Lessee, Everfield Hall…
Cin might have known the way to EGP Field from anywhere in the continental US, but that did not extend to anywhere else on campus. There had been a tour yesterday evening, but well…
The tour group had just been lucky it hadn’t been this morning. Renee had probably led it.
She checked the map on her phone for the hundredth time since she’d left Martin. That was mostly nerves. She was pretty sure she knew where she was going.
She turned a corner, and there it was, if street view was to be believed. Everfield Hall, housing the department of Kinesiology and Biomechanics.
Cin pushed through the double doors, and into her academic career.
There were halls off either side of the foyer, likely leading to the actual research areas of the building or small classrooms, but her destination was straight ahead, Eir Amphitheatre.
She checked her phone one last time: a full five minutes early. Excellent for her.
She forged forward once more, opening the doors and finding herself at the top of an inverse-cone style amphitheater, though that shape was bisected by the lectern and huge projection screen that made up the teaching area.
Normally, Cin would be perfectly happy plopping her fine ass down in the back and taking notes from the screen.
She was halfway to doing just that, when she noticed something that meant she was going to have to be a front row girlie, at least for today.
Raven black hair, dyed such a pretty blue at the tips.
Cait grinned, and started down the stairs towards Renee.
There was an open seat next to the girl; obviously, no-one sits in the front row, and Cin took it, starting to lean over the stupid little desk between them to tease her when–
Renee’s hand rose, brushing a strand of silky black hair behind her ear, face staying totally, perfectly focused on the book she was doing nerdy-ass pre-class notes on.
And she was stunning.
Holy shit she’s so pretty…
And as much as she wanted to make fun of her, that effort was earnest.
She was doing the same things Cin had to do, to succeed, she was just doing it honestly, in public, no shame, no trying to look cool.
Cin realized her pulse was absolutely racing, as she watched pretty pink lips mouth a particularly difficult concept.
No. No, fuck you, Cin said, directly to her feelings. I am not falling for the… goddamn, three already? 3rd girl I’ve slept with. No. No. Nope.
She pushed all that right the fuck down, and leaned over to that recently exposed and oh so vulnerable ear.
Renee actually had an industrial. Edgier than she expected. Cute.
“Pst,” Cin whispered, drawing a sharp breath of surprise from Renee, pretty blue eyes turning to face her, lips closer than either of them had expected.
Cin smiled.
“Wanna make out?”
Renee’s brow furrowed with a scowl far more adorable than she probably intended.
“Didn’t I say too give me–”
Her scowl deepened, and Cin saw math going on behind those eyes.
“Ugh,” Renee said after a second. “You’re actually in this class, aren’t you?”
“You sound disappointed. Hoping I was stalking you?”
“Worried you were stalking me!” Renee hissed back. Cheeks were a little pink though. “How are you even in this class! It has pre-reqs, freshman.”
Cin smile just kept getting bigger.
“And I have more AP credits than… I don’t have an ending for that hyperbole.”
“... heh. Credit for knowing what it’s called,” Renee said.
“I’m actually not sure it is. Sounds right, not an English major.”
Renee chuckled and sat back, but that scowl had definitely changed to a faint grin. She chewed her lip in thought for a second.
“Kinesiology, right? Pre-PT?” She asked.
Cin’s eyebrows rose, along with the corners of her lips. Both surprised and a little touched.
“Remember that for everyone on the floor, or just me?” She asked, and Renee rolled her eyes.
“Sorry to burst your bubble, but probably could do it for everyone. I take this pretty seriously.”
Cin was gonna be mean. Couldn’t resist. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
“Yeah, that’s what I like about you. You have such a personal touch with your students.”
From cute pink to cherry red in a second, those cheeks were getting a workout.
She opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off before she could when a lecturer neither of them had even noticed enter the room cleared her throat.
Renee’s mouth snapped shut, and she took the out, turning to face their professor.
Cin smiled, sat back, and put her arm over the back of Renee’s chair.
“See?” Cin said stretching after sitting for an hour and a half as the assorted students all collected their shit and got out. “Aaaaaaallll syllabus.”
Renee stretched too, a frankly tectonic effort with her chest’s accoutrements. She looked nonplussed at Cin.
“Know what probably wasn’t ‘all syllabus’?”
Cin frowned.
“What?”
“Honor’s Seminar. The class you missed.”
“... do you know everyone’s schedule? That actually seems like a breach of privacy.”
Renee gave a little wiggle that said ‘maaaaaybe!’ before quickly following it up with “Naaaah. It’s every Honor’s freshman’s first class.”
“Shit. Am I gonna get in trouble for that?”
“I–”
“Before you answer, totally worth it.”
Renee scowled. Shit-damn that was cute every time.
“I mean, your Honors mentor won’t be happy, but…” for the first time, Cin saw what it looked like when Renee was smug. “I bet it was worth it, yeah.”
She swung her bag over her shoulder, walked up the stairs, and out the door.
Man. The view from the back really wasn’t bad.
My life rules.
“Miss Amie?”
Cin turned, finding their lecturer standing over her.
Frankly, if it hadn’t been for the nerdy little goddess sitting next to her, giving her feelings and shit, Cin’s entire focus would have been ruined in this class.
