This is chapter 18 of a series. If you like this story, I encourage you to read earlier chapters as they can help understand characters and context. In any case, please do provide feedback. I would be happy to hear your suggestions for how to improve this story or others you would like to be developed.
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Ever since the episode in Mr. Peters' office (see Chapter 7), Tina Andrews had been thinking of Gordon. She originally had hopes of being Mr. Peters' special student (see Chapter 3) but she grew to recognize that this was unrealistic. He was so very much older than her. They could never acknowledge their relationship in real life, at least to others. Gordon, his assistant, on the other hand, was a different story.
Gordon Richards was a graduate student. He was still appreciably older than Tina but they could at least acknowledge their relationship off campus, unlike with Mr. Peters. She had heard of undergraduates getting involved with older graduate students, although she didn't actually know of any personally. It was against the Templeton College Code for any such relationships, as graduate students served as lecturers and graders. But, many undergraduates did flirt with them. They were like forbidden fruit on campus, or perhaps it was the undergraduates who were the forbidden fruit of the graduate students. Well, they both liked to pick from the tree.
Gordon was also quite good looking. She liked his wavy red hair. He reminded her of Robert Redford with red hair. That was though an exaggeration that reflected Tina's attraction. Gordon was also much less confident and engaging than Redford. He was in fact rather shy, uncertain, studious and business-like. He always wore a sports jacket and tie. Many students found him to be overly bookish and dull. She found his behavior and appearance though to be signs of maturity, and she wanted an older, mature man. Graduate students were the future professors. They were just one step short of being a professor. She decided that Gordon would become her boyfriend. The problem, though, was that he wasn't reciprocating her interest.
She began with mild flirtations. She would be sure to bump into him, sometimes literally, when he was leaving his office or going to some class. She would smile at him, try to engage him in conversation, but he didn't seem to get the hint. If anything, he would beat a quick escape.
Tina did not understand. She decided that she would have to try harder.
Her next opportunity came Tuesday at an after hours math tutoring. These sessions were staffed by graduate students, usually two or three, and were attended by any students who wished to come, to receive extra help. There was a good chance that Gordon would be there. He often staffed the Tuesday sessions. Tina arrived early to get a seat at the back of the room, where they might have some privacy.
Her hopes appeared to be dashed though when he did not arrive for the first forty-five minutes. She had to spend the whole time working on her homework. However, she perked up when she finally saw him enter the room. She waved, giving him her best smile. But, he only just nodded in acknowledgment and went over to Mary Alford, one of the other graduate students. Tina was very disappointed. Maybe he was interested in Mary? That could be true. Mary was very pretty herself, and certainly a more appropriate age for Gordon, and probably much smarter. They did seem to be talking for quite some time.
Tina was sorely disappointed, even discouraged. She thought, 'How could Gordon act this way when I was so nice to him in Mr. Peters' office? Boys could be so mean sometimes.' She returned to her math, feeling sorry for herself. When she looked up, Gordon was gone.
Early the next morning she visited the graduate student office to speak to him. The graduate student "office" was actually a large room divided into cubicles. Each student had his own cubicle, but they were quite small and with little privacy. You could look into another cubicle if you stood up on a chair, none had a door that could be closed, and they were divided by thin fabricated panels.
Gordon was studiously working on his thesis when Tina arrived. She knocked on the panel and walked in. "Hi Gordon," she asked cheerfully. "Are you busy?"
Gordon's desk was against the panel that separated his cubicle from the hall. It gave him a little privacy, as nobody could see him at his desk without stepping into the cubicle. He didn't know it was Tina until she was already by his desk. "Oh, hi Tina, yea, actually I am kind of busy."
"Too busy for me?" she asked coquettishly.
"Well, actually, you know, my office hours aren't until the afternoon and my advisor wanted these analyses before then."
Tina was standing to the side of him, hardly much taller even though he was sitting down. She stood beside him for a bit. She asked, "Do you want some gum?" She blew a big bubble, hoping for a playful reaction.
"No, that's fine, I don't chew gum." Her bubble popped, along with some of her hopes. "I've got a lot more. I'm even doing three at once myself." She did have a lot of gum in her mouth, making a bit of noise with her chewing.
"No really, I don't use gum." He turned his attention back to the equations on his desk.
Tina ran a finger down the side of his arm and asked quietly, "Why are you being so mean to me, Gordon?"
"I'm not being mean to you, Tina. What you do mean?" he said, equally quietly.
"You keep avoiding me, like I have the plague or something. Did I do something wrong, or something?"
"Of course not, Tina," speaking even more quietly. "I'm not avoiding you."
Tina scowled at him. "Yes you are, Mr. Richards, don't you lie to me," raising her voice.
"Tina, not so loud," he pleaded. She was right and he knew it. He had been avoiding her. The fact was, he was intensely attracted to her. She was very cute. Her nickname at school was "Gidget," as she looked like a young Sally Field, when Ms. Field starred in the TV show. Her breasts were probably smaller than Gidget's, but the facial similarity was striking.
But, her attractiveness was the problem. He knew that she was involved with Mr. Peters, and that spelled trouble, although at least, for the moment, only for Mr. Peters. A relationship with Tina would be a dual relationship, along with the appearance of exploiting a girl younger than himself. Her youthful appearance made it seem even worse. In addition, for all he knew, Tina was a vamp, using him for some childish fantasy. When things turned sour, and the vast majority of relationships do fail, she would have him by the balls. Finally, who knows how Mr. Peters would feel about it? He might become vindictive if Gordon took his young lover away. However you spelled it, she was trouble.
