Student counseling sessions; not exactly my favorite part of the job. As one of the two science teachers for a private school, I always tried to make sure my students knew where they stood and how they could get better. To that end, I meet with my students near the end of each semester to tell them how they're doing and how they can improve. By doing so, I hoped to catch some people and correct their deficiencies before it was too late.
It was during one of these counseling sessions two years ago that I told a very talented student that the best she could hope for in my advanced chemistry class was an A-minus, which could have hurt her chances at few scholarships for which she was competing. What happened next was quite unexpected. The student's mother came to see me to ask about extra credit to get her daughter's grade up to a solid A. I had a strict rule - no extra credit for students below a 90 average; Emily's was at an 85.
Ms. Shaw did not take no for an answer. In no uncertain terms, she offered herself to me if I would boost her daughter's grade. Melissa Shaw was a stunning woman; I couldn't resist her. We had sex in my Ford Explorer parked in the school parking lot. Little did I know, someone was watching - Emily Shaw. Once it was all said and done, Emily aced the final, and with an artificial bump in her starting grade, got the 97 she needed. She also put two and two together and approached me the last day of school. She wanted to have sex, and once again, I couldn't resist temptation.
Those two encounters were the most erotic and satisfying of my life, and ever since then I have been trying to recreate the excitement and lustful passion by role playing with girlfriends - I'd asked Ashley, my girlfriend of seven months, to dress in a schoolgirl uniform and beg me to change her grade; that she would do anything if only I would give her an A. Another time we pretended she was in detention and needed to be disciplined for giving a fellow student a blow job in the school's library. I made her show me exactly what she'd done. While these were certainly fun, I just didn't get the same electric charge that I had with those two elicit encounters with Melissa and Emily Shaw. In the end, the fantasy didn't live up to the thrill of reality. I had experienced something naughty, elicit, against the rules; I needed more than Ashley could give to satisfy my evolving needs.
Which leads me to an opportunity that presented itself during my most recent counseling sessions. Jennifer Kim, a talented art student who was planning on attending college in the fall for interior design, was in danger of failing chemistry, which is a graduation requirement. Although she did well in the humanities, I had identified Jennifer early on as a borderline science student. She got a B-minus in physical science, a C in biology, and was currently sitting at a 60 average in chemistry. Early second semester, I put her with my best chemistry student to get extra help, but she just didn't get it. It happens. Sometimes even a bright student has a mental block in a particular subject area; for Jennifer it was chemistry.
It was a little after four o'clock; all of my after-school counseling sessions were done. I was about to leave for the evening when I heard a soft knock at my office door. It was Jennifer.
"Ms. Kim," I said, "what can I do for you?"
Jennifer looked apprehensive as she stood in the doorway. She was still wearing her school uniform - a white buttoned shirt bearing the school's crest, crossover bow tie, and a plaid skirt that fell a couple of inches above the knees.
"It's okay," I said, "come in."
"Thanks, Mr. Allison," she replied as she walked over to my desk.
I motioned for her to take a seat and she did.
"Now, what can I do for you?"
Jennifer looked down at her small hands folded in her lap, her long dark hair falling into her eyes. She took in a deep breath, paused, then said in a soft voice, "Mr. Allison, if I don't do well on the chemistry final, I'm going to fail, aren't I?"
I grabbed my grade book and confirmed her assessment. "Yes, Ms. Kim; I'm afraid so." I closed the book. "Has Michelle's tutoring been any help?"
"Oh, yes, sir. She's been a very patient teacher...it's just really hard for me for some reason. I think I know it; then when I get to the tests, I bomb them."
I could see her eyes beginning to well up. "I'm supposed to start college in the fall! What if I fail and have to do summer school? I'd have to wait another semester, maybe even another year to start! My parents...would not be happy."
A single tear rolled down her cheek, which started the water works. I reached into my desk and held out a box of tissues. This wasn't the first time a student cried about their grade.
"It'll be alright, Ms. Kim," I said. "I've seen your work on display; you're very talented. You'll get to college - if not this fall then certainly next year."
That pep talk did not help things; her eyes began to well with tears again. "Please, Mr. Allison, isn't there something I can do? Extra credit? A project? Something to help my grade?"
I shook my head slowly. I really did feel for her. "I'm sorry, but you know my policy on extra credit."
She nodded, a look of defeat on her face. "I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Allison. It's just...I'd do anything to not see the disappointment in my parents eyes."
I reached out to her and placed my hand over her clenched fists. "You haven't failed yet," I said.
