Notes [Last revised February 1, 2025]:
β This is our entry for the Valentine's Day contest 2025.
β All characters are voting age products of the authors' imaginations.
Β© Copyright 2025 by MindsMirror. All rights reserved.
Cupid's New Year's Eve Play
~ Cupid ~
"Happy New Year and congratulations, Dana!" Dirk exclaimed holding his champagne flute out for her to toast.
She raised her glass and gently clinked the crystal to his. The celebratory ringing was still fading as she replied, "Thanks and Happy New Year to you, Dirk. I couldn't have gotten through it without your assistance."
"You did the work, I just helped you figure out how to learn it," he redirected her praise and tilted the bottle on the cheap Formica counter-top island to inspect the label.
His dismissal of his contributions frequently put others off, but she loved that this was kind of how he worked. He was unassuming and rather cute for a nerdy Calculus Professor. She watched his deep blue eyes twinkling mischievously for a moment then he lifted the half filled glass of bubbling golden fluid and downed it. When he set it back upon the counter, she giggled and then mirrored his actions. Watching him intently she mindfully placed her flute directly adjacent his causing the crystal to ring as the flutes gently kissed.
There was an unfamiliar tension which was amplified by an eerie harmonic resonance that changed pitch as he refilled their champagne flutes. It triggered feelings in each of them
We aren't quite alone are we?
They watched each other as shivers ran up both their spines. Each shook off the odd presence and felt the urge to relocate. Dirk gathered the bottle along with his glass. He headed into the small sitting area, "So, have you made any resolutions, Miss Martin?" he asked her as he might in his lecture hall.
She followed him, pausing only to kick off her shoes beside the apartment door, "I plan to make you proud of me in graduate school --"
Cutting her off quickly, he said, "Don't be silly; I'm already proud of you! Besides, you should be doing this for yourself."
"I am, but I'd be lying if I denied how it feels to get your approval," she admitted.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said
silly
that's demeaning," he attempted to correct the verbal blunder.
"Stop that, you know I want unfiltered Professor Martin," she assured him pressing her hand on his shoulder briefly. "What about your resolutions?"
He thought for a moment, worrying if he should tell her. The warmth of her touch diminished as they continued toward the love-seat and assumed their positions at each end. Dana sat back to study him and positioned her glass on the table as she waited.
He debated on which resolutions he might reveal and suddenly blurted out a random choice, "I guess it's time to find a wife and settle down."
"I see --"
"Of course, I'm going to need to find a girlfriend first," he then laughed to cover his Freudian slip which had given away another. Both admissions left out the least pure item which was at the top of his list.
"Oh, is that why you called me over here tonight; you're recruiting me to be your wingman?" she teased placing her hands on her hips and looking down with a wicked grin appearing on her face.
"No, um -- I --" he choked a bit and continued, "I wanted you here. You graduated with marks and I'm certain you'll excel in the Biology graduate program!" Her expression was unchanged, so he added, "I was serious about how proud I am of you."
She relented a bit, "Well, it only took me twice to pass Calc 201," she exaggerated and sighed. "At least Mom got to watch me walk and it was nice to have her here for Christmas. She's the one pressuring you to get married, right?"
"Yeah, she
really
wants grand babies," he answered truthfully. "I can't tell you how many times she brought it up while she was here. I'm sure she's lonely, knocking around in that house with Dad gone," he said and took another sip. "If I let myself think about it much; I'd probably admit I've been kind of lonely too. You know it's been nearly four years since I've had a date?"
"That's suspiciously close to when you started teaching; isn't it?" she asked reaching for her drink.
"Yeah, but --"
"Don't give me butts. I've noticed all of your
little admirers
," Dana said and took a swallow of her bubbly and put her feet upon his lap. "Too bad you can't date your students."
"You know that'd get me fired for sure and if they knew what I was thinking --" he cut himself short.
It'd probably get me a slap right now,
he thought as he took hold of her feet and gently massaged them.
"Does my BIG brother have a dirty mind during his lectures?"
"I try to tell myself it's only when I'm being
blatantly
tempted," he said, shaking his head at his weakness.
"Why have you never confided anything like that was going on to me?" Dana petitioned coyly. "Come on now, give --"
"I shouldn't say," Dirk replied shyly. "Plus, before, I had to keep some professional distance from you."
"I'll give you about a year to stop that," she said watching his hands grip and release her feet. "You literally have no excuses to withhold the information now," she said finishing her flute and refilling both of their glasses on the coffee table.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he offered temptingly as he continued gripping the toes of each foot with soothing pressure.
"You simply must dish; you're driving me crazy with curiosity. You can't float a line like that out there and leave me hanging."
"There have been so many, but I guess these temptations break down into a few distinct categories. Let me think. Well, there are -- the flirts -- the note passers -- the office visitors -- the close soft speakers -- "
Dana's feet fidgeted and she interrupted, "I can't believe you never said anything!"
"Oh yeah that's not all, there have been flashers -- at least two kinds of flashers," Dirk said looking distant.
"Two kinds?"
"Yeah, at least and maybe there's a third," he said stroking a nonexistent beard on his smooth chin. "There are the ones that wear skimpy skirts with little or no underwear and there are the ones that either wear push-up bras that show a lot of cleavage or simply go bra-less and strategically allow their shirts to fall open while I pace the front trying to make eye contact and engage with the class. How do they get that move down?"