Hessa

Our entire student body was crammed into the main gym's bleachers. Today was Career Day and we had several speakers lined up to present and then the senior class would go around from booth to booth talking to professionals about potential career options. As you could imagine, it was total chaos, each kid trying to talk over the others, meaning everyone was shouting and no one was listening.

I settled back into my chair on the gym floor, my thick reading glasses in place. Teachers sat on either side of me waiting for our Principal to start the presentation. I had a notebook out on my lap and a fresh pen. You never knew when inspiration would strike and since I was the one coordinating all the Care Dares, I kept my mind open for dare ideas that might help my students.

I kept shifting on my chair, trying to find a comfortable spot. After last weekend's run-in with the pack of lifeguards, I went a bit crazy. I'd met them looking my grungiest, and when I looked through my wardrobe, I realized I didn't have much of anything that seemed sexy or racy or even halfway interesting. How could I possibly show up to a Wednesday night Chocolate Dreams hang-out of hotties when I had nothing but schoolmarm clothes to wear!

That observation obviously led to thoughts of undergarments. And my granny panties. Which led to a quick trip to Fashion Island to get my hands on some lacy thongs. Which I was wearing right now and quickly realizing was a big mistake.

The lace was scratchy, rubbing against some delicate areas that had never experienced sandpaper, I mean, lace. And there just wasn't enough material to keep it from flying right up the crevice like a slick piece of floss cutting into your gums. Except, you know, in my unmentionables. The more I shifted, the higher they went.

Was it possible to chafe from thongs so badly you bled?

I was cut off from this terrifying train of thought by our Principal finally taking to the microphone.

"Settle down now." He raised his hand and gave the look of death to our student body, signally he meant business. The kids quieted down and gave a good show of listening.

"As you know, today is Career Day here at Surf City High. For our seniors, this is especially important as we prepare you to head off into the real world and hold down jobs to support yourselves. I expect all of you to listen with respect to our presenters here today. They are here, donating their own time, to talk to you about potential career paths that may be open to you. Without further ado, please join me in welcoming Kai Kāne from the Huntington Beach Lifeguards."

There was a louder than normal smattering of applause, probably because this was one of the lifeguards that worked with the Jr. Lifeguards over the summer, like my student James had said. I looked over at the man approaching the microphone and promptly dropped my pen on the wood floor, along with my stomach.

I was gobsmacked.

That was my lifeguard. The one who bought me hot chocolate. The one that made my insides feel like they were on fire. The one who prompted the ill-fated underwear purchase.

His attention was on the students as he began his speech, so I did what any hot-blooded woman would do. I pushed my glasses back up my nose and raked my gaze over his body, taking the time to memorize the look of his hands, the muscles in his forearms, and the tattoo on the back of his calf.

He looked strong. He looked interesting. He looked hot.

My face was heating up again and I willed it to behave. I couldn't even tell you what he was saying. I was just listening to the sound of his voice wafting over me as I sat stock still taking in all his finer details. I wasn't one to wax eloquent over a man's physique, but it was like my hormones decided to riot the minute I laid eyes on him.

Kai.

I had a name now. I gulped when I thought about what I could do with that information. Probably nothing, but I didn't see my obsession with this man just going away on its own. Twice now he'd stolen my breath and pumped blood into my cheeks from somewhere else in my body where it was most likely needed more. I was having heart arrhythmia and he was responsible.

Loud clapping broke me out of my medically unstable trance. Kai was smiling at the kids and then he was walking away to sit back down with the other presenters. I even liked his walk. It was manly yet sensual, if that even makes sense. It was like he was so comfortable with his body, he could have been walking down at the beach by himself or like now, in front of hundreds of students. It wouldn't have mattered.

Damn, confidence was sexy as hell.

The other presenters kept coming and I managed to take some paltry notes. My attention was shot and all I could think about was how to make my move. Desperate times called for desperate measures, you know?

The assembly finally ended, but I planned to stick around and make sure my seniors were striking up conversations with the professionals in the booths lining the walls of the gym. In the mass of bodies exiting the gym, I lost track of Kai's location.

"Ms. Woodland?"

A student materialized next to me, looking up tentatively.

"Yes, Grace?"

"Can you go with me over to the booth over there? There’s a female entrepreneur that I want to talk to. But I'm kinda nervous." She was wringing her hands and I felt bad for her. Of course, I'd help, that was my job. Never mind that I was letting my future husband walk out of the gymnasium before I'd had a chance to approach and make things awkward.

