LARSSEN'S LANE: Grey

Chapter 3.1 - No Turning Back

Without knocking on the door, without permission from the room owner, Chester entered a professors' room. There were four desks in the room. He headed to a desk with a plate named 'Stacey Vermeulen Ph.D.', where a long wavy blonde-haired woman sat behind. She wore a sleeveless royal blue top. Her mid twenty-year-old look is a total fake, that's what hooked Chester up.

A year ago, one Saturday, when Stacey had her basic tee underlaying a cardigan, a cotton jean, and a pair of sneakers on, she completely looked like other students in the college. Catching a cutie blondie in his sight, Chester couldn't resist to not get to know her. So, he started to make a move, bait was eaten, and ended up saving each other's number. But later on, in the other day, when Chester had to manage a subject in the teachers' room, he found Stacey was there, behind a desk where that plate with her name and degree sat, working with some pieces of paper. Unconvinced, he asked the teacher that he met, about what subject the cutie professor taught.

Then everything became clear when Stacey taught the subject in a class which Chester took in the next quarter. Tossed Chester down to rock bottom. Until he realized that the teacher paid a little more attention to his presence. One text message from Stacey to Chester's number, pretending to ask about schedule, that then was followed by other messages from each other. And so on, the relationship went further, more than a teacher-student relationship. Embraced each other with comforts. And the moment of tragedy in Crimson Creek had brought another shape of relationship between the two, something that was hard to describe. Ambiguous.

"Mannerless," complained Stacey from behind her desk when her work was interrupted by Chester's presence. She took off her glasses. Her eyes followed the movement of her tall—only a couple inches shorter than the room's door height—and a bit skinny student. Her lips pinched. All together in a sensual and bitchy way at a time.

"Now it's a problem? Why should I knock on my lady's room? I just want to be here in no time, as I promised."

"This is not my only room. Keep it in mind. Somebody, other than me, might be here."

"Okey then. My bad. Sorry." Chester took off his hoodie before sitting on a chair across from the professor's desk. "It's getting hot in California." He put his hoodie on his lap.

"In California or this room?"

Chester grinned his asymmetric mischievous smile. "So, can I see the approval now?"

"Why so hurry? We have all night long."

"I'm afraid I can't."

"What? Netta again?"

"I got a double bet on the street tonight. I can't just let it flee."

"You such a mess."

"True, and you're one of the things that mess me up."

"Don't get me wrong, I just want to do you a favor."

"In a 'certain' way." Chester winked his eye.

"Whatever." Stacey looked deep into her student's glistening silvery eyes. "Look, two months off for the toughest time, but you passed the exam with no difficulties, your GPA didn't even show a significant deterioration. What do you call it, miracle? You have nearly excellent academic potential, you should not waste it. You can achieve a lot more things without a lot more effort. Just do as I say."

"You have a family to take care of. Why you care about me so much? I ...."

"You don't need to feel guilty. My marriage is screwed up far before. You just came in the right time, make up my pining heart. What is wrong with that?"

"Sometimes I feel like ... for trade."

"My bad?"

Chester shrugged.

Stacey stood up. The shorty woman's heels knocked on the floor as she moved, approaching Chester. Then she rested her bottom on her desk, close to Chester. She took a folder with a university logo from her desk and handed it to Chester. "Your scholarship. You're not for trade. And, sorry for making you feel ... indignity-ed."

"No, not .... Then, how do I have to pay? Unless .... No such free lunch, right?"

Stacey took a deep breath and released. "Promise me a good achievement. And ... just be my dinner mate for tonight. It's okay, there'll be other nights. Right now, I'm ... not so excited either, anyway."

Chester chuckled, "Seems like I'm ruining this time."

Stacey cleaned her desk. Collected a number of papers and stored them in a cabinet behind her. And all her stationery was stored in her desk drawer. "We better get going, I'm starving. I missed my lunch."

"Your favorite restaurant?"

"Definitely."

"Um, I need to meet somebody before that. Is it okay? I promise I won't take a long time. I'm just going to take a document."

"Where?

"Huntington Beach."

"Okay, my stomach tolerance is pretty good."

"Wait." Chester took his phone out of his front cargo pants pocket while he was standing up. It was vibrating. "Yes, Mr. Bradl. You've got the spot?"

While Chester was silently listening to the caller, Stacey stared at him. Her face was stern, hiding unsatisfaction. "You're tied up, apparently."

"Alright. I'll be on my way soon." Chester dealed.

"It's about the Crimson Creek incident." Chester opened a message from Joseph. The location of a cafe was shared.

"C'mon, Honey. Let's not waste this so little time." Chester smiled.

The couple with a prominent height difference walked together along the corridor. With her medium heels, Stacey's only a little taller than Cheater's shoulder. Contrast height, contrast age, contrast status. But perfect match.

~*~