I Want To Live

Professor's Classroom

    A tall charismatic figure, Dr. Clayton Rogers paced back and forth in LLBean leather moccasins before an amphitheater filled with mesmerized students. Wearing a purple dress-shirt untucked over jeans, he read from an open book in the voice of its author.

    A masterful actor, the entire class was hinged on every word. Honey-wheat hair curled over his ear lobes. The thirty-five year old professor’s dimples, enhanced when smiling, caused many female students to swoon. His voice tempered with the allure of honey, Katie watched his performance with disgust.

    The lecture over, Katie strode down the aisle boldly towards the professor, engaged in conversation with an attractive girl, striking his arm to get his undivided attention.

    “What the---?” yelped Rogers. Whirling to confront and rebuke the offender, instinctively raising both arms to repel another attack, his jaw dropped upon seeing Katie.

    The student backed away, mouth open in disbelief. 

    “I will expose you!” Katie yelled. Furious. Red-faced. Trembling with loss of constraint. Although short in stature, her feistiness could get her in trouble at times.

    The violent interaction caught the attention of lingering students in the room. They turned to see what the commotion was about. 

     Suddenly aware that she had overstepped her bounds, Katie stormed from the premises, embarrassed by their stares.

                                                                                           ----

      Benjamin Worthington, in yellow college sweatshirt and jeans, heard the outburst just as he was leaving the amphitheater. He knew that voice. It belonged to his girlfriend, Katie, whom he had been dating for the past year. He turned in time to see her dash up the aisle, so furious he imagined steam coming out of her nose. She ran through the opposite exit doors and bounded down the corridor. 

    “Katie. Wait!” He sprinted after her, catching up at the bottom of the granite steps outside.

     Ben grasped her arm to prevent her running away. “Katie. Please.” He begged. “Tell me what’s wrong.”  

     She swung to face him, tears in her eyes. Only five feet tall, she craned her neck to read his face. Whatever she perceived, made her shudder.

     “I can’t Ben---can’t right now.” She broke free. “I’m sorry. I .  .  .”

      He stood frozen, feeling impotent, watching her flee across the spacious lawn towards the Administration Building.