Starting Over

Tuli

I woke up, squinting against the harsh sunlight. I groaned, rolling over in bed and pulling the covers over my head, clutching my teddy bear closer.

Moments later, the door creaked open. I groaned again, annoyed by the sound of footsteps approaching my bed.

“Leave me alone,” I mumbled, throwing my pillow towards the noise.

“Hey,” a male voice grumbled, followed by the weight of a body landing on top of me.

“Daniel, get off!” I squealed.

My brother laughed, climbing off me but taking my blanket with him. I tried to ignore him, curling up and trying to fall back asleep, my hands rubbing warmth into my bare shoulders.

“Tuli, if you don’t get up,” Daniel threatened, “I’ll be back with a bucket of ice water.”

Knowing he wasn’t bluffing, I groaned and sat up. “You’re the worst brother ever. Why are you always here?”

He rolled his bright blue eyes at me as I climbed out of bed. “Because you’re my little sister and I love you. And because I’m here to sleep with your roommate,” he smirked.

“Gross,” I retorted, my face scrunching up in disgust. “I’d like to pretend my best friend isn’t sleeping with my brother.”

He laughed, pecking my cheek. “Get ready for school. I’ll make breakfast.”

Once he left, I stripped off my pajamas and headed for the bathroom, grumbling as I turned on the shower.

I hadn’t slept well.

I’d drift off to sleep, dreaming of a heated gaze exploring my body, strong hands touching and teasing me.

I’d wake up, fall back asleep, and the dream would start again.

Worse, I wasn’t waking up from an orgasm anymore. Each time I had the dream, I was denied that release.

“Whatever,” I muttered, stepping into the warm spray.

Once under the water, I forgot about everything. I didn’t think about my sexy professor.

All I thought about was how good it felt to massage my scalp as I lathered up my hair. It was a quick shower, but it felt like the longest, most relaxing one ever.

Sadly, it had to end. I turned off the water, wrapping my favorite fluffy towel around me as I stepped out.

I wiped the steam off the mirror, taking a quick look at myself.

I wasn’t skinny like many of the girls at college.

But I was happy with my body. I had nice curves, from my full breasts to my round butt.

When I worked out, I swam laps at the rec center and lifted weights. I didn’t care if I looked fat.

But I struggled with socializing. I didn’t know why; it was just how I was.

I was a loner, except for a few close friends, including my annoying older brother.

Believe it or not, Daniel, Megan, and I were inseparable growing up.

There was something nagging at me, something I’d forgotten, but I couldn’t remember what it was.

But as far as I could remember, I was comfortable around my family and friends.

~Until I met Armand~, I thought. I doubted he’d leave me alone, but I didn’t want him to.

It meant I had someone else at school. ~A hot someone~, my subconscious teased.

I shook off the thought, pulling on black underwear and a bra, then rummaging through my closet for clothes.

I chose skinny jeans, converse, and a baby-blue cotton blouse.

My hair wouldn’t cooperate, so instead of a neat bun, I settled for messy twin braids.

I added eyeliner and mascara to highlight my blue eyes.

I walked into the living room, where my brother was cooking. My roommate had already left for her early morning job.

The smell of breakfast made my mouth water. “Wow. You must have learned to cook. The bacon actually smells like bacon,” I joked.

Daniel shot me a glare, pretending to shake his hair over the food. “And now I’m not hungry,” I teased.

He stuck his tongue out at me, setting my plate on the table. “Last time I cook for you,” he grumbled.

“And I love you for it,” I said, grinning.

He set down his own plate, and we ate in silence.

Jayce

I’ll admit, after last night, I felt like a creep.

I don’t usually masturbate, even when I wake up hard. So I don’t know why I felt the need to relieve myself last night.

Sure, I think Tuli is hot, but jerking off while thinking about her makes me feel dirty, like I’m violating her even though she’s not there.

~Maybe~, my subconscious suggests, ~it’s because you have feelings for her?~

I dismiss the thought. I care about her, sure. I have since the day we met. But I can’t imagine having feelings for Tuli.

Still, I woke up this morning, grumbling to myself when I remembered what I’d done last night.

I shook my head, heading to the bathroom for an ice-cold shower to wash away the memory.

I managed to distract myself from my thoughts, but then I had to face another reality: I had a school to attend and classes to teach.

I don’t mind the teaching part—I actually love teaching English—but I can’t say the same for the students. They don’t seem too thrilled about learning.

I grumbled, turned off the shower, and quickly grabbed a towel. I dried my hair while walking to my closet.

I picked out a fresh pair of black boxer-briefs, jeans, a white tank, and a green and white plaid button-up.

After getting dressed and rolling up my sleeves, I checked my hair in the mirror. It was a bit messy, but in a way that made me look damn good.

