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13 Temmuz 2022, 11:39
Part 1 of 3: Face in the Crowd
Snow fell on the college campus. Exam week was almost over. Most of the students had already gone home to be with their families for the winter.
Linda, the history professor, walked towards her car. She was an elegant and respectable woman. She had recently been named chair of the history department, which was the highlight of her academic career. Guiding students had always been her passion in life.
A cold gust of wind blew and she shivered. On her way to the car, she saw a young female student sitting on the sidewalk wearing a sweater and jeans. The student was busy texting on a phone with her head down.
Linda took a few steps towards the student to get a better look at her face. It was unmistakable, the student was in Linda's most recent American history course. Linda recognized the student from her long thin arms and legs, her brown hair, and her upturned adorable nose. She was a cute girl with a face people could remember. The student couldn't have been older than 18 or 19, Linda estimated.
Linda was used to having over 100 students in a class, and most students simply became a face in the crowd which she couldn't possibly remember. But there was something recognizable about the young woman. There was something special about her.
"You're a student in my American history class, aren't you?" Linda asked.
The young student stopped texting and looked up at the professor to smile.
"Yeah, I am."
"What's your name?"
The student stood up and extended a hand shake.
"I'm Rebecca. My friends call me Becky. It's nice to finally talk to you in person, Professor."
"You can call me Linda. We're outside of class."
"Sure. It's so weird calling professors by their first names."
Linda smiled at the girl's politeness. "Did you just take a final exam?"
"I did," Becky replied. "I took your history exam. It was a little harder than I expected, but I think I did okay."
"You'll be fine. So what are you still doing here, Becky? It's freezing."
"I'm klutzy sometimes," Becky said playfully. "I got the dates mixed up when I booked my flight. I'm stuck here for a couple days and I was just texting my mom about it. I have to buy a new plane ticket soon."
"I know what that's like. We all make mistakes."
"Well, my mistake is costing me a lot of money. Like I said, I'm an idiot."
"If you were an idiot, you wouldn't be attending this university," Linda joked.
Becky nodded. "Good point, Professor. I mean, Linda."
"Anyway, it was nice talking to you. It's always good to see students outside of the classroom. I'm sure you did well on my exam."
"Thanks. Enjoy the holidays."
"You too. Bye."
They politely shook hands again, smiled at each other, and Linda turned to walk towards the parking lot. After a few steps, Linda looked back at the student, who continued to text on the phone. There was an innocence about the student standing in the cold that Linda simply couldn't ignore.
"Are you waiting for someone?" Linda asked. "It's so cold out here."
"I'm waiting for the bus, which apparently is going to take another 10 years to arrive."
Linda thought for a moment. "Come on, I'll give you a ride."
"Oh, no, I can't. I don't want to bother you."
"Where do you live?"
"In the apartment area, about 10 minutes that way," Becky said, pointing down the main street.
"It's no trouble. I'll give you a ride. I insist."
Becky smiled, put the phone in her pocket, and gladly followed the professor.
***
The drive to Becky's apartment was silent at first. Linda had violated her own personal rule of getting too close to students outside of campus, but she couldn't let the student sit in the freezing cold. It was unconscionable, so she made an exception.
"Do you live alone?" Linda asked while driving. "Or do you have a roommate?"
"I have a roommate. We've been close friends since high school. She left yesterday, so I'll be alone until I can get a flight out of here."
"I still remember being a college student. I shared a dorm with a roommate. Then later I lived alone. I preferred having a roommate. It was much more fun."
"You've got that right," Becky replied. "The next few days are going to be a real drag."
"You'll survive."
"What about you?" Becky asked. "I don't see a ring on your finger. Are you dating? Any kids?"
"I'm divorced. I have a son who's currently attending college on the other side of the state. He lives with his grandparents right now."
"So you live alone?"
"For the past two years, since he moved out."
"What do you do for the holidays then?"
"I drive to meet them on Christmas," Linda replied. "It's a three hour drive. On New Years, they drive down to my house."
