Max lay back against the pillows, trying to catch her breath. That was pretty intense. I'm exhausted.

Mark, laying next to her, was seemingly falling asleep. She glanced over to him and shook her head. Did that really just happen? What the fuck happens now?

She could feel the tiredness taking her over too, she moved over to cuddle up to him and felt him bring his arm around her to pull her in closer.

He started to ask her something, but she shushed him, 'We'll talk in the morning.' Right now, she was content just to fall asleep.

Sunlight streamed through the large plate glass windows, unobstructed by the curtains that were never closed in last night's haste, and onto Max's face, waking her up.

Closing her eyes against the glare she considers the position she's in; still entwined with her lover from last night, still naked, and still disbelieving.

Carefully, she extracted herself from his embrace and went to the bathroom for some quiet sanctuary. Sighing heavily, she looks at her reflection in the mirror. Her carefully applied make up is mostly smeared across her freckled face. She decided that the best thing to do would be to have a shower and go back to her room.

After leaving the bathroom, Max quickly rushed to grab her dress and put it on. Yuk, I feel so gross, hope I don't see anyone before I get back to my room.

She picked up her bag and shoes, not bothering to put them on and left stealthily.

She breathed a sigh of relief on the closed door and opened her room door. Once inside, she took off her dress and put on her pyjamas and climbed into her bed. I'm not going anywhere else today, no way.

Max needed to process what happened last night – the enormity of it all was weighing down on her heavily. She'd definitely enjoyed herself, she felt satisfied in a way she hadn't before but she felt...off. Not shy, not embarrassed, but still awkward.

She looked down at her phone and saw several messages from Chloe, but she was far too mixed up to even begin to tell her friend what had happened.

There's a knock at the door. Max froze. She could guess who it was but she still didn't want to talk to him.

'Max, please, let me in so we can talk,' she heard Mark's voice from the other side of the door.

Maybe I can just stay quiet, maybe he'll think I'm asleep.

He knocked again, 'Come on, I know you're not asleep.'

Fuck. Now what? Should I just let him in? I can't hide forever.

Reluctantly, she climbed out of bed and slowly made her way to the door. Bracing herself, she opens it a little of the way.

'Oh, hi! Mr Jefferson, I wasn't sure who it was...' she said, entirely unconvincingly.

He gave her a sharp look, 'Mr Jefferson? Really?' He pushed the door open. 'Max, don't do this to me.'

'Do what?' she said, faking a big bright smile. 'Everything's cool, right?'

'Everything is completely the opposite of cool,' he replied, entering and closing the door. 'Now are you going to talk to me about this or are you going to fuck me around?'

Startled by his choice words, Max stepped back and said, 'All right, come and sit down. I'm going back to bed.'

She went back to the bed and climbed back in, Mark following her. He sat on the edge and looked at her with a sigh.

'What's wrong? Did I hurt you?' he asked, reaching out to hold her hand.

Max looked down, and automatically laced her fingers through his. 'No, you didn't hurt me,' she said softly, casting her eyes down.

'Then why did you go?' he said, shifting a little closer to her. 'I was worried when I'd noticed you'd gone, I can't stand the thought of you being hurt, least of all by me.'

'I don't know!' Max said abruptly, 'Maybe cause I don't know what the fuck to do in a situation like this. Maybe I'm not the only student that you've fucked before, maybe-,'

'Or maybe you're fucking wrong ,' he replied, looking angry, 'Do you think I would do that to you? Just sleep with you and then discard you? Don't you know how I fucking feel about you?'

'I-what? No?' Max was caught off guard.

'Do you really think I would risk my career and reputation just to fuck you? Max, you're so much more special to me than that.' he said, rubbing his face in agitation. 'Were you listening to me yesterday? You are such a lovely warm person, I could never do that to you. But, I can understand your feelings of confusion. You're young, you've probably never been in a situation like this, am I right?'

Max felt awkwardly inexperienced as she nodded in acquiescence to his questions.

'You know how I know? Because I'm the goddamn opposite. I'm not young and I have experienced something like this before. And I feel terrible, because I shouldn't have put you through this, but I can't leave you alone.'

'W-what do you mean?' she asked, sitting up and moving a little closer to him.

'I mean what I said yesterday, I can't leave you, I don't want to be without you,' he said, sighing. 'Maybe I'm selfish but I am so happy that I get to be alone with you, finally, away from everyone, away from school, work, every distraction.'

With that, he gathered her into his arms and held onto her tightly. Max rested her chin on his shoulder, returning the embrace, feeling his warmth. She pulled him down, so he was laying next to her.

'Mark, I...I don't know what to say. I've always had a-a crush on you, like I told you. Last night doesn't seem real to me,' Max said, turning her head to face him. 'But I don't want to leave you either.' she whispered.

'Come here,' he said, pulling her in his arms again. Max snuggled against his chest. Yes, they did have to take this carefully, yes they had to think about the implications but no, she didn't want to be without him.

She reached up to touch his face and smiled softly. She leant into him and kissed him gently. He responded in kind, embracing her back with one hand, the other reaching to the back of her head to bring her closer.

Their kiss growing more passionate, they each began to lose items of clothing. Max was feeling altogether braver than before, and snaked her hand down until she found what she was looking for. She began to move her hand up and down slowly, eliciting an exhalation from her partner. She broke off their kiss and moved down his body to replace her hand with her mouth.

'Max, you don't have to do this, if you don't-,' Mark started to say.

'Shhh, keep quiet,' she replied, ducking her head to him.

She took his length in her mouth, experimentally moving her head up and down slowly. He groaned in fervour, gently holding her head, his fingers entwined in her hair.

She soon found a rhythm, moving faster and wrapping her hand around the base at the same time.

It was her first time doing this but she figured she must be doing it right, judging by the heavy pants she could hear.

As she moved faster, so his breaths increased until she felt his release. She wasn't prepared for the salty explosion but did the only thing that felt natural, and swallowed.

Coming up for air, she smiled at his, 'Good?' she asked, tilting her head to the side.

'Come here,' he said, opening his arms to her.

She fell in his arms, the place where she felt the most comfort.