"Welcome to English 250, Shakespeare and Film. I am your professor for the semester, Parker Forsyth. This semester we will be studying Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. The films are available in the library labs. There will be weekly quizzes, a midterm, final and project. Your project may be in the form of a 10 minute video or a 25 page report, due on the last week, with a presentation of your video or an oral report. "

Parker Forsyth looked over her newest class of students. There were groans as she said oral report. No one wanted to speak in front of their class, but it was mandatory.

"It's a small class, you don't have to be shy. You're not going to be speaking in a lecture hall," Parker said trying to ease the students' minds.

As class ended, Kristina Corinthos-Davis put the syllabus away in her binder and walked out with her friend Cassie. They headed towards the cafe to grab a cup of coffee.

"Professor Forsyth seems cool," Kristina said.

"Yeah she is," Cassie. "I think I'm going to do a video project. What about you?"

"I don't know yet. I don't feel excited for the semester."

The next morning, Parker sat at the cafe, going over her speech for class.

Her phone beeped, a text. Parker sighed, as she looked at the message.

"Can't make it to dinner tonight. Sorry. Heart emoji. A." She put her phone faced down on the table.

"Bad news?" A girl's voice asked. Parker looked up. "Ms. Corinthos-Davis." Parker smiled at the young woman.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"No," Parker shook her head. "It's just been a long day."

"It's 8 a.m."

"I know. Would you like to have a seat?"

Kristina laughed as she sat across from Parker.

Parker discreetly gave Kristina a once over.

"So, professor, I don't ..."

"We're not in class, you can call me Parker."

"Okay, Parker, um,you can call me Kristina. I don't know if I should do a video as a class project."

"It doesn't have to be professionally made. Your phone has a better video camera then when I was studying. The content is important. The video is the equivalent of the written work."

Kristina slipped her coffee.

Parker's phone beeped again. "Last minute overnight shift. Sorry. A."

"Anything wrong?" Kristina asked.

"No it's just, I didn't know what I was signing up for when I married a doctor."

"Wow! You married a doctor?"

"Not all that it's cracked up to be. I don't know why I'm telling you all of this."

"People say I'm a good listener." Kristina flashed Parker a smile. "Well, I have to get to class. I don't want to be late and make my professor mad for being late."

Parker smiled back at Kristina.

"Hey Kristina," Cassie.

"Hi Cassie."

"Making points with Professor Forsyth?"

"What? No. We just got to talking."

Parker's eyes followed Kristina as she walked with her friend to class.

Kristina tried to take notes on Macbeth, but was finding it difficult to concentrate. She looked up at Parker. Parker's eyes seemed to pierce through her. Their eyes locked in what seemed to be eternity.

As the weeks went by, Kristina attended class less and less.

"Ms. Hammond, could I have a word with you after class?"

"Sure, Professor Forsyth," Cassie said.

"Ms. Hammond, Ms. Corinthos hasn't been to class in a while. I was wondering if you knew why."

"I'm not sure," Cassie said, looking away.

"If you see her, please tell her attendance is part of her grade."

"Yes professor, will do."

Cassie tried calling Kristina, but Kristina's phone went straight to voicemail. "Kristina, where are you? Professor Forsyth was asking about you and said your grades would be affected if you didn't attend class. Call me back."

Kristina listened to Cassie's voicemail. She perked up when Cassie said Professor Forsyth. Parker was worried about her, well her grades anyway. Kristina grabbed her wallet and jacket and rushed out the door. "What am I doing?" Kristina slowed her pace as she got closer to the English department. Kristina stood at the entrance In a daze.

"Kristina!" Parker called out. Kristina looked towards Parker. The professor was jogging towards her. "Kristina, you haven't been to class."

"Yeah, I um..."

"Let's talk inside, I have office hours now."

The two women walked into the elevator in silence. Kristina stood a little behind Parker, biting her lower lip. She looked at Parker. What was happening? What were these feelings?

Parker and Kristina went into Parker's office. Kristina sat in the chair, unsure of what to say.

"You haven't been coming to my class, Kristina. Is it that boring?"

"What? No. I've just been going through stuff and didn't know how to deal."

"I don't mean to pry, but are you really ok? You look worn out."

Kristina shrugged.

"College can be difficult, but you do have people to talk to. You can always come to me, even outside of office hours. Here, let me give you my number." Parker wrote her number down and handed it to Kristina. The two women felt a surge when Parker's hand grazed Kristina's hand.

Parker's phone beeped. "Sorry, I thought I turned it off." Parker clicked off the phone.

"Aren't you going to look at the message?"

"No. It's office hours."

"Not your doctor husband?"

"What?"

"Your husband, the doctor?" Kristina asked.

"No, Kristina, I don't have a husband. I have a wife. If you're uncomfortable, I'll allow you to drop the class."

"You have a wife..."

"I just assumed everyone on campus knew."

"I didn't know, that, but I'm not uncomfortable or anything. I love your class, I mean I like your class, but there was a breakup and you're married to a doctor..."

"I broke up with, never mind. Do you think you could help me with this class?"

"I can help you, as long as you show up for class. Ok?"

"Ok."

Kristina walked back to her dorm room and took Parker's number, adding it to her contacts.

Why did I give Kristina my number? Parker berated herself. She at back in her chair. What am I getting myself into?

As the autumn days grew shorter, and the nights longer, Parker and Kristina met at the cafe to discuss Kristina's project. They slowly began to open up to each other about their lives outside of school. Parker invited Kristina to her home it was getting too dark to always meet at the cafe.

"I got some takeout for us to eat if that's okay?"

"Yeah, thanks. What about you wife? Will she be joining us?"

"No, she has the night shift. Sometimes I feel like she's avoiding me."

Kristina looked at the photo of Parker and Amanda on the fireplace. "Why would anyone want to avoid you?"

Parker laughed. "Seems to be happening a lot."

Parker and Kristina ate in a comfortable silence. Each in their thoughts about the other woman. Kristina was easy to talk to, but was it because Parker was lonely? She'd only seen Amanda in passing the last few weeks. They only mumbled hi and bye in the same breath.

Kristina stole a glance at Parker, the blonde was deep in thought. She's very hot, Kristina thought. Oh god, where did that come come from. Parker is my teacher. God, I'm hot for the teacher, a very lesbian teacher.

Parker looked up, her eyes lingering with Kristina's.