Professor Ahrman was the kind of athletic, slim-thick MILF you saw in porn games, not real life.
Dark red lips curled up in a smile that the look in her almost-black eyes said was not genuine. She held out a perfectly manicured hand for Cin to shake.
Cin took it. Grip callouses. Professor Ahrman worked for that body.
“Professor Fliss Ahrman,” she said, and it was odd how a tone so pleasant could carry so much threat. “I thought I should introduce myself, seeing as it’s just such an oddity!”
“... oh?” Cin asked, again, sensing danger.
That lip curled up enough to reveal some nice white teeth, and that smile was starting to look more like a sneer.
“Yes, I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve had an Honors student miss my first seminar without so much as a doctor’s note.”
Cin’s heart fell into her sneakers.
“Oh… shit.”
“Mmm. Eloquent.”
“...”
“...”
“I’m sorry?” Cin winced.
“Heh. Actually the right thing to say, provided you don’t have a good excuse,” Professor Ahrman smirked.
She really had the kind of mature beauty that had aged like wine. Sure, her face had a few more lines, but they only served to accentuate her smile against her olive skin.
But Cin couldn’t help it. That grin just broke loose.
“Oh, I have a really good excuse,” she said.
Professor Ahrman’s eyes flicked up, following the path Renee had taken out of the theatre. She squinted, then shook her head, obviously dismissing the thought. Follow the newest chapters on novelping dot com.
“Her? No way…”
She collected herself, and fixed Cin with a glare that probably really did work on most people. It just made Cin kinda hard, but she shifted her messenger bag to hide that. Didn’t seem like it would help right now.
“I don’t think I want to hear it, Miss Amie,” she continued, apparently correctly reading the lascivious look on Cin’s face. “look, it’s not a huge deal. Bad look, but your first weekend at college can be rough, and I’m supposed to be a mentor so I’m going to let it slide, this time.”
She reached over into the bag at her side, rummaging around until she came out with a sheaf of papers.
“Here, the morning’s handouts. You’re lucky I’m messy, hadn’t cleaned out my bag yet. Consider it an olive branch.”
Cin looked Professor Ahrman over once more. She doubted anyone had ever called her ‘messy’.
Cin reached up, taking the papers.
Or she tried to. The professor’s grip stayed firm.
Cin looked to her, finding a conflicted expression on the woman’s fine features.
She stuck her tongue out a little when she was thinking.
Cute.
After a moment, she sighed, fixing Cin’s eyes with her own.
“Listen, Cin, I’m never sure if I should say anything, but fuck it. Your incoming academic record and your letters of recommendation to the Honors program are stellar, and shockingly genuine. You may be worth risking a little wrath.”
She steeled herself, taking a breath and releasing the papers. Cin took them, putting them away, and returning her attention to the woman. She was intrigued.
“I, like almost everyone else on campus, follow the GockU insta feed. That means I, like almost everyone else, have seen your highlight reel. Very impressive.”
“Thank you!”
“You’re welcome. Not finished. I think it is extremely likely that you will become one of Cordello’s ‘special cases’.”
“... oh shit, he’s not an Epstein is he?”
“What? HAH! No, no, nothing so sinister. Best of intentions, in fact, if misguided. The Coach’s ‘special cases’ enjoy, shall we say, a certain degree of academic levity. Essentially, he will make it very easy for you to neglect your studies to focus on your sport. I implore that you do not. No matter how much raw talent you have, no matter how much you improve, life happens, Miss Amie. You can get hurt. You can lose a step. You may simply be unlucky and not be what any professional team needs, regardless of skill. You need an education to fall back on.”
It was a good speech. It reminded Cin of her English teacher back in High School, Mrs. White. The first person to really take her under her wing after what was effectively a lust induced psychotic break.
Cin owed the world to that woman, and she’d want her to listen to Professor Ahrman.
She gave her a soft, reassuring smile.
“Don’t worry. I actually am here to learn… among other things. I know the odds. Two questions for you though.”
“Oh?”
She kept her smile sweet for the first.
“One, any chance I could get you to call me Cin, Fliss?”
“Hah! We will stick with hornorifics and family names for now, Miss Amie.”
Cin chuckled with her, but let a little more sex creep into her grin for the next.
“Fine, fine. Makes number 2 a long shot, but… any chance you give private lessons?”
Professor Ahrman’s scowl did not reach her eyes. Didn’t last long either. She was smirking when she spoke.
“I do, actually.”
She held a finger up in front of Cin’s parting lips.
“But, Miss Amie, you will have to work on those wandering eyes of yours, before I’m in a room alone with you again. Maybe start off by coming to seminar, hmm?”
Cin laughed, nodding. She stood, grabbing Professor Ahrman’s bag and swinging it over her shoulder.
“Will do. Now come on, I got this on the stairs for you, can’t be easy with your back.”
“How did you know…”
Cin smirked over her shoulder, eyes meeting Fliss’ face, and straying down to her chest.
“Wandering eyes, lucky guess.”
Announcement In case you're wondering, I *did* ask Suki if I could name this building and lecture hall after everyone's favorite Chimera Summoner