Taming Desires

Drip Queen

(Alarm rings)

Audrey moaned and stretched her hand out, picking up her phone. She checked the time. 8:05 a.m.

"Damn," she whispered, jumping out of bed. Her history class started at 9:00 a.m. She had been so tired last night.

She ran to the bathroom. She took a very quick shower. She was so rushed that she was practically pulling her jeans on while her legs were still wet. She knew she had no time for the dryer. She grabbed a clean towel and pressed it hard onto her wet hair, trying to squeeze the water out.

She looked at Taylor, who was completely asleep. She must not have a morning class, Audrey decided, grabbing her backpack.

Her phone made a ding.

It was the Fresh Students Forum. The message read:

Hi, I'm Professor Serena Frances. Welcome to Sterling. I wish you all the best of luck while achieving your dreams here.

Please note: Anyone who misses my first class will not be allowed in for the rest of the semester.

See you in class.❤️

"This is bad," Audrey muttered. She hated the red heart emoji after that serious threat disguised as a harmless message.

She Half ran out the door and through the hallway. She smiled briefly, remembering the scenario with Taylor and Ayla the day before." I cannot be late, "she thought.

She was walking fast outside. Her stomach grumbled loudly. She was very hungry.

She saw a small chip store across the road and her stomach tugged more. Audrey decided to cross over and grab a snack to eat after class.

She was halfway across the road when a fast car drove right through a huge puddle. Cold, dirty water splashed violently through the open window, hitting Audrey all over her front.

She stopped. She was soaked. Dirty water was dripping from her clothes. Anger hit her. She felt her eyes sting with tears. She was a complete mess.

She walked quickly into the chip shop.

The young man behind the counter looked up. He was wearing a clean apron.

"Please, can I have a napkin?" Audrey asked, trying to control her voice.

He looked at her wet clothes and his face changed. "Oh my gosh. Did you just get splashed? That is awful. Your top is totally wet." He rushed to hand her a thick stack of napkins. "Here, take these. That's terrible luck for the morning."

Audrey took the napkins and pressed them onto her shirt. "Thank you. Yes. Some f**k ass drove like crazy through the water."

"I'm really sorry that happened to you. Are you headed to class?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm already late for my first history lecture," Audrey explained, feeling defeated.

"Wow. That's the worst timing. Look, what can I get you? I want to pay for it. Please, let me. It's the least I can do for your bad start."

Audrey was surprised by his kindness. "Oh, thank you, that's so kind. I just need a small bag of the salt and vinegar chips, please."

He got the chips and put them in a small paper bag. "I'm Mark, by the way. I work here most mornings."

"I'm Audrey," she replied, taking the chips.

"Well, Audrey, I hope your class goes better than your walk. Do you have a card? I'll put my number on the back if you need anything else today; like a cleaner ride home." He winked playfully.

Audrey smiled, feeling the panic lift slightly. "That's a great idea, Mark. Thank you for making my day a little better." She quickly put his contact in her phone and ran out the door.

It was 9:10 a.m. when Audrey walked into the huge lecture hall.

A woman with round, large Harry Potter glasses and bright ginger hair was standing at the podium. Bright ginger hair just like hers but….She felt something drip on her. Her hair was still wet." f**k," she muttered under her breath.

She guessed this was the professor.

Audrey walked down the side aisle toward the front. "Professor, I am so sorry. May I please come in?"

The professor looked at Audrey. Her expression was hard. "Why are you late?" she asked, her voice sharp and loud enough for many students to hear.

Audrey felt her shoulders slump. Another drop of water from her hair hit her wet shirt. She looked down, completely defeated.

The professor watched her for a long, quiet moment. Then she sighed loudly. "Come in," she said. "But I will not accept late coming again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Professor. I do," Audrey whispered.

Audrey walked quickly toward the back. The room was packed with students. She focused on finding a free seat.

"Hey!"

A guy's voice shouted from the middle of the room. It cut through the silence after the professor's warning. Everyone turned to look.

The guy was looking straight at Audrey. He had a nasty look on his face.

"You got f****d so good last night that you forgot to wake up at dawn and dry your hair, huh?" he said, making a joke.

The students around him roared with laughter.

The guy smirked, enjoying the attention. "Look at her. She's dripping! I think her nickname should be Drip Queen. What do you think? Drip Queen! Deal?"

Audrey felt the blood rush to her face. She walked faster, trying to ignore the noise.

"That is enough,!" the professor shouted, banging her hand on the podium.

Audrey sat down in the first empty seat she saw.

The professor was furious. "What is your name, young man?"

"Ethan," he answered, sounding bored and uncaring.

"Good. Ethan you will contact me one hour before every single class to remind me of the schedule for the rest of the semester. If you fail to do this once, you fail the course immediately. Do you understand, Mr. Ethan?"

Ethan muttered, "Yes, Professor."

Even though the rude student was punished, Audrey still felt terrible.