"Sure, kiddo, let's go." I marched her over to where she pointed, seeing a woman standing behind the table with a few students clustered around.

As we got closer, I realized it was Esa, the lady who owned Chocolate Dreams.

It was like the universe was sending me bright neon pink signs, that looked a lot like Cupid's arrows, pointing me to my lifeguard. I refused to believe in coincidence.

Esa caught sight of me and she broke out into a big, friendly smile. "Hessa, right?"

"Yes! Great memory." I smiled back at her. "One of my students, Grace, would like to meet you and talk to you about starting your own business." I gently pushed Grace up closer to Esa, who reached over the table and grabbed Grace's hand in a hearty hand shake.

"Hi Grace! Come here, Hessa, join me." Esa pulled me around the table and put me right next to her, her arm around my waist.

All my friends from college had moved away over the years, and I hadn't made a whole lot of new ones here in HB. I wasn't used to all the touching and had forgotten what it felt like to be instantly accepted.

It felt nice.

Esa asked all kinds of questions to the group of girls hanging out at her booth. She encouraged them, gave them sound advice and told them to come see her at her shop. The hot chocolate would be on her. I couldn't have asked for a kinder role model for my female students.

When the girls reluctantly moved on to another booth, Esa dropped her arm and moved us further back in the booth for some privacy.

"So what happened?" She looked at me like I knew what she was talking about.

"Come again?"

"Where were you last night? You know? Wednesday night? Chocolate Dreams? Lifeguards?" She rolled her eyes at me, but softened it with a smile.

"Oh. Well, I'm planning on swinging by one of these days, but to be honest, I didn't feel my wardrobe was up to snuff."

She burst out laughing, laying her hand on my arm. "Oh, Hessa. I like you."

"Thank you, I like you too," I answered truthfully.

That got her laughing harder. She collected herself finally and whipped out her phone. "What's your number?"

"My number?"

"Yes. What's your phone number, girlie? We're going to make plans to get together. My bestie, Bailey, is a personal shopper. We'll help you get your clothes 'up to snuff'." She giggled at that and waved her phone at me.

It felt kind of like I was a charity case but desperate times, remember? I gave her my number and we planned to meet up Sunday morning.

A new group of kids crammed into her booth, so I left her to charm their socks off while I perused the other booths. I was just walking from her booth to the next, not looking where I was going as I was discombobulated by my new friend, when I ran into a warm body. Hands grabbed my arms and steadied me before I could ricochet off and hurt myself. Which was fortunate because walking in these heels on a slick, wood floor was hard enough without being a human pinball.

"My apologies." The velvety voice sang to me.

A shiver ran down my spine and my thong chafing turned surprisingly sexual in nature. It could only be one man.

"Kai," I muttered, eyes wide in surprise.

He cocked his head and those hazel eyes turned green as they swept me from head to toe and back up again. "Do we know each other?"

Well that was just awkward. I'd called him by name, like the fantasizing crazy woman I was, when we'd never actually met. "I-I saw your speech earlier. Kai Kāne, right? Is that Hawaiian?"

There. That was normal. I was about to pull myself upright, my dignity restored, when I realized his hands were still on my arms, holding me in place. I liked those hands on my arms. Maybe I should try tripping and bumping into people more often if it had this effect.

He flashed his straight, white teeth at me, those eyes never leaving my face. "Yes, it's Hawaiian. How'd you know?"

"I'm an English teacher. Sort of a nerd for words and language. I find Hawaiian to be particularly beautiful with all the vowel usage."

"Ah, I see. Do you have a name too, teacher?" He smirked at me, his hands trailing off my arms, causing goose bumps to appear.

"I do, though not as alliterative as yours, I'm afraid." I used my newly freed arms to push my glasses up and take a step back. The oxygen level that close to him was lower than normal air or something. I couldn't seem to catch my breath.

He chuckled, causing the cutest dimple to appear on his cheek. How did one man get all the good genes? Statistically, he had to have some of the negative ones too. Maybe he'd go bald early or develop halitosis.

"My mother had a thing for alliteration, but I'd much prefer to know your name, alliteration or not." He was still throwing the dimple out there, which is why my brain short-circuited and I didn't tell him my name earlier. It was a powerful weapon, he should use it sparingly.

