Claire's College Explorations

Claire was sitting in her desk beside the window in the rear of class with rumbling to her core and a heart pumping up a storm.

She needed to pass college chemistry and to have any chance of that, she had to get a passing grade on the test she took the previous day but the professor wanted to wait until the end of class to post their results. Like she drew some pleasure from watching her students squirm in their seats with uncomfortable looks on their faces.

Claire grabbed some of her shoulder-length red locks and stroked them while she watched students outside with their backpacks and earplugs shuffling around campus. It was a temperate spring day with blue skies that seemed to never end. All that would have been great to admire any other day but all Claire could focus on was her test score. She almost rather run down the hallway in her birthday outfit than sit through another semester of Chemistry.

No one in her family had ever stepped onto a college campus. A near crushing amount of pressure fell upon her to be the first to graduate. Most of her family chose to drive trucks, work in factories, or stayed at the family farm. Claire's interest laid in how the human body not tractors operated. Some members of her family jeered her even chastised her for taking the road less (not) traveled in their experience. College provided relief from them but also a chance to do what she wanted. Not that what they did was wrong if worked for them but Claire had other aspirations.

She sighed, unzipped her backpack, and pulled out her tablet. She turned it on and the time read 8:08AM—a full 52 minutes before the end of class! Claire was certain a half hour had passed.

"AAAHH!" she screamed in her head.

She was so overrun with anticipation of her test score that she slid out of her seat and headed for Ms. Patton's desk.

Natasha Patton. The instructor men and women dreamed about taking to their dorms for wild nights of fun. She had long, black tresses that rested upon her back, cinnamon eyes under the cover of naturally long lashes, plump pink lips, breasts that fought to escape her turquoise cotton dress, and wide, curved hips that would drive anyone crazy.

She had more degrees and certifications than could be counted on one hand and a circle of friends that might make the most social butterfly jealous. She could have walked around with her nose tilted upward but she was sweeter than chocolate cake. The only reason Claire had a chance of passing was because of her after-class tutoring sessions. Ms. Patton wasn't beyond cancelling previous engagements to be there for her. That did not escape Claire's notice.

Natasha recently checked off the final item on her list of things to provide to her parents: a paid-for home. Having grown up in modest surroundings as they worked five jobs between them to care for her, it was the least she could do. Their health was on the downside but throwing herself into her work distracted her. Distracted her from their endless pleas for grandchildren as well. The university was her current husband but the urge to change that remained. Giving up her position to fly back home continued to tempt her. Claire spotted cracks of sorrow through the instructor's smiles and wished she could be the one to take that away.

Claire never thought of herself as one to "consciously" be attracted to another woman, let alone her instructor, but one almost had to be inhuman to not notice Ms. Patton's allure.

It was also possible Ms. Patton awakened a sleeping side of Claire that had yet to see the light. They always said college was a period of experimentation and exploration. Ms. Patton had Claire wanting to explore things that were once but a passing thought. She didn't have the slightest idea how to make it happen. It looked like she would have to stay in silent frustration.

Claire was crumbling to her toes as she approached Ms. Patton who was thumbing through some folders and organizing papers for the day's lesson.

"Um, good morning," Claire said from Ms. Patton's left side. Her nerves caused her to wring her hands and bounce on her toes.

The instructor paused for a moment to radiate a smile with wink and squinted eyes at her student. "Morning, sweetie."

Claire gasped. It wasn't the first time Ms. Patton gave her that look.

Claire had butterflies, a tightening in her stomach, and a rush between her legs. She had a loss of breath like she experienced when she met her first boyfriend. Maybe she looked at everyone like that? Either way, Claire's brain was like hot grits and she nearly forgot where she was for a moment.

Claire wasn't sure if she measured up to someone Ms. Patton would be attracted to if she did cross over to the girl's side. The young student didn't wear a dash of makeup and thought herself to be cute but never felt she'd find herself on the cover of Cosmo. She was rivaled in height by a fairy and skin was like cream but didn't feel as though she had distinguishing features. Her breasts were bite-sized and her ass was proportioned to her small frame. Like many girls, she was much more attractive than she'd ever give herself credit for.

Aside from that, Ms. Patton was 35, a decade and a half older than Claire.

