Stalk her: 10+, yes.

You look over at the doorway to see another girl entering the classroom.

“Sorry Mr. Turner. I almost forgot we had this.”

Cherie Finch is the youngest daughter of a prominent Southern family. You can see the glint of a gold cross around her neck as she sits down in front of you. The first few buttons of her uniform shirt are unbuttoned, revealing her perfect, sun-kissed complexion. She tucks a few strands of her blonde highlighted hair behind her ear and smiles at you.

“That’s quite alright Miss Finch, the important thing is that you remembered in time.”

“So what do y’all talk about in these one on ones?”

“Oh the syllabus for the year, what you personally find interesting in a book,” you waive your hand, “really whatever comes up.”

“Oh well in that case I did want to ask you about something.”

“And what’s that Miss Finch?”

“Well, I was wondering if I could switch to a different theme? I know the instructors can make small changes to their classes like that without having to go through the Dean.”

“That’s quite bold to ask on the second day of classes, what’s put you off this class?”

She pauses and shifts in her seat. She breaks eye contact. “It’s just that…. I was talking to my older sister last night, she graduated from here a few years ago, and she loved her senior seminar so we were comparing reading lists and… well she said she thought some of the titles on your syllabus aren’t appropriate.”

“I take it your sister is studying education then?”

“Oh no, she’s pre-law.”

“Then why is she questioning the appropriateness of my assigned readings?”

“It’s just… she thought daddy wouldn’t approve of me reading them.” She looks down at her feet as if ashamed to be bringing the subject up.

You decide to push her a little and see where this goes. “Why wouldn’t he approve? They’re classics of the cannon. That’s what this class is meant to expose you to.”

“They’re… my sister says they have adult content in them”

“Aren’t you 18, Miss Finch?”

“Yes Mr. Turner.”

“Then you’re an adult, I don’t see what the issue is.”

Cherie paused for a moment. “Whether or not I’m legally an adult, it’s about the principle of the thing. We’re not supposed to talk about those kinds of things in public, let alone in a class full of people, let alone a class full of people taught by a man.”

“Miss Finch, have you had any kind of sex education?”

Her cheeks go red. “Absolutely not! My daddy talked to the dean and got me and all my sisters out of those classes.”

“But surely the girls talked after class.”

“Well sure, but I ignored all that. It wasn’t right.”

“Maybe not at the time, but now that you’re a senior you’re seriously behind the curve. I think I’m obliged to keep you in the class to bring you up to date.”

A look of distress flashed across Cherie’s face. “Is there anything I can do? Please, I shouldn’t be reading these with a man.”