"And that concludes our lesson on The Odyssey," Hades said, turning off the projector. "Now, I want a 750 word essay going over our analysis, due in a week. Twelve point Times New Roman, MLA, double-space; you all know the drill. You're all dismissed. Have a spectacular weekend."
The class began to file out. He scanned the college students exiting until he spotted her.
"Miss Mills."
She turned to face him, smiling winningly.
"Yes, Professor Graves?"
"I need to speak with you."
"Of course."
Her stiletto heels clicked as he directed her towards his office, and when she entered, she calmly sat in the chair right across from him, crossing one leg over the other.
Hades sat down in his own seat. "I'll be blunt," he said. "Your grades are at an unacceptable low. You need to pull them up, and fast."
He eased his chair forward, folding his hands on his desk. "Now, look, I don't know what has happened lately, but it will only have a negative impact on you this semester," he said calmly.
The student sitting across from him smirked and rolled her sapphire eyes, tossing the fiery red ringlets hanging elegantly around her face.
"There's nothing to tell, Professor," she said in a honeyed tone. "I assure you, my grades will be back to normal in no time."
"That's all fine and well, Zelena, but I'm just perplexed at how you could go from a perfect score in my class to a 'D' in just a few weeks."
Seemingly bored with the conversation, she took out a compact mirror and examined her reflection. After a moment, she reached into her bag and pulled out a tube of lipstick, artfully reapplying the red almost surgically. Satisfied, she snapped the compact shut, in no hurry to answer her teacher's question.
"Is something going on with you?" he asked, and he was sure he'd hit a nerve when her bright blue eyes darkened slightly.
"Why, no. Everything's fine."
"Then please explain to me why you scored a three percent on the latest test," he said mildly, holding up the offending paper.
A smile spread across her red lips, revealing even white teeth. "The only reason I got question ten right was because it was poorly written."
"And that's just the thing that troubles me, Zelena," Hades said. "I know you, you're a smart girl; you shouldn't be getting such low grades, especially when you know the material inside and out."
"Maybe you don't know me as well as you think," she suggested, raising an eyebrow.
"All cryptic words aside, I'm advising you to do whatever you can to push your grades up," he said. "Maybe extra credit, or an oral report-"
He stopped at the sudden, amused smile that graced her features.
"Is something funny?"
She bit her lip in a failed attempt to keep from laughing and shook her head.
Unnerved, he continued. "My point is, get your grades up. Accomplish that however you must, but it needs to be done."
"Understood, sir. " She flashed him a smile.
"Good. You can go now."
"Who says I want to go?"
He wasn't sure what was more perplexing: her remark, or the disarming smile and wink coupled with the kiss she blew him on the way out.
Staring after her for a few moments, he blinked, then began grading papers.
"Did you really?" Glinda, Zelena's roommate gasped.
"I did."
"No!"
Zelena laughed. "Oh, you should have seen his precious face. He had no idea what to do."
"I can't believe it. You're serious about this?"
"Glinda, dearest, it's perfectly simple. This is the year I get my bachelor's degree. What better way to go out with a bang than banging a professor?"
"Is it even legal?"
"Probably not. It's not as if I care."
"How can you be so-so…"
"Wicked?"
"Yes!"
"It comes naturally, Glinda," Zelena preened goodnaturedly.
"Do you really think this will work?"
"Of course. I'm wicked, remember? And wicked always wins."
Glinda shook her head in amazement. "Wow…" she mused. "I sure as hell don't have the guts to do what you're doing."
"The only thing I intend to do, Glinda, is Professor Graves." Zelena raised an eyebrow suggestively, causing her roommate to laugh.
"Well, here's to you," Glinda said, raising her glass of wine from the bottle of Merlot she'd smuggled in.
"To me," Zelena smirked. "And to wickedness."
The two students' glasses clinked, as Zelena mentally prepared herself for Monday.
-Author's Notes-
Fangirl Supreme and I are working together on this one. This chapter was all her doing, but I swear I'll come in more.
We are both really excited about this story, so hope you guys enjoy!