Constant Distraction - Part 3

Professor Harte had managed to invade my dreams twice now and I couldn’t ever keep her off my mind when I was outside of her class. Her personality was having this affect on me no other girl’s had. When I was in her class I definitely had a hard time focusing on the topic and not her, but as I got used to her being in my day to day life, I found that what I did focus on was some of the smartest stuff I had heard. She was beautiful and brilliant. So I decided to be courageous for once. I went to class with a plan. And once said class was over I put my plan into motion.

“Professor Harte, I had a couple questions,” I slowly approach her desk at the front of the class, she is packing up her briefcase.

"Noah you of all people know when my office hours are, I'm a busy a person so that is the best time for questions." She sounded tired in all honesty, like she had a long day... It was only ten-thirty.

"I know you're a busy person that why I don't know if office hours would be the best time for my questions," she stopped what she was doing for a moment and her gaze met mine.

"What are you on about?" She seemed curious but also on the verge of frustration.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" Short, sweet and straight to the point, I suddenly had a flair for confidence.

"What?!" She laughed at the end of her sentence, shock and amusement had filled her face.

"Would you go out with me some time?" She stilled didn't answer me just kind of looked at me with furrowed brow and a crooked grin.

"This is a joke right? Is there someone recording us on their phone around the corner?" She pointed toward the open class room door. "Noah, I'm your professor." Her seriousness was suddenly back in a flash, she never seemed to be a person that showed their emotions often.

"No this isn't a joke. And?" I flash a crooked grin of my own. "I'm twenty-two, we're both adults," her energy seems to shift heavily.

"You think that just because you're an adult that you can keep up with me?" She didn't sound angry but her voice was harsh, a devilish smirk painted her lips. "Emotionally, socially, economically, philosophically... even sexually. You're still just a baby in this world, go back to studying and playing your video games Noah," she quickly finishes packing up her items and dashes out the door. I was planted in place. I had expected rejection, but after finally feeling like I was being charismatic it was very deflating. I didn't know where to go from here. I could wait and go to her office hours and try again, but that would either come off endearing or desperate and annoying. Or I could go home and do exactly what she told me... Because I have nothing better to do. I trudge out the door and go back to my dorm before my next class starts.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. I wake up quickly and afraid.

"R.A. YOU NEED TO OPEN THE DOOR. NOOOOAAAHHH WAKE UP! WE HAVE VODKAAAAA!" Oh sweet lord. I slowly sit up and stretch then get up from my desk where I had fallen asleep. I walk over to my door and crack it.

"What do you want Jun?" I lean against the door frame and a yawn slips from my body like a lion's roar, wide and long.

"Well this little brainiac," she flicks my nose as she speaks. "Was sleeping, we confiscated this from some freshman." I could see the bottle in her hand was already half gone, I don't know if that was just her or if the freshman had managed to get any before her.

"Hey buddy." Angus was standing behind her. "Sorry she's already this hammered, I tried to get her not to drink so much before we got here. She wouldn't listen." He was obviously a little annoyed.

"Yeah, like she managed to drink that much well she was rounding us up." Cecily was texting away on their phone as they spoke.

"Hey! The both of you shut up! I'm not even that drunk and it's not like we're out in public." Juniper's little face turned a faint shade of red and she was obviously perturbed.

"Yeah it's worse, we're at school," Cecily continued.

"Confiscating does not mean drinking," I finally quipped into the craziness on my front step. I unlock the chain on my door and let my friends into the room, only as I'm shutting the door behind them do I see what time it is. "Also I know we're all close and spend a lot of time together but why are you all waking me up at three in the morning for this? I still have some notes to finish."

"Well you know I can never sleep, so I went on a routine adventure, and ended up finding some free alcohol. Oh! And because of today... You probably need some support," Jun pat me on the shoulder and then tried to offer me her bottle. Wait, what.

"What are you talking about?" Juniper was always so hard to handle when she got drunk, she was one of the only people I've seen get hyper and erratic on alcohol.

"Oh yeah... I heard about your little ambitious move earlier today and shared it with the rest of the group a couple hours ago."

