Chapter 3 The Prof

• Kara finished her laps around the track and maintained her pace as she headed for the sidewalk. Her legs really wanted to slow down but it felt good to push herself just a little harder. The November air was already cool, keeping her comfortable during her run. The great trees lining her street made a beautiful green canopy. Living in Wild Oaks, South Carolina had some advantages in terms of weather.
• Up ahead, she noticed her neighbor approaching. He saw her too, but he looked down and began tapping at his phone.
• Kara smiled to herself. Three months of avoiding eye contact! She didn't know if it was personal, cultural, or just introversion, but there was something funny about it. She found the young man's shyness, if that's what it was, rather endearing. She thought he was rather nice looking. He was a little taller than her and had a lean, active build. His tawny skin and features suggested some South Asian ancestry. He had (what Kara imagined was) an innocent expression in his soft brown eyes. He wore jeans, sneakers, and a gray t-shirt under a red jacket. She didn't know much about him. She thought they might have mutual acquaintances. She had once spotted him with some friends of hers, but she had been in a rush to cover for another TA that morning and didn't stop to chat. One of these days she'd have to ask Jules who he was.
• Since they had already made eye contact, Kara put on a polite smile and raised her hand as she passed. This time he actually looked up and smiled back, albeit awkwardly, which pleasantly surprised her.
• *
• Kara made it back to her apartment, where she freed herself as quickly as possible from her damp workout clothes and turned the shower on full. While the water warmed up, she loosened her dark auburn hair from its bedraggled ponytail.
• Out of habit, she avoided looking at herself in the mirror. Far too early in life, she had been subject to inappropriate comments on her figure. It didn't take long before she had started to hide under baggy clothes and a lack of effort. Hiding had helped some, but it had also, unfortunately, led to her not really wanting to notice her own body. She admired women who had the strength to dress for themselves and handle unwanted attention just fine. Kara, however, was not the sort of woman who had the comfort or patience to teach anyone manners. That, coupled with a few bad relationships, had left her with a preference for the safety that came with solitude. It was easy enough to throw herself into her work. For her, being alone was a deliberate choice. Except when it wasn't. The loneliness sucked.
• She knew her body was improving from where she'd been even two years ago, but she still had a conflicted relationship with it. Her skin was pale enough that it was almost snowy white, a trait inherited from her Irish ancestors, but now she didn't dislike it as much as she once did. Besides, there was not much she could do about the shade of her skin without burning herself. Her body was more round than lean, with wide hips, a generous bust, and a backside to match. Even with her workouts, she didn't have any visible ab muscles to speak of, but she thought the soft, smooth shape of her belly was rather nice. Her sex was waxed, save for a strip of hair. Getting waxed regularly was something she did for herself. It was a delicious indulgence. She was actually proud of her legs now. No longer the short, pudgy things she'd had as a girl, they had finally lengthened into a more elegant, womanly shape. Sometimes she dreamed of being brave enough to show them off in something short and clingy along with a pair of fuck-me heels.
• Kara finally stepped into the steamy shower. She lingered, enjoying the feel of her lathered hands on her body. Frustration simmered just below her skin. It had been more than a year since her last real relationship and she didn't care for the more temporary kind. She wasn't opposed to hookups in principle, but she really craved an emotional connection with someone before inviting them into her bed. She needed to trust.
• Her fingertips traced circles over her nipples, under her breasts, then down her stomach. She'd been a little turned on all day, thanks to something she had been reading earlier. In between her regular translation work, she had discovered the private journal of a young noble lady who lived through the French Revolution. It was a treasure for historians such as herself, especially the rare sections that hinted at court gossip, but Kara had found herself distracted by the more personal side of the story.