I left my bedroom, thinking about what to have for breakfast. As I stepped into the living room, I heard a soft yowl from the corner.

I walked over and picked up Bones, my brown bull terrier puppy. He yawned and stretched, his little claws digging into my arm.

I chuckled, gave him a quick head scratch, and set him back down on the couch. He looked up at me, then hopped off the couch and scampered into the kitchen.

I laughed again, opened the living room curtains, and followed him into the kitchen.

Bones started whining for his food as I turned on the light and headed for the cabinet. “I got it, grumpy, calm down,” I said, reaching for the bag of dog food.

His tail wagged excitedly as I poured a cup into his bowl. He started eating greedily while I refilled his water bowl.

Next, I grabbed eggs, ham, and veggies from the fridge to make an omelet. I turned on the stove, grabbed a pan, and added some butter.

While it heated, I mixed the eggs, ham, and veggies together with a bit of garlic powder, then poured the mixture into the pan.

Once my food was ready, I transferred it to a plate, washed the pan under cool water, and sat down to eat.

Despite having woken up only half an hour ago, I had a feeling today would be a good day, even if I wasn’t too fond of the students I was teaching.

Tuli

I walked into my English class and took a seat in the second row, praying that nothing embarrassingly stupid would happen to me in class again.

Students were already whispering and giggling about my outburst from yesterday.

My subconscious rolled her eyes and muttered, ~What would they do if they found out they had slept with a college professor? And what will they do when they find out YOU have?~

~They certainly wouldn’t be making a big deal out of it~, I thought grumpily. The voice faded and I focused on preparing for class.

Mr. Connor walked in after most of my classmates had arrived and scrambled to their seats. He looked at me, made eye contact, and waved me up front.

I groaned inwardly before standing up and walking over to him.

“Yes, Mr. Connor?” I asked.

“Tuli, right?” He paused, waiting for my nod, then continued. “You seem to know Mr. Mitchell. Am I wrong?” He paused again.

I hesitated, then nodded, saying, “A bit, sir. He’s a friend of a friend,” I lied.

He handed me a stack of what looked like homework assignments. “Well then, if you don’t mind, could you deliver these to him?”

“Uh, sure,” I replied, taking the papers from his hands with a sense of regret.

“Thank you, Miss D’Amore.”

Slowly and reluctantly, I left his room and walked to Jayce’s office.

I knocked softly on the door. No answer.

I decided to slide the papers under his door. As I squatted down to do so, the door opened. I saw a pair of chucks before me, then looked up and locked eyes with Mr. Mitchell.

Surprised, he extended a hand for me to take. I grasped it and felt sparks shoot through my fingertips.

I stood up quickly and tried to pull my hand away, but his grip tightened.

“Tuli?” he asked in a low voice.

He seemed to realize his hand was still holding mine. He let go quickly, and I noticed a blush creeping onto his cheeks. I tilted my head.

~Is Jayce Mitchell blushing because of me?~

He cleared his throat and the blush disappeared. “Did you need something, Miss D’Amore?”

~His voice is a lot firmer than when he said my first name, but with a hint of huskiness, as if he feels the shock too.~

I held out the papers. “Mr. Connor asked me to give these to you.”

Suddenly, I felt the need to explain further.

“He just started class, so he asked me to do it,” I said softly, feeling a blush rise in my cheeks as he reached out to take the papers.

“Thank you, Tuli.”

I turned to leave before he could say my name again.

“Yes, Mr. Mitchell?” I asked, turning back around.

His brown eyes looked at me from behind his rectangular-framed glasses.

“Tuli, I’d like to have a chance to talk to you in my office again, if that’s okay. I want to apologize for yesterday.”

“I see,” I said slowly. Inside, my mind was a whirlwind of excited and panicked thoughts.

~What if he tries to make a move on me again? What if I let him?~

~What if he just wants to fuck me again and then make me feel like shit about myself? What if he doesn’t do anything?~

~Ugh, I almost want him to, though!~

My mind was racing.

He looked at me, a pleading look in his chocolate eyes. I hesitated for a moment, deciding on an answer.

“Okay, I'll come in after class,” I said softly, still feeling anxious about being alone in his office with him again.

He smiled politely. “Thank you. You should probably head back now, Miss D’Amore,” he said, switching back to a professional tone, and I almost forgot why.

~He wasn’t meant to talk to you like that, you idiot. It’ll raise eyebrows~, my inner voice chides me. I choose to ignore her.

“I will, Mr. Mitchell,” I whisper, tearing my gaze away from his charming, grinning face to head back to class. I slip into Mr. Connor’s room without a sound, making my way to my desk.

Settling into my seat, a wave of anxiety washes over me. I can’t help but question if I’ll manage to survive the rest of the school day without bolting for home.