"Sounds cool," Becky nodded.
"And you? What are your holiday plans?"
"Well, assuming I can get a ticket to go home, I'll spend the holidays with my parents and my younger sisters. Then I fly back here before izmit escort (https://hususu.com/) the next semester starts."
"That's great. Family is important."
A few moments passed and Becky pointed towards her apartment.
"There it is," Becky said. "Thank you so much for the ride. I really appreciate it."
Linda pulled over and parked the car.
"Don't mention it. It was really no trouble."
Becky got out of the car. "Take care! And enjoy the holidays!"
"You too. Email me if you need anything these next few days. The news reports say there's a small blizzard coming."
Becky smiled, "I might have to accept that offer. See you around!"
With that said, Becky closed the car door and quickly ran inside her apartment building as more snow began to fall. Linda watched the young student until she made it inside. Strangely, giving the college student a ride was the highlight of Linda's day. She enjoyed being around the exuberant young woman. It made her feel young again.
*****
Two days later. Linda spent her early morning at home with chores and work. She did some cleaning, cooking, and laundry. There was a large pile of student essays on her desk which she had already begun to grade.
Every so often, she would check her email, which she would receive a lot of. With the amount of students she had, it was common for her email to be flooded throughout the semester. After the semester had ended, most of her student emails were well-wishes and positive feedback.
An email caught her attention as she browsed through her account. It was titled, Thanks for the ride. She instantly knew it was from Becky. She clicked open the email:
Hi Professor,
It's Becky. You gave me a ride the other day when I was sitting in the cold waiting for the bus. Thanks again! It meant a lot to me. I also wanted to let you know that I was able to get a flight in three days. Unfortunately, all of my friends are gone and there's nothing to do since the weather is so bad. Are you interested in hanging out? I know you're busy but I'm sure you could use the company.
Let me know. If not, that's okay.
All the best,
Becky
A warm feeling came over Linda. She had been invited to socialize with students before, but she always declined. She never wanted to cross a certain line with students, no matter how much she enjoyed their company. But in this case, she was willing to make an exception. There was something attractive and alluring about Becky.
Moments later, Linda received a Facebook friend request from Becky, which came through her email. Linda went to her Facebook account and accepted the request. She then explored Becky's profile. The college student had a large album of photos, which confirmed what Linda already knew, that Becky was a free spirited young woman with a lust for life. Becky was pretty with girlish eyes and womanly lips. In a way, Linda found herself admiring the student's fun loving attitude.
Linda replied to the email after some thought:
Becky,
It's nice to hear from you. I'm glad you were able to get a flight so soon. I don't usually meet with students outside of campus but I have plenty of extra time this week and I would be interested. Let me know what works best for you.
Linda
Not long after the email was sent, Linda received an immediate reply from Becky, giving the location of a nearby restaurant so they could meet for lunch. Linda accepted the invitation.
***
Lunch was casual and friendly. Linda and Becky mostly made small talk as they ate their sandwiches. Afterwards, they both agreed that they had been spending too much time indoors for the past few days, so they bought some hot coffee and they took a short walk around the park.
It was another cold day, but this time, both of them were prepared for the weather. They both wore thick jackets and winter clothing. After a brief walk, they both sat down on a bench while they continued drinking their coffee.
"This was fun," Linda said. "I normally don't spend time with my students outside of campus."
"Why not?"
"It's not very appropriate in my opinion. The university also discourages this sort of thing. The Dean is afraid of lawsuits, you know, students suing claiming they were sexually harassed. It's happened before."
"I promise I won't file any complaints," Becky said playfully.
Linda smiled, "I didn't think you would."
"But seriously. You're a cool person. You're probably the best teacher I've ever had."
"Now you're just flattering me."
"I'm completely serious," Becky insisted.
"Well thank you. It's always nice to hear that."
"Have you always wanted to be a professor?"
"Ever since I was young," Linda replied. "I'm very lucky to be able to do what I love."
"That's great."
"What about you? Do you have any career goals?"