• It began as the diary of an ordinary, if slightly silly, 18 year old girl (although in that century, that girl was already a lady with expectations and responsibilities). The diary had notes about the young lady's country house and her favorite horse and and her friends and favorite games and who was seen at whose bedroom door late at night. Later entries turned to more private thoughts, mostly to do with a handsome young man who worked the stables. The entries that followed described, in vivid detail, scandalous liaisons with said stable boy. The most fascinating page was one Kara hoped to corroborate. If true, it would make a great chapter for her own book. Apparently this young woman stopped an enraged mob in its tracks by disrobing completely and climbing out on to the roof of her father's estate. She stood there in full view of the crowd below, and once she had their full attention, pleaded for a truce. Appeased with food, practical goods, and valuables, the crowd eventually dispersed in peace. How Kara had never come across this story in any other texts from that time period remained a mystery.
• Kara, still under the running water and not thinking at all like a scholar, began to imagine herself in a stable in 18th century France. Her thoughts drifted to strapping young men with long, dark hair and open shirts, the type of men who took shocking liberties with rosy-cheeked noble ladies who were supposed to be saving themselves. Kara braced against the shower wall as she imagined being pinned against the wall of a stable. The young man's strong hands lifted her voluminous skirt. She bit her lower lip as his fingers found their way into the wet slit between her legs. With his forehead to hers and the two of them sharing warm breath, his middle finger probed deeply into her forbidden depths. Kara's own fingers slid in and out of her cunt, simulating his violation. And...
• It wasn't working. She wanted to come. She needed to come and just couldn't. Kara sighed raggedly, slapped the shower wall in frustration, and rinsed off.
• * * * * *
• 10:14 PM.
• Don't do it. Don't look. It's so wrong.
• Nate sat at a small desk in a dimly lit room, his face illuminated only by the glow of a laptop screen and a dull green desk lamp. His typing came in short bursts of activity. The young man's otherwise handsome face was fixed into a frown and his eyebrows creased in concentration. Today's lab notes, endless columns of numbers and times on an open page beside the keyboard, just looked like abstract lines and circles on the page. Instead, the mental image of a nude goddess with auburn hair occupied his thoughts. Below the desk, his cock twitched in anticipation. He took a deep breath through his nose and tried to ignore the tightening sensation in his pants. Just because an opportunity to get away with something was right there didn't mean he had to—
• It's Thursday. She's probably home.
• His hand went to the corner of the blinds and very discreetly moved them aside. Oh good, she's not there. She's probably— damn.
• The object of his preoccupation was in her bedroom, framed by the outline of a glass door to a narrow second story balcony within perfect view of his own window. Nate watched as the woman across the street peeled off her t-shirt and unhooked her bra, exposing her perfectly rounded, pale breasts and pink nipples. He felt guilt and arousal rise in equal amounts as she unzipped her jeans, pulling them down with her underwear over the ample curve of her ass. He imagined what it would taste like to run his tongue along one cheek and up to that small divot at her lower back. His cock stiffened and his lips parted as she bent over to search through a dresser drawer.
• It reminded him of the second time he'd ever seen her. He had been lying in bed, trying to sleep, when a flicker of movement outside caught his eye. He had watched, transfixed, as she pulled out a massager, laid back on the bed, and spread her long, shapely legs over the edge. He continued to watch with utter fascination as she slipped a finger into her crease and teased her clit as she slowly brought herself to climax. He'd come harder that night than he had since he was a teenager.
• Tonight, he just watched as she wiggled into a pair of pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt and left the room.
• He couldn't believe he had actually smiled at her today. If only she knew the thoughts going through his mind every time they crossed paths. Nate often wondered about her. He had seen her some mornings, headed to the campus at about the same time as him. He didn't think she was a student; she seemed more sure of herself. He doubted she was old enough to be a professor. Grad student like himself, maybe? He couldn't be certain, but he really didn't think she knew she had been exposing herself to him for months. They each lived on the second floor of converted houses on the corner of a quiet street. He reasoned that the large oak in her yard probably blocked the view of her window from most directions, other than his own. But how could she not know she was showing off everything? The glass door didn't have any curtains or blinds. Maybe she thought being on the second floor gave her immunity to not-so-casual observation? Maybe she thought his window didn't have a view because it didn't quite line up? Who knew.
