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desk—the professor’s—facing us. The class was almost full, with about twenty-five students, except for a few single desks scattered throughout the room. In the far right corner, there were two desks together, conveniently located toward the back of the class. He gestured for me to follow him. Of course, I did. Who wouldn’t? I sat down and glanced over my right shoulder at him. His eyes were on me and he smiled that heart-melting smile as our eyes met. The professor entered the room from a door beside the white board at the front of the classroom and broke our connection.

    As the professor started class, I realized that we were in Astronomy. Sweet. Maybe this one will keep my interest. The stars and the sky had always fascinated me. Maybe enough to distract me from Oliver for a moment? Yeah, right.

    The professor had her back to us. She was writing on the board. She had lovely, straight, very long, strawberry-blonde hair. As she turned to face the class, she spoke in the most delightfully captivating voice that had just a hint of an accent. It wasn’t profound enough to detect where she was originally from. “Hello, again, to those of you who have returned. To those of you who are joining us for the first time, welcome.” She had a warm smile. “I am Professor Ambrose SaVan,” she said, looking directly at me, “and I’d prefer it if you called me Professor Amber.”

    Professor Amber was absolutely stunning. She was about my height, five-foot-seven, but with her gleaming, cream-colored pumps, she stood almost two inches taller. She was thin and elegant. She was wearing a sea-green, fitted skirt that flared out at mid shin in a pleated three inch ruffle. She wore a beautiful cream-colored cardigan over an equally beautiful cream satin blouse. She was graceful as she walked up and down the aisles between the desks while she continued speaking. Her strikingly radiant, blue-green eyes stood out against her flawless porcelain skin. I found her fascinating and I hung on every word she spoke. She really didn’t look old enough to be a college professor. She barely looked older than me.

    By the end of class, I think my attention had only wandered twice, and only for brief moments. That was pretty good considering the way things had gone in English class. Every time my eyes wandered to Oliver, he was leaning back, relaxed, totally still in his seat, his arms crossed over his chest, his face forward, but his eyes would glance toward mine and he’d give me just a hint of a smile. I would be awestruck for a moment before the professor’s voice would break the connection and he would wink— ahhh —and we would both return our focus to her.

    We walked out of class together. I worked up all of my nerve, and my heart rate, too. “Well…I have my break now.” I paused for a quick moment to hold onto my nerve. “I’m going to go have lunch and study a bit,” I said, hoping he’d join me, but I was too afraid to ask outright.

    “Okay,” he smiled. My hope picked up. “I’m sure I’ll see you later.” He turned and walked away. My heart sank. I stared after him, feeling a little disappointed and then startled, my cheeks warming, as he looked back at me over his shoulder and smiled again. Then he was gone.

    I wandered sullenly out of the arched hallway and off through an open, grassy area to a tree that I liked to sit under. I had a seat in the shade of the huge maple tree. Its leaves were beginning to change, as were all the other trees. On that side of the college, opposite from the parking lot, in the large, open, grassy area there were lots of other trees, mostly Maples and oaks, where students sat and studied. There were benches, too, but most of the students sat under the shade of the trees or sprawled out in the grass, sunning themselves. I’d often thought our little town should’ve been named Treeville or even Tree City; there were trees everywhere and they lined most of the streets.

    I watched a