There was no denying her exhaustion that Friday at school—Piper had slept a total of two hours the night before—but there was also no way to hide the grin on her face after having had sex for the past 12 hours with the girl she'd wanted since first laying eyes on her that summer.
Alex had borrowed some of her clothes in order to go to school that day in an outfit other than the one she'd worn to the art show. She'd chosen a pair of Piper's corduroy pants and a long-sleeved shirt that wrapped tightly around her breasts. When she breezed into the Humanities classroom, Piper had to look away as she felt her body heat up. With a simple blink, she flashed to a moment earlier that morning when one of her legs was hooked over Alex's shoulder.
"Good morning, everyone," she began, looking at anyone other than Alex. "Who wants to begin our discussion about chapters six through ten?"
Piper allowed the class to reach for their novels and notebooks as they settled in, while she tried to keep her eyes open at her desk. Alex winked at her at one point, and she had to rub her neck for fear that the blush creeping up it would give them away. When class was over, Alex didn't approach her—she slinked out of the back door quietly, licking her lips.
By the end of the day, Piper was about to keel over. As she walked to her car, her phone chirped. Are you as tired as I am? Wanna take a nap with me?
She smiled as she typed her response: Do you really think we'd sleep if we were in bed together?
Alex wrote: Knowing how tired we are, I'd say yes.
She climbed into her car. You're welcome to come over, but I need SLEEP.
Piper drove the quick jaunt home, pulse racing at the thought of being in bed with Alex again that afternoon. By the time she arrived, Alex had already beaten her there. The women smiled at each other through car windows, and Alex fluttered her fingers in a small wave.
"Promise me, we'll sleep," Piper greeted as they walked to the front door, body lilting towards her student.
"Promise." She put a hand on Piper's hip, squeezing with just enough force to prove otherwise.
She unlocked the door and stepped inside, throwing her bag to the side. No sooner had she shut the door than Alex was pinning her against it, kissing her authoritatively.
"This is not what sleep looks like," Piper complained against her mouth, pulling Alex's lower lip with her own.
"Mmm," Alex moaned. "I've been dying to do that all day." She pecked Piper's lips twice before pulling back and brushing blonde hair out of her face. "Now we can sleep."
Piper grinned up at her, thinking exactly the same thing but not fessing up. She led Alex upstairs to the bedroom, pulled the covers back, stripped down to nothing, and crawled in. "God, this feels so good."
Alex, who had begun removing her clothes as she climbed the stairs, scooted onto the bed behind Piper, draping an arm and a leg over her warm body. "It does."
Within a matter of minutes, both women drifted off to sleep.
Although Piper had planned to have a conversation with the headmaster about switching teaching assignments or going to an inverted classroom model, she had yet to schedule an appointment with him. She was too consumed with everything else in her life, like grad school classes, teaching, grading papers, and how to best navigate her relationship with Alex. She knew she had a lousy poker face, and if the headmaster asked her to explain her reasons for wanting to change things up, Piper didn't know if she'd be able to convince him it was "just because." No, she needed a bigger, more persuasive reason than that. The closer she and Alex grew, the more she considered straight-up quitting at the end of the semester.
Another two weeks passed, and the holidays were upon them. Every day that flew by, Piper fell more in love with Alex, but she dared not mention those intense feelings to anyone, including Alex. Their intellect was quite similar, despite the younger woman having only been in high school. Alex's calm temperament complemented Piper's sometimes impatient and rash one. She was a big fan of surprises, which Piper loved, and she always kept the blonde on her toes. Each time they made love was different—sometimes it was soft and sweet, while other times it was hard and dirty. Piper couldn't get enough of Alex's body and wished they could be together every night.
The only controversial topic that surfaced between them was what they should do about their teacher/student predicament. Every time the subject came up, Piper's stomach churned—she'd avoided examining what she was doing too closely, because if she did, she knew she'd have to break things off out of moral obligation. All of her life, Piper had done the right thing, and this time, it was more than a little thrilling to do the opposite. The devil on her shoulder seemed to be in charge of her actions.