• Although his ego would have loved the idea that she was seducing him, he admitted to himself that probably wasn't the case. The few "hellos" they'd had in passing were friendly enough but nothing special. Nate had no problem talking to girls, but when he'd seen her after that first glorious night, he'd responded to her morning greeting by staring at her while he felt the heat rising in his cheeks. He hoped he had stammered something that sounded like "hi" in return before fixing his attention elsewhere. Her greetings had become less frequent since then.
• He knew the right thing to do would be to tell her she desperately needed drapes, but he had no idea how to even start that conversation.
• "Hi, I'm a total creep who's been watching you undress for months. I especially like the nights when you get off where I can see you. So hot."
• He had thought of leaving her an anonymous note, but that struck him as even more creepy somehow. Or was he justifying his own need to watch her tantalizing body every night?
• With a frustrated sigh, he gave up on work for the night, stripped off his own clothes, and stretched out in the bed. His hand drifted lazily down to his cock, now hot and aching for relief. In his fantasies, he was in that bed with her, and she was on her knees between his legs. She smiled, leaned over, and her supple lips gently parted to allow him in.
• * * * * *
• The next day, Kara spent her productive energy on anything but that one journal. The more distracted she was, the better. Evening arrived before she knew it and she was forced to get up and turn on a few lights.
• Outside, she could already hear cars filling the street as people headed to the game. It wouldn't be long before traffic was too congested to move through town, let alone down her street. Tonight's football game was a big one, but Kara paid no attention to it. Her plans involved a simple homemade pizza (because there was zero chance of getting delivery) and finishing up the last several episodes of a favorite tv show.
• *
• Hours later, Kara sat curled up on her sofa, eyes wide in terror as she stared at the tv screen.
• Oh my god. He had the poison all along! He's going to —
• "YEEEAAAHHH!" Riotous yelling outside suddenly interrupted whatever was about to happen on the tv. At the same time, about five thousand cars started honking at random intervals.
• Oh, goddammit.
• She had been so fixated on the show that she hadn't heard things building up outside until it was too late. Kara gritted her teeth, paused the show, and went over to the nearest window.
• Cars jammed the roadways and huge packs of people wound down the sidewalks. The crowd bounced, danced, and waved school banners. Kara knew she should have had a little pride. She knew there was a story behind the victory — something about a grudge and a championship that the other team had held for years. Maybe she was a little bit glad, but honestly, it was just football. She couldn't bring herself to care too much.
• *
• An hour later, Kara waited patiently in the bed and distracted herself with her phone, because the noise outside continued on. Every once in a while, she looked out to see if there was any sign of things breaking up. The streets were clearing, but one group of twenty or so had set up an impromptu celebration on "her" lawn. From what she could tell, some stopped there because they were waiting for roads to clear and others joined in from the apartments nearby. Now it looked like no one was going anywhere, since some brilliant person decided to go get the beer they were planning to drink later. She wondered if any of them would find a home tonight or if she was going to wake up to a pile of disgusting bodies on the front lawn in the morning.
• Apart from the use of car stereos as AV systems and the yelling, they weren't such an offensive bunch. Most seemed friendly enough, except for a handful of guys on the edge of the crowd who were getting a little out of control. Kara was starting to get a bad feeling about them. She had called in a report earlier, just in case they decided to get ugly, but the police had been a long time in coming, which didn't surprise her, given that the entire local force was probably out directing traffic and arresting drunks.
• The group on the edge were yelling loudly enough to be heard over the music. Kara opened her window a crack to hear what they were saying.
• "— SWEAR TO GOD, THE NEXT PERSON WHO COMES THROUGH HERE WEARING GREEN IS GOING TO EAT THE CURB!" This was answered with unanimous agreement and a few laughs. Green was the rival team. Green was bad.
• Kara rolled her eyes. She decided to sit up and watch the crowd, just in case anything interesting happened. She had two windows in the corner, on the opposite side of room from her balcony. They were close together, giving her a nice view of the intersection below. Spotting movement out the other window, where things were dark and quiet, she noticed a familiar figure. Her neighbor was walking home by himself. He looked to be in a fairly good mood, with a slight bounce in his walk and a pleasant smile. As he passed under a streetlight, Kara gasped.
