**Writer's comment:  I know this sucker is long, which is probably putting people off (along with the fact that it isn't a Riff Raff and Magenta story).  It look me a long time to decide whether or not to post it at all, partially for that reason.  Please let me know if I should keep posting chapters, or if it's just a waste of server space.**

The next couple of days after her meeting with Frank were difficult for Janet.  Her predominant emotions – depression and embarrassment – alternated back and forth like riders on some sort of seesaw from Hell.  How could she have thrown herself at him that way?  Although he seemed to take it in stride, she couldn't help but wonder what he really thought of her behavior.  Did he find her pathetic?  Foolish?  Deluded?  In her darker moments, she believed she was probably all of those things.  She particularly dreaded having to face him Wednesday afternoon, when her next chemistry class was scheduled.  She seriously considered dropping the class, despite his plea to her; she didn't feel capable of even looking him in the face.

Fortunately, reason overcame emotion.  She knew she wouldn't be able to avoid the science requirement.  Perhaps more to the point, she knew she wouldn't be able to find a better instructor to help her get through it.  Attempting to keep those thoughts in mind, she entered the classroom…not without considerable trepidation.  Frank was already there, rifling through the paperwork in his briefcase.  As she passed by his desk, he looked up, smiled at her, and said softly, "I'm pleased you decided to return to class.  I'm afraid I had my doubts that you would."

Janet was too startled to reply.  It hadn't occurred to her that he would give her presence, or lack thereof, so much as a passing thought.  She gave him a quick, shy smile in response, and sat down.  He didn't say anything else to her, but what he said was enough.  She knew he didn't love her, and never would, but at least he seemed to like her.  It wasn't what she'd wanted, but it would do.   

When class was over, she again waited for the crowd around his desk to disperse.  When the final chemistry fan had departed, she approached him.  "Frank, I owe you an apology for my behavior Monday night."

He looked confused.  "An apology?  Why?"

"I put you in a very awkward position.  I tried to force you into a relationship, and I had no right to do that."

Frank laughed.  "I appreciate and accept the apology, but it wasn't necessary.  What I did to you certainly went far beyond what you did to me.  Now that was 'forcing you into a relationship'…or at least the highly temporary semblance of one."

He closed his briefcase and prepared to leave.  "Don't worry about Monday night.  Just concentrate on your classes, and meeting people, and making the most of your time here.  As with everything else, what you get out of your college experience will be reflective of what you put into it."

His words, though neither unique nor particularly profound, nonetheless struck a chord with Janet.  The more she thought about what he'd said, the more determined she became to take full advantage of this opportunity she'd been given.  Her first order of business had to be her classes.  The emotional roller coaster she'd been on those first few days of the semester hadn't been conducive to concentrating on lectures and assignments.  Over the course of the weeks and months that

followed, she rediscovered the joy of learning she'd always experienced in high school.  As her mastery of the class material increased, so did her self-confidence.  She became an active participant in classroom discussions, organized study groups with newfound friends among her classmates, and tackled assignments with brisk enthusiasm.  She was having a wonderful time. 

Much to her amazement, chemistry turned out to be her favorite course, for reasons totally unrelated to her history with its professor - which is not to say that Frank had nothing to do with her enjoyment of the class.  On the contrary, it was his talent as an instructor that made the subject come alive for her.  He could take complex ideas and make them understandable, without oversimplifying them.  He turned the class lectures into truly interactive experiences, as he connected with his students and made them eager to communicate their ideas and questions.   Perhaps most importantly, he had a unique gift for making his class feel the same enthusiasm he did for the wonders of science.  Janet began to understand how much skill was required to be an effective teacher, and for the first time thought of possibly following that path herself.  It must be so rewarding to accomplish what Frank had…to take a class full of people with no interest in the subject matter and no desire to be there, and watch them connect both with you and with what you're trying to teach them.   

But could she ever do that?  Frank was magnetic, charismatic, a natural showman.  She didn't believe she could get in front of a class and take control through sheer force of personality, as he had.  She communicated her concerns to him during a visit to his office.

Although Frank made no effort to establish any kind of social relationship with Janet, he had proven willing to meet with her in his office outside of his normal office hours, in order to provide her with guidance and encouragement.

"You don't have to be a carbon copy of me in order to be a good teacher.  There are as many ways to teach a class as there are teachers.  Think back to your favorite teachers during your earlier school days…I'm sure they took different approaches to their class work, but they each managed to make an impression on you.  It's simply a matter of finding out what works best for you…and that's something you probably won't discover until you actually find yourself in front of a classroom.  It is easier if one is outgoing, but it isn't as if you can convince me you have no showmanship in your soul.  I remember you up on that stage during the floor show!"

Janet blushed.  "That was different."

He grinned.  "No, it wasn't.  You were expressing a part of yourself that had always been there…you'd just kept it well hidden.  I'm telling you, it's still there.  You just need to tap into it."

It was food for thought.