Chereads / Martha Jordan / Chapter 58 - TENSION

Chapter 58 - TENSION

As the students exited the class because the lecture had ended, Samantha pretended like she was having a hard time arranging her papers into a file. She was using that to buy time so Michael would pass. As Michael was about to pass her, she called him.

"Michael I suppose?" Samantha asked about the hearing of the remaining students that were passing.

Michael turned his head to her direction, never expecting her to call him and said curtly, "Yes ma. I am Michael!" He walked up to the podium and stood before her. She regarded his dress sense - Michael was on a white spotless polo shirt with black jean pants and an equally white pair of sneakers. He also strapped a black designer back pack behind his back and his hair fell over his face, giving him that suave, unpredictable and dangerous look. There was something about men that strapped back packs that stayed above their ass to Samantha, it gave this sexy vibe to her.

"Good, I gather that you are the one leading the class by your grades and morals and the dean asked me to seek you so you could put me through whatever questions I have regarding your class" Samantha said as she tried to maintain her composure as he was standing close to her and his cologne was infiltrating her senses, reminding her of their times together. This was not good or should she just talk here!

"Alright ma, let me help you with that!" Michael said as he pointed to the file she was struggling to balance.

"No, you do not have to. I have it under control, thank you" Samantha shakily said and as she took a step and the papers that were in the file…spilled on the floor. She had forgotten to zip up the file due to how jittery she was.

"My GOD!" Samantha exclaimed as she squatted and began to pick the papers. All the students were out of the class already and she was alone with Michael.

Michael immediately got into work and began to pick the files. Her manicured and fixed nails prevented her from picking up the papers as fast as she wanted and Michael beat her to it. He had the greater portion of papers in his hand and when he saw that there was none again on the floor, he asked for the one in her hands.

"No, just give me the one you have," Samantha said.

"With all due respect ma, I ask for the ones in your hands" Michael insisted and arched his eyebrows, expecting her to refuse him again. Samantha did not want to drag the conversation and she knew he would still insist - with a frustrated sigh, she dumped the file and paper on his waiting hand and began to walk towards her office. She prayed she would be able to successfully walk the one minute distance to her office, without disgracing herself because her legs felt like jelly.

Michael followed dutifully behind her and noticed how she balled and freed her hands more than four times before they got to her office.

"You can place them on the table" said Samantha as she sat on her rocking chair. Michael did so and awaited her questions.

"You may sit"

Michael drew one of the chairs from under her table and sat.

"Thanks for helping out with these"

"It's no biggie ma'am" Michael replied.

'Ma'am?' Where is that coming from? Do I look like a ma'am to him or something? Why is this even getting to me? I am his lecturer and I suppose I am a 'ma'am' to him, but he did not have to be so rude about it' thought Samantha as she stared at Michael. Michael looked innocently at her and knew that the reason why she currently had her eyes dimmed and it looked like small darts of fire were coming out of her slanted eyes was because she did not like the fact that he had called her 'ma'am'. A small almost inconspicuous smile grazed his lips.

"Uhmmm, sorry but I have another class to attend right now ma" Michael said as the silence lingered.

"Sorry about that. I guess I sort of spaced out, uhnmmm, was thinking of something. So Mr. Malcolm - the dean said you did be a good help to me because I'd I'd want to effectively help your class, I have to know the class. Knowing the whole class would take a millennial, knowing one considered as a class representative would not" Samantha said.

"True, so where do I come in?" Michael asked.

"As the classes progress -though I know this might be kind of some work to you but I hope you would be able to assist me - a comment analysis form would be passed to every student and would be submitted that same day, so I can know and monitor the progress of each student "

"Brilliant idea!"

"Yeah, I would need you to be in charge of collecting and returning the comment analysis form after every class. Do you think you can do that?" Samantha asked.

"I sure can do that," Michael replied. 'He wondered if she was asking out of courtesy or if it ever crossed her mind that I was going to say 'no', especially when it is her that is asking'

"That…that is all" Samnatha said rather awkwardly as she continued to look at Michael's face.

"Alright! How have you been Samantha?" Michael asked in a voice and tone different from what he had been using to converse with her.

Samantha was torn inwardly on how she should reply. As much as she did not want to lead him on so he would not think anything could go on between them, a better part of her just wanted to fall into his arms and narrate all the evil, unjust and beautiful things that had happened to her when they had separated - the right statement would be, when she left him. Instead of that, the words that fell out of her mouth was, "Yes, I am fine Michael".

His calling her using a first name basis, meant he was not asking her as a student would ask a lecturer but as friends..the right word would be acquaintances.

"How have you been?" Samantha asked as she folded her hands before her and tried to continue looking at his face without shying away and giving him the information that - she never forgot about him.

"How is the little one?" Michael asked, asking of her child.

"The little one is doing amazing" Samantha replied and a smile plastered on her lips. Her eyes fluttered to her hands where she connected them, then back to his face. Asking about her child had definitely broken through that tasteless professional expression she had borne since. He could not tell whether this was what she wanted or if the real reason he was in her office was because the dean had suggested it to him.

It was just a suggestion the dean had made, if she did not want his presence, she could have chosen someone else despite…

"You remembered I have a child?" Samantha asked. Even her child's father sometimes probably forgot he had a child and would not call for close to three months.

"Yes, I do remember that you have a child. Though you never let me meet him, how could I forget?" Michael asked.

The way he had said it, there was pain in his words and Samantha could feel it. He was supposed to meet Joe - Samantha's son the day they separated. He was disoriented and dispirited by everything around him that day and he had felt like he had placed too much value - his heart on where it was not wanted. He felt neglected…again!

Samantha tried to swallow to evade the rush of emotions that were coming at her but as she swallowed, her saliva seemed to have diverted from its original course and the resultant effect was bouts of cough. She began to slightly hit her chest as the cough progressed and Michael sprang on his feet. He reached into the mini fridge, opened a bottle of water and gave it to her. She chugged down on it and he gently rubbed her back as she drank.

"Easy! Easy!" Michael said as he rubbed her back.

She sighed when she brought the bottle of water down from her lips and relieved the feeling of the water refreshing her insides.

"Thanks!" Samantha said as Michael collected the bottle of water from her and covered it. He placed the remainder of the water back into the mini fridge and when he looked at Samantha, he noticed a droplet of water by the corner of her mouth.

"You have a little something…" Michael said as he swiped the droplet of water away with his thumb. As he rubbed off the water, Samantha held his hand that was on her face and looked at him with those eyes he was very familiar with.