She looked up at me and gave me a weak smile, but a smile nonetheless. Jennifer truly was a beautiful young woman. A Korean-American, her parents were the first generation of her family born in America, and while she spoke Korean and seemed to maintain elements of their culture, her parents also embraced being American citizens. Jennifer's looks, however, were 100 percent Korean, with long dark hair that fell below her shoulders, big expressive eyes, a cute little nose, and a small mouth. She had flawless, fair skin and long, toned legs that were accentuated by the short, plaid skirt of her uniform. I momentarily felt my pulse in my neck as she looked at me with those big brown eyes.
"The final exam is next week. I want you to work with Michelle and when she's busy, come see me and I'll help you study; okay?"
She took my hand in hers and squeezed. Her skin was so soft. "Thank you, Mr. Allison. I really appreciate it."
"Of course," I replied, "that's why I'm here. Now, don't worry about it any more. Study hard and we'll deal with whatever happens."
"Yes, sir," she said, standing.
I stood. Jennifer was about five or six inches shorter than my 5-10 frame. She looked up at me and smiled, "Thanks again, Mr. Allison."
"No problem. See you tomorrow."
She turned and left. I couldn't help but take a quick glance at her long legs as she left my office. Like most Korean women I'd met over the years, they were one of her best features.
Over the next few days, Jennifer came to my office three times to study. She was definitely struggling, but I could plainly see she was doing her best. The exam was held the following Thursday. That night, I graded the exams. Jennifer got a 65. Based on how she had performed on a practice exam the day prior, I thought for sure she was going to get at least a C; she had really put in the work. It was all in her head at this point. Too bad, I thought, but the math is the math.
I took a sip of bourbon and pictured how it would go when she got her exam back. The look on her face would be heartbreaking. My mind's eye pictured her big, brown eyes filling with tears. But, I didn't stop there. I closed my eyes and pictured her sitting next to my desk, her long legs crossed as she leans over to work on a problem, sitting so close to me I can small the scent of her shampoo. That's when it came to me - how I could get what I wanted and give her what she so desperately needed. I planned on posting the results of the test Monday morning. If something were to be done, it would have to be done before then.
The next day after class, I asked Jennifer to come see me after school. At the appointed time, there was a soft knock at my office door.
"Mr. Allison?" she said softly. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes, Ms. Kim," I said in a level tone. "We have something to discuss. Please come in and close the door behind you."
I saw the white skin of her face flush. "Yes, sir," she said apprehensively.
"Have a seat." I motion to the chair next to my desk.
"I graded the exams last night," I said, pulling hers from the top of the stack, "and I'm afraid you only got a 65. To pass the course you needed a 74."
Jennifer's face said it all as her lower lip began to quiver and her eyes welled up with tears. She put her head in her hands. "What am I going to do?" she sobbed.
She was such a sweet girl. The thought did occur to me to just change her grade right there, swearing her to secrecy. But as I watched Jennifer's skirt ride up her toned thighs as she rocked back and forth in her chair, I decided against charity. As much as I liked her, she had failed the class. Anyone else would simply be getting a failing grade; I was going to give her the opportunity to earn a passing grade and graduate on time.
Jennifer looked up at me, tears streaming down her cheeks, and said between sobs, "I'm sorry, Mr. Allison. You must think I'm stupid."
"No, of course not," I said in a soothing voice. "Chemistry is hard. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You can go to summer school and then start college next year."
"I can't," she sobbed, "My parents," she cried, "I can't do summer school," she sobbed. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up. "Isn't there something else I can do? Anything to raise my grade?"
Finally, the question I had been waiting for, but I didn't think she was quite ready to hear my solution. "I'm afraid not, Ms. Kim. I've supplied a tutor; I've helped you study after school; I've done all I could. You just need more time to study; I have every confidence you'll get it next time."
She lowered her head in defeat, took in a deep breath, and began to rise out of her chair. "Thanks for all of your help, Mr. Allison," she said. "I have to go tell my parents now." She turned to leave.
Just as she reached the door, I said, "Ms. Kim, perhaps there is something you can do to earn a passing grade after all."
She turned around, a hopeful, almost desperate look in her eyes. "Anything, Mr. Allison! Just tell me what I need to do."
"Please, have a seat," I said, motioning to the chair beside my desk. "Now, what I am about to suggest is between us, okay?"
She nodded eagerly, "Yes, sir."
"If the principal found out I was offering to change a student's final grade, I could get in a lot of trouble. Once final exams are done, that's it...so, any extra credit at this point would not only be against my own rules, but against school policy. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mr. Allison," she replied. I noticed her chest rising and falling as she breathed excitedly, "I understand. Should I write a paper or is it a special project?"