His thoughts couldn't leave my mind
1962 Words
"Yes, the ladies were bored and asked me to give them a warm-up exercise," the imposter said with a smirk.
"What?" We all screamed in unison.
The man quickly walked closer to us and whispered, "Please say it's true, even if it isn't."
"Ew...! Get out of here!" we shouted in anger, except for me. I immediately recognized him as the supervisor in charge of cleaning the complex.
The hall became noisy as everyone voiced their anger towards the man, until he took his vacuum cleaner and left.
Once the noise calmed down, he said,
"Anyway, I'm Blair. I apologize for being late. Your instructor, Morgan, sent my friend Michael to take over the class, but something very important came up. So, he sent me to represent him. Welcome to today's session of squatrobics."
As he walked left and right, holding his hands together, all eyes were on him. I couldn't help but be mesmerized by his presence, and when I caught the other ladies following his every move, I knew I wasn't the only one.
Blair was the epitome of tall, fair, and handsome. His piercing blue eyes seemed to twinkle in the light, and his strong jawline and chiseled cheekbones gave him a rugged, masculine look. I could tell he was athletic just by looking at him. His sandy brown hair was a tousled mess, falling just so over his forehead, and his five o'clock shadow gave him an air of effortless cool.
"Although they called it something else, that's what they told me to tell you," Blair said with a chuckle that made us all blush.
"...okay, so, before we start, any questions?"
As he asked if there were any questions before they started, I couldn't help but wonder what other surprises he had in store for us. Who told him to ask any questions? I thought as the majority of the women excitedly raised their hands in unison.
"Okay, you," he pointed at the lady standing at the front row. For the first time, I wished I was standing at the front.
"Are you married?" she asked.
The seconds before he responded to that question felt like an eternity. My heart froze and my breathing suddenly went up.
"No... I'm single," he smiled, and we all smiled along. My racing heart calmed down as his answer soothed my fear of uncertainty. Another woman raised her hand and he pointed at her.
"I... I don't know how to say it, but you're so gorgeous, my head is spinning. I'm sorry to say it, but I needed to express myself," she said, covering her face with one hand like someone who became shy. Then another woman raised her hand.
"I have a very important question, and it is divided into two."
The staggering noise in the room went down, and we all leaned in to hear what she was about to say.
"The first part of my question is, did the scientist make you in the lab? And the second question is, can I stick my tongue down your throat? Please!" she said, and someone laughed at the corner of the room while the woman who said it smiled.
I wished I could say something. I wanted this stranger for myself. And as he was about to say something, I paused my thoughts and listened.
"Alright, ladies. I'm flattered by your words. I know almost all of you are married."
"I have been divorced," I echoed it in my mind.
"After this class, when are we going to see you again?" another lady asked.
"I don't think I will be here again. Your instructor will be here next week."
"Can I have your phone number?" the lady who asked for a kiss said. This last question made me so jealous, as if I knew this young, handsome man before. He wasn't my man, and he looked younger compared to my age, but his eyes and smile had a way of taking me off the ground. His girlfriend would be the most fortunate woman on earth. How I wish I had an opportunity to have a moment with him. The cleaner came and made me remember my ex-husband, but this young, handsome man made me want to love again.
"I'm sorry," Blair responded to the lady who asked for his number and kept his smile, adding, "Let's start today's exercise."
I was thrilled that he didn't give the lady his number. I wished he would look straight into my eyes and give me a special look or take special notice of me. Or perhaps he could rearrange us and make me stand at the front so I could see how he stretched his arms and legs. Wait! What's happening to me? I snapped out of my thoughts, realizing that for the past few minutes, I was carried away by my fantasies. They were just that, mere fantasies that would never come to pass. I never asked him any questions. I stood at the back row, although he could see me, but not as frequently as those at the front and middle rows.
The one hour and thirty-minute class exercise flew by like ten minutes when Blair announced that we were done for the day. I wished we could continue. I had never felt this way since I started coming to the yoga class. His voice had a way of relaxing my nerves.
"I am delighted to have been here today. It's time to go," he said.
The ladies wanted to ask questions, but then his phone rang, and he picked up the call.
"Please, I am coming. I'm done with what I am doing," he changed his voice. That must have been his girlfriend from the way he meticulously answered the call. Why did he lie to us in the first place? My heart was crushed. Still on his call, he left the hall and talked into his car before driving away.