Alex had no idea that Piper had been considering ways to avoid being her teacher, and Piper kept it that way for the time being. She didn't want Alex to worry about how to proceed with their relationship, because she knew Alex would feel guilty about not getting her GED, which could potentially solve their dilemma. She decided that whatever path she chose, she'd tell Alex after the decision was made.
Piper decided not to go to Connecticut for Thanksgiving, because she had a 20-page paper due in one of her graduate school classes the Friday after, so Alex invited her to celebrate the holiday with her and her mother. Piper wasn't too keen on meeting her young lover's mom, but Alex had assured her that her mom "would be cool." Piper wasn't convinced—how could a mother be ok with her daughter fucking her teacher?
Nevertheless, they decided to make introductions on Thanksgiving Day and to confess that they were in a relationship. Alex had told her mom that she'd started seeing someone, but Diane hadn't asked many questions. They agreed that they'd only reveal their day-to-day relationship after Diane met Piper.
Piper intentionally dressed "younger" before heading to Alex's house—jeans and a white t-shirt under a flannel button-up. The last thing she wanted was for Diane to assume she was older than her daughter, even though the four-year age difference was insignificant in Piper's eyes.
Alex had warned her that she lived in a dumpy duplex "on the other side of town," but Piper didn't care about that—she just wanted to be with Alex and make a good impression on her mother.
"It's nice to meet you," Diane greeted with a two-handed handshake. "Alex talks about you all the time."
Piper thought Alex might chastise her mom for making such a statement; instead, Alex responded, "I do" with a bashful smile.
"Come on in. I've got some Lil Smokies on the counter if you're hungry." Diane made her way towards the kitchen, motioning for Piper to follow. "Alex will get you something to drink."
"Oh, I almost forgot." Piper set a bag on the counter. "I brought a bottle of red and white wine. I didn't know which you preferred."
"You didn't have to do that!" Diane peeked inside the bag, but then her head popped up. "Are you old enough to buy booze?"
Piper scratched her head and averted her eyes, forgetting that she probably shouldn't have brought alcohol. "Yeah, I am."
"I buy wine for you all the time, mom," Alex answered cooly. "It's one of the reasons I got a fake ID."
Piper felt Alex's hand on her lower back and was thankful for the younger woman's presence.
"My rule is that Alex can drink at home on special occasions, but not out in public," Diane said, grabbing a wine opener from a drawer. "Seeing that it's Thanksgiving, we can all have a little wine."
She took the opener from her mother. "I'll open it."
Piper was glad to have avoided the age difference conversation right off the bat. She knew that issue would surface, but she hoped it would be well into the evening before things got serious.
As Alex poured three glasses of Pinot Noir, Piper observed her surroundings. The living room had shag carpeting, and the plaid sofa and loveseat looked like the ones on old television shows. The furnishings in both the living room and kitchen made the house feel like it was straight out of the 70s, yet there was a warmth inside like Piper had never experienced. Sure, her grandmother's house had always felt warm and welcoming, but not like this. Perhaps it was because the duplex was so small, but it felt like home.
The intoxicating smell of turkey, baked sweet potatoes and a pecan pie made Piper feel completely at ease, and in an odd, surprising way, loved. She wanted to sit next to Alex on the sofa and curl up under the thick blanket draped over the back.
The women discussed books, Alex's art, and the weather, and it almost seemed like Alex had warned her mom to not ask about Piper's profession or her upbringing. (She'd told Alex about her childhood one rainy Sunday afternoon, and Piper had asked that they not discuss it regularly.)
Once the turkey was ready, Alex and Piper set the table and lit a few candles. They stole glances throughout the afternoon, and there were times when Piper wanted to pull Alex into a back room and devour her. Most of the time, though, she reflected on how sweet Alex and her mother's relationship was. It was clear that they depended on each other and genuinely enjoyed each other's company.
