Out of Sight

Heart Breaker

"I just told Ms. Hara that, being the leading expert in psychics, I could easily destroy her reputation."

"Was I asking about her?" I said dryly.

It was the end of class on Monday, as Naru and John had chased me home with promises of healthy self-care on my boyfriend's part. He had texted me enough to get me off his back, saying he'd tell me after class (probably so he could think up a good lie).

Well, it was after class. Godmother of the mafia Mai here to collect.

"We just got in a bit of a tussle," he said calmly, stacking the pile of essays and tapping them on the desk to straighten the pile.

"He couldn't walk let alone hold incense straight last time I saw him."

"He was acting."

"Gene told me he cursed me because he blames me for his condition."

Naru's hands stilled for perhaps a fraction of a second before smoothly sliding them into his blackety black bookbag.

"Anger and adrenaline can do a lot to a person."

With a closed mouth yell, I slammed my open fists on the desk.

"If you insist on lying to me, can you at least give me the reason why? It's not because you had hot kinky gay sex, is it?"

Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn't that, and he nearly dropped his bag. The look he gave me could have made the terminator faint.

"Mai," was all he said.

"The correct answer is: 'It's for your own good, my love. I fear what would happen to your delicate heart and mind should I tell you.' And then I would say, 'bullshit, beloved dearest, for I am a strong, independent woman,' and we continue fighting until we fall into a steamy make-out session where we confess all and get over this dramatic episode."

As I expected, his frown faltered and twitched, and the dark look to his eyes fell away to an amused spark.

"People can still hear you," he said lightly, glancing over my shoulder and back to my face so quickly, it was just a blur of blue. "Speaking of your classmates, have you spoken with Takigawa?"

I prickled. "Oh, and I'm supposed to give you all the details?"

He raised an eyebrow, then said, at the level of a buzzing, low murmur, "wish to hide your illicit, hot kinky sex, then?"

My jaw dropped and I put my fingers to my cheeks. "Oh Lord, Professor Davis just said the 's' word in front of his innocent student, where are we now? Sorry, Prof, I'm still an inexperienced virgin. All the broads are in the art department."

The twitching of his mouth gave way to a full smile and chuckle.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a few of the straggling girls pause at the doorway, falling silent. I put some extra space between the professor and I and folded my hands behind my back, all innocent-like. When they didn't move right away, I turned to give them a small smile and to inwardly wince at their gobsmacked faces. They blinked and hurried out, and with that, leaving us finally alone in the classroom.

"Maybe you shouldn't giggle so easily," I said, then biting my lip.

"Not my fault."

"Yeah, but I fear you're in danger of breaking hearts."

"And that's my problem?"

I felt a wisp of fingertips atop my knuckles, almost as though a ghost touched them. But I could see his smile still, and it sent my heartbeat straight to where his caress might or might not have been.