Deviation (A Defined Series Book 1) by M.C. Cerny

eying up the man’s flat screen television like a tech whore,” Shelby states.
       “True, but still, Shelby. Edie needs to think about what could happen if she continues this and anyone finds out. You’re not going to move in with him, are you?” Aiden sits down between us on the couch, and we both put our feet in his lap.
       “We’re getting ahead of ourselves. I’ve crushed on him for years and, apparently, he feels the same. I don’t want to rush into anything, and I don’t want to jeopardize our futures. This kind of scandal would ruin him, and I’d be financially screwed because I’d have to probably pay back all my scholarship money.” Just the legalities alone make me sick to my stomach.
       “At least tell me you’re going to keep the car…” Shelby smiles.
       “That was part of our compromise. I keep my apartment and the car. We get through the semester unscathed and I graduate next semester.”
       “Shelby and I will do what we can to help.”
       “Thanks.” Shelby and I climb over to hug Aiden.
     
     
     

Chapter Nine
    Edith
       The next few weeks pass quickly, bringing us into November. Most students are heading home for the Thanksgiving weekend, including Shelby and Aiden. They invite me along, but I decide to stay behind. Jack is planning on cooking a turkey, and wants me to stay at his house for the weekend. Considering we’ve been careful and only had a few stolen moments between our schedules at school, work, and other things, we haven’t been intimate very often. But when we have, it is hot and carries my fantasies for days. We text daily. Jack has given me a new phone to make calls, take pictures, and connect to the internet. I tell him it is a sweet gift and he says he knew he could convince me to keep this one because it is so practical. He is right.  
    ***
    “Before class ends for the break, I just want to remind everyone that you should check ‘e-college’ for your mid-term grades that were posted a few weeks ago, and begin to study for the final exam. We have two classes left and I’ll try to review terms with you each session,” Jack says and many students groan. I’m not as worried as I had been before because I continue to meet with Daniel for tutoring, although he is kind of weird and intense. I also have my special meetings with Jack. I try really hard to study but, more often than not, we end up making out and Jack just yells out ridiculous things about T and Z scores and intervals. Surprisingly, I am able to retain the information during his unorthodox teaching methods under pressure. At the end of class, my new phone pings.
      JH: I see you trying to peek behind my podium, Miss Willows.
       You’re imagining things, sir.
       JH: So formal. What’s the probability you’ll call me “sir” later?
       Not a chance in hell.
       Jack laughs as students file out of the classroom. To any observer, it would look like many students were texting someone outside of class, with the exception of he and I. I am beginning to think our grins might give us away at some point. We continue to keep our meetings off campus at either his place or mine, and have curtailed any PDA to inside our apartments. Jack kept the house he bought, but we never go there. To me, it seems like a painful reminder of what we can’t have for a long time. After getting a bag of my things together, I drive my little car over to Jack’s place and park in his garage. I use my key to open the door.
       “Hey, Edith. I figured we’d order in tonight since we’re cooking tomorrow,” Jack calls from the kitchen.
       “Correction. You’re cooking tomorrow, but it sounds good to me.” I hang up my jacket, take off my hat, and go into the kitchen to find Jack bent over, looking under the sink. “Um, as fine as your ass is, what are you doing under the sink?”
       Jack bumps his head, causing whatever was in his hands to drop. “Oww, shit. I think the sink has a