Flashed by Zoey Castile

Author:Zoey Castile
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2019-07-18T16:00:00+00:00

LENA

“Better, Lena,” Professor Meneses says. Her light-brown hair is brushed back into a neat ponytail and her round glasses always look like they’re about to fall off the tip of her long, crooked nose.

I wouldn’t call my sketch better, but it’s a start. My fingers feel stiff and not because I spent last telling Patrick in excruciating detail what I was doing with the vibrator I bought at the local Feminist Club fund-raiser. It’s been almost four weeks into the semester and I feel behind the others. We’re studying the human body, and as much as I love staring at a naked stranger with a flacid penis for hours, I’d rather be naked. In bed. Talking to Patrick.

“Your movements are beautifully frustrated, Lena,” Professor Meneses tells me on her second lap. On the other end of the room Mari’s cat-green eyes find me and she snorts.

I pinch the piece of charcoal between my fingers and smile. “Thank you?”

Meneses quickly moves on, and like all the other sketches this week, they’re unfinished. They don’t even look like people, just smudges of ash. I snap pictures of them and send them to Patrick.

Pat: Not exactly the nudes I’d expect.

Me: The only ones you’re going to get. ;)

Pat: You coming home? I can order.

Me: I’m sorry, I picked up studio hours. Ari is already mad that I didn’t call her at midnight on her birthday yesterday because I fell asleep.

Pat: Jack’s birthday was the day before on the twenty-eighth.

Me: Surrounded by Libras. Kind of love that.

Pat types and stops.

Me: Wait up for me?

Pat: I don’t know. I have a really packed schedule of reading Scarlett’s latest book.

Me: How do you get to read it?

Pat: I believe she calls me her beta reader. I asked her if I could call it alpha reader, but she didn’t like that.

Me: I kind of love this aspect of your life.

Pat: It only took thirty-five years, but I finally read books.

Me: Maybe you can read the really dirty bits to me tonight.

Pat: Tonight, Lena.

I pocket my phone. I’m the last one to put my things away. Mari is at the doorway flirting with one of the girls from class. Keillor and his girlfriend are leaving the room, hand in hand. He hasn’t said a word to me since the day at the store, and I’m glad that’s all sorted out as just an awkward moment.

“Lena,” Professor Meneses says in that smoky voice of hers. “Will I be seeing you at my exhibit tonight?”

Shit. That’s tonight?

Tonight, Lena. It felt like a different kind of promise. But this is too important. She’s my teacher, and I’m sure everyone else in the department is going to be there.

“Of course,” I say. “I have studio hours, but what time is it at again?”

“My darling, you work yourself to death. Take the night off. There won’t be anyone here because everyone will be at the exhibit. At least, I hope. Mustn’t jinx myself.” She knocks on the nearest easel. “Six o’clock!”

I wave as she leaves the room.

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