Thanks for bearing with me since I haven't written anything in a while; I've been working on this series for quite some time and am looking forward to sharing it with you this month!
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On Wednesday, my PoliSci professor, who was a total piece of work most of the time, released our class early after a grueling lecture. That meant I could actually go to the yoga class at the campus wellness center, which I'd been adding to and removing from my iPhone calendar for weeks since the semester started.
Before winter break, I'd been a regular at the wellness center, but the notorious senior year spring was kicking my ass. Between applying to law schools, keeping up with my social calendar, and trying to secure a job to keep my parents off my back, I'd managed to gain around 15 pounds. On the plus side, my sister had assured me I carried it well and I didn't disagree; at 5'8" it took more than 15 pounds to drastically change my silhouette. I'd gone up a cup size, at least, not that that would make getting back into yoga any easier. I used to have more of the stereotypical "yoga body," but now I'd filled in with more curves on my hips and thighs.
I sighed. That's exactly the kind of mental state I didn't want to bring into yoga. I needed to get out of my head and into my body, not the other way around. No fixating on how I looked in cobra pose, more fixating on how I felt.
When I reached the massive, modern glass wellness center that dominated the center of campus at 5:15, it was bustling with students who'd just gotten off their jobs or had also managed to sneak out of a class early. There was a lounge area toward the front, where the check-in desk was, and an open-floorplan weight room visible through tall windows behind it. A basketball court over to the right, the swimming center over to the left. Upstairs, there were smaller studios for ballet, yoga, and other activities.
The receptionist -- a peppy redhead wearing a pink sorority T-shirt -- checked me in with my school ID. In a high-pitched voice that matched her entire appearance and vibe, she squealed, "Oh, you're Holly Caldwell! You look just like your sister."
"Caught red-handed." I laughed and put on my best politician smile; I tried to consider any conversation I wanted to get out of experience for my future law-career-turned-senate-run. "How do you know Clare?"
Another big smile. "She's my little!"
"Glad she's in good hands at Kappa Phi Nu." I signed my name on the check-in sheet and glanced at the clock behind the desk. Just to make sure, I asked, "There's still a yoga class at 5:30, right?"
"Oh, yeah, totally. Studio 2B." Her smile dimmed, only by a few watts. "There's a new instructor, though. I've heard it's a little more intense now."
Another quick smile; I wanted to get out of there to guarantee I could get one of the spare mats. I wasn't crazy about the old instructor, anyway. As long as the lights were low and the ambient music just loud enough to hear, I'd be fine. I said, "Thanks for the heads up."
I walked up the stairs that separated the weight room from the machines and found the studio. The lights were dim and orangey warm, although a brighter white light streamed in from the right side, where a half-silvered window overlooked the basketball court.
Since it was still 10 minutes before class started, I found the mat rack full for my choosing. I grabbed one that seemed the least worn and picked a spot in the middle of the room, close enough to be able to see, but deep enough in what would be the crowd to avoid standing out. I wanted to be able to get lost in the flow.
There were only a few other people here: A couple sitting next to each other on matching mats, a guy with hair down to the small of his back, and a girl who still had her headphones in. More people trickled in as I stretched out my muscles a bit and checked my phone. No sign of this mysterious new instructor yet, which I thought was weird. The old instructor was always there super early, greeting everyone as they came in with a "namaste" and a warm smile.
The class filled up gradually until 5:30, its scheduled start time. By 5:35, everyone seemed a little antsy. The thoughts of dinner plans, night classes, and other things being pushed back or even just the class being cut short permeated the air.
At 5:43, the new instructor walked in. He -- and I noticed 'he' immediately because I'd never seen a male yoga instructor here on campus before -- was confident like he either didn't know or didn't care that he was late. In the dim studio lighting, I could really only tell that he was tall and lean, muscular in that way men who do yoga or gymnastics or running are. And he didn't wear a shirt; maybe he come from another class? Or maybe he was just a tool. Hard to tell before he got started.
He rolled out his mat and put on the ambient, vaguely outdoorsy music over the stereo. His voice resonated above it around the studio. "I'm Rowan and I'm in the physio master's program here. I've taken over this class for Lynn while she goes on personal leave for the rest of the semester. Thank you all for coming in today."
The class got started and the secretary girl's words were proven right. The pace was definitely a notch or two or five or ten from the classes I was used to. We whipped between poses fast enough that my muscles were sore before the first half was over. Thankfully, he slowed down around the halfway mark, beginning what I called the "guru walk." Every yoga instructor had their own way of doing it. Some walked around slowly, some paced between students, some never spoke at all.
Rowan was the type to touch. I watched out of the corners of my eyes as he offered quick, corrective touches to shoulders, hips, and necks. Just guiding every person into the right position when their balance or posture slipped out of place.
When we stretched into warrior two, he noticed me. I felt his eyes on me before he even started walking over. I felt the sweat clinging to the back of my neck, right under my ponytail, and absently hoped my sweat hadn't worn through my deodorant yet.
He walked toward me from across the room. I knew why; I'd twinged one of my ankles a few weeks ago and it wasn't healing right. I was overcompensating with my hip to keep my foot in the right spot. As he came closer to me, I got a better look at him. He easily had a head on my 5'8" and kept his chin up, unintimidated by commanding a room full of attentive people at only a year or so older than me. His jaw was sharply defined, with no stubble, acne, or freckles to distract from the clean line of it. I couldn't quite make out the color of his eyes but the smirk that reached them was unmistakable. One of those guys who knew the effect he had on women -- and probably men, too -- and basked in it.
He reached me and, without speaking, placed his hands firmly on my hips. He expertly rotated my posture, his fingers digging in just enough to make my breath hitch. I felt my ankle land where it was supposed to; the pain went away when it was in the right spot. I let out a deep breath. He said, "Good. Perfect."
His hands lingered a few seconds longer. Despite my conscious thoughts, my clit throbbed, just a bit, just briefly. I imagined his hand sliding over from my hips to my ass to my inner thighs. Sliding upwards toward my pussy and teasing me through my clothes. That cut jaw against my neck as he spoke hot and sweaty into my ear.
Jesus, had it really been so long since getting any that I was fantasizing about a yoga teacher, of all things? That was almost more pathetic than my fleeting professor fantasies. I shook my head and brought myself back into the studio. I lost my balance, stumbling back up. Rowan's hands steadied me again as I found my center. "Careful, law school, or you'll hurt yourself."
I was sure he could tell how red my face suddenly was and I prayed he attributed it to the heat of the class and nothing else. The smirk on his face had gone away, though, replaced by a sudden intensity as he looked in my eyes. I quickly got back into my pose and watched carefully as he helped someone else with the next move.