Prologue:
Elle Cohen studied her reflection in the mirror and she could hardly believe her eyes.
Her bare breasts -- round C cups -- were bound with soft black rope. The rope made exactly 3 loops around each breast, hooked around her shoulders, and circled the back of her neck to create self-bondage.
Overall, the rope formed a makeshift bra that warped her round breasts, causing them to protrude obscenely, while her large brown nipples looked fully erect from the pressure they were under. It took a while to get used to the tight squeeze of the rope around each tit, but it was extremely stimulating.
Everything else about her was proper. Her long hair was in a bun and she looked like a librarian rather than a professor. She wore a knee-length skirt today and her heels made her look even taller than usual. She rarely ever dressed like this, but it was politely suggested that she do so.
'It will make you look so sexy,'
Cohen was told.
She put on a silk blouse to cover her breasts and poking nipples, buttoned to the top. No bra today, aside from the breast bondage rope. Then she completed the look with a blazer, with the buttons done so that the protruding shape of her tits would be covered.
After a deep breath, she went to her car to drive to campus. It would be her first time teaching class with this underneath, and she was sure it wouldn't be the last.
Flashback: The Student with Bound Breasts
The first week of the new semester had been a disaster. The peacefulness of the university was upended when there was a report of a foreign student being infected with a virus. That student had been placed under quarantine for three days.
Most of the tranquility returned to campus when the report had been proven false.
Professor Cohen felt bad for her international students from Asia. It was early in the semester and already things felt off. Since she taught Chemistry, class unity was critical because most of her curriculum revolved around group projects.
She did what she could to brighten the mood during lectures, including telling jokes that only geeks would understand, sharing funny stories of laboratory disasters from over the years, and doing fun group exercises to end each class.
For the most part, she succeeded. She always did.
At the end of a lab class, a particular student caught her eye.
The Malaysian student named Farah -- who was truly one of the smartest students the professor had seen in a while -- spent a little extra time taking notes on a chemical compound under a microscope. Farah seemed like one of those immaculately dressed and well-spoken students who purposefully kept to herself. Her black ponytail was perfect and her brown skin was a contrast to her bright white lab coat.
Looking a little closer, the teacher noticed how intricately tied the ponytail was, along with the small hair ties that held everything in place.
Professor Cohen wondered how long it took the student each morning to fix her hair with those hair ties. She also wondered if the self-imposed isolation was actually on purpose, or a lingering effect from the ongoing virus uncertainty.
"You know that class ended, right?" the professor teased, breaking the student's concentration.
Farah looked up and smiled. "I know. My next class is in 3 hours."
"Ah, makes sense."
"Am I disturbing you somehow by still being here?"
Professor Cohen shook her head. "No, I was headed to my office. People usually bolt for the door after I unleash the harder topics on them."
"Actually, I've studied some of this in Kuala Lumpur. So I have a head start compared to your other students."
There was a polite smile on the student's face, almost as if to avoid hurting the teacher's feelings somehow. Instead, Professor Cohen appreciated the intellectual curiosity she was seeing here.
"I like your work ethic," the professor nodded and smiled back. "Well, I'm always available if you need me. My email and office hours are on the syllabus for a reason."
Farah's smile became a little wider. "Thank you, Professor Cohen."
"One other thing. How are you getting along with other students on campus? I don't normally ask, but given the current circumstance, I'm curious."
The professor could see the mixed feelings and pretend confidence on the student's face. Things were clearer than ever. It's common for foreign students to struggle with making new friends because of cultural and language differences. But the threat of the virus had taken its toll in other ways.
It made the professor's heart sink.
"I have a friend," Farah said after some hesitation.
The quote was stinging. 'A friend.' A smart and lovely girl like this should have lots of friends on campus. Professor Cohen smiled as kindly as she could towards the student, who seemed receptive to the gesture.
"Like I said, I'm always available if you need me."
