Private Lessons Ch. 11

But every sunny day precedes a rainy one. As the days ticked by, their time together drew closer to its end. The girls were seniors. They had learned all they needed to know from Amirah and now were ready to go out into the world proper ladies. The girls were seniors and graduation was approaching.

Each night she spent with the girls was the best night of her life. Each day she taught them was another reminder of how little time they had left. The days passed by slowly and their nights together went all too quickly.

Amirah seemed to be the only one dreading the moment. Both of the girls seemed unfazed by the coming date. She figured they didn't realize it as they were living in the moment. The realization would hit them like a truck. She spent her last weeks with them showering them both with as much love as she could with what little time she had left. None of them brought up the problem. Probably because talking about it wouldn't change the outcome.

Graduation day

"Magna cum laude, Shani Almasi." The announcer spoke the name into the microphone. It echoed through the auditorium. Most of the crowd clapped, as they did in respect for all the students. A certain section cheered, making the noises and chants as if at a sports game. Those must be her brothers.

I stood at the end of the stage, diploma in hand. You knew this was coming. You knew. Now's not the time to be sad. I watched her start down the long line of professors from the other end of the stage. Each shook her hand, one after the next as she made her way towards me. End of the line.

Even though she had been onstage all day, I couldn't stop staring. She looked beautiful in her gown. Even through the loose fabric, one could tell how good her body was underneath. She had her hair put up in the prettiest way and even allowed Lacey to put makeup on her, at the behest of both Lacey and her mother. Lacey did a good job highlighting her prominent features without caking too much on, the best being her eyes. She had golden eyeliner and eyeshadow on. Painted on flecks that shined in the light and made her eyes look that much greener.

She stumbled a bit halfway through the line of professors. She had been convinced to wear heels, something she had never done before. The family section released a chorus of laughs and she grew flustered but still pushed on. Still my adorable slut.

As Shani came down the line towards her, they made eye contact several times. Fleeting looks as Shani kept glancing towards her before returning to the person in front of her. And then she was in front of me. At the end of her tenure as my student.

Our eyes locked as I handed her the diploma with my left hand. She took it and I extended my right for a handshake. She took it and we shook. The last physical contact we'll ever have. I poured all my feelings into the look we shared. All of my pride in her as her instructor. All of my hope and belief that I did all I could to prepare her. The confidence I had that she wouldn't disappoint. I believe she got the message. Shani had started the handshake nervously, but by the end she looked confident and her smile was more genuine than nervous.

And then our hands separated and she got off the stage, returning to her seat in the student section. My professional face was in full effect. No one could tell, at least from my facial expressions, the dread I felt. I took a shaky, deep breath. One more.

Later

"Summa cum laude, Lacey Josephine Cambell." The crowd clapped respectfully. That's all they did. Clap. Every other student so far had had at least one cheer or louder section from proud family members. Not Lacey. Of course her parents were in attendance, they would never miss this chance to show off their daughter's achievements. But not out of pride, simply to show that their family was a cut above the rest. I had to resist looking over towards their section for fear of breaking character.

The claps ceased and Lacey began her trek down the stage. I would have stared at her as well had the clapping not happened. I stared off into space, praying that my sadness didn't show in my face.

How could you? How could you treat Lacey, your own daughter, that way? She's not just another achievement you can use just to further your family name. She is a living, breathing human being. Not just any human being. The greatest, smartest, most beautiful thing on this planet. She works so hard just to earn someone's, anyone's affection. Is this not good enough? Even now, is she still not worth the breath? The excitement? A single sign that all of her hard work, all of her time invested in being the perfect little girl, for you, has paid off? All she ever wanted was some form of approval and even now you can't give her even the tiniest bit? Just because she's expected to be great doesn't mean you can't still give her a 'good job.' My eyes shifted to her and she continued down the stage. I see you Lacey. I recognize everything you've done, even if they don't. You've more than earned it. You deserve all the love and affection you could ever want. I started to sniffle, quickly disguising it as simple allergies. I'm sorry I can't be the one to provide it.

