Jessica means to say "study"

Paul felt a little unsteady as he walked through the abandoned corridors towards his locker. He was cutting his next class outright but didn't care, he just wanted to get out. The day had taken a lot out of him, so to speak, and all he really wanted was to recuperate, and perhaps even try to reflect on all that had happened.

It still made no sense to him. Did he really need all the extra attention just because of a couple extra inches? He couldn't figure it out -- and yet, it stirred his imagination.

He got to his locker, only to hear a voice from behind. "Hey there, Paul."

Paul turned. Emerging from behind a bank of lockers was Jessica Simmons, her arms coyly held behind her back.

"Hey there, Jessica. You're cutting class too?"

"Yeah, I ... I made up my mind to just wait here for you all period, I ... kind of have a feeling that a lot of girls will be stopping by here right after the bell."

"They will? What for?"

She seemed amused. "You mean ... you don't know? You can't guess?"

"No. So why are you here?"

"I just wanted to say, I really appreciated what you did in biology. That was very brave, and I know I learned a lot."

"Really?" Honestly, no one was making any sense today. "Like what?"

"Like -- I'm through with Bruno Bratslavsky. I'm through with being Bruno's Babe. I broke up with him."

"How'd he take it?"

"Oh ... " She blushed as if at a naughty joke. "He seemed to understand why. Paul? Listen, I don't know if I'm doing so hot in biology -- "

"I don't know if I am either."

"Yes, but you know what they say, two heads are better than one." It took Paul a little restraint not to mention the two budding "heads" bulging against Jessica's pullover. "I was hoping you could come over and ... uh ... " Her gaze fell and she seemed to lose her concentration." " ... stud."

"Stud?" Paul understood it as a verb, as in putting studs in leather. "Stud?"

"What? Did I say stud? Oh! Oh, no, I meant study."

Paul wanted to be logical, knowing that neither one of them might do the other much good with classwork -- but then, this was Jessica Simmons. "Sure. Let's go."

"It's a quick drive, get in," said Jessica as they got out to her fabulous car.

"Jessica? Will Mr. and Mrs. Simmons be expecting me?"

"Oh, they're in Fiji. They always seem to love Fiji this time of year."

Paul took a deep breath, got in, buckled up, and off they went.