Claire gathered herself enough to speak to her teacher. "I was wondering if I could see my test score now. I kind of have somewhere to be."

Ms. Patton pointed her pen at the wall clock while shuffling through the papers before her. "Pretty sure I said I would do that at the end of class. That's at 9AM central time not eastern, my love."

Claire entangled her fingers. "Ugh, I know! I just can't wait! Please."

"You look lovely today, Claire," Ms. Patton said as she lifted her gaze again.

"Th...thank you but..."

Ms. Patton pushed away from the desk and walked in front the class with tablet in hand. "Class is about to start. Shouldn't you take your seat?"

Claire pouted under her breath and shuffled her flip-flops back to her desk. Her presence was enough to have the student quivering with arousal. Claire was certain that she and her instructor shared something that went beyond the student/teacher bond formed during their time together in class. Claire was becoming overwhelmed with curiosity as to what that something might be unless it was just her imagination. The latter she hoped not.

She sat at her desk and grumbled with her head propped up by her hand while Ms. Patton spoke of chemical reactions and periodic table elements. If anyone else was teaching, Claire's face would have slammed to the desk in a deep snooze by now.

Throughout class, tension was rushing from her nether region throughout her whole body and was distracting enough that taking in the lesson became quite the chore. She couldn't believe simply being near Ms. Patton caused that.

Class seemed like it was three hours long but was soon mercifully nearing its end and she realized her notebook was empty save for a few scribbles of notes. She wanted to shove all of her textbooks and notebooks into a wastebasket and take gasoline and a match to them. That's a chemical reaction she'd really enjoy.

"Okay, class," Ms. Patton said, "your scores from yesterday's exam should now be posted on your personal webpage for this class. You can come to me for questions but other than that, class is dismissed. Have a great day and remember the final exam is in three weeks!"

Claire's nerves were a mess. She settled them as best she could, took a breath, and navigated to the webpage on her tablet. She found her list of classes and clicked the one named Chemistry and a link called "test scores" appeared. This was it. The moment of truth. Though her fingers trembled, she inhaled, and clicked it.

Her eyes were sealed as the page appeared. She opened her right eye, ever so slowly, and peeked at her score. When she saw it, she opened them both followed by her mouth in utter disbelief.

"55? No! This has to be a mistake! How did I make a 55?" she said to herself. "I'm never going to pass this class now!"

A 55 was a far cry from the 70 she needed for a passing grade. All those hours of studying for a damn 55. She didn't know what else to do though leaping out of the window yelling seemed to be an increasingly good option.

She folded her arms over her chest, squeezed her eyelids together, and a pair of tears trickled out. Her face warmed and her nose sniffled. Her emotions were ripped with devastation. Claire's cries became more audible and she laid down her head to let her wails out into her desk.

She hated that about herself, how she became so emotional about things. Some thought it was endearing while others thought her to be a baby. It couldn't be helped. It made Claire who she was. It wasn't like this was an occasion to throw confetti anyhow.

A few minutes passed when she heard Ms. Patton's voice, which was somewhat drowned out by Claire splashing around in her despair.

"Claire! Claire!" Ms. Patton called to her.

Claire looked up and peered around through eyes blurred by her tears. She was the last student in the room and Ms. Patton was approaching her with concern plastered over her face.

Claire wiped her eyes as she struggled to sit up straight.

"I...failed..." she forced out through sniffles. "I studied so hard but I'm not getting this!" She slapped the desk in disgust rattling her tablet and Ms. Patton.

Ms. Patton took her hand and wiped a tear from Claire's cheek with her thumb. Her touch was like silk and she smelled like an orchard. It was calming, loving. A genuine care for her.

Claire met her eyes while gasping and choking.

Ms. Patton said, "Don't worry. You can still pass the class. I will drop the lowest score but you're going to need more personal tutoring to pass the final exam. We can meet in your dorm tonight or somewhere public."

Claire paused for a second mid-crying. Did she just invite herself to her dorm? Well, it was just for another study session. Maybe she thought Claire would be more comfortable in her own space? Yeah, that's it. Still, the mere notion of Ms. Patton being in her dorm with her was enticing.

"Um, my dorm is fine. It's in Miller Hall, Dorm 202."