My rant was cut short by the realization that I was next in line. Lacey looked the same as she always did. Simply beautiful with her straight blond hair and piercing blue eyes. She smiled at me. A wide, warm, and excited smile. She almost looks as if nothing's wrong. She must be suppressing the reality until later. My body moved on instinct, as I had trained it to. My left hand extended and handed her the diploma. Then my right hand extended.

She wouldn't be Lacey if she didn't outdo my expectations. She ignored my hand and hugged me tightly. Not prepared for this outcome, my brain short circuited. When it rebooted, seconds later, it took in the biggest stimulation it could find first. The cheers. Not from the audience but from the student section. All the students clapped and cheered as Lacey squeezed me. I guess we weren't as secretive as we thought. Though they all knew Lacey and I were close.

Worried about the staff, I turned my head down the stage only to be met with a similar sight. Not quite the outburst of the student body, many professors politely clapped. Some of them nodded at me as if to say 'go on.'

With the permission of her colleagues, I turned my attention back to the love of my life. I closed my arms around her small body and squeezed with everything I had. The cheers doubled in volume and intensity, not that I could hear them. All that existed in that moment was me and her. A moment I never wanted to end. This was the last time I would hold her in my arms.

I put all of my energy into not breaking down then and there. I whispered to her. "Goodbye, Ameli."

Lacey looked up at me, the smile still on her face. "Bye, Headmistress. See you in two months." With that she pried herself from my arms and walked off stage.

4 months later

The first month after classes ended was spent crying. The second was spent crying with a sense of confusion for what Lacey had said. The most interesting thing that happened that month was that one of her neighbors moved out. She checked her phone everyday but she hadn't received a message from either of them since before they graduated and she refused to send one of her own. It was over.

The third month was spent with significantly less crying, but still had plenty of moping around. The fourth month offered a return to normalcy. She had a new class of incoming freshmen to intimidate and shape to take her mind off of personal turmoil.

That evening Amirah spotted a moving van out front of her apartment. Upon reaching her floor she confirmed that someone new had moved in on her floor, seeing the obvious signs of trash/packing material in the hallway as well as voices coming from the open door.

Being the polite and proper thing to do, Amirah weaved her way through the refuse and knocked on the door frame to introduce herself.

Instantly she could tell that whoever lived there had to be Egyptian. The tapestry and furniture were not just "Egyptian themed." It was all authentic and looked to be highly expensive. Had the temperature been several degrees higher she would have assumed she walked through a portal and was actually in the homeland.

She heard movement in the apartment and around a corner came a beautiful woman. The first thing she noticed about her was her height. It was hard not to notice since most of her legs were bare. Starting with a pair of simple sneakers, two columns of brown flesh rose. Toned calves and firm looking thighs connected behind the thinnest veil of short shorts. It was obvious this person had assisted in the move in as above the shorts were well defined, glistening abs, exposed by a t-shirt tied off under her bust. And what a bust it was. The short would have probably been loose had it not been tied but the extra tension from the knot only made the woman fill it out even further.

Amirah could feel herself stirring beneath her skirt. After having the experience of two young women to sate your every desire, one's hand just doesn't cut it anymore. She suppressed the physiological reaction as she looked up.

"Good evening, I noticed you moved in and just wanted to say..." She finally got to the face and the deer in headlights look it was giving her. "Shani?"

The girl unfroze and turned her head. "Um hi Professor... um, Lacey!"

"Lacey!?"

As the name suggested, out walked Lacey Cambell. She wore a simple skirt and blouse combo that was classic cute. She turned the corner and flashed Amirah a smile.

"Oh! Hey Amirah. How have you been?" Hearing her name come from that mouth hit her almost as hard as seeing her in the first place. Before Amirah could say anything, Lacey walked over to Shani and threw an arm around her waist, possessively. "Fancy meeting you here."

The confidence and casualness in her voice brought Amirah back to the present. "Lacey, I live here. You know that, why are you here?"

"Just helping Shani move in."

"What!?" Her eyes locked onto Shani and the athlete panicked.

