Paint Me, Professor - The Sequel | Student-Professor Erotic Novel | 18+

Chapter 32 - Wonderland

Christopher
***

"Can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm really happy you aren't spending Christmas with us," Kent joked. "My mom isn't as happy as I am, but I think when the time comes to wash the dishes she'll reconsider."

I rolled my eyes as I held my phone to my ear.

"You speak as if I never helped," I said, smoking my last cigarette before getting on the airplane. It was too fucking cold, but nothing compared to the weather I'd be greeted with in France. "Tell her I'll be thinking of her, and your dad of course. They have done so much for me."

"They're thrilled that you're spending Christmas with Ali's family," Kent said. "Genuinely. Don't feel guilty."

On the one hand, it felt strange to not spend Christmas with Kent's family who basically took me under their wing, but on the other hand, I felt an indescribable relief. I had only spent one Christmas away from them since I was kicked out. It was last year, the first Christmas Ali and I spent together, just the two of us.

I was no longer a burden for them, a charity case, a boy with no family.

"I won't, I'm happy," I replied candidly. "Although I'm a bit nervous."

"Bro, I don't want to hear it," my friend replied. "You're literally going to spend Christmas in a fucking winter wonderland like a fucking spoiled brat. Be grateful. And while you're at it, set me up with one of Ali's cousin's, will you?"

I burst out laughing, the other smokers giving me strange looks. Kent was unbelievable.

"Keep dreaming," I simply said. "Gotta go now, cig's over. I'll text you when I land."

"Alright man. If we don't speak til then, Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas."

I tucked my phone in my pocket and threw the cigarette butt in the outdoors ashtray. It was filled to the brim unsurprisingly. When you knew you couldn't smoke for ten hours it made you want to smoke even more.

I really needed to quit, such a terrible habit.

I walked inside the terminal and walked back to our gate. Ali was sat in a row of seats, her eyes glued to her laptop, her fingers frantically typing.

"Still working?" I asked, startling her. She was so focused she didn't even hear me approach.

"You scared me," she said, digging her hand into her purse and retrieving a packet of chewing gum. "The Christmas special is always a nightmare. Here, take one."

She handed me the packet and I popped a mint gum in my mouth.

"You know there's wifi on the plane, right? Relax, you're gonna finish that."

"It's not about finishing it," she replied. "I'm getting last minute requests that need to be done ASAP. That's the problem. Hopefully this is the last fire I put out, but that's wishful thinking."

Twenty minutes later we started boarding the plane. As expected, Ali pulled out her laptop after takeoff, and since I also had a bunch of assigments to mark for this semester, I decided to join her.