OAKLYN
I will survive this.
That was going to be my mantra for the next few months. I’d worked late at Voyeur last night, then had classes, and now I was shoving a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in my mouth as I hauled ass across campus to the physics department. It was my first day there and I’d feel like a giant tool being late. Especially since I was only added on last minute by the grace of the worker in the bursar’s office.
Second day of classes and it already felt overwhelming, but I had to remember that it would even out, and I’d get used to the crazy schedule.
As I opened the large door to the cream stone building, I had to wonder if I’d run into Dr. Pierce. I couldn’t help but think about him. Remember the intensity of his light blue eyes, even more startling under the almost black hair, as he’d seemed to stare a hole right through me. I’d tried to ignore it, telling myself I was imagining things and he gave the same look to all his students, but it seemed impossible not to feel it.
A part of me had begun to wonder if I had something on my face. I’d even turned to ask Olivia, and she’d looked at me like I’d grown a third eye before quickly shifting her
attention back to Dr. Pierce. Not that I could blame her. He was extraordinarily attractive and young and not at all what I’d expected going into the first class of my second semester. I couldn’t help but wonder why he was a teacher, but immediately shut it down, feeling silly for thinking that someone so attractive should be living a bigger life.
He’d seemed to have a passion for the topic as he’d explained some of the things we’d cover. It made his intensity all the more distracting. At least the class would hold my attention if for no other reason than I’d like staring at his lips move as he spoke.
I almost hoped I didn’t see him in the department while I was scheduled to work. That way I wouldn’t have to face what might be developing into a silly crush on a far superior specimen—my professor.
With a smile on my face, I shook off my thoughts and pushed open the door to the main physics office. A heavy-set woman with white hair and a sweet smile greeted me from behind a desk.
“Hello. How can I help you, sweetheart?”
“Hi. I’m Oaklyn Derringer. I’m here to work as the student aide this semester.”
“Oh, of course.” She got up from behind her desk and walked around to greet me. “I’m Donna, the secretary for the department. Why don’t you set your stuff right here by my desk and I can show you around and introduce you.”
It was a fairly short tour. Only a small hallway on one side with three rooms, one of which was a conference room, and then another exit. On the other side was the dean of physics office, and in the middle of the two was the secretary’s desk in a small waiting area that held about four chairs and a plant.
“I’m so glad you’re here. We lost one of our older students last semester and weren’t sure if we’d get another. Physics tends to be a smaller community. Are you a physics major?”
“Oh, no. I’m a bio major with hope of doing physical therapy.”
“Well, goodness. What brings you here?”
I answered with a laugh. “Desperation?”
She made her way back around the desk and sat, chuckling at my response. “Either way, I’m happy to have another lady around here.”
I sat when she gestured to the seats closest to her desk and waited as she pulled up her computer.
“Let’s see. You’ll be assisting Mr. Erikson. He runs the labs, so you’ll help prepare and clean the supplies. And Dr.
Pierce.”
My heart both dropped and beat a little harder at hearing his name. But I tried to ignore it, not wanting to embarrass myself by stuttering or blushing or something equally as dumb.
“The other teachers tend to have student workers that they have worked with for a while. Hudson, the student who left, had helped Dr. Pierce the most, so you’ll be filling his shoes. But no worries, Dr. Pierce is a very kind man.”
“Did I hear my name?” a male voice called from the short hallway. And then, there he was. Tall and so broad his shoulders seemed close to touching each wall. He looked at Donna with a charming warm smile. One that you’d give your grandma.
“Sure did,” Donna said. “I was telling our new student aide how nice you are since she’ll be helping you and Mr.
Erikson this semester.”
She gestured toward me, and I offered the best smile I could muster, knowing it looked just as forced as it felt.
Deep breaths. Don’t blush. Do not blush!
His eyes swung to mine and he froze. Only for a moment, almost an unnoticeable moment, before he moved again and greeted me.
“Yes. Ms. Derringer. We met yesterday in class.” His smile was polite and distant, although I was certain he’d
had more of a reaction than he was currently showing.
“What brings you to work in the physics department?”
A part of me wanted to joke about desperation again, but I answered as truthfully as I could. “Just trying to pick up more hours to help with tuition.”
“Good. A hard worker.” He nodded his head and then turned back to Donna. “I have a meeting in ten minutes, but then I’ll be back. Is there any way you could copy these for me for tomorrow?”
“Of course, Dr. Pierce. I’ll make sure Oaklyn has them to you by this afternoon.”
He didn’t look my way again as he said thank you and disappeared behind the door with his name beside it.
“Well, let me take you down to Mr. Erikson. He’s in the lab equipment room. I’m sure he can get you situated and show you the ropes. When we’re done down there, I’ll show you how to work the copier.”
I followed Donna out of the office and down the hallway three doors before entering the equipment room. It was full of glass beakers and flasks, and machines I’d never seen before, nor had a clue what they did. Mr. Erikson was an easygoing guy, if not a little quiet and nerdy. He had thick glasses, a soft voice, and he stuttered over words sometimes. But I couldn’t complain. I preferred silence to a Chatty Cathy.
Mr. Erikson explained the rules and then left me with a sheet of paper to use to inventory the materials. Seventies rock music played softly in the background, and my time working seemed to fly by. Before I knew it, we’d inventoried the whole room and three hours had passed. Only a couple more, and I’d be able to head out for a night not filled with performances.
Waving goodbye to Mr. Erikson, I collected my backpack and headed down the hallway to make Dr. Pierce’s copies.
With a warm stack of papers in my hand, I knocked on Dr. Pierce’s door.
“Come in,” he said, his deep voice reaching through the door.
“I have those papers you asked for.”
He looked up from his work and stared at me through thick-rimmed glasses. “Oh. Yes. Thank you. If you just want to set them there, please.”
