Provocative

P3-'Professor Curry'

Stumbling to find my first class of senior year, I crashed straight into someone. Grumbling I dropped to the ground to gather the different papers that flew from my hands. Once down there, I took notice of the shoes that graced the feet of the person I ran into. A large pair of Allen Edmond's cape-toe Oxfords rested before me. Trailing my eyes upward I was met with a pair of emeralds glaring down at me. My breathing ceased, and throat went dry.

Professor Curry

"I-I'm so sorry!" I managed to blurt, scrambling to my feet. I stood erect and was about two seconds away from saluting the man. His eyes scanned me from head to toe and I tried my best not to shiver under his intense gaze. He was strict, more than strict. Professor Stephen Curry was the university's hardest man to please, so hard that only a handful of people take his class. Literally a hand full. I'm talking five people at a time..

And as of yesterday, I was one of those lucky five.

Blinking, I held my breath and waited for him to say something.. Anything really. My stomach flipped when he tiled his head to the side, still eyeing me. I heard stories about him my freshman year, how he kicked people out of class for poorly written essays or for breathing to loud during his lectures. I didn't believe it until my friend who had been a senior at the time came rushing back to our dorm in tears, claiming that Professor Curry hated her.

Around five minutes passed and we still stood face to face, watching one another.

"Be careful.." He spoke, eloquently. His deep voice rumbled in his chest as he stepped to the side and continued down the hallway. That was my very first encounter with the man I'd soon come to love.

**Two months later**

"Where's the plot? Where's the suspense? Where is the character development?" Curry bellowed as I sat with my arms folded waiting for him to get to the point. I'd been in his class for two whole months now, I knew how this worked. He paced around his office and continued to set my life aflame. Yesterday I turned in a short story, a minimum of twenty pages but he didn't like it.

"Are you even listening to me?" He stood before me now, bright green eyes burning holes into my skin.

"Of course Professor.." I mumbled, looking down at my shoes.

"Oh really?" He paused. "What did I say?" My lips parted but I couldn't bring myself to from a cohearent thought. Bending at the waist Professor Curry was now a hair away from me. A single jut forward and my lips would be flush against his. Out of habit My eyes flickered down to his soft pink-

"I'm waiting.." He breathed, the smell of mint flooding my senses.

"I-I.." I tired but found myself leaning a bit closer, Curry didn't even flinch. Behind me the door creaked and my body jerked backwards. "Anyway, I expect your new story on my desk by Friday." I blinked and noticed Professor Curry was behind his desk and I hadn't the slightest idea how he got there so quickly.

"Stephen.." A females voice bubbled behind me and I cringed. "Are you ready?" She asked and it sounded like Professor Alexander, Stephen's  rumored ex-girlfriend. A pang of jealousy surged through me but I shook it, gathering my things and heading for the door.

**

Exhausted, I sat with my laptop resting on the floor of my dorm room. My fingers worked across the keyboard and I raced to finish the assignment. It was four in the morning but I hadn't even noticed.

"Go to bed!" Angie complained as she twisted in her comforter, placing a pillow over her head. Groaning I collected my things and slipped on my shoes. I needed to get this done but I didn't want to keep my roommate up. Walking across campus I noticed a small light coming from the literature department in the same area of Professor Curry's office. Shrugging I walked inside and down the hallway, knocking on the door. Immediately it sung open and his face scrunched up at the sight of me.