Nick Xaviers College Conundrums: A Tale of Manipulation and Desire

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Ch 21

The sound of a text message wakes me, and groggily I reach over to check it. Shanna and Gina had kept me up most of the night, and then when Nancy had come in. . . Okay, I can't help but smile at the memories from last night, but I'm exhausted. I had quite literally stumbled back through my door, and fallen asleep before my head hit the pillow. I can't even remember the drive home. I'm thankful that Lela hadn't come to get me last night, or I'd be even more tired than I am now.

"Get your rest today." the text reads, and it's from my sister. I wonder why she doesn't use the nanites to communicate telepathically.

Sitting up in bed, I only then realize that something's not right. I'm still fully dressed, including my shoes, but my posters are gone, and someone has rearranged my room. A groan sounds next to me, and in shock I see Robin laying there.

Did I get with Robin last night? I wonder, but can't see how I had. I'm still fully dressed. . . Then I recognize my surroundings. I'm in Dennis's room! I must have been so tired last night that I turned right when I should've turned left. . .

As quietly as I'm able, I try to sneak out, but to no avail.

"Hey, dude," Dennis murmurs just as my hand touches the doorknob, "next time sleep in your own damn bed. You were quite the buzzkill."

Embarrassed I make it back to my own room, and plan on going back to sleep, but after thirty minutes of just lying there, fretting about what I'm going to do with the demons in a couple weeks, and tossing and turning, I finally get up, and shower.

I debate on skipping class today, but since I'm already awake, I figure I might as well go in. Besides, it might help to distract me.

"Nick!" a feminine voice hails me, her breath misting in the early morning chill. "Hey, have you been studying?" The woman smiles at me, but I don't recognize her.

"Studying?" I ask in confusion. "It's only the second day of the semester. We can't have any tests already!"

She laughs at me, but I still have no idea who this is. Her hair is a mousy brown color, reaching down to her shoulders, and matching brown eyes. She stands a little shorter than me, and her skin seems a little too big on her.

"No, for math club, silly!" she informs me, and suddenly I think I know who this was.

"Barbara?" I ask just to be sure.

"Sorry," she tells me, her smile getting bigger, "I forget how different I look after losing so much weight. I know most people put on weight over the holidays, but for some reason I just kept shedding the pounds!"

I can see the old Barbara in her now. She could almost be cute, if she fit in her skin better. Then I remember what I'd done for Mrs. Polkins, and turn up Barbara's skin elasticity, hoping that will help her.

"Yeah! Sorry," I say, happy for her, "You look great!" Then remembering how Mrs. Polkins has changed mentally, I think to ask, "How have you been feeling?"

"Good," she says, her smile never leaving her thin face. "I have a lot more energy, and have been surprised by all the attention the guys've been giving me." She laughs again, and I can't help smiling with her.

"Well, good luck," I tell her. "I'd better get to class." I think of Donald and Adam, and hope that everything I'd done for them has turned out as well as it did for Barbara.

I'm almost to my class, when another female voice stops me in my tracks. This one I know from hours of lectures last semester. Professor Frankens is standing in the doorway to her classroom, as I turn to look at her. She's dressed pretty modestly for her, with a suit jacket on, and a skirt that actually goes all the way down to her ankles.

"I need to have a talk with you, Mr. Xavier," she tells me, as she opens the door wider to let me through. As I enter her classroom, wondering why she's being so formal, I see that it's empty and guess that she doesn't have a class this hour. My first thought is that she's after another tryst, but I really don't feel up to it quite yet this morning. Especially after last night.

The professor steps back in front of me, and leads me down to her office. I'm trying to come up with a way to gently turn her down, without having to talk too much, knowing that my voice still has an effect on her.

I still haven't come up with a way, when she sits down behind her desk and looks me squarely in the eyes. Her brown orbs bore into me for a bit, and I realize that she probably hasn't brought me in here for sex, after all.

"First of all, Mr. Xavier, I want to thank you for being discreet about what happened between us before Winter break," she tells me, her voice stiff and formal.

I give her a quick nod, still wary of speaking.

"Please understand that what I did was wrong," she continues. "In my years of teaching I have never crossed that line with a student. I still don't fully understand why I did so with you. I hope you don't harbor any ill will towards me for what I did, or for saying that it can't happen again."

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I had truly enjoyed my encounter with the sexy professor, and even with the guilt of knowing that I'd manipulated her into it, I've looked forward to further escapades with her. I see that she's looking at me, waiting for an answer. I still don't want to speak though, and influence her unduly. When I give her another nod, she grimaces, but continues.

"I've put in my resignation here, and have already been accepted in another college across state." Her tone is sad now, and I feel sorry for her.

"No," I say, before I can think better of it, and see her shudder slightly at the sound of my voice, but I go on. "You don't have to do that. I promise not to tell anyone, and we don't have to. . . to you know. . ." for some reason I have a hard time saying sex in front of this older, professional woman, despite what we've done together. I figure it has something to do with the formal attitude she's portraying, and don't want to be the first one to say it.

"But I do, Mr. Xavier," she insists. "Even as you speak, I feel myself being drawn to you. I can't risk losing my career over the desires of my body." Her face grows stern, and she looks at me harder. "Make no mistake; I'm not saying that I'm in love with you or anything of that sort, only that I can separate lust from love."

Only then do I realize that she blames herself for what we've done. It's not her fault, and I truly feel bad for my part in it, but can see that she's determined to go, no matter what I say. If I were willing to use my switches on her, I can change her mind, I know, but I'm still not willing to cross that line again.

But I don't have to use my switches. I remember how she'd behaved as I'd dominated her before Winter break.

"I understand," I tell her. "You'll be missed," I say, and despite my earlier reservations about not feeling up to anything, I want to show her just what she'll be missing. I quickly sense for Shanna's switch, and note that she is only one building over. She had basically freed me from the requirement of being with her, when it comes to other women. A freedom I'm going to exercise now.

"I have already ensured that you will pass my class, this semester. I have no doubt you would have done it on your own. Professor Hallowburton will be taking over Math Club practices from now on. I'll be here until

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