The Professor (excerpt)

Sonja Blonde

   Dominic walked tensely up and down the apartment. He knew Judy would misunderstand his appearance at the prom. If he goes, it will be clear to her that he is returning her interest. He did not want to hurt his colleague, but he wanted to avoid a misunderstanding that could lead to a series of unpleasant situations.
   For a moment, his gaze got caught on the document lying on his desk. He is officially divorced now. With a firm gesture, he picked it up and threw it into the bottom drawer. He rarely opens it anyway. He did not want to throw it away, in case he might need it someday, but he did not attach any importance to it anymore. Over a year’s suffering ended with the document. Finally, he can really put the whole story to rest. And he can sell his house when he feels like it. Time did not press him; he loved the apartment he rented. The time will come to buy a new one.
   The man rarely drank alcohol, he did not like to lose control. He had a beer or two for social reasons or when it was very hot, but he never drank so much that he was intoxicated by alcohol. But now he felt he needed something to calm him down a little. He opened his fridge, but found nothing in it that would fit for such a purpose. He was searching in frustration for a while, and finally gave it up. He grabbed his phone and hurried down to the non-stop shop at the bottom of the block.
   The bored-faced, elderly lady greeted him awkwardly.
   – Evening. How can I help you?
   – A bottle of drink, please.
The shop-assistant stared at him phlegmatically.
   – What kind of drink?
   – Well, I don’t know…maybe … – his eyes were scanning the shelves – maybe a Chivas, please.
   – Maybe? – asked the elderly lady.
   – Yes. So, I’ll have it – Dominic stuttered in embarrassment. He already regretted coming down to the shop. He paid for the drink and hurried back to the apartment.
   By the time he got upstairs, he not even wanted the whiskey, but he poured a glass anyway, to ease the excitement of the girl’s possible appearance. What happens when that little chattery girlie will really come? She will show up with her thick hair, laughing eyes, those dimples and that enchanting mouth? What will happen then?
   And it was at this very moment that Karen entered the ballroom, with her thick hair, laughing eyes, those dimples and that enchanting mouth. Her eyes were looking for no one else, but him, Dominic, the new maths professor.

*

   Karen was getting more and more nervous and kept looking towards the door. A few days ago, she did not even know this man existed, and now she cannot wait to see him. She poured herself a glass of water to calm down. She did not want Emily to notice that she was nervous. She set off for the bathroom to wash her flushed face, but had barely taken a few steps when the man entered the room. Their eyes immediately met and intertwined again. They only smiled at each other with their eyes, all their other muscles were too weak. They both stood still for a few moments, then Karen started to walk towards him. As she came up beside Dominic, she scanned him from head to foot coquettishly, nodded her head gently to greet him, and wanted to go on walking.
   – So, you still have no intention of paying the negotiated price.
   Karen bit her lower lip and raised her eyebrows.
   – You know, the fare. I didn’t get my half protein bar.
   She smiled; her beautiful white teeth emerged from behind her enchanting lips.
   – Don’t worry, it’s all yours, and believe me, I had no intention of running away without paying. – Every corner of her face was laughing. Dominic looked at her, fascinated.
   – I hope, as it’s fair that way. – Then he leaned quite close to her and whispered in her ear: I don’t want you to fail because of this.
   Karen’s knees trembled at his hot breath, and she felt his velvety voice all the way down to her groin. She looked deeply into the professor’s eyes.
   – I wouldn’t risk that for any reason, Mr. Smith.
The intimacy was interrupted by a drunken freshman bumping into them. Dominic pretended to help the young boy to stand up, but in fact he just pushed him a little further away. However, the situation could not be saved, because the next moment Judy jumped in front of him with a shining face.

   – I knew you’d come – The woman was beaming with happiness.
   Karen hurried to the bathroom in confusion. Her heart was beating fiercely. She did not understand herself what was happening to her. She could not recognise herself. She had never flirted with an older man, and she would never have thought of flirting with her teachers. Furthermore, there’s Noel, with whom she really matched up.