Becky thought for a moment. "I'm interested in anything involving communications. I've always been told that I'm great with interaction."
"I agree. You have a very endearing personality."
Becky izmit kendi evi olan escort (https://hususu.com/escort/izmit-kendi-evi-olan-escort) smiled, "Now you're the one trying to be flattering."
"I mean it," Linda smiled back. "You're enjoyable to be around. I've enjoyed your company. It's certainly better than staying at home all day with no one to talk to."
"Why are you still single anyway? You're really pretty, for your age."
Linda was slightly offended by the age comment, but she took it as a compliment nonetheless.
"I was married for a long time. We married right after college and I thought we were soulmates. But a few years ago, he decided to run off with someone else. A young woman from his office."
"That's horrible," Becky sighed.
"That's not even the worst part. The younger woman was a former student of mine. It was an extra kick in the gut for me. I couldn't believe it."
"He sounds like a real asshole."
"At the time I thought he was the perfect man. It was really hard for me to get over. I still don't think I'm fully over it yet."
"You're better off without him," Becky reassured. "Trust me, I know a lot about dating and relationships. If you put yourself back on the market, you'll have plenty of handsome men knocking on your door, despite your age."
Linda was once again miffed by the age comment, but she tried to ignore it.
"I've dated a little. I haven't been able to find the right connection with anyone though. Chemistry is extremely important for me, no matter how handsome the guy is."
"Have you tried women?" Becky asked.
"Excuse me?"
"Never mind. I'm just saying, it doesn't hurt to broaden your horizons."
Linda looked uncomfortable. "Maybe so. Anyway, it's starting to get cold. There's a snowstorm later tonight. Are you going to be okay? Do you want me to take you to the grocery store for any food? It's not a problem."
"I'll be fine. Really."
Linda saw the puppy dog look in Becky's eyes. The college student was saying one thing, but her eyes were saying something else.
"Are you sure?" Linda asked.
"Yeah. I'm okay. I just hope there isn't a power outage or else I'll be bored to death."
The college student continued with the innocent
Snow fell on the college campus. Exam week was almost over. Most of the students had already gone home to be with their families for the winter.
Linda, the history professor, walked towards her car. She was an elegant and respectable woman. She had recently been named chair of the history department, which was the highlight of her academic career. Guiding students had always been her passion in life.
A cold gust of wind blew and she shivered. On her way to the car, she saw a young female student sitting on the sidewalk wearing a sweater and jeans. The student was busy texting on a phone with her head down.
Linda took a few steps towards the student to get a better look at her face. It was unmistakable, the student was in Linda's most recent American history course. Linda recognized the student from her long thin arms and legs, her brown hair, and her upturned adorable nose. She was a cute girl with a face people could remember. The student couldn't have been older than 18 or 19, Linda estimated.
Linda was used to having over 100 students in a class, and most students simply became a face in the crowd which she couldn't possibly remember. But there was something recognizable about the young woman. There was something special about her.
"You're a student in my American history class, aren't you?" Linda asked.
The young student stopped texting and looked up at the professor to smile.
"Yeah, I am."
"What's your name?"
The student stood up and extended a hand shake.
"I'm Rebecca. My friends call me Becky. It's nice to finally talk to you in person, Professor."
"You can call me Linda. We're outside of class."
"Sure. It's so weird calling professors by their first names."
Linda smiled at the girl's politeness. "Did you just take a final exam?"
"I did," Becky replied. "I took your history exam. It was a little harder than I expected, but I think I did okay."
"You'll be fine. So what are you still doing here, Becky? It's freezing."
"I'm klutzy sometimes," Becky said playfully. "I got the dates mixed up when I booked my flight. I'm stuck here for a couple days and I was just texting my mom about it. I have to buy a new plane ticket soon."
"I know what that's like. We all make mistakes."
"Well, my mistake is costing me a lot of money. Like I said, I'm an idiot."
"If you were an idiot, you wouldn't be attending this university," Linda joked.
