"Alright. Security said they'll try to send someone over but may not be able to get to us for a couple of hours at max. They're dealing with drunk students coming back to campus," Tom said after setting his phone down. He set his elbows on the desk and began rubbing his temples with his thumbs.

"What? Are you serious? What if one of us was dying in here? And don't they have security all over campus?"

He shook his head. "They said if there was an emergency to call nine-one-one. And it seems like it's a busy night on the first weekend back at school."

Lexi laughed incredulously and set her arms and head down on the desk in front of her. "This is just great. What are we going to do here?"

Tom turned his head toward Lexi and clenched his jaw before shrugging. About a moment of silence ensued and she was itching to know what was going through his mind. "Is everything-" she started to say, but then quickly stopped when Tom spoke at the same time.

"So, what made you-" he said before stopping too. They both let out a breathy laugh through their noses.

"You go first." She smiled and leaned back in the comfortable desk chair while turning to face him.

"I was just going to ask, what made you get into Computer Science?"

"Oh. I, uh, I've always been really good with computers." Lexi paused. It wasn't the whole truth but there was still a lot of truth in what she was saying. "Ever since I was a kid, I soaked up as much as I could when it came to software and learning the ins and outs of coding. My family taught me a lot to start, but then I spent a lot of time teaching myself as much as I could. I was homeschooled so my parents were flexible on what my brother and I wanted to learn about."

"Have you built any software?"

"Tons. I'm always building new stuff and have a long list of past projects."

"That's cool," Tom said genuinely.

"What about you? What made you want to go into the field?" Lexi asked as she shifted her mini skirt so she wasn't accidentally flashing Tom.

"Honestly, I had a similar upbringing. Taught myself a lot and just sort of went from there. I came from working in the private sector before taking this teaching job. So far, it's been great." He paused a moment before a mischievous smirk graced his firm lips. "Except for this one pain in the ass student who seems to want to get me into trouble."

"Oh?" Lexi asked innocently. "What kind of trouble is this beautiful, smart, vivacious, young student getting you in?" She smiled back at him.

"Funny. I don't remember using any of those adjectives."

"Oh oops. Sorry, I just assumed you were talking about me." Lexi bit her bottom lip to try to stifle her smile, but it proved unsuccessful.

Tom chuckled and rolled his neck. He took a deep breath before speaking in an almost whisper, "You know, I still can't believe I'm the first person you've-" He stopped abruptly. By the look on his face, it seemed as if he caught himself from stumbling forward. "I-uh, I just." He paused again. "Never mind. I don't really know what I'm saying."

"Tom, I don't mind talking about the kiss. I know we said we'd forget it happened but I'm borderline drunk so you can ask me anything and I'd probably tell you." Lexi laughed at her own expense.

Tom chuckled and shook his head. "Drunk or not drunk, we shouldn't be talking about it. So, I'd rather not ask."

"Fine! Stop twisting my arm, I'll tell you all the deets!" Lexi raised her hands in the air dramatically to showcase her sarcasm, which forced another laugh out of Tom. Warmth invaded her body every time his laugh landed in her ears. "Well, like I said, I was homeschooled. So, I didn't get very many chances to meet guys or to go out on dates. I met a couple of nice guys through my church but, honestly, they were all a hard no. Anyways, I kissed Stevie one summer and our braces interlocked, and it was weird. And so, that brings me to you. I just don't even know what came over me when I saw you. It was like I needed to know what your lips were all about. So, that's the story of my romantic life and why you were the first person I'd made out with. Satisfied?"

The sexiest grin Lexi had ever witnessed formed on Tom's face. She wasn't sure if her lightheadedness was from seeing that smile, from spilling out her short and uneventful life in the romance department, or from the alcohol. "Well," Tom started and wrung his hands together, "I guess that explains that then." He paused and settled back into his seat. "You really do seem so innocent and shy." His gaze raked over her for a moment. "But then the way you flirt with me-" He paused and took in another breath before shaking his head. "Never mind, again, I really shouldn't be talking about this," he said with his voice turning up to normal volume.

"How do I flirt with you?" Lexi's mouth parting was the only movement that was made in the room.

"Just like that. Like you don't care about what it would mean if we kept flirting or talking about these things. Like it doesn't matter to you. And you have this confidence about you when you do it."

Shit, Lex. You may be too drunk for this conversation. You have to be more careful and act like a normal college student would. "Sorry, I know I shouldn't do that. I mean, I don't mean to do that. You're like one of the only people that I don't feel the need to hold back with. Like I could show myself, and somehow it wouldn't change the way you viewed me."

Right. Like how you told him your name was Lexi instead of Hannah? You're being real honest with him, Lex. She brushed the thought aside and continued. "I don't know if you've noticed yet, but I'm not really a great people person."

