Jane watched on in the back row of the lecture room as she mindlessly observed the blonde beauty teaching in front of her continued her educated banter. It was almost too hypnotizing to watch, the way her lips curved at every word and syllable she pronounced with accuracy. Dr. Isles was intriguing to say the least, the perfect combination of intelligence and beauty made Jane hurt with anticipation.
"…and next week I expect you to have read the rest of the novel, "Death in Venice" , so we can start the new assessment the following week" the Professor smiles warmly at everyone, and Jane can feel a blush envelope her face at the kind gesture.
"That's all for todays lecture, I'll see you all here next week" she finished as she clasped her hands together before making her way back behind her desk, Jane watching her every move.
Jane began to pack away her things into her backpack, just like the rest of the class, when she heard her name being called.
"Jane" it was Frost, her best friend. They had met back in the beginning of their year freshman year of college and they had been pretty good friends since.
"Hey man, what are you doing on this side of campus?" Jane asked as she tried to shove her laptop and thick binder book in her bag at the same time.
"It was urgent. I need a favor" Frost replied quickly and clearly out of breath.
"Whoa dude, what's going on?" she asked.
"Well, I haven't finished the homework for English Lit" Frost started as he scratched the back of his head.
"Neither have I. We'll just do it the night before like always" Jane replied as she lugs her back on her back and gestures for Frost to start walking down the lecture room stairs.
"Yeah, little problem…" he starts "I have a date that night, me and Mel want to have a night of no interruptions…if you know what I mean" he drags out hoping Jane will get what he's hinting at.
"Fine, it's gonna cost you $60" Jane explained as she reached the last step.
"Hey, that's not fair! That's double the price you usually charge other people" Frost complained. "I'm your best friend".
"Yeah, that's why" she replied with a smirk.
Taking one last look at the Professor who was currently attempting to try and reach the off button on the monitor to turn the big screen off, Jane waved a quick hand gesture at Frost.
"We'll talk about this later" Jane replied as Frost followed the hoard of students out the classroom door.
"Here, let me help you" Jane husked as she subconsciously placed a hand on her Professors lower back and pressed the off button for her. The honey blonde let out an uncharacteristic gasp at the newly found presence, physically shuddering at the deep voice.
"T-thank-you…" the blonde replied as she turned around to stare into deep brown eyes.
"You're welcome" Jane replied remembering where he hand was and quickly moved her hand away like she had touched something too hot.
"…Jane" Dr Isles finished with a smile. Jane nodded and moved away allowing her professor to go back to what she was doing.
"They don't make it easy to get to" Dr Isles replied with a chuckle, referring to the monitor.
"Of course not, why would they?" Jane joked, hoping the older woman would catch onto her sarcasm.
The doctor let out a melodic orchestra of laughter.
"I take it you got my note then?" Dr Isles replied with a smile still plastered on her face.
Jane nodded as she took the scrunched up piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it back to the doctor.
"Sure did" Jane scratched the back of her head as she continued "But to be completely honest, I had no idea you knew who I was".
"What do you mean?" Dr Isles questioned as she raised a perfectly sculptured eyebrow.
"I mean, you have so many students, how do you remember each and every one of them by name?" Jane explains.
"Oh," Dr Isles nodded her head and smiled "It's got to do with the fact that I'm one of the best genius' I know" she replied, sending Jane a friendly wink.
The raven beauty blushed at the gesture and tore her gaze away from her Professor, hoping that she hadn't seen how red she had made her.
"So, I guess you know what my next questions going to be…" Dr Isles trailed off and if Jane had looked back up at her a second sooner she would have caught the Professor staring adoringly down at her red-blushed face.
"Why did you do it, Jane?" the way the Professor whispered her name sent another set of shivers down her spine.
"I need the money, and I'm good at it. It started off it just being one student and then another one came to me and it kinda just snowballed from there. I thought I was hiding it pretty well…that is until my psych Professor handed me this note this morning. "I know it's been you who has been writing other students assessment. See me after class this afternoon. Professor Isles" Jane explained as she read aloud the note.
The Professor let out a shaky sigh.
"You're such a bright individual, Jane. Why would you let yourself do something like this?" The Professor asked.
"Like I said, I needed the money. I'm not like everyone else that attends this college, Maura. My family isn't rich or famous. We're just another family of blue collar Italians" Jane explained.
The blonde nodded her head in understanding.
"I understand your intentions, Jane, but I can't let you off with this, as much as I want to" The Professor explained crossing her arms across her chest.
Jane's gaze fell to her feet as she nodded in understanding.
"Jane…" Doctor Isles whispered trying to regain the younger's attention.
"Jane" she repeated as she gently reached out and tilted her head up to meet her own gaze.
"You're not in trouble, I'm not mad" The Doctor assured, then moved to caress the younger girls arms to try and comfort her.
"Are you going to expel me?" Jane asked attentively, physically relaxing to her Professors touch.
"I will see what I can do, Jane. I may be able to get you out of it, but at the end of the day you still cheated, even if it wasn't for yourself" The Professor replied as she stepped back to give the 20 year old some space.
"You can go now, Jane. I will inform you about your punishment as soon as I get feedback from the head of board" The Professor explained as she picked up her things and followed Jane to the door.
"Thanks, Dr Isles…you know for helping me" Jane thanked as she made her way out the door.
