The Assistant, The Quaterback, and The Professor

Who's the Pet Now?

The rest of the semester flew by. Allen Michael maintain himself around me. He came my office hours. JR was a true professional. Our meeting were rather cold, though.I guessed we all had bigger fish to fry: finals. I kept Clyde on speed dial just in case. I had a new schedule: got home in time for Oprah, made dinner, study, prepare my lesson plan, reviewed Dr. Noll's schedule, played 'The Rise to Atlantis', bathe, sort my clothes for the next day, and turned in early. My schedule was practical, each activity had a purpose. JR even felt the finals stress. He stopped coming by on Saturdays. Maybe he moved on, should I care?

Although Allen Michael's intentions seemed professional, his daily presence at my office hours puzzled me. I knew he was smart and he wasn't on the verge of failing, so did he had a hidden agenda? I was always the person "not to play the fool" sort of speak. I need a plan: calculated and purposeful. Luckily for me the final portion of Dr. Noll's class was the final paper: a 10 page assessment on Modern Dating and Sociology. Some of my fellow TA were having concerns with some their students. So I devised an experiment, we three, Sonya, Tiffany, and I; would convince our students to meet us at the local bowling alley. Why a bowling alley? As Sherlock Holmes would have stated it's 'elementary my dear.' It's super simple: one, a bowling alley provides a unique social mixture of all walks of human life; two, the relaxed environment will relax our students exposing them to real social interactions and process, and three above all, I bowl better than I shoot pool.

We chose the opportune night: the last day of the semester. They would have no excuses for avoiding this. Once we got their and the experiment took off. Sonya and Tiffany students left us as soon as they walked in. I caught glimpses of them smiling and shooting pool with a couple of girls. Sonya and Tiffany had dates meet them there. Only Allen Michael and I were left. He is a gorgeous man. Any girl would find him attractive. His olive-tan complexion and those made for marble sculpting features should grace GQ, or Vogue instead of ESPN. His manners and charm are top notch: perfect for seduction. Any minute now I thought he would leave, but he didn't. He was very interest in me, we really started talking.

"So Allen Michael..." I started.

"Allen Michael sounds like you're talking to my father. Please kitty Cat call me AJ. I'm a junior. Hello Cat, my name is Allen Michael Bradshaw Junior of the Orlando Bradshaws."

"Okay, fine. Let's bowl."

Honestly I hadn't had that much fun since undergrad. We bowled, he won. We played pool, somehow I won. We talked and talked some more. He is so eloquent and charming. Good thing, he drove because I was far past tipsy.

"I hoped you would loosen up. I appreciate the solicited look but I'm loving the sassy edition."

"Boy, puh uh please."

"For a sociology grad student, sometimes, you're pretty dense."

"Your mama." We burst out in laughter. We laughed for a long time.

"It's time to take you home."

"Yes, sir."

I almost fell in the parking lot trying to pull off my charade. So I confess once inside the car. As sober as I could muster, I turned to him.

"It is a proven fact that people are less inhibited while impaired by the influence of alcohol."

"Yes and your point, kitty Cat."

"I have been sipping on club soda all night. I'm not drunk."

"I would have to disagree, dear. You're pretty gone."

"So Allen Michael, what was your intentions for tonight? You don't need help with your grades."

"You sneaky girl, I'm busted. I'll tell you inside." I hadn't notice that we were parking at complex until then.

"Okay, you can come in for some coffee. It's cold tonight."

Inside my apartment, Allen Michael sat on the sofa while I made coffee. This could be really dangerous, I thought. Glancing over him, the man is just gorgeous. He's like Teddy Pendergrass and Marvin Gaye music material. The cable knit cashmere sweater and jean accented his frame so precisely. Every curve of his firm body looked so desirable. Entranced, I forgot about the coffee. He would make his case and leave promptly. I reassured myself.

Coffee in tow, "make your case."

"Catherine, I like you. I know we've been through this and I promised to stop but I can't. "

"No, this is a big no. I'm your teacher."

"My fine ass teacher, semester ends in a week."

"A week or year, I'm still your teacher and I'm changing the subject."

A few minutes flowed into a couple of hours. We played Scrabble and talked. He told me everything. How he got straight A and graduated at 16. How he came to LSU to become a football megastar. How girls seemed to throw themselves at him. How they just wanted the name and status nit the person. How not even his family knows him like I do. How he never shared so much with someone before. How gorgeous I am. How he wants to spend winter break memorizing my features, learning about every dimple, freckle, and scar. Like I said, we talked a lot.

I told him a lot too. How most of the time I feel lost. I told him I was instantly attracted to him and what a relief it would be not to be his teacher in a week. He laughed. How I found out he was up to something. I thanked him for saving me at the masque. How I made this plan to get him to confess. How I get so nervous in class, praying no one noticed. How I purposely covered up during class, so he wouldn't be drawn to me. How I love his eyes. For a moment we just stared at each other. I knew then Allen Michael and I had become an item, and it excited me. Finally he broke the trance and stood up.