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The next morning, she walked to class humming one of the songs that Dr. Drewitt had played the night before.
The prior evening felt like it had been a dream.
If it weren't for the golden dress hung in her wardrobe, Enid would have thought she had imagined it all.
She had taken the morning to reset, tidying her dorm room and getting her schoolwork organized.
An assessment of her planner reminded her that she was meant to help Dr. Easton with his research today.
With how busy her days had been, she hadn't thought much about the night of the bonfire.
Yet, it still crept into her mind during the nights.
She'd be snuggled up in her matching pajamas and half asleep when suddenly she'd feel the pressure of fingers around her ribs and feel smoke fill her lungs.
Hands grasping, squeezing.
A body pressing into hers, unforgiving.
Sitting up, chest seizing, she'd find she was safely in her dorm room, no boys or fires in sight.
She'd choke and choke on smoke that wasn't there.
Heaving for air, she'd slowly recover.
Sleep was scarce, but she filled the nighttime hours by getting ahead on homework and practicing her cello.
Anything to stay occupied.
Enid applied some makeup for the first time in years, attempting to cover up her exhaustion.
Still, a smile blossomed on her face as amber leaves crunched under her feet.
She loved Autumn.
She always had since she was a young child.
Her fondest memories were framed by colorful trees and thick sweaters.
The season defined by death and decay, yet it was the time in which she felt most alive.
Lost in her thoughts, she found that she had made it to the lecture hall.
She found her seat on the second row and pulled out her notes.
Excitement fluttering inside her as Dr. Easton walked in and set his briefcase on the desk at the front of the room.
His sapphire eyes found her immediately, scanning along her as though to ensure that nothing was out of place.
Clearing his throat in the already silent auditorium, the students seemed to hold their breath as they waited for him to speak.
"Lust. Sexual desire. Freud believed it to be a central pillar of our beings. An octane that we have no choice but to give into. A driving force. An instinct so deeply rooted within us that for many years we viewed it as an independent, individual part of our psychosis." His voice deep and lilting.
Enid shifted in her seat, something warm and indiscernible pooling in her lower stomach.
A sensation she had never experienced.
She wondered if she was sick.
"It is the start of life, the ending of innocence. There are various theories on sexuality and the development and dynamic nature..."
The strange feeling never left as the lecture went on.
It was almost an ache at some points.
Her cheeks flushed a dark pink as the statuesque man explained the science of sex drives.
After class, she rushed to the bathroom to splash water on her face.
As she sat to use the restroom, she found that her panties were damp.
Something in her knew but didn't want to acknowledge it.
Arousal.
She was aroused.
Washing her hands vigorously, Enid glanced at herself in the mirror.
Her rosy curls wild and untamed, her makeup doing a decent job of hiding the inky circles under eyes.
Her cheeks flushed; eyes bright with what she now knew to be something... inappropriate.
She almost didn't recognize the girl she was staring at.
How had she changed so much in such a short period of time?
Crushing on a man nearly twice her age.
Actually, make that three men.
As she did with most things, she pushed the thoughts away and focused on easier things.
Like her next class.
With another of the godly men she was enamored with...
No, Enid. Clean, studious thoughts only.
She headed toward the literature building, startled to find a distraught-looking Emilia standing on the steps.
Enid realized she hadn't seen the girl since they had separated at the bonfire.
"Oh, Enid, thank god." Emilia gushed as she practically tacked the smaller girl in a fierce hug.
Tan arms squeezing tightly around her waist, Enid returned the hug with a slight air of awkwardness.
"Thank god you're okay. I lost my phone while I was getting another drink and then when I came back to where you were you were gone. I had no clue how to contact you. I've been so worried that something happened or maybe you were killed by a forest monster or..." Emilia's rambles were cut off as Enid lightly placed her hand on her mouth.
Enid giggled softly at her friend's vivid imagination.
"I'm okay. I... just," She scrambled to come up with an excuse, "someone poured their drink on me accidentally, so I went to my dorm to change. But I just decided to stay in bed after that."
"Oh god, that's awful. I'm so sorry that happened. I should have never left your side." Emilia's voice thick with regret.
"It's not your fault." She smiled reassuringly.
"Well, now that I know you're alive, I've got to tell you about this cute guy who was helping me look for my phone..." Emilia began to tell her, linking their arms together as they headed inside the building.
Enid felt her heartrate slow as they moved on to happier, easier topics.
She felt guilty about lying, but she didn't feel like talking about it anymore.
Talking would only make her relive it again and her professors were taking care of it.
Whatever that meant.
Sitting in their desks on the far side of the circle, the girls chatted until Dr. Romano arrived.
Class flew by as they shared their writing assignments from the week before.
Enid had written about her fear of mortality.
Emilia's essay was about being afraid of never finding herself.
The boy, Jake, from the coffeeshop wrote about his fear of not being remembered.
A somber air was thick in the classroom by the end, so Dr. Romano dismissed them early.
Another writing topic assignment floating through their heads.
"Enid, will you stay behind?" His voice called as she was headed to the door.
Twisting on her feet, she turned back toward her professor.
He was wearing a deep maroon sweater over his button down today.
The soft material stretching perfectly over his muscular shoulders as he towered above her.
Enid focused on her self-control to keep herself from reaching out to see if it was as soft as it looked.
Or from doing something ridiculous like hugging him.
She hadn't realized how dependent she had become on the small physical connections she had with these men.
Hands on her back.
Comforting hugs.
"Theo is coming to pick you up from here. He's taking you to the estate, I think. Hopefully you'll still be there when I get home tonight." Dr. Romano's emerald eyes flickering flirtatiously.
"I thought I was helping him with his research?" Enid bit her lip in confusion.
"His primary research lab is in the Eastern branch of the estate." Dr. Romano's voice was deep, his eyes intent upon her lips.
His large hand came up to brush along her cheek before he used his thumb to release her lower lip from its confinement between her teeth.
Her breathing hitched.
"Don't do that, little bird," he swallowed thickly, "it drives me crazy."
Enid fought the blush rising from her chest.
A cough from the doorway dissipated the moment and his warm hand fell away.
Dr. Easton stood, staring at Dr. Romano.
His eyes flashed with something she couldn't place.
For a moment, the men stared at each other before they both turned back to her.
"Are you ready, Enid?" Dr. Easton's commanding voice reminded her of the lesson earlier today.
She nodded, pulling herself together.
"I'll see you later tonight, little bird." The Italian accent in his voice setting her heart aflutter.
Right.
Later tonight.
At their home.
Enid wondered what she had gotten herself into.
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I am so excited for the next chapter.
What "research" do you think Enid is going to be helping with?
We've got lots of Dr. Easton coming up next.
Comments fill my heart with joy.
All my love, Sappho ⁂