Yes, Professor

As Lips Do

                                  Ophelia

I didn't know where I was going exactly, I just continued to run down the strip of stores until I found a little cove of chairs and tables. I stopped to catch my breath, I may be in slightly better shape since I've started college but I still wasn't any track star.
Not to mention the adrenaline was what was really pushing me forward.

There was a fountain in the middle, it looked so peaceful and serene. It was the middle of the day, so no one was wondering around here. It was just me and my thoughts.

My extremely loud and confused thoughts;

I just kissed my professor!!!
Well technically he kissed me...
But I let it happen!
What the heck do I do now?!
How do I even begin to process what I just did?!

I tried to wrap my head around the situation, I was supposed to be horrified with what just happened wasn't I? But I could only feel excited and thrilled for what may happen. I mean with one kiss he had made me feel things I never thought possible.

But why had he done it? This was just all so sudden or had he felt like this for awhile and was he only being mean to me so he could further distance himself from me? Or...Was this all some kind of sick joke? Like the one they pulled on me in high school?

Alastair wouldn't do that to me, but then again I don't know him that well... he could do that.
I stumbled over to one of the benches and sat down.

I looked at the ground just below my feet, all the cracks and sand, the few ants scattered around looking for any source of food to bring back to the hive.

My thoughts finally slowed down and I'm finally able to think more clearly about what just happened. The kiss. He said all those sweet things to me, he felt so genuine and sweet.

And the kiss itself was magical. Pfft, sounds like something I'd read in one of my romance novels but that truly is the only was I can describe it.
It's was amazing! The way he held me was as if I was the most important thing in his life.

And.
I.
Ran.
Away.

Welp it's official, I'm a freaking idiot!
I was still looking down at the ground but by now tears started to fill my eyes, the gravity pulling them down without my consent.

"My kiss wasn't that bad," Alastair states, with I think humor.

The tears didn't stop, and I wanted to wipe them away. I hated when anyone saw me cry, but I had no more strength. I finally looked up at him, he didn't seem offended or even remotely upset, he just looked... confused and slightly concerned.

"You found me," I mutter in defeat.
"Don't sound so excited, now why are you crying?"
"I thought you'd be upset with me, then I started thinking-"
"I didn't realize you had that ability," he interrupts with a snort.

He was trying to break the tension. Sweet. Luckily for him it worked too, because I let out a small chuckle at his stupid comment.
"Thanks I needed that." I say once I've finally calmed down.

Silence passed over us, only this time it was somewhat comfortable. But there was an air of confusion and curiosity, clearly he wanted to know why I did what I did. Honestly I'd like to know the reason as well because for the life of me I can't figure out why I would run away from such a guy like him.

"Why did you run away?" He asked, and he seemed genuinely concerned about me.
Never judge and book by it's cover, and I guess I just did that to him.

"I was afraid." I whispered.
"Of me?"
"No."
"Then what?"

A pause. What was I afraid of?
"I was afraid of what would happen, or what wouldn't. And why it was happening..."

"You mean why I would want to kiss you?" He clarifies.
"Yes...? Look- it's just that the last time someone as hit as you was even remotely interested in me, well let's just say it turned out to be one sick joke." I blurt out.
"Asshole."
"Excuse me?!" I screech.
"Oh! No not you, I mean for whoever lead you on and turned your feelings into a joke." He explained.

"You didn't answer me.."
"I like you, that's why I kissed you. And I hope your happy because I feel like a teenager confessing his feelings to his crush."

"Thank you."

He groans and I can feel him roll his eyes at me. Another wave of silence washed over us only this time, it was filled with awkwardness. One of us needed to break the silence, and it wasn't gonna be me.

"You know when you ran out you were still wearing the skirt," he suddenly says with a hint of amusement.
"Yeah so...? Oh! It wasn't paid for!"
"Yeah they tend to frown upon that sort of thing," he manages to get out in between his laughs.

"Shut up! It's not funny! They'll probably never let me in that store again... not that I could afford it anyway." I mumble that last bit which only makes him laugh harder.
"Ah the struggles of a broke college student,"
"I'm not broke I just don't believe in spending one of my car payments on a small piece of clothing." I defend.

I'm not sure why I took offense to being called broke but for as long as I can remember I have. Though looking back I fear it has to do with my mother, I didn't know much about how my mother grew up but it wasn't surrounded by wealth like my father.

Of course I had no clue until the night of my 16th birthday, we had a big party and had invited all of my friends from my private school and of course their wealthy parents.
At first I didn't notice that the parents were only talking to my father, I was far to busy playing games and shoving my face with food.

But when I went into the kitchen I found her crying in my fathers arms, she didn't notice me, however that couldn't be the same for my father who had.

I'll explain later he mouthed towards me. And I stumbled out of the kitchen more confused than ever, my mother who had always been strong a capable was crying. No she was ugly sobbing...

I tried my best to enjoy the rest of my party but after what I saw in the kitchen I didn't want to. So I sent everyone home early, and waited for my father to explain.

"Why was mom crying?"
"Some of your guests parents said some pretty hurtful things to her earlier," he explained.
"Why? I thought they all got along quite well."
"In public they do, but in private they constantly pick at each other. It's because your mother didn't grow up the way they did. She had to work for everything she got while they had everything handed to them."
"That sounds terrible!"
"It is, and tonight it just got to be a bit too much for her to handle."
"Why are you telling me all this? Why now?"
"I figured you were old enough to understand some of the things your mother does, even if it may seem a bit odd to you or me,"

Ever since that night I've always hated when people call me poor or broke because I'm not defined by my financial status. My parents support me because they have that ability but that doesn't mean I plan to mooch off of them for the rest of my life.

I do ask them for help with some things every now and then, like with my apartment bug that's only because I want to do well in school and have no time for a job. And I understand not everyone can afford it, so I am for ever thankful for how hard my mother worked so I could have an easier life.

"I didn't mean to offend." Alastair says his mood returning to its usual serious.
"No it wasn't your fault, it's my mothers."

When I don't further elaborate he tries to change the subject.

"When's your next class?"