"Okay, how does 6pm sound?"

"Great."

Ms. Patton moved away with a skip in her step and looked over her shoulder. "Cheer up, Claire. You're going to pass!"

Ms. Patton had to be waking up on Christmas morning as a kid. She was really excited about teaching such a blah subject for reasons Claire hadn't figured out. Ms. Patton was always that way about everything, though. Like nothing could damper her spirits. She was lightyears away from her aging parents and she would sometimes let it slip that it created a challenge for her. Maybe she focused on being happy to shield out the pain.

Claire gathered her things and headed out of class.

By the time a quarter till 6 came, Claire was walking circles around her dorm. Her tummy was grinding, her hands vibrating out of control, and was still wet from class that morning.

She had the dorm to herself. Her roommate spent most of her time in her boyfriend's dorm so no worries about anyone intruding on her lesson with Ms. Patton. Her dirty laundry was shoved beneath the bed, the aroma of lavender scented candles flowed through the air, and leftover stale cheese pizza was warming in the microwave. She hoped Ms. Patton liked two-day old pizza with a teaspoon of sauce and make-believe cheese. Her oak desk had a broken back leg and was leaning so she tossed her books and papers on the plush violet rug beneath her feet. Aside from a sink, fridge, a hot plate, and her roommate's bed, there wasn't much else in her box of a room. The pleasures of college dorm life.

After the microwave's ding, she pulled the plate from within and dropped it on the countertop next to a pair of glasses of water.

Around that time, the knocks at the door had Claire's heart leaping into her throat.

"Oh, my God! She really came! Okay, act calm. Everything is normal. Whew..." she said as she took steps towards the knocking.

She grasped the knob and opened the door.

There was Ms. Patton with her face-length grin and pearly whites gleaming at Claire. The top buttons of her dress had found their way loose and her curves of her breasts were peeking out. Her outfit was snug to her hips with a pair of legs that were big but not flabby. Muscular like an athlete's though she'd rarely seen a gym from the inside. Thick was the word. Her gift since birth.

Claire felt wildly underdressed with her hair pulled into a ponytail while wearing her gray school shirt and cotton gym shorts.

"Good evening, Claire!" Ms. Patton said as though she didn't want to be anywhere else in the world.

Claire cleared her throat and tucked some stray strands of red hair behind her ear. "Hello, Ms. Patton. Would you like to come inside?"

"I would unless you want me to tutor you out here in the hallway."

"Oh, right. Of course. That was silly of me."

Claire left the doorway and trotted to the counter to grab an empty glass from it. She flung open the fridge, filled it with water, and rushed it to her teacher.

Ms. Patton slipped her black shoulder bag off and held it while she looked around for a place to set it.

"Where are we studying, sweetie?" she asked.

Claire braked in front of Ms. Patton and a splash of liquid leapt from the glass and onto her dress. Claire filled with embarrassment as she covered her mouth.

"Ah! I'm so sorry, Ms. Patton!"

The teacher dropped her bag by her feet. "It's not a problem, honey. Really."

"Are you sure?" Claire asked with her blood rushing and skin flushed.

"Really," Ms. Patton said as she took the glass and sipped from it. She shifted her eyes behind her student. "Are you expecting company?"

Claire spun and was reminded of the water glasses she'd already poured. "Oh, uh, no. I don't think I have it together tonight!"

The reddening of her cheeks accompanied nervous giggles. She couldn't believe she'd become like this.

Ms. Patton held Claire's shoulders and gazed into her jade irises. "It's okay. I'm a normal girl. The paparazzi isn't following me around taking pictures and no one is lining up to get my autograph. I'm just regular ol' Natasha Patton. Today, I was looking for my cell phone only to realize I was talking on it! I'm not without my quirks."

Claire's trembles settled into calmness although she was about to explode with desire for her professor. "But, you're beautiful..."

"As are you, Claire, but are we here to flirt or learn chemistry?"

Claire froze and sifted through the right words to say. She was looking at Ms. Patton to see if she meant something by that. Her lips didn't move.

The answer to that could have been both but she figured she should probably learn about the chemistry in the textbook...

"Um, maybe we should study?" she said with a pool of lubricant drenching her panties.

