Chalk in hand, an idea suddenly dawns on him. He looks up searching his mind and then exclaims "oh, yes!" and as if forgetting where he is, walks to and fro in quick steps. He suddently races across the stage to the other side of the chalkboard and with messy but legible handwriting, he scrolls something down. "You see?"
"Yes... " he says looking around the room. The students say nothing. He explains further. Marina hears half his words and studies his body. Every once in a while, he looks over at Marina. She straightens up in her seat and pretends as if she were listening. The instant he looks away, she trains her eyes back onto his body frame. He is slender, his hands turning pinker and pinker as he writes and writes on the chalkboard. The green veins on his arms stick out violently as he becomes more riled up and excited about the lesson he is teaching. It is his lesson.
Marina wonders if he has that kind of enthusiasm in bed. "I bet he's a passionate lover, " Marina thinks and then notices his electric blue eyes glancing at her. Suddenly blanking out her mind and then feeling guilty for not paying attention, Marina studies what he has written on the board and then copies it onto her notes.
* * *
The sun pelts the cement ground with a vengeance. Waves of heat crash against the buildings. The soles of her shoes grow hot. Marina makes her way to the office building. She fights the double doors open. She drags herself to the front desk.
"I am here to see Professor ------- "
"Do you have an appointment?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Through that door, " says the lady and then points. The door beeps and swings open. There is the sound of laughter interrupting a conversation in one of the open office doors. She makes her way further down the hall. Swinging her backpack around, she scrounges through the pockets for that paper. Looking. Looking. There! His office number is 312. "I have to go upstairs, "she thinks, "I wonder if he has a view. If he saw me walking up to the building..."
"Nah..." she says out loud.
To the elevator at the end of the hall. The doors drawl open and ease shut before her as the laughing someone steps out of an office down the hall where the conversation noise had been. "3rd floor, " she says, pressing her finger to the button below the 3. It lights up. Marina's knees become weak with unbearable anticipation. What will he say? Will he even be in his office? Shoosh...! Stop thinking. Just wait for the elevator to get there. Feet heavy on the floor. The cables slow. And the doors open after an unbearable wait. Stepping off the elevator, she sees him walking head cocked slightly to the left and forward walking to his office and then disappearing behind a corner. She steps out from the elevator because it is starting to growl at her for standing in the doors too long. Okay. Just here to ask questions. Calm down.
She steps forward cautious, because he may come back. She follows his path round the left corner. Did he see me?
"I don't think..." she whispers under her breath.
She looks to the left. 310. To the right. 311. To the left again.
"Hullo."
"Hello," she says in reflex, nerves as stiff as a pencil snapping.
He looks up from his desk and so does the boy in front of him. Marina blushes.
"Are you here to see me too?"
"Yeah, yes um... do you want me to wait outside?"
"Have a seat." He points to the chair next to the boy whom she recognizes from class. She walks forward into his office, hoping she does not look as nervous as she feels. Placing her backpack on the floor, she plops into the seat.
"So what was your question?"
"Oh, number 4, do I have to... "