The Professor

5: Drey

I laid in my bed thinking about who could get me to the airport. My roommate was out of a town. Hell everybody went home this weekend except my ass. My flight was departing at 9:05am and I did not want to leave my car at the airport for an entire week. Those parking charges would be outrageous. I'd gotten a decent deal on a flight. Thank God for my extra scholarship that PK hooked me up with. I got a nice little refund check, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get to my baby.

Fuckkkk. Who can I call?!

I reluctantly texted Professor Montgomery.

Me: Hey, Professor.
Prof Montgomery: Reneé*
Me: I need a ride to the airport. I've got a family emergency and all of my friends are home for the weekend. Do you think you could help me out?
Prof Montgomery: Anything for my favorite student.
Me: Thanks. I really appreciate it.
Prof Montgomery: Guess that means you won't be in class this week.
Me: I'm gonna be gone all week.
Prof Montgomery: Is everything okay?
Me: I really can't talk about it. Can you just be here in the morning at 6:45ish? That way I can be at the airport around 7:15?
Prof Montgomery: Sure thing.
Prof Montgomery: If you need to talk, I'm here.
Me: Thank you.

I sent an email to all of my professors letting them know that I had to leave town for an emergency and that I wouldn't be in class this week and CC'd PK. He made sure I could make up anything I missed, if professors gave me shit. Dude was The G.O.A.T.

*the next morning*

I got up and threw on my favorite black Nike Fleece Tech joggers and hoodie set and all black VaporMax and grabbed my rolling suitcase and backpack. I stuffed all my chargers and my iPad in my backpack and headed out the door when I received the "I'm outside" text.

When I got in the car, Professor Montgomery had a really big smile on her face and I had to say as much as I was trying to avoid her, she looked beautiful. She always wore makeup to class, but she looked just as good with no makeup on. She had on some PINK leggings and a Nike hoodie. Her locs were in high messy bun. She had on her librarian glasses and she had a morning glow. Those damn glasses. 👅

"Hey, Professor."

"Would you stop with the Professor talk? Call me Reneé? Please."

"Okay."

She caressed my leg. I jerked away. It felt horrible letting her touch me knowing I was going to see Aaliyah. 

"Seriously, Andreyuh? Are you okay? You don't seem like yourself."

"I can't confide in you..."

"Why not?"

"I cheated on my girlfriend with you and I feel horrible about it."

"It felt so good to be with you."

"So you don't even care..."

"I'm not saying that."

"I don't know what you're saying then."

"I'm saying you made me feel better than I've felt in a long time and I can't shake that feeling. I didn't know you had a girlfriend. I don't know what to do know now. I can't stop thinking about you."

"I don't know where we go from here but I can't keep cheating on her. That's not fair to her."

"I understand."

The rest of the ride was dead silent. When we arrived at the airport, I thanked her for the ride and asked if she would be available to pick me up when I returned.

"I should be. Just let me know."

I got out and headed inside to check my luggage and go through TSA. Them racist muthafuckas searched my braids. I wish I wasn't surprised every time it happened, but I was. "At least you can put on some fresh gloves," I told them angrily and they did. By the time I got to my gate, it was time to board. "We're about to take off, I'll text you when I land. I can't wait to see you." [send]

I had a connecting flight in Texas and I was so annoyed by this out of route ass flying these airlines be doing nowadays, but this flight was the cheapest, so I sucked it up and dealt with the extra two hours on my travel time.

My flight arrived finally arrived at 2pm. I grabbed my luggage from baggage claim and headed straight outside. When I was out there waiting on Aaliyah to pull up, I thought I saw her parents getting on the rental car shuttle. Maybe I was tripping. 

My mind forgot all about what I thought I'd seen when I saw Aaliyah's car pulling up. She put the car in park, leaving the ignition running and jumped out to greet me. She jumped in my arms nearly causing me to fall over. We kissed for several seconds before she finally released me and stared into my eyes. She was just as beautiful as the last time I saw her and despite everything she'd been through, her smile made it seem like nothing had happened.

"I'm so glad you're here!"

"Gotdamn I missed you!"

She kissed me again before I tossed my suitcase in the backseat and hopped in.

"How are you feeling today?"

"Much better now that you're here."

"Hey...uhh...I think I saw your parents getting on a shuttle back there. Are they here?"

"I don't know. They said they were coming but I haven't heard from them since last night."

"You should call them. I think I saw them."

"I will. You hungry?"

"I'm starving! Waffle House?"

"Your ass loves some damn Waffle House!"

We drove there and shared a booth. I couldn't stop kissing her. It had only been a month, but I missed her so much. The distance was the only bad thing about our relationship. We'd go months without seeing each other and it killed me that I couldn't see her and hold her nearly every night like we did in high school.

After Waffle House, she stopped to get gas. Her phone started ringing. "Babe, your mom's calling." She reached through the window to grab it while she pumped. She opened the passenger side and sat in my lap with her feet dangling out the car while she put it on speaker phone. I caressed her thighs and she smiled at me stroking my hair. "Baby, we've just gotten to our hotel. We're gonna check in and drop our luggage off and we'll meet you at your apartment. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing better, ma."

"Okay we'll see you soon."

She hung up and placed the nozzle back on the pump and we pulled off. Thirty minutes later, we arrived at her apartment and parked. I got out of the car and she walked to my side grabbing my backpack while I got my suitcase out of the car. She pushed me against the car, kissing me. Her tongue entered my mouth and I gladly accepted. She squeezed my ass kissing me like it was the first time she'd seen me in years. "Is that Aaliyah," we heard to the left of us. "Aaliyah!" We both looked up to see who it was.

A silver Ford Explorer was driving by us with the windows down. Oh shit! She took off running towards her apartment. I chased after her laughing. This is about to be hella awkward!

She ran up the stairs to the second floor where her apartment was. I chased behind her trying to get to her before they got upstairs. She unlocked the door, running inside and closing the door behind us. "FUCK!" She paced the floor in a panic. "This is not what I need right now! This is too much."

Her breathing intensified. I could see that an anxiety attack was brewing. I pulled her close, pushing her head on my chest. "Baby...baby, listen to me." I held her and rubbed her back. "It's going to be okay. They were going to find out sooner or later. Calm down. Breathe. You're not gonna let them get to you. And I'm not gonna let them get to you. Okay?" I kissed her head and stroked her hair. "We knew this day would come. It's going to be okay."