Hard To Love (Professor / Student)

Loving Boyfriend

"Thanks Mark. Do you want to hold him?" I ask holding Aiden out for Mark to take.

"Uh, no he looks happy with you." He refuses and I smile.

"Is the big professor afraid of children? Come on Mark, he's just a baby."

"That's what's scary. He's so tiny, too tiny." He says, looking down at little Aiden. "What if I drop him? Or what if he starts crying?"

"Just take him. I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay, okay. But if he poops or starts crying you're taking him back." Mark warns as I hand him the infant. Mark awkwardly takes Aiden from my grasp and holds him out as if the little boy had a disease. I pull out a kitchen chair and stand behind it.

"Here. Sit. Relax, don't be so stiff" Mark takes the wooden chair and sits Aiden down on his lap. I kneel in front of the two of them and smile at the baby, playing peek-a-boo. Aiden giggles and hides his face on Mark's chest before peaking his eyes at me.

Hours go by and Mark is crawling on the floor with the rest of the kids. My aunt Grace and I are sitting on the couch, watching over the goofballs playing on the floor. "He's good with them. He's good with you." My aunt whispers and I turn my head, blushing.

"What?"

"Oh don't play that game. I saw the look in his eyes when you walked downstairs this morning. And I saw where his hands went when you sat down. You two are good for each other."

"How can you tell?" I ask and she laughs a little.

"He's looking at you right now" She says and my eyes meet his as he's lying on the floor holding Bryce in the air parallel to his body. He smiles before looking back at the toddler in his hands.

"I don't know if he knows it yet. But that boy is head over heels in love with you." She says before getting up to feed Aiden in the kitchen.

In love? There's no way Mark is in love with me. We've only been dating for a few weeks. But what if he is? Am I ready to be in love? All I do is ruin relationships and attract the wrong people. He is the last person I want to hurt. If we get caught, he's the one who will be hurt. He'd lose everything. Oh gosh.....

January 30th – Move Back In Day

"Do you have everything sweetie?" My mom asks as we finish carrying my duffle bags back into my suite.

"Yeah, I think so. If not, you can always drop it off when you come up for my game, right?"

"Of course! Now your father and I will be at the next two home games. February 3rd and the 13th, right?"

"Yeah. The 13th is a pretty big game for us. Remember in the beginning of the season when we won by like a point? The game I got hurt? We are playing that team again."

"I'll be sure to bring the ice packs" She says and I smile. My parents leave and I collapse on my bed.

"So much unpacking" I mutter and roll onto my stomach. A short nap can't hurt. I close my eyes for a minute before the sweet voice of Mark rolls through the room.

"Get up you lazy ass." Oh did I say sweet? I meant annoying.

"Go away." I mutter into my pillow. The sound of the door shutting registers in my mind and his foot covered boots travel across the room.

"Now is that any way to talk to your loving boyfriend?" He asks as the bed dips down. Mark kicks off his boots and lies on his back nearly on top of me. "Man, you should come to my place more. Your bed is way too narrow for the two of us." He says with his hands behind his head, getting comfortable on my tiny bed.