"Not me! My brother!" At that, a man also came around the corner, wiping his hands on a rag. Handsome in his own right, he had a clear relation to Shani and looked to be a few years older. Though he was a few inches shorter than her. Fit and toned, he shared her emerald eyes.

He spoke in Arabic. "You rang, dear sister of mine?" He noticed Amirah and pocketed the rag, putting on a smile Amirah was sure would have stunned her were she a decade younger. "Well, well, well. You must be this 'professor' I've heard so much about. I wondered who or what could be so lucky enough to tame these two hot pieces of ass," he gestured to the girls as he approached. "But now I can see they were the lucky ones." He extended his hand. "Got room for one more in your harem?"

It was refreshing to be hit on so confidently. Amirah smiled warmly as she shook his hand. "Thank you, but the 'harem' has been disbanded."

"Not from what I've been told. But no matter." He handed her a business card. "Let me know if any spots open up." He winked. She glanced at the card. Asad Almasi, Architect.

All the confidence drained from him as Shani placed a hand on his shoulder. A look of pure fear replaced the once suave confidence. Shani's voice came out a low warning, the most aggressive thing Amirah had ever heard Shani say. She also spoke in Arabic. "Khallas, Asad" (In English, "Stop it, Asad.")

Amirah had never seen Shani so angry. She didn't even think Shani could get angry. She was always so sweet. What brought this on?

Asad backed away from the group, but not without getting in one last comment. "Thank you for your work on my sister. Had this been before her time in your care I would have already been hit." He ducked around the corner as Shani chucked a pillow in his direction. The plush hit the wall with a thud she didn't know something so soft could make.

"Shani!" The girl in question froze as she turned back towards Amirah, shame on her face.

"Sorry Professor."

"What was all that?"

Lacey chimed in, seemingly unfazed. "That was nothing! You should have seen the day when she brought me home. She beat up three of her brothers!"

Amirah looked stunned at Shani, who didn't deny the accusations. Her awkward posture confirmed it as she said, "You would have too!" Then in a quiet voice she continued, "If you'd heard the things they said about her..."

Suddenly something about Shani clicked for Amirah. Lawrence's Institute for Young Women existed for the women of the upper echelons of society to perfect their etiquette. Being from wealthy families, it made sense that both Shani and Lacey were enrolled. But Shani had an interesting caveat.

Along with her admission, Amirah had received a letter from Shani's father, apologizing for his daughter's difficulty. He expressed concern for her ability to find a husband and insinuated that it was her upbringing in a home with eight brothers that influenced her. The letter was so heartfelt that when classes started she kept an especially close eye on her.

But nothing happened. Shani quickly acquired friends and assimilated herself into the student body. She got near perfect grades and tried her hardest to learn the proper ways to behave. The true definition of a gentle giant. After the first month of classes without incident, Amirah had concluded that her father simply worried too much about his little girl. As families tend to do. She assumed he was reading too much into her man-ish tendencies and habits such as posture and vernacular.

But now it all became clear. The letter had indeed been correct in its concern. It's not that Shani didn't need help. It's that Amirah had never truly seen the triggers. Girls with a lot of brothers tend to grow up a bit rougher around the edges to survive, but Amirah just caught a glimpse of how rough Shani truly was. And apparently this was the improved version.

The surprise gave way to anger at her former student. Even if this was the improved Shani, violence was a big no-no in etiquette. The course she personally taught.

Amirah used the voice that held thinly veiled threats. "Shani, can I ask you a question?"

Shani wouldn't meet her eyes. Another strike in etiquette. "Ye-yes professor."

"Am I bad at my job?"

That got Shani to look at her. "No! You are one of the best professors I've ever had."

"You must be mistaken. Otherwise you wouldn't have thrown out everything I taught you the second you graduated." As her anger rose, her attraction flipped on itself. She went from admiring Shani's body to analyzing it. Ladies should be modest, and what she had on was anything but.