He was like cold water to my thirsty throat. A moment with him would have been enough to quash my burning desires.
When I got home, I couldn't get the image of that handsome guy out of my mind. He kept repeating his gestures and voices in my mind subconsciously. When it became too overwhelming, I decided to call my psychologist to know if this was normal or if it was getting out of hand. Her phone rang three times without answering, and I looked at the wall clock to see if it was too late to call someone. It was 6:30 PM. Ava, my friend, was out of town, and my elderly parents had gone back to their hometown.
It was an hour later when my phone rang, and it was my psychologist calling me back.
"Hi, Harriet, good evening," she greeted.
"Good evening, my dear Tasha. I'm so sorry. I saw your missed calls. I was having some issues with my son, who came here for an important assignment, but he is going around with his old friends," she said, her tone laced with anger.
"Sorry for whatever happened. I guess this wasn't the right time to discuss why I called you at first," I said to my psychologist.
"It's okay, let's talk. I'm through with him," she replied, her voice still high.
"Please, Harriet, can we talk tomorrow morning? Please," I sensed the anger in her voice, and I didn't want her to suggest anything to me in her present state of mind. Tomorrow morning wasn't that far.
"Okay, if that is the case, I will be the one to call you tomorrow morning," I said, hoping to diffuse any tension.
"Thank you," I hung up the call.
The next day, Mrs. Harriet kept her word. I was in the kitchen in the morning when my phone rang. I had left it on the dining table, so I went there and picked up the call.
"Good morning, Dr. Harriet," I greeted.
"Good morning, Tasha. How was your night?" she asked.
"I'm fine, yours?" I asked.
"It was perfect. So why were you calling yesterday?"
I took a deep breath before asking, "Is it possible for me to develop feelings of love now, or is it just lust?"
The first thing she asked was, "Is anyone asking you out right now?"
"Hmm…not exactly, no one is asking me out yet. I recently started having strong romantic feelings towards the opposite s*x. I'm thinking if it's normal or if I should work on myself or throw away such thoughts," I explained.
"Tasha…" she chuckled and continued, "you are just afraid. You must let go of any anxiety holding you back. You need to give love a chance. You are single and free. You need to explore the world around you. Life works in some pretty mysterious ways, and we can never predict how it will unfold. If you feel the urge of falling in love, then you are almost through with your healing process. As for me, it's growth on your path, and you are leaving behind the scar of your divorce."
"Really?" I asked, feeling relieved.
"Yes, just allow your emotions to grow along with what you see. It's normal. Nothing is wrong with you," she assured me.
Even after the call ended, I couldn't forget one of Harriet's statements when she said, "Just allow your emotions to grow along with what you see. It's normal."
**********
Two weeks later, on a Monday, the beginning of a new semester, I received an email from the head of my department that a new Master's degree student had been transferred to my class. It wasn't the first time students had been transferred to my class, so I wasn't too concerned. My main focus that Monday morning was dressing gorgeously, knowing that men are moved by what they see. Mrs. Harriet had encouraged me to allow my emotions to grow with how I feel.
As I browsed through my closet, I couldn't help but wonder if one of my best outfits would catch the eye of an exceptional man. I stood in front of my mirror and wondered if what I was wearing was too revealing in regards to my school's ethics.
The red gown was a showstopper, a deep rich red that complemented my skin tone perfectly. It highlighted my hourglass figure, with a fitted bodice that hugged my waist and hips, and a plunging neckline that revealed just a hint of my cleavage.
I left my house that morning in my Mercedes Benz and stopped in front of the ten-story building of my department - Financial Management. I got out of my car and focused my eyes on my office. My aim was to take my file and go straight to my classroom. A few minutes later, I entered my classroom, and the noise died immediately as I walked in. I faced the whiteboard and wrote: "Data analysis."
I turned around, and all the faces I saw were familiar. Suddenly, I remembered the HOD's email about the new student.
"For someone who is new among us," I turned back to the board and wrote my name: Dr. Tasha Steve.
"If you are new among us, please stand up and let yourself be known."
Suddenly, Blair stood up. I couldn't believe my eyes. He was the same Blair from the yoga class, the one whose image had been torturing my mind since I saw him. He smiled and winked at me, and his facial expressions made me feel butterflies in my stomach. I smiled back at him. I had always been in control of my classroom, but with Blair as my student, I felt like the power dynamic had shifted. Was it a good thing or a bad thing?
- Writer
