompson had become ill and would not be completing the semester. "I am your new instructor Professor Miller. I hold a masters in History from UCLA and a Doctorate in History and World Politics from Penn State." He speaks on about his qualifications but you do not hear them, You are too busy cursing your bad luck and wondering how you will keep your mind on your studies for the rest of the semester. You know in your heart that to fantasize about this man would be futile, he has so many girls in here that would jump at the chance for a single caress from this man. What are your chances that he would notice another gal in the back of the room? You sigh in despair, and try to force your mind to other thoughts.
The rest of the lecture is uneventful as your instructor continues talking about the Legacy that World War One has had on modern Europe. Normally you would have dozed off long ago but you cannot bring yourself to look away from this man. His every word holds you in a grip of fascination. You are so in tuned to this man that you are aware of his every breath as he starts a new sentence. You watch him as he gazes about the room, he looks at all the students and you know its you imagination but he seems to be staring most often at you. His eyes are so blue and his every glance sends a shiver down to your wetness. You know you would be his forever if he would say the word but the realist inside you tells you that it is only your imagination. You are certain that your feelings are the result of being without the attentions you deserve and have denied yourself for so long.