The girl sitting next to her leaned in. "Hi. I'm Vera," she whispered, giving Audrey a kind smile. "Don't listen to him. Ethan is a jerk, but sometimes he can be sweet, though. I promise."

Audrey nodded.

The long history class finally ended. Professor Frances, after her dramatic warning, had started the lecture, and Audrey had tried to pay attention, but her wet clothes and the heat on her face from the public humiliation made it hard.

As the students stood up to leave, the girl next to Audrey, Vera, leaned over.

"Hey, Audrey right? I saw your note."

Audrey nodded

"Wait up a second."

She pulled something out of her backpack. It was a clean, folded T-shirt.

"Here," Vera said, holding it out. "You're still so wet. You need to change your shirt right now, or you'll catch a cold. It's not good to sit in wet clothes."

Audrey looked at the shirt. It was simple gray cotton. She hesitated. "Oh, Vera, thank you, but I can't take your shirt. I can't just use your clothes."

Vera shook her head. "Don't be silly. I promise, I brought an extra one. I always bring an extra shirt, every single day."

Audrey looked confused. "Why? Do you spill things often?"

Vera laughed softly. "No, not usually. It's because I have dance practice right after my second class. The studio is across campus, and I always need a fresh shirt when I'm done. This is just my extra, extra one. Please, take it. It's clean."

"That's so nice of you, Vera. Thank you, really."

"No problem," Vera said. "Come on, I'll walk you to the bathroom so you can change quickly."

They walked together out of the huge lecture hall. Vera waited outside the door while Audrey went in. Audrey quickly changed out of her splashed, damp top and put on the soft, dry gray T-shirt. It was a little big, but it felt warm.

When Audrey came out, Vera was waiting, checking her own phone.

"Much better!" Vera said, smiling. She put her phone away. "Okay, I have to run. My dance practice starts in about twenty minutes, and it's a long walk to the studio. I wish I could walk half the road with you."

"It's okay, Vera. Thank you again," Audrey said sincerely.

"See you tomorrow, Audrey. And seriously, don't worry about Ethan. He's just like that sometimes ."

They waved goodbye, and they parted ways.

When Audrey got back to her dorm, she noticed something sticking out from underneath the small flower pot that sat on the floor by the door.

She knelt and pulled it out. It was a note, folded in half. It read:

Howdy roomie!Hope you had a great first day. I'm out getting my schedule sorted, but I didn't want you locked out!

The keys are behind this flower pot.

Love Taylor.

Audrey found herself smiling. It was a small, silly note, but it was thoughtful. She easily found the small set of keys.

Just as she was unlocking the door, her phone rang. It was a FaceTime call from her mom. She quickly picked up.

Ayla's face filled the screen. She was smiling, but her eyes held a small worry.

"Hi, my darling! How was your first class? Are you exhausted?" Ayla asked immediately.

"Hi, Mom! It was okay. There was a lot of information. My brain is full." Audrey tried to keep her voice light and cheerful.

"Did you like the professor? Was she nice?"

"She's very serious," Audrey replied, trying to avoid detail. "She has bright ginger hair, just like me, but she wears Harry Potter glasses. She seems very strict about being on time."

"Strict is good, Audrey. You need focus. Tell me, did you find your second class easily?"

"I have a small break now. I just got back to the room."

Suddenly, Audrey heard a familiar male voice on her mother's phone. "Hey, is that the student? Tell her to stop talking and start studying!"

Audrey laughed. "Benny! I hear you. What are you doing there?"

Ayla turned the camera slightly, showing Benny in the background. He was wearing work gloves and wiping his forehead.

"He insisted on coming over to help me renovate the pantry," Ayla explained, a soft pride in her voice. "He said it needed better storage for your school snacks. He's been a huge help."

"I told you I was getting brain food ready for her!" Benny called out, grinning at the camera.

Audrey felt her heart warm. They were looking out for her, even from far away. "Thank you both. That is so sweet."

Ayla brought the camera close again. "Now, tell me about your roommate. Taylor. What is she like? Is she clean? Is she friendly?"

Audrey chose her words carefully. "She's very friendly, Mom. Very cheerful. She left a note while going out."

"Did she? That's nice. Did she seem focused on her studies, or more focused on... fun?" Ayla pressed, still worried about the initial impression.

"She actually asked me to set up a study schedule for Monday night," Audrey said, remembering Taylor's promise. "I think she's going to be okay. She was nice enough to leave me the key."

Ayla's face softened completely. "Well, that's a good start. I'm glad you have someone to help you settle in."

"I have to go, Mom. I'm going to change and try to find a place to buy a notebook."

"Go on, my darling. You call me tonight, okay? I love you."

"I will. I love you too, Mom. Bye, Benny!"

Audrey blew a kiss at the screen, and Ayla did the same. The call ended.

Audrey looked at the gray T-shirt she was wearing. She looked at the note from Taylor.

Then, she looked down at her own bag. The anger from Ethan's cruel words still burned deep in her stomach.