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THEODORE
I sat at the cafe, taking a sip of my coffee and I hoped that I would get some work done.
I got nothing done. I was an absolute mess.
I pushed my foggy glasses up the bridge of my nose, already irritated by the noise of the students behind me.
I was a professor at the university of California. It had always been a dream but lately, it had been feeling like a chore.
It felt like nothing was working out for me. My wife whom I had been married to for five years had ended our relationship with a divorce after she told me that she had been cheating on me with a boy much younger.
She had rubbed it in my face, how 'hot' he was. How he fucked her on every surface of our home. How he was so active in every sense of the word. How he wasn't a 'boring old professor'.
I would have forgiven her in a heartbeat because I loved her. But she was gone now and my home was empty. It felt like she took my happiness with her.
As much as I didn't want it to affect my job, it was seeping through it. I didn't sleep enough at night because my bed was cold. I often got lost in my train of thoughts while teaching in class.
Nothing was working out.
Maybe it was time for me to let it go -my job.
I had to prepare my notes as classes were starting in a week and I was nowhere near ready. I shoved my things back into my briefcase and grabbed my cup of coffee, making my way to the doors of the cafe. I pulled it open and heard a beautiful laugh but it was cut short as someone ran into me, sizzling hot coffee spilled on my body.
"Fuck!" I spat from the burning impact.
"Jesus Christ!" The sweet feminine accented voice followed and I felt a hand on my chest, attempting to...I wasn't sure of what she was attempting to do but I watched the top of her head of extremely blonde curly short hair while my other hand was wrapped around her waist. I wasn't even sure of when I had put it there.
"I'm so sorry. I-I didn't meant to...oh God!" She whispered and pulled a small packet of something from her bag and I realized it was some tissue paper.
She mumbled something in another language as she frantically tried to wipe the coffee off my body.
Her dark skin was like chocolate. Or like black coffee. She smelled like...vanilla and something. I wasn't sure of what it was.
"Imade!" A male standing next to her called her and she turned to him before looking up at me. It felt like all the air was sucked out of my soul. She was beautiful.
The yellow liner above her large doe eyes caught my attention and then her full lips covered in some lipstick that matched her skin tone.
"I'm so sorry, I-oh my god!" She looked like she was about to cry and she was still beautiful.
How was that even possible?
"It's alright, baby girl. Nothing a little laundry can't get rid of" I tried to smile but I couldn't. I didn't remember how to because it'd been so long. So long since I needed a reason to smile.
"She's so sorry, Professor Stephen" a male pulled her out of my hold. Was she a student? I recognized the male but only vaguely.
Was he her boyfriend?
"It's absolutely fine" my hand missed the feeling of her body. I stared at her and she sighed at the sight of the coffee on my shirt and coat.
I knew all too well that it was never coming out no matter how many times I washed it out. However, it was surely worth it -running into her.
"Maybe I can buy you another coffee to...I don't know, make for it?" She looked up at me and I was lost in those brown innocent eyes. Fuck!
"It's fine. I have to go" I reluctantly walked past her, towards the waiting Ford pick up truck. I climbed into it and flung my briefcase into the passenger seat before glancing at her. The windows were tinted so, I felt relief that she couldn't see me stare at her.
Was it the blonde hair? Or the was her thighs and ass filled those jeans? Or maybe it was her unfamiliar, yet, sweet scent. That little nose of hers.
She had her back turned towards me as she spoke to the boy who glanced at my car before shaking his head at her and spoke to her. She said something to him before glancing in the direction of my car, brown eyes filled with sincere apologies and her lips mouthed soft pleas like she knew I could see her.
I pulled my shirt off and stared at the reddish burn on my body, letting out a deep exhale.
It was nothing.
I pressed my palm to my raving heart and the golden ring on my finger felt cold against my skin.
