The Student Teacher Affair

16: Taking Things further

Mercy's POV

The past three weeks had been nothing short of magical. Ever since Joshua and I confessed our feelings, everything seemed to fall into place. Our connection grew deeper every day, and I found myself constantly thinking about him, looking forward to the moments we could steal away together.

Despite the challenges of keeping our relationship hidden during school hours, we managed to navigate the situation with surprising ease. In public, we maintained our professional demeanor—just a student and her lecturer. But in private, when it was just the two of us, things were different. We were different. The way he looked at me, the way he touched me, made it clear that what we had was more than just a passing attraction. It was real, and it was growing stronger by the day.

Today was one of those rare days when we could spend time together without any interruptions. I was at Joshua’s apartment, and we were lounging on his couch, enjoying the lazy afternoon. The sun streamed in through the windows, casting a warm glow over the room. Joshua was sitting next to me, his arm draped casually over my shoulders as we watched something on TV, though neither of us was really paying attention to it.

“You know,” I said, turning to face him with a mischievous grin, “I’m starting to think you’re just using me for my company. What happened to the brilliant, hardworking lecturer I once knew?”

He chuckled, his fingers gently brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Oh, he’s still here. He’s just found someone far more interesting to spend his time with.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere,” I teased, though my heart fluttered at his words.

“Won’t it, though?” he replied, leaning in closer. “I think it’s working just fine.”

I rolled my eyes, playfully shoving him away. “You’re impossible.”

“And you love it,” he shot back, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

I couldn’t deny it. I did love it. I loved how easy things were between us, how we could go from teasing each other to having deep, meaningful conversations in a heartbeat. It was the kind of connection I’d always dreamed of but never thought I’d find.

As we continued to flirt and banter, the conversation eventually took a more personal turn. We started talking about our pasts, sharing stories about our childhoods and our families. It was then that Joshua brought up something I hadn’t expected.

“So,” he began, his tone shifting to something more serious, “we’ve been dating for a few weeks now, and I have to ask… what are your thoughts on… you know, taking things further?”

I paused, caught off guard by the question. I knew what he was referring to, and though we had been close—kissing and making out—it hadn’t gone beyond that.

“I mean,” he continued, sensing my hesitation, “no pressure or anything. I just want to make sure we’re on the same page.”

I took a deep breath, deciding to be honest with him. “Well, the thing is… I’m actually a virgin.”

Joshua’s eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, he looked genuinely surprised. “Really? I… I didn’t expect that.”

“Why?” I asked, feeling a little self-conscious. “Is it that surprising?”

“No, it’s not that,” he said quickly, reaching for my hand. “It’s just… I don’t know. You’re so confident and sure of yourself. I guess I assumed…”

“That I’d done it before?” I finished for him, giving a small smile. “It’s not a big deal, really. It just hasn’t happened yet.”

Joshua squeezed my hand, his expression softening. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I didn’t mean to.”