"Okay..." Ms. Patton said almost like there was a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Where?"

Claire kneeled to the rug. "Here. My desk had an accident. I sat on it."

"That's fine, love," Ms. Patton said while kicking off her heels. "I don't mind the rug. Reminds me of my college days. Oh, this rug feels softer than kitty fur!"

She stretched out and Claire joined her.

"She said I was beautiful. Wow..." Claire thought to herself.

A couple of hours later, papers and books covered the floor. The rug and the hardwood beneath it had disappeared.

The women began the night with space between them but as the night grew older, they were elbow-to-elbow and could feel each other's warmth. Claire never believed she could have the time of her life learning chemistry.

Ms. Patton brushed Claire's hand and she gasped.

"So, Claire, what is the periodic table symbol for gold?" Ms. Patton asked with rasp.

She angled towards the young student while looking at her with a bedtime squint.

Claire could feel the energy between them and now, she wanted to be with her—somehow. She felt so naughty and bad but her tummy tied into knots at the idea of making a move. If Ms. Patton didn't, she was sure to lose her sanity.

Claire was turned on but fighting the sandman at the same time. When she spoke, her voice changed into a raspy, nighttime one.

She said, "Symbol for gold...it's Au. There isn't an 'A' or a 'U' in 'gold.' Who had the bright idea to do that?"

Ms. Patton stroked her own black locks and eased further into Claire's space. "It comes from the Latin word for gold, aurum."

"Oh..."

An enduring silence filled the space left by the end of their conversation and Claire awaited what was to happen next. She couldn't look at Ms. Patton for fear she'd read her and reject her on the spot.

Ms. Patton said, "Well, it's getting kind of late and I have a long drive home..."

Claire was so tense she was about to scream. "Wait! I mean is that all you have to teach me?"

Ms. Patton rolled onto her back and sat up. She fought to push her dress down as it rode up towards her waist but she eventually gave up. "We went over everything that will be on the exam."

Claire's eyes dropped as she was trying to sneak a peek at what was hiding under her dress. "Oh, yeah. Um, I'm still nervous about the test."

Clare's hands were damp and couldn't stop fidgeting with her clothes. She was hoping she would teach her about more intimate things.

Ms. Patton poured sincerity into her eyes. "You're a bright student with an amazing future. I spoke to your other instructors. They adore you because you're always the smartest in the class. You just need to use the same confidence you have in their classes in mine. Do that, remember what we studied tonight, and you'll pass."

"Okay..." Claire said and Ms. Patton started to get up. "No, wait a minute!"

She paused her movement and asked, "What is it? The night's not getting younger."

Claire sat up on her butt with her legs stretched out in front of her.

"I...I mean to say you're beautiful..." Claire stammered as she buried her face into both hands. "Oh, I already said that, didn't I?"

Forming coherent phrases became a chore. Whatever was to happen, she wanted it over!

Ms. Patton caressed her arm and its hairs shocked to attention. "You did tell me that but I don't mind hearing it twice. Thank you. You're so sweet."

She was about to shatter into pieces as she couldn't let her leave without letting her know what she wanted. She didn't know if she'd think she was weird or even a freak and that things would become awkward but it was now or never.

As Ms. Patton stood to leave, Claire strained to summon a drop of courage.

"Um, would you like to kiss me?" she asked but it was barely a whisper. Shivers rattled her like she was standing in a freezer.

She didn't know how else to ask. She didn't think she heard her anyways. It was the best she could do and that took all she had. She wanted to hide under the biggest boulder she could find.

Ms. Patton stopped and asked, "Did you say something?"

Claire repeated herself but only a couple of notches higher. "Would you like to kiss me?"

Ms. Patton paused but didn't appear shocked. Maybe shocked that she asked but it was like Claire was asking her all along without saying it.

Claire hid in shame behind her hands but Ms. Patton kneeled, peeled them away and held them. When Claire opened her eyes, she saw that Ms. Patton was close enough that she could smell her green apple Mentos.

Ms. Patton said, "I didn't expect that. I'm flattered but I'm your instructor. I can't do that. You're very pretty but..."

Claire interrupted. "Please. I won't tell anyone. I've always found you attractive and smart. We get along so well that I had to ask."