"I don't think I've ever had a turkey this moist," Piper commented around a bite.
"You're being too nice!" Diane replied with the flick of her wrist.
"Green bean casserole has always been my favorite," Alex said.
"We've got all this delicious, homemade food," Diane began, pointing her fork at Alex. "And she likes the canned green beans, Campbell's cream of mushroom soup and crunchy onions out of a bag. I don't get it."
Piper smiled and put her hand on Alex's thigh under the table. "True, but it is really good."
They ate until stuffing themselves silly, not saving enough room for the pecan pie. Alex and Piper offered to do the dishes while Diane got off her feet for a bit. She turned on the football game in the living room, while Piper poured Diane another glass of wine, finishing the bottle.
"You sure I can't help in there?" Diane asked, accepting the full glass.
"You made a delicious meal—it's the least we can do," she protested.
Diane let out a long breath and sunk deeper into the sofa. "Thanks, kid."
Alex shoved every last dish into the dishwasher, and when the kitchen was mostly clean, she pinned Piper against the counter, running her hands down her back.
"Thank you for making today memorable," Alex whispered into her ear before kissing a trail down her neck.
"You and your mom are the ones who did that." She tilted her head, eyes fluttering shut. "I just benefitted from your generosity...and your mom's wonderful cooking."
In one quick motion, Alex hoisted her onto the counter, taking Piper by surprise. She rubbed her thighs as she looked up with an unsteady smile. "Are you ready to tell her?"
Everything had been going so well that Piper had forgotten that they'd agreed to tell Diane the truth about their student/teacher relationship. "Do we have to?"
"Yes." Alex punctuated the statement with raised eyebrows. "We can't have her find out some other way; that would be devastating for all of us."
Piper exhaled loudly, feeling deflated after such a wonderful day. She knew Alex was right—they had to tell Diane the truth, but ripping the Band Aid off wasn't going to be pleasant.
Alex kissed her once more, and then helped her off the counter. She led Piper into the living room, picked up the TV remote control and pressed mute.
"Hey, I was watching that!" Diane complained, blinking rapidly as if she'd been dozing off.
"Mom, there's something we need to tell you," Alex exhaled an uneasy breath.
"I don't like the sound of that." She sat up straighter, eyes dashing between her daughter and Piper. "What's going on?"
"You trust me, right?"
Diane crinkled her forehead. "You know I do."
"And now, I hope you can see why I like Piper so much." Alex ran one hand through her dark hair and grabbed Piper's hand with the other.
Her mom shrugged. "Yeah, so what's the problem?"
"Piper is a teacher…" She swallowed hard. "She's my teacher."
"Wha…" Diane let out a puff of air as if the wind had been knocked out of her. "That can't be…she looks like she's your age!"
"She's 22," Alex replied, squeezing Piper's hand. "And graduated from college in June. She's enrolled in a graduate program at the university and is teaching at Newton part-time."
Diane leaned forward and eyed Piper. "You're her teacher?"
"I am, but Alex doesn't need a teacher in Humanities…her knowledge is far beyond a typical high school student," Piper tried, feeling her pulse accelerate. "Your daughter is extremely intelligent and wise beyond her years."
"No shit; why do you think I trust her so much?" Diane stood, putting a hand on her forehead. "This is not..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "How did this happen?"
Piper looked up at Alex, wondering who should answer the question and hoping the younger woman would take a stab at it.
"It didn't happen at school, if that's what you're thinking," Alex began, releasing her hand. "Piper came to the coffee shop a few times this summer, and we just sort of hit it off. I didn't tell her I was in high school."
"I thought Alex was my age; maybe even a little older." Piper sat on the edge of the sofa, fearing her legs would wobble if she remained standing. "I told her I was a teacher, I just didn't mention that it was at Newton."
"You didn't see the relevance?" Diane spat out.
