Page 49 of Love and History
I’d lost count of how many times I’d gone over Kepler’s and Newton’s laws to eighteen-year-olds who should have memorized the rules of motion and gravity in high school. In my opinion, summer school courses skimmed over meatier theories and put too much emphasis on material that should have been the equivalent of memorizing multiplication tables.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the subject matter, but I wished we could move through it faster. These lucky students still had the circular motion principles and centripetal force to look forward to. They might not think they were ready, but after a few weeks of wondering which scientist their professor would dress up as, they’d begin to flex their brain in a new way. Associative learning techniques worked!
In a perfect world, the curly-haired kid peppering me with methods to measure the compression of a circle or sphere would associate the ginormous ruffled collar I’d paired with my basic black ensemble today with the theorem at hand or the scientist responsible for it. History was an important resource. It taught us invaluable lessons about society and our place in it…and it reminded us not to repeat certain mistakes.
And…cue Marlon.
I did a double take at the shadowy figure standing at the rear of the hall with his hands in his pockets. I wasn’t sure it was him until he leaned on his right hip and almost careened against the wall. He regained his balance, clutching an empty chair and knocking his thick glasses askew in the process. To his credit, he covered his near tumble pretty darn well, slipping into the seat and crossing his legs without causing a major disruption.
What the heck was he doing here?
I noted that Marlon’s usually wild dark mane was slicked into some semblance of control, and that his white oxford shirt had those telltale “straight from the packaging” creases. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he’d primped. For…me?
Oh, no.
I wrapped up my class, reminding the students of an upcoming quiz. I reached for the water bottle I’d propped on the podium, anticipating that the usual few students would stop by to ask a question or two. I usually loved discussing the finer points of a lecture, but Marlon’s presence was distracting in all the wrong ways. I just hoped he’d keep things professional and not mention—
“Sir Hardwick is extraordinarily happy to see you,” Marlon purred, strolling the aisle toward me as the last student filed out of the hall.
“Not acceptable,” I hissed.
“Whyever not, my petal?”
I gathered my belongings and shoved them into my bag, swatting his hand when he fingered the stitching on my collar. I ripped the Velcro fastening off and whispered, “What are you doing? We’re at work.”
“You’re right to chastise me. I beg your pardon.” He nodded gravely. “I haven’t slept well for days. We agreed to reevaluate our association after a short recess, and it’s been a few weeks now. That’s surely enough time for us both to realize that at the very least, we should establish an extracurricular affairs calendar.”
“No.”
“I promise to make it worth your while. I purchased pirate cosplay garb to spice up the night. The shirt alone will most certainly drive you wild,” he assured me. “It’s frilled and low-cut.”
That did sound sexy, but…no.
“Marlon…”
“I implore of thee. I’m dangerously smitten at the mere sight of you. However, this isn’t the place for a saucy rendezvous. Meet me at my house, my buttercup, and—”
“No. We’ve had this conversation, and I’m not changing my mind.” I slung my bag over my shoulder and strode purposefully toward the exit. “Good night.”
Marlon was a good three inches shorter than me. He broke into a combination run and skip to catch up to me on the steps outside of the Physics building. “Holden. Wait!”
I pointed my key fob at my Honda and rounded on him under a lamppost in the parking lot. “Good night,” I repeated.
He followed me to the driver’s side, visibly deflated. His shoulders slumped and he suddenly lost two inches of height as he curled around himself like a turtle without a shell.
“Okay, fine. It pains me greatly, but I have no choice but to accept your decision.”
I hesitated for a beat before offering a hasty smile. “It’s better that way, Marlon. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to rehearsal.”
“A moment, please.” He raked his hand through his shellacked hair, sending the middle section into vertical like an accidental mohawk. “This feels a tad awkward now, but…I was hoping you’d chair the Saturn Returns back-to-school event in September with me again. This event marks the anniversary of our intimate acquaintance, so I’ll understand if you’re reticent to—”
“I’d be honored.”
Marlon widened his eyes comically as he zoomed his glasses in and out, cartoon-style. “Really?”
“Yes. I always look forward to the Saturn Returns event.” I opened the car door and set my bag on the floor behind the driver’s seat, cautiously adding, “We can be friends, you know.”
“I’d like that.” He nodded thoughtfully. “May I ask you a sensitive question?”