Check Professor Austen's Office

You’re going to be the leader of CCL one day. You have to take care of your girls. You never should have let the Sissy situation hang like you did.

“Let’s go,” you say to Roxy. “Check her locker, then the library,” you order Karen and Kris, turning to start toward the main building. Roxy hurries after you.

“You sure you aren’t in the Army or something?” she jokes.

“I do like showering with other girls,” you reply.

“That’s a coincidence. I do too.”

“Gonna join up?”

“I don’t think it would work.”

You enter the building, which is eerily quiet. Your footsteps echo. You explain what you can to Roxy on the way.

“So that’s why you’re so worried,” she says as you climb the steps to the second floor. A lot of the lights are off, and much of the building is dark. You turn the corner to see one light on down the hall. “Don’t tell me that’s the place.”

It is. That’s Professor Austen’s office. Could she be here?

You hurry forward, finding the door ajar. You were about to knock, but now you just push it in.

The office looks just like it did earlier, except it’s empty. That puzzles you, and you stand there beside Roxy, staring for a moment before going inside.

“Anyone here?” you ask. It’s just the lamp that’s on, nothing else. But the door wasn’t even shut, let alone locked. That’s not normal. “What in the world…” You start to look around, and Roxy does as well, but it’s just an office. What are you going to find? A dead body or something?

As you rummage through the desk drawers, finding just papers and normal things, you glance at Roxy. She’s leaning on the window sill, watching you. But no, she’s not watching you search, she’s looking at your rear end in your jeans while you’re bent over.

“Seriously?” you say.

“What? What else am I supposed to look at?” She gestures at the office. “Want me to read a book?”

You can’t help it. You laugh and roll your eyes, shutting the drawer and standing up. Sighing, you lean against the desk, shaking your head.

“I don’t know.”

“Jenny, it’s good of you to try and look out for your girls,” Roxy says, walking over to lean beside you. “But this is crazy. They could be anywhere.”

You nod. She’s right. You only did this because deep down, you felt guilty for forgetting about the Sissy situation. You remember how Kris wanted to report what you saw. You aren’t sure that would have been right, but what if it was? You groan.

“Baby,” Roxy says, and you look up. “You need to relax.”

You smile, returning her gaze. “You’re giving me the look? Here?” you add, glancing at the office.

“Why not?” Roxy asks.

That’s a fair question that a CCL girl can only answer one way. She’s right. You do need to relax. Maybe if you do that, you can think a little more clearly.

Roxy still smells like leather and cold air, but you like it.

Kiss her?

Or give her bedroom eyes?