Becky nodded. "Good point, Professor. I mean, Linda."
"Anyway, it was nice talking to you. It's always good to see students outside of the classroom. I'm sure you did well on my exam."
"Thanks. Enjoy the holidays."
"You too. Bye."
They politely shook hands again, smiled at each other, and Linda turned to walk towards the parking lot. After a few steps, Linda looked back at the student, who continued to text on the phone. There was an innocence about the student standing in the cold that Linda simply couldn't ignore.
"Are you waiting for someone?" Linda asked. "It's so cold out here."
"I'm waiting for the bus, which apparently is going to take another 10 years to arrive."
Linda thought for a moment. "Come on, I'll give you a ride."
"Oh, no, I can't. I don't want to bother you."
"Where do you live?"
"In the apartment area, about 10 minutes that way," Becky said, pointing down the main street.
"It's no trouble. I'll give you a ride. I insist."
Becky smiled, put the phone in her pocket, and gladly followed the professor.
***
The drive to Becky's apartment was silent at first. Linda had violated her own personal rule of getting too close to students outside of campus, but she couldn't let the student sit in the freezing cold. It was unconscionable, so she made an exception.
"Do you live alone?" Linda asked while driving. "Or do you have a roommate?"
"I have a roommate. We've been close friends since high school. She left yesterday, so I'll be alone until I can get a flight out of here."
"I still remember being a college student. I shared a dorm with a roommate. Then later I lived alone. I preferred having a roommate. It was much more fun."
"You've got that right," Becky replied. "The next few days are going to be a real drag."
"You'll survive."
"What about you?" Becky asked. "I don't see a ring on your finger. Are you dating? Any kids?"
"I'm divorced. I have a son who's currently attending college on the other side of the state. He lives with his grandparents right now."
"So you live alone?"
"For the past two years, since he moved out."
"What do you do for the holidays then?"
"I drive to meet them on Christmas," Linda replied. "It's a three hour drive. On New Years, they drive down to my house."
"Sounds cool," Becky nodded.
"And you? What are your holiday plans?"
"Well, assuming I can get a ticket to go home, I'll spend the holidays with my parents and my younger sisters. Then I fly back here before izmit escort (https://hususu.com/) the next semester starts."
"That's great. Family is important."
A few moments passed and Becky pointed towards her apartment.
"There it is," Becky said. "Thank you so much for the ride. I really appreciate it."
Linda pulled over and parked the car.
"Don't mention it. It was really no trouble."
Becky got out of the car. "Take care! And enjoy the holidays!"
"You too. Email me if you need anything these next few days. The news reports say there's a small blizzard coming."
Becky smiled, "I might have to accept that offer. See you around!"
With that said, Becky closed the car door and quickly ran inside her apartment building as more snow began to fall. Linda watched the young student until she made it inside. Strangely, giving the college student a ride was the highlight of Linda's day. She enjoyed being around the exuberant young woman. It made her feel young again.
*****
Two days later. Linda spent her early morning at home with chores and work. She did some cleaning, cooking, and laundry. There was a large pile of student essays on her desk which she had already begun to grade.
Every so often, she would check her email, which she would receive a lot of. With the amount of students she had, it was common for her email to be flooded throughout the semester. After the semester had ended, most of her student emails were well-wishes and positive feedback.
An email caught her attention as she browsed through her account. It was titled, Thanks for the ride. She instantly knew it was from Becky. She clicked open the email:
Hi Professor,
It's Becky. You gave me a ride the other day when I was sitting in the cold waiting for the bus. Thanks again! It meant a lot to me. I also wanted to let you know that I was able to get a flight in three days. Unfortunately, all of my friends are gone and there's nothing to do since the weather is so bad. Are you interested in hanging out? I know you're busy but I'm sure you could use the company.
Let me know. If not, that's okay.
All the best,
Becky
A warm feeling came over Linda. She had been invited to socialize with students before, but she always declined. She never wanted to cross a certain line with students, no matter how much she enjoyed their company. But in this case, she was willing to make an exception. There was something attractive and alluring about Becky.