• Is he wearing green?!
• She stared hard at his sweatshirt, trying to figure out exactly what shade it was. In a few moments, he would be at the corner and in full sight of the party happening on the corner. Kara fumbled with the clasp on the window and pulled it up.
• "Hey! Hey you! Don't go over there! Stop!" He didn't hear her. She just sounded like part of the crowd. She wished she had another name to yell besides "Hey, you".
• Kara had to do something. This was going to end badly. Suddenly, a dangerous thought hit her.
• Oh god, no. This is such a bad idea. I shouldn't do this. I— shit.
• Before she could reason with herself, she raced to her balcony, clumsily tearing her clothes off at the same time. It wasn't difficult, since she was in pajamas and braless. Her heart raced with sheer panic as she turned the handle of her balcony door and stepped outside — completely nude.
• Nothing happened at first, except the chill in the air stole what comforting warmth she had left. There she was, standing on her balcony in the buff and no one down below had noticed.
• The tree! A few branches partially blocked the view from below and the party was mostly off to her right. She glanced to her side, studying the small ledge that wrapped around the building. It wasn't big enough to stand on without aid, but maybe if she held on to the drain pipe...
• This is insane.
• Kara gingerly stepped over the wrought iron balcony railing and on to the four inches of brick that jutted out from the side of the building. She held tightly to the drain pipe with both hands, then flipped around to scoot further down.
• On the corner, the guys causing trouble had already spotted her nameless friend. "Oh, that's it," one of them growled. He strode up to his intended victim and grabbed him with one hand by the scruff of his offending sweatshirt.
• Kara realized belatedly that she was still holding on to her t-shirt. She waved it in circles over her head and yelled as loud as she could.
• "HEY! ASSHOLES!"
• In less than two seconds, everyone down there figured out where to look. With her legs and arms stretched out, Kara was suddenly very aware of what she was putting on display. The cool night breeze kept her nipples firm and dark pink. Below, it licked and cooled the moisture between her legs and played with the tuft of hair on her mons. Everything else was bare. A couple of the guys right below her must have had a very nice view. Kara tried to remember to breathe.
• The reaction from the crowd was all in favor; the air filled with cheers, whistles, and applause.
• "WOOOOO! YEAH!"
• "ALRIGHT!"
• "C'mon, baby! Jump! I'll catch you!"
• Well, it worked. The guys who were about to start a fight turned their rapt attention to the naked girl splayed out above. While they were busy ogling, Kara caught her neighbor's gaze. Go! Go! She insistently mouthed the word at him and made a small shooing motion with her free hand.
• It took Nate a moment to realize she was talking to him. He was too busy staring up at her in shock. Like waking from a dream, he abruptly realized why she was doing this. He was about to make his escape, when he noticed his belligerent antagonist pulling out a phone and drunkenly trying to open the camera.
• Nate snatched it out of his hand and quickly backed up.
• "... the fuck?!" The bigger guy clenched his teeth as he moved steadily on his target, now intent on retrieving his phone in the most painful way possible.
• Nate grinned and held the phone up. "You want this? Go long!" He hurled the phone down the street as hard as he could and, while it was still midair, he took off running in the opposite direction. He heard it land with an ominous crack but he didn't dare waste precious milliseconds by looking behind him.
• The scene below took place so quickly that Kara barely had time to process everything. The lights of a police car flashed in the distance. Wasting no time, she climbed back on to the balcony, hoping that her round, pale backside wasn't spotted by police before she managed to get to safety. Down below, those who had the presence of mind to be elsewhere did so. A single whoop of the police siren signaled that the party was over.
• Inside, Kara slumped against a wall. She covered her mouth with her hands and laughed silently. Oh. My. God. Oh my god. I can't believe I just did that. Her stomach flipped with nervous excitement. To her surprise, she found she had actually enjoyed the gaze of all those strangers on her. She just prayed that none of them recognized her on Monday.