LOVE“You are so unlucky.” Jessica bellowed. She has been laughing like a hyena since I told her everything. “Like I don’t know. I even went to the department, get them to change my name to someone else's. Do you know what they told me?” She wiped her teary eyes, a smile on her face, ready to laugh more if that be the case. “I am quoting everything verbatim from here on. ‘The nomination came directly from the head of department, and to change it, you need to write to the head of department, but through..’, I have forgotten the names of the people he mentioned, but they were up to ten, and they will help me present my case to the head of department. If he doesn’t approve, then it won’t happen.” She laughs until she is unable to breathe, I let her be. It was a little funny to me as well. “You can start drafting your letter now.” She tells me between spiels of laughter. “Each person has to take at least a day to review the letter before passing it to the next pe

ATTRACTION I let it ring to the end once more, promising myself that if he does call again, I will accept the call. Otherwise, we will see each other tomorrow. So why do I feel nothing but sweet relief when I see his call come in again? I meet Jessica's eyes and they are burning with curiosity. “If you don’t accept it this time as well..”I accept the call whilst she is still talking, her words screech to a halt and she gives me a thumbs up. “Hello?” I fake a sleepy voice.Ignoring the raised brows from both Jessica and Cecilia, I concentrate on the words. “Did I wake you up?” His voice was soft and tinged with concern. Warmth spread all over my body and i can’t help but feel giddy from hearing his voice. “Sort of.” My reply is breathless.“Sorry, I should have waited till tomorrow.” I know that he feels terrible since he comes off as inconsiderate. I can almost see him run his hands through his hair. “It's okay.” “How is Prudy? Where was she when y

HUG I don't speak of what happened earlier in his office. I don’t tell Jessica that I jacked off on my professor's table. Neither do i tell her that he knows about it, and i ran away from his office with my face a deep shade of red. When I get back to the hoyse; I find Sarah there with Jessica and Prudy. “Hey mommy!” Prudy greets.I say quick hellos and rush to my bedroom; I had to change out of the clothes that smelled like sex. “What's the rush?” Jessica calls out but I shut the door in her face. “Are you okay?”“Yeah.. a tummy ache.” I say when she wouldn’t go away. “Diarrhoea? Did you eat something bad?” I wince.“Maybe. I took meds though. It should settle down soon enough.” She says she will be out in the living room and to call her if I needed her. I agree, just so she leaves. Scrubbing my body until I am red and raw; the images still play in my mind. I can still see his mouth form the words; and his eyes on my mess on the table. “F

HEAT“I have a few questions. Why are you freaking out?” He looks at me like he cannot believe that I don’t understand our situation. “We are locked in here all night. And we both left our phones back in my office. So we will be stuck here all night long.” I didn’t take him to be one of the digital addicts who couldn’t go a night without their phone but I won’t judge. “We can’t call for help from here; we are really here till the doors are reopened in the morning.” He explained. “You said your thoughts out loud.” Well dang it. I hope I don’t do more of that tonight. “This was supposed to be an all nighter right? So what if they lock us in?” “You have a kid to look after. I wasn’t really planning an all nighter. Just a few hours. Okay maybe I was planning an all nighter, but I changed my mind.” My eye brows scrunch together. “Jessica is with Prudy. Why did you change your mind?”He gives me a look that tells me that I am supposed to know his reasons.

CONFESSION“You look like you been through it.” Jessica says when I walk in. I felt like I had been through it. My entire body felt like lead. I had to drag myself all the way here this morning. “Sarah? Prudy?” I fall on the sofa, my bones creaked as I do. My eyes felt gritty from lack of sleep. “Sleeping. What happened to you? You went to surf and never came back. You never answered our calls nor returned them. Even the professor. I was about to call the cops..” I miss the rest of her rant, my eye lids shut and would not unstick. When they finally do, it is hours later I guess. Since I can hear Prudy's laugh. “Good gracious. She finally woke up.” Jessica was walking into the house, fully dressed. “Did you go somewhere?”“Work.”“Did you have a nice rest?” Sarah asks, walking out of the kitchen and wiping her hands. “Yeah. It smells amazing, what did you make?” She gave me her motherly smile; “Poached salmon, grilled vegetables. Unfortunately, I ca