I placed the papers on the corner of his desk and stepped back, watching him shift them to line up with the edge of the desk.
“Nice glasses.”
“Thank you. I hate them. I’m twenty-nine and already need readers. Makes me look like an old man,” he said with a deprecating laugh.
“Hardly,” I chuckled. The word slipped from my lips without thinking it through. Swallowing hard, I looked down, unable to see his reaction. “Anyways, did you need anything else? I’m here for about another hour.”
His eyes flicked around the room like he was searching for tasks that may need to be done. “Actually, yes. I have those boxes of papers stacked over there. They’re already marked, but I need them alphabetized and filed away.”
My eyes widened when I saw the five filing boxes piled next to a cabinet. He must have noticed because he laughed and attempted to reassure me.
“You don’t need to get them all done today. Maybe just shoot for one box. A professor who retired last semester left me some of his journals and research files.”
“That’s a little bit more than some.”
“If you’d have seen the rest, you wouldn’t be saying that.
Boxes were stacked almost to the ceiling in his office. In multiple piles.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you only got away with five.
Otherwise, I’d be here until you retired.”
He laughed, and I became a little mesmerized by his smile. The creases in his cheeks. The small dimple in his chin a little more apparent as the skin stretched across it.
When he looked up, I averted my eyes, feeling like a child caught staring. “Well, I should get started then.”
We worked in a companionable silence for almost an hour. He would leave, but immediately return. Every once in a while, I’d turn to find him looking at me, and he’d just smile or nod before returning to his work. He probably just wanted to make sure I didn’t mess anything up. He seemed very meticulous. I’d look over and watch him shift a pen to line up with the paper, or make sure every piece of paper sat the same distance from the edge, just small things. I had to force myself to stop looking before I got caught staring again.
“Well, I’m heading out,” Donna said, popping her head in through the doorway. “Callum, don’t work this poor girl too hard.”
“But I thought you told me she was my indentured servant forever,” he said, furrowed eyebrows directed at Donna.
She narrowed her eyes back. “I would never,” she said, turning to wink at me. “Have a good night you two. Callum, I’ll see you tomorrow. Oaklyn, I’ll see you Friday?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Okay. Have a good night.”
When she left, Dr. Pierce leaned back in his seat and stretched his arms above his head. I had to pinch the skin between my forefinger and thumb to force myself to look away from how his light blue dress shirt stretched across his broad chest.
“I guess we should call it a night. Didn’t realize it was already after five.”
“Oh, wow. Time flies when you’re filing papers.”
“Most thrilling job out there.”
I liked his quick banter and easy responses.
“Thank god, since I’m going to be doing it forever as your indentured servant. Don’t lie, you actually have all those boxes stacked in a room waiting for me.”
He smiled and put his hands up. “You caught me.”
“Well, I’ll be back Friday to pick up where I left off.”
Before grabbing my things, I placed the lid back on the box and cleaned up my area.
“It’s late. Do you need an escort?” Dr. Pierce asked.
I giggled like an idiot, opening my mouth before thinking. “I’m good without a male escort.”
“Oh, uh. I . . . uh, didn’t mean it like that.”
“I know. Sorry, I have a weird sense of humor.” My cheeks burned from saying something so stupid to my teacher. But when I looked at him, red tinged his cheeks too. And he was still laughing.
“Next time I’ll definitely clarify. I’d hate for Donna to give me a speech on offering to be a male escort to a student. Don’t tell her, but she scares me a little.”
“Nonsense. Donna is an angel.”
“An angel who can put this whole office of males in their place.” We both laughed at the image. Once we’d gathered ourselves, he asked again more clearly. “Do you need someone to walk you to your car?”
“No, thank you. I’m just running to my friend’s dorm right across the way.”
He nodded. “Okay. Just be safe.”
And with a wave, I was out the door, having survived the first day working for Dr. Pierce without drooling all over him.
I walked the short distance to Olivia’s dorm and she greeted me, letting me in, before taking me to the common area with her other friends. Joining the study party, I pulled my books out knowing I wasn’t going to get anything done.
We started talking as soon as I sat down, and I had no doubt it would continue until I left.
“So, how was your first day in the physics department?
Did all the geeky guys fawn over you? Were there any hot geeky guys? Please tell me there were.”
I laughed at her rapid-fire questions. “I didn’t see any, but if I do, I’ll send them your way.”
“This is why we’re friends.” She raised her hand for a high-five and I obliged. “But really, how was it?”
“It was good. I helped with lab equipment and then I assisted Dr. Pierce for the rest of the afternoon.”
“Shut. Up,” one of the girls on the opposite couch said. I think her name was Sandy. “He’s so freaking hot. I seriously considered changing my major just for the opportunity to get close to him.”
“Well, be jealous, bitch. Because Oaklyn and I have him for Astronomy this semester,” Olivia taunted.
“Whore,” Sandy returned with a smile.
“I’ve heard he’s a manwhore,” the other girl said. “But totally reserved.”
“How would you know, Cindy?” Olivia asked.
“How could he not be? Girls throw themselves at him all the time. I’m sure he takes advantage.”
“But he’s a teacher. Surely, he wouldn’t do anything with a student,” Sandy said.
Cindy just shrugged her shoulders, letting her gossip lay wherever it fell. “The quiet ones are always the freakiest.
They have the biggest secrets.”
The girls moved on to another topic, but I couldn’t get past what they’d said. I didn’t think it was true about Dr.
Pierce. Sure, I’d caught him staring at me a few times, but it hadn’t felt sexual. Just intense.
My stomach fluttered thinking about it, so I shut it down. I had to work with him, and if rumors were already going around about him, I didn’t want to encourage more gossip.