"You seemed pretty comfortable with Wes when he asked you out." Lexi smirked and Tom cracked a smile before continuing. "Sorry, I was eavesdropping."

"You call that comfortable? I was so awkward, like always!" Lexi's eyes grew wide when she remembered how she left the party. "Oh my God, Wes!"

"What is it?" Tom wrinkled his brows in concern.

"I, uh, I actually saw him at the party, and he asked to talk outside. I said I'd meet him there after I used the restroom. Before I knew it, I was remembering that lost item and coming back to the computer labs, leaving him waiting for me outside." Lexi placed her hands on her face. "Oh God, am I a horrible person?"

Tom laughed and moved to the chair beside Lexi. He pulled down her hands from her face and the touch was like an open flame against her skin. She smiled feebly at him. "Something tells me he's going to forgive you," Tom said before letting go and tucking his hand under his arm. Lexi shifted in her chair and tried not to mourn the loss of contact. "So, are you interested in dating him?" Tom asked.

Lexi smiled. Professor Miller. What is your aim here?

"Sorry, you don't have to answer that. Let's just change the subject," he quickly added and adjusted his collar.

"You seem to have a lot of questions tonight and I am very much open to answering all of them!" Lexi laughed and spun around in her desk chair. "I hadn't decided yet. He's probably younger than me since I'm older for my class. I'm not too sure how I feel about dating younger men. I typically like to go for the older ones."

Tom smirked and looked down, seemingly in thought with her words. Lexi waited for a response and when it seemed like he wasn't going to say anything she continued. "What about you? Do you tend to go for younger or older women?"

"Younger," he said with a piercing gaze. He cleared his throat before continuing. "My twin brother Greg loves going for older women though. You remember meeting him?"

Lexi's stomach dipped. She couldn't forget even if she tried. "I, uh, yeah I think so."

"It was funny. That night you were there, a much older woman came in. I think she was in her forties or fifties," Tom said while leaning back in his chair. Lexi's pulse increased as she remembered her mom walking into the pool area to work on damage control as Lexi was walking out. "I don't know how she knew he was interested. Maybe he has some sort of invisible sign on his forehead that only Cougars can see. So, it was within two minutes she got his number, and they were texting. That all happened just after you-" He paused and smiled. "Well anyways, it's not important."

"After I grabbed my things and ran out?" Lexi asked while pressing her thumb against the palm of her other hand.

"Yeah," was all Tom responded with.

"Yeah, remember when I said I'm not a very good people person?" Lexi smiled feebly and shrugged.

"Was that all, Hannah? I felt like I scared you off," Tom said with a serious expression.

"No, Tom, I promise you didn't scare me off." Lexi shook her head and Tom's expression softened. "I just freaked out. I'm so sorry, I-" She paused and sighed.

"It's okay. It's all water under the bridge at this point, right?" Tom focused his eyes on hers.

"Right," she replied in a soft voice.

Tom tucked in his firm lips and nodded. Both remained silent for a moment before he spoke again. "So, after our conversation earlier this week, I ended up watching the first Harry Potter when I got home. It really is so good."

Lexi laughed and the tension she didn't even realize was in the room instantly vanished. She breathed in a full lungful of air before she asked him about the movie.

They spent the next hour and a half discussing everything from movies to their families, to foods they liked, and to their favorite books. At one point Lexi was laughing so hard at a story Tom told her about his family accidentally locking him out of his house in his underwear as a kid. She had told him a few stories of her own about her family, trying not to share the embarrassing ones but ending up sharing them anyway. There was something about him that kept drawing her in.

A sound from the door forced them both to jump. "What time is it?" Lexi glanced at her watch and read 11:04. A security guard opened the door and they both stood up.

"Sorry it took so long, kids. Lots of calls tonight," the burly security guard said.

"No worries, thanks for coming to bail us out," Tom said as he made his way out of the door behind Lexi and grabbed his keys.

"On to the next caller," the security said with a sigh before rushing out towards the entrance of the building.

"I'm parked out front," Lexi said right before she remembered she didn't even drive there. She decided not to correct herself.

"I'm parked out back," Tom responded as he jiggled his keys in his hand. "Feels good to have these back."

Lexi laughed. "Bye, Tom. I had a fun night. Thanks for helping me out and keeping me company."

"Sure, I had fun too," he replied.

Lexi shifted on her heels and made her way down the hallway. She could sense Tom's gaze burning through the back of her head. Before she opened the door she turned back and saw him still standing where she left him. She gave him a wave, trying to ignore the swarm of butterflies in her stomach, before pushing open the door and heading outside to call an Uber.

***

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