Xavier

5

I told Nadia I didn't want to go to a club and she chooses to go to the next best place. A hookah lounge.

"I swear you make me want to scream." I grumbled as I pulled my dress down while we approached our section. It was still like a club, it's just The dance floor was on the other side of the building.

"But you like hookah." She frowned. "Yes, at home."

"You've gotta loosen up a bit. Damn I'm trying to have fun, pull the stick out of your ass and relax." She scoffed.

I sighed heavily and started scrolling through my phone as she got the hookah going. This would turn out the way it always did. She'd get drunk and I'd be taking her home because I don't drink.

It took no time before she was inviting some people to our section and I was hanging out at the end of the couch alone surrounded by drunk people. I let out a heavy sigh, the fiftieth one of the night, and grabbed a shot from the tray the waitress was carrying when she got over to us.

This was the fifth round she'd brought over her and it was only my first drink.

I fought the urge to make some hideous face because of the feeling of the alcohol burning my throat. "See that's the spirit! Just loosen up a bit!" Nadia cheered as I grabbed another glass.

I drowned out the sound of her voice with the music and allowed the alcohol to settle. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom." I told her.

"You want me to go with you?" She asked as she shakily stood. She was clearly very drunk. I'd likely have to support her on the walk there. But I'd rather that than leave her alone with strangers. I just nodded and she happily wrapped her arm around my shoulders.

We made our way down the three stairs out of the hookah area and began to cross the dance floor to the bathroom. Unluckily for me, as we made our way there the dj said something before he started playing the city girls.

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose as I felt Nadia take her arm off of me. When I looked to her she was already leaned over with her hands on her knees shaking her ass like it was the last thing she'd ever do. Though tempted to walk away and go to the bathroom I stood there to wait for her to finish.

When a guy asked if she wanted to dance, I knew I needed to just give up the idea of relieving my bladder. "No Im good. Im gonna dance with my bestie."

"Come on and dance with me!"

She stumbled towards me with a drunk smile. I returned the gesture with an uncomfortable smile. I'm sure it looked like a grimace though. Despite her rejecting the guy he still danced closely to us. "Come on we can dance together." The guy said.

Nadia managed to turn around basically twerking on me and the guy found his way behind me. I was squished between two drunk idiots.

"Bro we said we were good" I said as I attempted to push him away.

His hands found my waist and he was basically trying to dry hump me as if he didn't hear what I said. "Yo! She said no!"

The body was pulled away from me by someone else. As I looked over to see who had came to our rescue I locked eyes with none other than Professor Nixon.

Meanwhile Nadia was still twerking on me. "Are you alright?!" He asked over the music.

"I—" I had seemed to lost my voice like an idiot and just nodded. "Thank you!" I managed to get out. He tilted his head as he continued to look at me. "Do I know you?"

"Erm—yeah I'm in your criminal behavior class."

"Are you in my 3:30 class?"

"Yeah, I'm Genesis." As I'd spoke the words Nadia stopped twerking and stood up straight before leaning on me clearly out of breath. "I might hurl." She mumbled. "Thank you again, I've gotta get her to the bathroom."

He only nodded and as we passed him he steadily held eye contact with me. I looked ahead and quickly guided Nadia to the bathroom.

It took her nearly ten minutes but once she was done, I gave her some water from the bottle I bought earlier and we stood in the small vacant hallway near the emergency exit for a second while she sobered up. After a little while longer she was able to walk on her own in a straight line again.

I grabbed hold of her hand and led her to the front door of the lounge. "Did you call the Uber?" She asked.

"No I forgot, I'll do it outside."

When we got outside it was drizzling and the line of people had gotten a lot longer than when we got here. I led her over to the edge of the building so we could wait there. I pulled my phone out to call our ride but much to my dismay my phone was dead. I rolled my eyes and huffed. "Here let me get your phone."

She passed it to me and leaned against the wall. I looked up for a second just to keep track of our surroundings and I caught sight of Prf. Nixon leaving with another guy.

He and his friend looked like models. I quickly looked back down when he started to turn his head in our direction. I didn't need to be caught staring.

I navigated through her phone and found the Uber app with ease. I started to put in our address and confirm the ride when I heard footsteps approaching us. Hoping it wasn't some guy who saw us in the club I looked up to check.

Much to my surprise it was Prf. Nixon. "Are you two alright?" He asked with worry etched across his face. "Yes, I'm just ordering our Uber." I assured him.

He opened his mouth to speak but closed it with a thoughtful expression on his face. "It's really late, I don't think an Uber is a good idea. How about I take you?" He offered.

"I mean—are you sure?"

"Yeah it's no trouble."

We followed him to his car and his friend trailed behind us too. He drove a fancy Audi. I didn't pay much attention to the model. "What's the address?" He asked after helping me get Nadia in the backseat.

I gave him the address to our apartment and he quietly pulled out of the parking lot. "So you're in his class?" His friend asked me from the front seat.

"Uh yeah."

"Is it as boring as I think it is?" He joked. I let out a soft laugh and shook my head. "I mean...I wouldn't say it's boring." I said as the pitch of my voice raised slightly.

"Mhm. I'm Jordan Ayer by the way. I'm an academic advisor at the college."

"I'm Genesis. It's nice to meet you."

"That's a very unique name." Jordan smiled. "Thanks."

I didn't bother saying that it's my last name. I don't know when it started but for a long time now, whenever I meet new people I always give my last name instead of my first. A lot of my teachers usually just called me that in the past and I never minded. It kind of just stuck I guess.

"So, despite it being boring, How are you liking the class so far, Genesis?" Professor Nixon chimed in.

"I-I like it it isn't boring. It's just long. You keep the class engaged though so that's good."

"Thank you that's always good to hear. I was hoping I wasn't being to much of a hard ass in class." He chuckled.

"No not at all. Trust me you may just have a fan club starting soon."

"Oh really and why would that be?" He asked. He looked at me through the rear view mirror and I dropped my eyes to avoid his. "Because everyone thinks...you're a nice professor."

I cleared my throat subtly and hoped my stuttering in the middle of my sentence went unnoticed.

It took another twenty minutes before we pulled up in front of my apartment complex. "Thanks again, Professor Nixon. We really appreciate it." I said as he helped Nadia out of the car.

"Don't worry about it. I'm glad I could help."

I took Nadia's hand and pulled my keys out. "Have a good night."

"You too, I'll see you in class on Monday."