First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 6

  Once I pay for our food, Taytum and I head out to my vehicle so we can go back to campus. She rushes around me to the driver's side and opens my door for me. "Thank you sweetie." I know there's no use in telling her again that she doesn't have to do that so it's best for me to just accept her kindness and not make a fuss. It is rather sweet that she does that though.

  It's quite on the drive back to campus and I'm thankful for that because I didn't really feel like talking. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I willingly told Taytum about Chris and I so easily. I have no idea why I opened up like that to her except for the fact that I trust her and she is so easy to talk to. Not once did Taytum look at me with pity in her eyes or judge me. Apparently she knew I was thinking or just wanted some quiet time after what I told her. Not once has she tried to strike up a conversation, she just occasionally glances at me then turns her attention back to looking out the window.

  As soon as we make it back to campus, Taytum quickly exits and rushes around to open my door as I am grabbing my purse from the back floor board. I smile at her politeness and thank her as I exit my vehicle. We walk side by side and head straight to my office so I can get the other things I need for my Freshman poetry class. When we get into my office as I sit in my desk chair, Taytum sits in one of the chairs in front of my desk, leans her head back and closes her eyes.

  "Uhm, Taytum." She opens her eyes and looks directly at me. "I am trusting you to keep what I told you to yourself. Please."

  Taytum stands up then sits on the corner of my desk, looking directly at me. "My lips are sealed Dani. I'm not the type of person to do something like that and it's not my story to tell anyway. I promise it stays between us." I nod my head in understanding, glad that I voiced my concern even though I doubted Taytum would tell anyone but I had to make sure.

  "If you want to wait and start your work study tomorrow you can. I'm not really sure I will have much for you to do today. I promise it's fine and I will mark that you were here for it." I didn't think anything about not really having something for Taytum to do today since it's the first day of classes. She probably doesn't want to be here any longer anyway.

  "You trying to get rid of me that fast? And here I thought you might actually enjoy my company," Taytum jokes as she is still looking at me. I playfully roll my eyes and swat her leg since she is still sitting on the corner of my desk. Before I can say anything else, she adds "I really want to see you teach so it's fine if you don't have anything for me today."

  I tilt my head to the side a little as I look up at Taytum. "You want to see me teach? You do realize you're in my Creative Writing class so you will see me teach."

  Taytum shrugs her shoulders. "Yeah, I know but it's not the same. I want to see you teach as a spectator not as a student of the class. I'm interested in seeing what your teaching style is."

  I stand up, grab my Freshman Poetry folder, laptop bag and keys so we can head to my lecture room. "Grab that stack of papers on the corner of my desk and come on, little miss spectator." Taytum quickly stands up and grabs the papers but before I can reach my office door, she steps in front of me, blocking my way and looks at me.

  "Who are you calling little, short stack?" Taytum playfully asks as she looks at me. "You know I am taller than you except when you are wearing three or four inch heels then we are basically the same height."

  I playfully scoff at Taytum. "I know you didn't call me short stack?"

  Taytum smiles as she shrugs her shoulders, "well it's the truth. What are you, 4'9"? She laughs at her question and I really notice her cute dimples.

  I roll my eyes, "I am 5'4" thank you very much." I state as I am eye to eye with Taytum even if it is because of my heels. "Now come on and move so I am not late."

  Taytum smiles and grabs the door knob, opening my office door. "Yes ma'am, after you, short stack." She says as she holds the door open for me. I glare at her as I shake my head and laugh at her antics.

  "Make sure you lock my office." I tell Taytum as she is pulling the door closed. She mumbles a soft "yes ma'am." Then snickers as I glare at her again.

  "You're pushing it. Don't make me kick your butt." I state and playfully slap her shoulder as we fall in step while walking to my lecture room. As we are walking I notice from my peripheral vision that Taytum keeps glancing at me and smiling. She also seemed to have a little extra pep in her step, nearly walking off ahead of me a few times. "Would you slow your long legged self down please." I finally ask because it is honestly getting hard to keep up with her.

  Taytum looks at me and smiles, showing off her dimples again. "What's wrong, your short legs can't keep up? You do realize I'm basically average height. You on the other hand, you're just short and I would love to see you try and kick my butt. You would need to be able to reach it first." She laughs at her joke.

  I roll my eyes at Taytum and shove her playfully. "Why are you in such a hurry anyway?" I finally ask. "I swear you went from nearly taking a nap to being energized and hyper-acting. Are you on drugs?" I joke.

  Suddenly Taytum stops so I stop too. She looks at me, "no Dani, I'm not on drugs. I'm just excited to see you teach. I still can't believe that I have known you for four years and never knew you taught here or that you were a professor in general. Guess that explains why KK is so smart."

  I smile as Taytum mentions my daughter. "Not my fault you never asked what I did for work. That's on you but I am really surprised that you never saw me around campus in the past two years. You apparently had Davis for Creative Writing 1 and 2 because I also taught that and you were not in my classes."

  Taytum gasps as her mouth hangs open. "You mean I could have already had you?"

  I look at Taytum with wide eyes because of how that sounded. "Would you lower your voice or better yet rephrase that question because that definitely sounded so wrong." I feel my face heat up for some reason and Taytum looks at me then laughs.

  "Sorry and get your head out of the gutter Dani, you know that's not how I meant it. I could have taken your Creative Writing 1 and 2 classes. Is that rephrased better Professor Howard?"

  I roll my eyes and shove Taytum again. "You're so annoying and don't say my name like that."