"You never answered any of us when we messaged you so we figured you wanted to be alone. But when I saw you weren't online like you usually are at this hour I got a little worried." Jun sounded bashful and had set her bottle down. "But like I said that turned into a nighttime adventure."

"I have to say I'm quite proud of you and don't see any reason for you to mope all day and night." Angus finally took the bottle and his first sip of the clear liquid inside.

"What are you guys talking about?" I'm tired and hadn't been a part of the real world for a couple hours, I'm just out of the loop. They all look at me with confusion and concern.

"Noah we heard you asked out your chemistry teacher, is that not true?" Cecily's attention finally broke from their phone, worry covered their face. I had forgotten, getting too wrapped up in my school work and falling asleep had disoriented me.

"Oh, that. Yeah, I figured I just take a shot," a blush heats my face and I can feel my heart softly in my ears.

"Wow, that's unbelievable," Juniper was looking at Noah in awe. "I had her for one of my sophomore classes, I didn't realize you had such big balls Noah."

"And you're cut off for the rest of the night." Angus held on to the bottle now that he had it.

"It wasn't really like that. I just... I think she's interesting and I figured why not? I've never pushed myself to try and date or go after girls... They say college is the best time... I'm not here for much longer so why not?..." I'm embarrassed and nervous now, rambling my words.

"That's not exactly what they mean by girls, bud. But as I said before I commend you for your efforts."

"You just wanted to get in her pants." Cecily broke the banter.

"What?" My cheeks are probably bright red now.

"She has a giant rack. You don't want to date her, you want to sleep with her." Ces continued texting and posting away.

"I do want to date her! She's smart and she doesn't just like science she's very creative." I'm getting frustrated now. I know I have strong sexual urges, but I'm not some pervert, and that's how Cecily was making me feel.

"How do you know that? She's your chemistry professor. You get to see at max an hour of her life. You don't really know who she is." They were very nonchalant as if the words they were speaking weren't a bit harsh.

"That's why I wanted to go on a date, that's why you date people, to get to know them." I was really beginning to want all of them to leave. This had started in good faith, but now I was just feeling like I was getting pissed on about something I'd much just rather forget.

"Once again this is your chemistry professor we're talking about, not just some random thirty year old woman." Cecily never really paid much attention to how they words affected people, this was one of those unfortunate times.

"Listen, I think you guys should just go. Like I said before I still have some notes to finish up and I should probably actually go to bed before my classes tomorrow." I stood beside the door gesturing toward it.

"Hey I didn't do anything!" Angus quipped.

"Neither did I!" Added Juniper.

"I'm sorry, I really think I'd just like to be alone," The three of them shuffle to the door and Cecily is the first out when I open it, "I'm really not trying to be an ass guys. I've never asked anyone out before this and I'm learning how to deal with the rejection. I just need to think," Angus and Juniper both give me separate nods and make their way out my door. I close it behind them and lock it hoping I don't get any other visitors from my floor. I sit down at my desk again and look at the notes that I had fallen in front of, chemistry.

Fuck, chemistry! I throw my textbook at the wall. I wasn't angry that she had said no, I was upset with the embarrassment I knew I was going to have to deal with. All of this was new to me, I was feeling a lot of emotions and I didn't know how I would deal with any of this. I had thought about it earlier today, but Cecily, Angus and Juniper had made it very apparent the amount of embarrassment I thought I would be dealing with was actually ten fold. I wouldn't just have to see Professor Harte and deal with her most likely looking down on me now, but also people in my class knowing I'm the kid that tried to pick up my chemistry professor. There are probably so many people that think I'm just some sex-needy player now. I curl up in my bed feeling sorry for myself. Maybe Cecily was right and I'm just fooling myself. Maybe I do just want to have sex with Professor Harte and I'm just trying to justify my self-satisfaction. My anxiety is getting to me. It doesn't matter what people think. I already asked her out, there no going back now so I would just have to approach tomorrow with a high head. I lay for quite a while before I finally fall asleep, thankfully before the sun rose.