Red Room Hours with John Tan

Reassurance

The next day you hurried to class, why was it always English 102 that you struggled to make it to on time? Down a crowded hall you rounded the corner and almost bumped into John. He caught you by the arm and laughed slowing you down.

"I was waiting for you, should have known you'd make it last minute." He brushed your hair from your cheek and kissed you gently turning to tug you through the doorway. "Hurry we're not late yet." He pulled you into a free seat next to him near the front before Professor Long turned away from the whiteboard. She was distracted flipping through some papers with her TA, frowning.

"Sorry about last night, I really did want to come over but Kevin thought we needed more practice for our scene." He leaned toward you whispering quietly. You weren't upset, he'd already explained that to you before he dropped you off after dinner. You didn't think you'd looked upset, it had been a great evening, even knowing he wasn't coming to your room hadn't taken the shine off the time you'd spent together. 

"It's no big deal, I had a great time last night. I caught up on my own studying, don't worry about it." You smiled but he didn't return one of his own. He rotated his eyes forward, Professor Long finally beginning to talk about the section of the book you'd been reading. 

Throughout class John seemed distracted, looking at his phone multiple times, missing parts of the small group break out discussion, completely out of character for him. Unlike you he'd always seemed to like this class, and he wasn't paying attention today. As soon as the class wrapped up, the TA reminding everyone that the presentations started a week from today, you put your hand over his laptop before he could slide it into his bag. He looked up at you with dark concerned eyes.

"What's going on with you today?" You kept your voice gentle.

"I'm okay Y/N, Kevin just has me worried about our scene later, I felt really confident until he grilled me for hours last night. I'm rethinking every choice, and there's not time to adjust." He went to brush his fingers through his long locks then stopped, probably remembering the shorten style he was currently wearing.

"Why do you trust Kevin's instincts more than your own? What feedback did you get on your first run through last week?"

"The professor liked my choices, he said to exaggerate some of them more, work on my projection and diction." He shoved the laptop into his bag, frustration still on his face.

"Focus on that, do those things, that's what he's going to want to see, it's what he's going to grade you on right? If you can take his feedback and improve?" You tilted his chin up so he could meet your eyes. He sighed and finally a smile formed on his full lips.

"When did you get so smart babygirl? You're right, even if Kevin has a point, Professor Wells is going to want to see if I've taken his feedback to heart." You both left the room, his hand against your lower back. In the hall he pressed you against the wall with his body and kissed you softly on first your forehead, then your lips.

"Thanks for making me feel better Y/N." He squeezed his hand into yours and then stepped back. "I'm going out with some guys tonight, but are you free tomorrow?" 

"I'm having dinner with friends, but we could meet after, at eight? Bring everything you did last time, and I'm not going to be so nice this time." You grinned as he nodded and turned away. Just as you started to move toward your own next class he turned and winked at you.

"You better not hold back, I'll text you later beautiful."

The rest of the day, and the next were a flurry of flirty texts back and forth. He'd even sent a good morning text this morning.

"Good morning babygirl, I've been thinking about tonight. I can barely concentrate on anything else."

"I hope you're ready for pain, I've got so many ideas." You quickly snapped a picture the camera angled down your sweaty body as you took the stair stepper two by two. It showed a large expanse of tummy, and a bit higher the swell of cleavage as you gasped for breath.