Taste of Melanin

Chemistry

August Dunn checked his watch once more before drumming on his Organic Chemistry textbook. The campus library was nearly empty since it was 11pm on a Saturday.

He'd chosen a private room upstairs with windows so he could see the twinkling campus lights below them. The room had a large circle table, 6 rolling chairs, two desktop computers, and a couch off in the corner.

The buzzing of his phone broke his blank stare out of the window. His left hand pushed his brown, brow-line glasses up his nose while his right grabbed the device. A string of messages met his eyes from Peter, his roommate, begging for the room tonight.

August kept to himself on campus while his roommate, star of the baseball team, fucked anything that moved and made friends with half the campus. The only reason August remained with Peter was because the athlete got him free room and board.

He agreed to allowing Peter to have the room just as the door opened and a shuffling came closer. Looking up, he felt his breathing hitch at Alicia's appearance.

"Hi, bestie, sorry I'm late." She sighed as she placed her bag down and sat in a chair opposite him.

She had changed her hair since the last time they'd seen one another. The long braids she once wore were replaced with long, red hair that fell to her lower back. Per usual she wore a pair of large lashes that made it hard for August to see her eyes.

The diamond in her nose was replaced with a golden hoop that matched the ones in her ears. Her lips were covered in a clear gloss with a brown outline that made them pop. August could smell her perfume quickly filling the room.

His eyes fell to her body- the curvy figure encased in a pair of biker shorts, a black graphic t-shirt, and a pair of Nikes. There was no doubt that she'd be wearing the golden and silver anklet set she always wore.

"It's fine." He managed as he watched her begin pulling out her laptop and textbook. "So, did you do the reading?"

"I don't know why you even ask me anymore," she laughed as she powered up the laptop, "but I'm sure you did the reading so I'll just pick your brain instead."

"I can't tutor you if you don't do your work." He sighed despite knowing he'd tutor her for the rest of the semester if it meant seeing her multiple times a week.

"I can't do the work if I don't understand it, Mr. Tutor." Alicia rolled her eyes before turning back to her laptop.

August noticed her nails had also been changed. The white set now a neon green that were long and sharp. "You'll never understand it if you don't even attempt it."

"We're talking in circles here, babe." She held out her hand, exposing the clear underside of the nails. "The reading didn't get done so I need you to explain it to me like always."

August felt butterflies litter his stomach each time she called him babe. He knew she called all her friends the term, but hearing it directed at him stirred his loins.

He'd been tutoring Alicia on and off since their freshman year. Now as they approached the last semester of their junior year, she needed help with organic chemistry. He'd settled on chemistry for his major while Alicia was a nursing major.

Opening his textbook, August flipped to the pages she'd been assigned to read. The material was all easy work for him considering how passionate he was about the subject.

"How about we skip the work and go get something to eat? I haven't eaten all day." Alicia attempted, her long nails trailing over his hand as he attempted to flip through his notes.