"How could she have?" Alex shrugged, exageratting the motion of her shoulders and raising her palms in the air. "Even if I would've told Piper that I was in high school, she'd have no fucking clue where I went to school!"
"I can assure you, Diane, if I would've known that your daughter was my student, I would've backed off immediately." Piper wrung her hands together. "But by the time we realized it, we'd already made a connection."
"This has disaster written all over it." Diane shook her head and put her hands on her hips. "You can't stay together."
"We're not breaking up," Alex replied with conviction.
"I'm quitting my job." Piper stood and looked directly at Diane. She hadn't wanted to make such a definitive announcement without informing Alex beforehand, but the situation warranted a quick, effective solution. "The semester ends in three weeks. I'll tell the headmaster I won't be back in January."
"What?"
She swiveled her neck and looked at Alex with defeated eyes. "Your mom is right—this could be catastrophic for both of us. I could go to jail."
"You're not Mary Kay fucking Letourneau!" Alex shouted.
"A judge won't care who I am, or that I'm only four years older than you." She took both of Alex's hands in hers. "You are my student, Alex, and to anyone on the outside, it's going to be seen as me abusing my authority."
"That's bullshit," Alex spat with a fury Piper had never witnessed.
"She's right," Diane chimed in, staring at her daughter. "Al, you have to let her quit." She turned towards Piper. "After what I've seen today, I believe that you really do care for my daughter, but the two of you need to stay far fucking apart until Alex finishes high school."
Piper nodded and looked at the ground. Diane was right, and she knew it. Hell, Alex knew it, but staying apart was going to be pure agony.
Alex folded her arms and jutted her leg out. Piper could sense that she wanted to defend their relationship even further, but she remained silent.
Diane placed a hand on her daughter's arm and looked her sternly in the eye. "I'm glad you told me, hon, because something deep inside that smart brain of yours has been clogged by your feelings."
"We can do this, Alex." Her eyes stung from held-back tears, but she refused to cry in front of both women. "I don't want to disrespect you as a student or Diane as your mother."
"I could get my GED," Alex offered without gusto.
Piper smiled softly. "I can't let you do that."
"She's right, kid." Diane sighed. "You can't make your art if you don't go to school."
Alex turned her attention back towards Piper. "How are you going to make money?"
"My parents pay for my education, and I live in my grandma's house, so I don't have to pay rent," she replied. "I can ask them to give me a few hundred bucks a month to pay for bills and food."
"Will they do that?"
"Yeah." Piper nodded. "For a limited time, they will. If I can get another part-time job, that would help, too."
"Now you're thinking with your head," Diane put a hand on each woman's shoulder. "I know this has been weighing on your minds for a while, kids, but you have to do what's right."
Piper couldn't drag her eyes away from the hazel ones across from her. She felt a tear drip down her cheek and swatted it away, pissed that she couldn't keep her feelings in check. All three of them were silent for a moment, and the only sound was that of the dishwasher gurgling in the kitchen.
Piper looked at her feet, embarrassed by the whole situation. "I should go."
Alex bit hard on her back teeth. "You don't have to leave yet."
"Al…" Her mom gave her a warning look.
"Diane, thank you for welcoming me into your home." She faced the older woman and wiped away another tear. "I want what's best for Alex."
Diane pulled Piper into a deep embrace. "I know you do, kid."
Piper walked towards the door, Alex on her heels.
"Let's talk later tonight," she sniffed. "But after today, we can't."
"We can't even talk?" Alex huffed and looked into the distance as if she couldn't believe this was happening. "This is fucking ridiculous."
She shrugged. "We knew what the outcome would be."
Alex's eyes finally met hers. "You shouldn't have to quit your job."
"I never wanted to teach high school anyway," she offered with a crooked smile.
Alex folded her into her arms.
"We'll talk later." She pulled back, kissed Alex softly on the mouth one last time, and then walked to her car without looking back, eyes once again brimming with tears.