The honey blonde only nodded in response before locking the door behind them and going her separate way.
Maura felt like shit.
As she pulled into her driveway all she could think about was how much she was going to miss having the brunette student in her class if things were to go downhill. Even though they had only exchanged pleasantries when they passed each other Maura felt drawn to Jane. The way Jane wrote she wrote with passion. No matter the subject, Jane had managed to move Maura in so many different ways that sometimes it felt a little too intense.
She knew she had to get Jane out of her expulsion; she was half responsible for what had happened. If she had confronted Jane earlier, Jane would have gotten off with a warning, but she thought against it thinking that Jane might stop.
She had to laugh at the thought that Jane assumed she could hide the fact that it was her writing all those essays. Jane was too descriptive and analytical; she was too unique to be able to pull it off.
Right now, all Maura wanted to do was go inside and have a night hot bubble bath.
"Mama" a little voice screeched as they ran straight into her body and wrapped two little arms around her body.
"Nick how's my beautiful boy?" Maura asked as she knelt down to embrace him in bone crushing hug.
"Good" he replied short as she ran a soft hand through his brown locks.
"Jesus Maura, you're finally here" a voice boomed from the kitchen as the presence of her ex husband finally made himself visible.
"Yes, I'm here, you can leave now" she replied as she took her shoes off at the door and placed her bag on the counter. Nick running back upstairs to play.
"I need to talk to you" he stated "…about Nicky's situation" he continued as he followed her into the lounge room.
"I've told you before, that's how he likes to be addressed. If you can't support him the way he is. You can leave for good" she replied confidently.
"Well, I don't like the idea that she is all of a sudden thinking she is a boy" he emphasized the she.
"Argh, Maura" he growled as he rubbed a hand over his face "…this is a phase, she's going through" he replied.
"And I will support him through whatever it is he thinks he's doing" Maura replied as she approached the kitchen with caution as she took a wine glass from the cabinet and a nice bottle of red wine.
"She's only six, what does she know?" he asked, clearly getting frustrated at the situation.
When Maura fell pregnant to Ian a six or so years ago she was blessed with a little bundle of baby girl. As soon as the little girl was able to speak, she had insisted that she was boy. Maura being the typical loving parent only wanting to support her child in what she wanted only encouraged the young child to be who they wanted to be.
"I've had enough of this conversation, Ian. If you want to leave his life, do so. I'm not going to stop you," she explained as she watched him leave with an aggravated sigh.
Maura brought her thumb and forefinger to her head as she grasped the wine glass in her hand tightly. Making a beeline for the bathroom.
"Nicky, I'm going to be in a long bath. If you need me just call okay?" she asked as she waited at the bedroom door for an answer.
The blue walls, action figures, Spiderman bedding, she wondered if she was even going to have a girl at all. It seemed at even such a young age Nicky knew who he was and female was far from it. It saddened her and pleased her at the same time.
"Alright, Mama" he replied not taking his eyes off the television screen.
Maura knew it was a bad idea to give a six year old his own television, but after the whole moving situation and bullying at school, Maura felt she had to give him something to empathize her sympathy for him.
Maura nodded as she made her way into her room keeping the door wide open for her son to be able to reach her if he needed to. She stripped freely grabbing one of her fluffy white towels and the glass she was currently sipping at and began to run the bath, locking the bathroom door behind her.
"Ah" she smiled, not being able to hide the contentment that left her lips.
"I needed this" she whispered to herself as she relaxed further into the tub.
It had been a busy afternoon, as soon as Jane had left Maura's class she went straight to her dorm. It was a typical Friday night and she figured if she was going to be expelled then may as well broaden her horizons. Her mother had insisted she volunteer at the big brother/big sister organization in Boston.
They assist the youth with single parents or broken families. Volunteers spending an hour a day at their home with them to just be in their company, let them know they aren't alone.
"This kid better not be stuck up" Jane said to herself as she walked up to the big house in Beacon Hill.
She rang the doorbell and waited for an answer.
"Hello?" the little voice came as the front door swung open, revealing a little kid dressed in a black hoodie, a pair of jeans and a baseball cap.
"Hi, I'm Jane. You must be…Nicole?" Jane stuttered. The child in front of her looked like a little boy. She wasn't one to put labels on children or anyone for that matter but she was only the given the information that they had.
"Nick. I'm Nick" the child replied.
"Alright Nick. Is your mom around, she supposedly knew I was coming?" Jane asked.
He shook his head "I'll go get her" he replied disappearing for a minute and then running back downstairs.
"She's in the bath. Told me to tell you to wait in the living room for her" he replied as he closed the door behind her and lead her into the room.
"So, how old are you?" she asked as she sat down on the couch across from the child.
"I'm six. Mama says I'm smart beyond my years" he replied with a toothy grin.
Jane smiled "You do seem very smart. Do you like sports?" she asked.
The kid nodded "I like baseball, but dad won't play with me" he continued.
Jane nodded, so the dad was obviously a no show or a complete dickhead.
"Well, you and I could always toss a few, if you ever wanted to" Jane replied with a smile.
"Really?" Nick lit up at the suggestion. "Dad says girls don't play baseball. I told him I'm not a girl, but he doesn't believe me" Nick replied with a saddened tone.
"Well…" Jane was about to finish her sentence when a presence made themselves known.
"Sorry about that I was just…Jane?".