Intermission 4: Mia Owens.

When was the last time she tried to dress up for anything that wasn’t work related?

As she looks at herself in front of the mirror in her bedroom, Mia Owens wonders what would be the best thing to wear for this situation. She didn’t expect to ever find herself wondering what would be the best outfit for a date with a student, but here she it.

She takes off her dress, pulling it over her head and making her ample chest bounce as it is freed from its constraints. She sighs, asking herself for the tenth time how she allowed herself to accept David’s offer.

He found her on her office on Thursday afterschool, right as she was getting ready to leave. When he asked to talk, of course she agreed. Her feeling towards him might be complicated, but she can’t help but be very fond of the young man. They say a teacher shouldn’t have favorite students, but truth is every teacher has at least one. When her favorite student comes to her asking to talk, of course she’s going to say yes.

She didn’t expect him to ask her out though.

He asked her out. Her. A 32 year old woman, divorced AND his teacher. Of course, her first thought was that Emma set it up. The girl really is a busybody, but she means well and she can’t bring herself to be upset with her. Though when she asked David why he was asking her out, expecting him to confirm her suspicion, his answer was different.

With his hands on his pockets, he smiled sheepishly, but shrugged away his embarrassment and said “Because I really like you. I think you’re an amazing woman and I find you extremely attractive. I know you’re my teacher, but I can’t help but think of you like this often. I know you still don’t quite see me like a friend, so I guess this is my attempt at changing that.”

She smiles and shakes her head at the memory. The insatiable little devil already had three girlfriends and still had the gall to ask her out. At that time, she couldn’t help the warmth his words filled her with. It might sound silly, but it had been so long since she’d been told something like that, since she’d allowed herself to be seen as a woman.

She tried to buy herself some time from answering by joking, asking him “Do you really have time to be asking me on a date”, but he answered something quite interesting.

“I may not agree with my dad a lot, but he always said something I could never disagree with. He said time is not something you have, it’s something you make. If you tell me you only have one day available I’ll do everything to make time for you.” He answered seriously.

“Time is something you make” huh? Not exactly true, but it’s a nice philosophy to live by, she thinks.

“I really like you” he’d told her. Maybe it was the warmth caused by those words, maybe it was the desire to pay him back for his support during this time with her ex. She still doesn’t quite know. Still, she ended up accepting.

And now she’s having second thoughts.

She takes a white T-shirt in her hands and stares at it for a long time. She’s dressing up to go on a date with a man 14 years younger than her. Her student. If the school finds out, he’s finished. She… she should’ve said no. Maybe it would’ve hurt his feelings, but it would’ve been for the best. He’s already risking too much going out with Emma. She supports them, of course, but dating two teachers… he’s bound to be found out.

No. She has to cancel. He’s probably going to hate her for it, and that’s going to hurt her, but she has to stop this before it can begin.

Now, where’s her phone? She rummages around her small bedroom, looking under the pillows, the covers, in her drawer, everywhere. Oh! That’s right. She left it in the kitchen for some reason.

She steps out of her bedroom and into her living room.

The empty living room of her new apartment.

No, it’s not empty. It’s full of boxes. Clothes she still hasn’t unpacked, utensils, appliances... She managed to convince her ex to let her keep the couch, too, though not the TV.

She stands still at the frame of her door, looking at her empty new home. She got divorced a little less than a year ago, but she’s been alone for way more than that. She was married to a husband that didn’t care for her, so she married herself to her work.

The sight brings painfully sad memories. She bites her lip and turns around, going back into her bedroom.

In the end, she settles for a black turtleneck sweater, blue jeans, a thin greyish wool overcoat and white sneakers. She doesn’t know if it’ll impress anyone, but she feels comfortable like this.