CHAPTER 6
Nate
Rounding the corner to Mara’s office, a thought occurred to me. I had assigned Mara an atrocious amount of TA work earlier in the week—grading, creating a handout, making sure the slides for the undergraduate class were updated and on the course webpage—and instinctually, I knew she had completed it. Mara had taken every task and aced it, and when she couldn’t complete it, she came to me. When it came to being a teacher’s assistant, she was perfection.
The only reason I was going to her office was to check on her. To see her. To hear what passionate fire she would spit at me this time.
I knocked, the sound loud in the corridor, then pushed open the door. Mara was leaning back in her seat, halfway through a giggle. Jessica smirked at Mara before turning back to her desk. Mara straightened in her seat.
“And?” I asked.
“Everything’s done,” Mara said. She grabbed a pile of work and lifted it in the air, then placed it back on the desk. “Everything’s graded, entered, and peachy.”
“And the handout?”
“Copied and uploaded.”
She made this easy. Too easy. But it wasn’t about me; it was Mara’s desire to do the contest. But once the contest was over, she would show her true colors, like the others.
My gaze hovered over the room. It was Friday; the two of them were the only ones left in the office. For a moment, I wished Jessica had left already.
If only to discuss the contest topics with Mara.
“So, Dr. Evans,” Mara said, “have you ever been to Fremont Street?” What local hadn’t? Jessica eyed Mara, and subtly shook her head, but Mara turned to me. “Some of us are going there tonight. Some professors too. I think Dr. Smith?” Jessica bobbed her head in confirmation, her brows still raised at Mara. “You should come too.”
Jessica slammed a palm into her own forehead.
I typically did not fraternize with any of the students, not even when some of my colleagues made their appearances at after-hours events, such as this. Though we were adults, I never found it appropriate. There was a strict line between teacher and student, one I intended to keep. The only time I wavered from that rule was when we had the Annual Lakehouse Retreat; one, I broke the rule because we kept it academic, and two, because I hosted the event. Dr. Smith seemed to make it her philosophy to always say ‘yes’ to her students’ invitations, to encourage networking between teachers and students with enthusiasm. Still, it had never been a relationship I was interested in fostering outside of campus.
And there was something about Mara that made me want to protect her, from me. I was capable of causing immense pain, the kind that left bruises on the soul even when they had faded from the skin. I was reluctant to get close to anyone, especially someone like Mara. She sparked my interest in ways I hadn’t felt in a long time, and that made me dangerous to her.
“Think of it this way,” Mara said. “We can argue over Berkley without the confines of the classroom. See who really knows her work best. We can scream aboutThe Death of Powerin the middle of the street and no one will care!” Mara laughed. “Vegas knows no bounds.”
I could think of some things in Vegas that were bound. Venture over to the Afterglow, Mara, I thought, and you’ll see what’s bound in Vegas.
“That’s beyond nerdy,” Jessica laughed.
“Arguing about Berkley,” I said dryly, “There aren’t better ways to waste a Friday night.”
The sarcastic tone was meant to turn Mara off, to make her revoke the invitation, but my words were actually truthful. Despite my better judgment, academic arguing with my new protégé sounded delightful.
Why the fuck not?
It’s not like I wasn’t inviting her into the dungeon. We weren’t there yet.
Still, I knew better. “I don’t fraternize with students,” I said.
“Is that a faculty rule, or a personal rule?” Mara said, emphasizing the word ‘personal.’ “Here’s what I think. We only have one life. If we never get around to doing what we want, then we wasted time. You have to do what you want.”
A sparkle twinkled in her eye at the words. There was truth to what she said. To do what we wanted, to go after it. In a way, that’s what Mara had been doing. She wanted to be in that contest, no matter the cost. And me? What did I want?
I wanted to talk with Mara. She intrigued me.
“So if that’s your philosophy, why didn’t you go out with us the last time?” Jessica asked.
“Because I didn’t want to go?” Mara offered cautiously. Jessica laughed and pretended to throw a book at her.
“Ego Trip?” I asked. I had heard of it.