Breaking ethical rules (making an exception just this once), the professor gave the student a friendly pat on the shoulder. She wondered if the Malaysian student would flinch, given cultural differences, whatever they may be. Instead, the student genuinely beamed.
It was the least the professor could do.
***
Another false alarm happened two weeks later. Another student was put in quarantine for a few days and several classes had to be canceled for the week. The suspect was a foreign student, and whether it was right or wrong to even put that student under quarantine was a hot button topic on campus.
Changes with campus culture were small, but noticeable. Fewer students attended public rallies. Certain students were being avoided. Was any of that the right decision? Professor Cohen didn't have the answer. But as an educator, she felt horrible, as if the lack of unity on campus was partially her fault somehow.
While she was in her office, the professor used her time to grade papers. Many people would find this tedious. But the silence and concentration were almost a form of meditation for her.
Footsteps were approaching and she was pleasantly surprised to see Farah again, who asked if it was okay for a quick chat.
Making a point, Professor Cohen didn't sit across from the student like she normally did. This time, she insisted that they sit side-by-side, close together. It was a small way of showing solidarity. She knew the student picked up on the gesture and seemed grateful for it.
During their private question and answer session, it dawned on Professor Cohen that the student's intellect was even more attractive than the student's physical appearance. She brushed those inappropriate thoughts out of her mind and continued her job.
"Interesting, I'll write that down," Farah said, turning her attention towards her notebook on the table.
It was while the student bent her head down to take notes that the professor had a closer view of the student's intricate ponytail. The weaves at the end of the ponytail seemed different this time and so did the design of the knots.
"I love that," Professor Cohen said, after the student finished writing. "I've never seen a ponytail like yours before. It's cute, in a smart-girl kind of way, if that makes sense at all."
As if a source of pride, Farah's face lit up and she tossed her ponytail over her shoulder so that it would lay across the side of her chest.
"Do you like it?" the student asked.
"Oh yeah. It's terrific. Is it something cultural?"
"Nothing like that. To be honest, I learned it from a previous instructor when I was a student in Malaysia. I took the habits with me when I came here to America."
"That's always good," Professor Cohen nodded. "In my younger days, I studied abroad in Spain and then Israel. So I definitely understand having things that remind you of home."
Farah twirled the hair ties. "This reminds me of a lot of things. Do you... ummm... You get what I'm talking about, don't you? America is a much more liberal country than Malaysia, so I'm assuming you know what this represents."
The student seemed shy, as if this conversation was some sort of major revelation, using the tip of her index finger to pluck her hair ties like an instrument. It seemed like such a perplexing reaction to such a simple thing.
"Sure I do," Professor Cohen said. "I grew up with sisters and we played with each other's hair with bands and different scrunchies. There were a lot of great memories there."
Farah sat there, looking so perplexed and innocent with upright posture, before slowly smiling. This girl had a secret. But what?
"I can show you the rest next time, if you want. But only if you want."
The professor smiled, thinking nothing of it. "Sure, why not? It sounds like fun."
"Don't worry, I can be discreet," Farah said shyly. "Maybe it's my way of thanking you for the kindness? I appreciate everything that you do for me and other students."
"It's a pleasure."
The word 'pleasure' seemed to have lifted Farah's eyebrow, which was the moment Professor Cohen should have known that they were on a slippery slope.
***
It was a week later when things escalated. Professor Cohen had just assumed that the student was only being nice when talking about taking things further. After all, they both had demanding schedules and the student had advanced curriculum to worry about.
But when lab ended and the rest of the class left, it seemed as though the student was ready to follow through with that promise, whatever the promise was.
Farah wore a looser top than usual -- a long and thin sweater with a skinny jacket over it -- and had a nervous (but positive) energy like she was about to give a major presentation. And now, Farah seemed a little less shy, a little more upbeat.
"Great job today," Professor Cohen said. "The way you handle equipment is stellar."
"Well, I'm sort of a lab nerd as you can tell."