Before she could continue her beratement, Lacey stepped between them. "Calm down Amirah." The use of her name was another point of anger to add onto the pile. "She isn't your student anymore. What she decided to do now has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me. Her actions are a direct reflection of my tutelage. In all my years of teaching, this is the first time I've failed at my job."

Lacey kept her cool with that god damned smile. "You seem a bit angry. I'm certain we can resolve this tomorrow, after everyone's had a good night's sleep, neighbor."

The final word reminded Amirah why she was here in the first place. "Neighbor? You can't-"

Lacey interjected. "We can do whatever we please. Besides, this is Asad's apartment. We have our own place in the city." At that, Asad reentered the area with a bag. He approached Shani and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. For Lacey he placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair a bit.

"Alright, I have an early flight so I'm going to head back to the hotel, you three play nice."

Before he could leave, Amirah stopped him. "You're leaving? You just moved in."

He put on a knowing smile, his words almost seeming rehearsed. "I'm a busy man, Habibi. I travel a lot. Luckily, my baby sister and her girlfriend happen to live nearby and can watch my place for me when I'm not around." With that, he walked past Amirah and left. Amirah suddenly got what they were doing.

She turned towards the two of them. "You can't do this."

Lacey countered, playfully innocent. "Why not? We're just doing Shani's brother a favor."

"You can't just move in next to me. What if people find ou-"

"Find out what? That Shani's brother just happened to buy an apartment near yours? Why would anyone care, he has no relation to you." She got her there.

"But-"

"And like I said, you can't tell us what to do anymore." She paused before continuing. Amirah noticed Lacey's hand caressing Shani's exposed midsection, drawing her attention to it. "You thought it was over? It will never be over, Amirah. I love you and I love Shani."

"I told you in the classroom that we can't-"

"I know what you said. And I don't agree. Face it Amirah. Shani and I are going to be spending a lot of time here doing all kinds of fun activities. You can either join in, or I'll make sure she screams so loud that you can hear it in your room."

Now she had to deal with backtalk and disrespect from Lacey. "You need to watch your tone young l-"

"Or what? Am I not living up to your expectations? Maybe you didn't teach me well enough."

The anger inside of Amirah boiled over and mixed with other emotions. Lacey had gotten her. Lacey had truly won. She was right, Amirah had no control over them. She was being tempted again. The love of her life living right next to her? No one in their right mind could resist that.

The anger at their behavior mingled with her hurt pride. That feeling mixed with a new one, happiness. Lacey had beaten her, and parts of Amirah were OK with that. She had thought of everything, even down to the name on the lease not being traceable directly back to them. Her own pride was hurt but it was replaced in pride for Lacey in being so resilient.

"Perhaps you're right. Perhaps I am a bad teacher." Amirah calmly walked over to the open door and closed it. Then she locked it. "But the mark of a truly poor professor is giving up on her students, even after graduation. I refuse to give up on you two. She walked towards them, letting all the emotions play on her face. Shani looked scared and Lacey stood proudly, her chest puffed out in arrogance at her victory. "I think you two need some remedial, private lessons."

"Yes, Headmistress."

2 Years later

Amirah sat at the reception, eating her food with the other 'groomsmen' and bridesmaids. The wedding had been spectacular. Amirah watched the two of them cut the cake together on stage, Shani in a nice suit while Lacey wore the cutest wedding dress ever made.

Around her sat other former students, including Madison Adams and Nia Rose. Nia had been Shani's 'best man,' much to the disappointment of her brother. Madison had been Lacey's maid of honor. All of them, at one point or another, played their hand at flirting with Amirah during the wedding.

The most surprising upset of them all had been the aisle walk. Lacey's parents were in attendance, but she insisted that Amirah had to be the one to give her away. She had burst into tears when she was offered the role and had to fight every step during the actual ceremony to not do the same.

5 years later

Amirah rushed through the hallways of the hospital in a panic. God, Allah, Yahweh. Fucking Odin, Anubis, Zeus, whatever god I have to pray to, please let her be alright.

The panic and adrenaline caused her to sweat, her hair matting down on her head. Her first small streak of gray was currently not phasing her as she had bigger problems to worry about.