Moments later, Linda received a Facebook friend request from Becky, which came through her email. Linda went to her Facebook account and accepted the request. She then explored Becky's profile. The college student had a large album of photos, which confirmed what Linda already knew, that Becky was a free spirited young woman with a lust for life. Becky was pretty with girlish eyes and womanly lips. In a way, Linda found herself admiring the student's fun loving attitude.
Linda replied to the email after some thought:
Becky,
It's nice to hear from you. I'm glad you were able to get a flight so soon. I don't usually meet with students outside of campus but I have plenty of extra time this week and I would be interested. Let me know what works best for you.
Linda
Not long after the email was sent, Linda received an immediate reply from Becky, giving the location of a nearby restaurant so they could meet for lunch. Linda accepted the invitation.
***
Lunch was casual and friendly. Linda and Becky mostly made small talk as they ate their sandwiches. Afterwards, they both agreed that they had been spending too much time indoors for the past few days, so they bought some hot coffee and they took a short walk around the park.
It was another cold day, but this time, both of them were prepared for the weather. They both wore thick jackets and winter clothing. After a brief walk, they both sat down on a bench while they continued drinking their coffee.
"This was fun," Linda said. "I normally don't spend time with my students outside of campus."
"Why not?"
"It's not very appropriate in my opinion. The university also discourages this sort of thing. The Dean is afraid of lawsuits, you know, students suing claiming they were sexually harassed. It's happened before."
"I promise I won't file any complaints," Becky said playfully.
Linda smiled, "I didn't think you would."
"But seriously. You're a cool person. You're probably the best teacher I've ever had."
"Now you're just flattering me."
"I'm completely serious," Becky insisted.
"Well thank you. It's always nice to hear that."
"Have you always wanted to be a professor?"
"Ever since I was young," Linda replied. "I'm very lucky to be able to do what I love."
"That's great."
"What about you? Do you have any career goals?"
Becky thought for a moment. "I'm interested in anything involving communications. I've always been told that I'm great with interaction."
"I agree. You have a very endearing personality."
Becky izmit kendi evi olan escort (https://hususu.com/escort/izmit-kendi-evi-olan-escort) smiled, "Now you're the one trying to be flattering."
"I mean it," Linda smiled back. "You're enjoyable to be around. I've enjoyed your company. It's certainly better than staying at home all day with no one to talk to."
"Why are you still single anyway? You're really pretty, for your age."
Linda was slightly offended by the age comment, but she took it as a compliment nonetheless.
"I was married for a long time. We married right after college and I thought we were soulmates. But a few years ago, he decided to run off with someone else. A young woman from his office."
"That's horrible," Becky sighed.
"That's not even the worst part. The younger woman was a former student of mine. It was an extra kick in the gut for me. I couldn't believe it."
"He sounds like a real asshole."
"At the time I thought he was the perfect man. It was really hard for me to get over. I still don't think I'm fully over it yet."
"You're better off without him," Becky reassured. "Trust me, I know a lot about dating and relationships. If you put yourself back on the market, you'll have plenty of handsome men knocking on your door, despite your age."
Linda was once again miffed by the age comment, but she tried to ignore it.
"I've dated a little. I haven't been able to find the right connection with anyone though. Chemistry is extremely important for me, no matter how handsome the guy is."
"Have you tried women?" Becky asked.
"Excuse me?"
"Never mind. I'm just saying, it doesn't hurt to broaden your horizons."
Linda looked uncomfortable. "Maybe so. Anyway, it's starting to get cold. There's a snowstorm later tonight. Are you going to be okay? Do you want me to take you to the grocery store for any food? It's not a problem."
"I'll be fine. Really."
Linda saw the puppy dog look in Becky's eyes. The college student was saying one thing, but her eyes were saying something else.
"Are you sure?" Linda asked.
"Yeah. I'm okay. I just hope there isn't a power outage or else I'll be bored to death."
The college student continued with the innocent