After Class
The chill of the Autumn night clung to her skin as she walked hurriedly to the building. Night classes had started six weeks ago yet she still struggled with low energy jumping from one job to the next. She didn't know how much longer she could keep working as not only a babysitter, a barista, and a waitress, but now with classes in tow as a part time student. The physical energy each position required had begun to take a toll on her. Not to mention this damn class. While she absolutely loved literature and considered it an easy A, lately the amount of comprehension and argumentative essays it required were getting out of control. Sure, as a natural writer she could knock an essay out within two hours before her class started, but she always thought Lit would be more reading inspiring works rather than writing about them. Not that she had time to read either.
She hopped up the few steps to the landing and used her arm to push the heavy door in as she shouldered her way into the auditorium. With a sigh she surveyed the room and smiled. First one to arrive, just like always. This small success was the highlight of her day. Not only could she literally sit anywhere, but it always guaranteed her favorite spot would be open. The professor wouldn't even arrive until ten minutes after class began, waltzing in like he had all the time in the world. She was pretty sure he cared more about consistency with turning assignments in on time than he did about physical presence in class. For some reason on test days, the auditorium filled up with three times the amount of people it normally had on any given day. How many people were in the class? She couldn't tell, but there was a reason he was a favorite.
She settled into her seat and spread her work out on the table in front of her. With a long drink from her coffee she closed her eyes and leaned back slowly to cradle her neck on the cushioned booth. The warmth from the coffee melted away the chill that had crept into her clothes. If she was lucky, she could catch a nap before the night students began filing in. When was the last time she slept?
Images of strong, tattooed arms, tanned and rippling, swept black hair, face scruff, and a bright smile obscured her thoughts. Michele Morrone to be exact. God, this guy practically haunted her dreams. She smiled to herself and bit her lower lip remembering the last time she dreamed about him. A little quickie in the shower before work the other morning. Just something to wake her up enough and feel energized. That was all she seemed to have time for nowadays. Whether it was the coffee or her thoughts, a pull tightened in her core and she felt herself grow damp. Her core was warming up and stirring in anticipation. She swallowed hard and crossed her legs pressing the ache in. Without thinking she lightly graced her hand across her chest to feel the pucker of her nipples through the delicate fabric. Her other hand sliding across her leg into her crotch.
"Busy day?"
She lurched forward and gasped.
Tristan was standing about ten feet away gently setting his bag down into his usual seat. He sat on the same row as her, but given how few people came to class in the evening, there was a large gap between their positions. Everyone spread out across the auditorium to have their own space save for the few who signed up for class to sit together. A smirk played at the corner of his mouth. Caught red handed.
"It was fine." Josie snapped, repositioning herself as though she wasn't just about to masturbate in the empty auditorium all by her lonesome. Her embarrassment flushed her face. It was unnerving how he got past her without making a sound. Even the heavy doors to the auditorium would have at least made a loud clicking and creaking sound when opened.
"Why are you here?" She snapped again.
"Class?" He laughed to himself amused, because the answer was obvious. "Why are you here?"
She rolled her eyes and gave him a small smile even though she preferred to stick with the cold-hearted bitch energy with these college boys.
"And why were you touching yourself?" He added in with a smooth transition into his seat, arm looped over the top as he turned his attention to her.
His face was unreadable, but he held her gaze with an intensity she could feel down to her core again. Tristan was a cool guy. Cool and mysterious. Like Michele Morrone, actually. The only differences being he had deep blue eyes, and he was about 5'9" with a smaller build, but enough strength to make the fabric on his favorite Henley shirts snug across his sleeves and chest. When he moved his arms and gripped his books, sometimes she would watch from the corner of her eye just to see if the fabric would rip open from the pressure. Was he hot? Yes. Was he fiercely intimidating with an air of intensity that made her nervous every time she looked at him? Abso-fucking-lutely.
Her eyes widened. She swallowed the lump in her throat and was about to argue with him when the door to the auditorium swung open. A group of three walked in chatting loudly about their weekend plans. She quickly glanced at the girls and then looked back at Tristan just in time to catch a full smile on his face before he turned away effectively ending their conversation.
Josie's mouth hung open, but she couldn't get herself to say anything else so she begrudgingly turned her attention onto her work spread out in front of her pretending to do an assignment she didn't actually have. How dare him calling her out like that. How mortifying. How... frustrating. How... ugh, why was she getting horny again?
After a long moment of angrily scribbling in her notebook, more students showed up filling into their seats. Eventually the professor arrived as well to start the class off. Tonight's lecture was about inspired works by the Bronte sisters, something Josie would have otherwise been rapt with attention. Instead, all she could think about were Tristan's eyes. Those deep blue piercing eyes that were currently locked right onto her.
She was trying to ignore it for the first half of the class, but his attention bore into her. Too chicken shit to look up and face him after her previous embarrassment she hoped she was wrong and imagining it. She stole a quick glance right when the professor began passing out papers and there he was, watching her with a fascination so intriguing. He mindlessly held the end of his pen between his lips, his teeth biting gently. Their eyes met and he pulled the pen from his mouth. All at once the warmth in her core spread through her whole body, and almost as if he knew, his eyes narrowed and darkened in response.
She would frequently catch Tristan looking at her throughout the last six weeks ever since class started. She was guilty of it too, sometimes getting caught in the act. Over time they would steal glances at each other, but it felt harmless for the most part. She was so busy with her three jobs and trying to pay for school, she didn't have time to think about much else besides tempting eye candy during a long evening hour. He would usually show up to class early like she did and they would sit silently until the other students joined. However, tonight was the first night their conversation went farther than "Hey".
Josie huffed in annoyance. He was so distracting and unabashed. She just caught him staring and he won't even look away. He's taunting her. Well, two can play this game! Josie turned in her seat to face him and propped her elbow up on the table with her chin supported. She smiled at him hoping that being blunt would discourage him. It didn't. His jaw tensed and he stared back defiantly.
Suddenly, Josie felt a paper tapping her on the side of her arm.