"Oh! Right. Sorry. Yes, I'm Hessa Woodland." I stuck my hand out.

He grabbed hold of my hand, but didn't shake it. Just held it.

It was awkward. It was warm. It was nice. It should never end.

"Nice to officially meet you, Hessa."

"Ms. Woodland, are you coming?" I whipped my head to the side and saw Grace standing there, waiting for me it seemed. I looked around and most of the kids had exited the gym, off to their next class.

I jerked my hand out of Kai's grasp, coming back to reality and realizing I couldn't be standing around holding hands with a man in front of the whole school. I didn't want a resurgence of my grade-school nickname from a particular nasty bully: Hessa the Hussy. I didn't mind being a hussy, but behind closed doors. A girl had to have boundaries.

"Nice to meet you too, Kai. See you around." I couldn't look him in the eye, instead, hustling around him to catch up to Grace and get to my classroom on time. The thong was back to straight chafing, the sexy leaving my body the further I got away from Kai.

"I hope I'll see you around..." I'm pretty sure that's what he said as I walked off, but I wasn't about to turn around and confirm.

Kai

I watched her walk away, her hips swaying in that dress of hers, the heels bringing up desires that weren't appropriate for school grounds. I'd never had a librarian fetish before, but I was starting to see the appeal. The long, blonde hair pulled back in a demure ponytail, the black-rimmed glasses, the prim and proper sweater over a tight pencil skirt.

And her skin. She was pale and soft and warm. I'd wanted to have my hands on her as long as I could, enjoying the blush that spread over her face just from a simple touch.

Where did this woman come from and how could I see her again? That was my only thought as I stared at the door through which she'd left me.

"Yo, earth to Kai."

I spun around and found Esa smiling at me, arms crossed over her chest.

"What's up, Esa?" I wasn't sure how much of that she'd seen.

"What the hell was that?" Her smile turned slightly evil.

Okay, clearly she'd seen a lot. "I'm not sure what that was, but I do know I'm gonna track down Ms. Woodland." No sense pretending otherwise. When my intuition said to go for something, I knew better than to ignore it. And right now? My intuition was screaming Hessa's name.

"Not that I know anything, but just make sure you come to Chocolate Dreams on Wednesday. I have a feeling she might be there..." Esa raised an eyebrow before spinning around and walking back to her booth and packing up her table.

Looks like I had plans Wednesday night.

Hessa

I walked into Nordstrom, my purse shaking in its boots. You know, if it had feet. My wallet had never been taken out of my purse in Nordstrom before and she could feel the highly priced charge in the air. Before I could question my decision, Esa waved her arms in the air across the aisle by some dresses that looked more appropriate for prom.

I made my way over, seeing another woman by her side. A really beautiful woman. With the trendiest outfit clinging to her every curve. Hair, make-up, and accessories so on point I wondered if she stepped right out of a fashion magazine. The butterflies in my stomach took flight, and I felt completely out of place in my khakis and plain shirt.

"Hessa! I'm so glad you're here! Hessa, this is Bailey. Bailey, meet Hessa." Esa put her arm around me again and waived her other hand to Ms. Gorgeous.

Bailey smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you, Hessa. I've heard great things about you! I can't wait to come up with outfits for you today. Are you looking for things for work or personal life?" She linked arms with me and pulled me out of the dress section, waiting for my answer.

"Um, I think a little of both. A few work pieces, but mostly I need casual wear and maybe a few date night outfits." My stomach was settling just being around Bailey. She may be gorgeous and intimidating, but she was equally friendly.

"All righty. Let's get the casual wear stuff first and then once we're warmed up we'll get the date night outfits. Sound good?"

I nodded my acceptance. From there, it was a whirlwind of Bailey grabbing hangers and then I found myself in a huge dressing room. I was embarrassed to change in front of Bailey, but she just buzzed around getting things off hangers and arranging the clothes on me, which took all the humiliation out of it.

We decided on three pairs of jeans (ripped jeans are in style, who would have thought I'd pay for brand new jeans with rips already in them), four shirts, one fake leather jacket that makes me look like a straight badass, and two pairs of ankle boots. Bailey threw in a few bras and a pile of underwear.

"Oh, I don't know. I don’t find thongs very comfortable." I just can't see paying more money for those torture devices.

Bailey tilted her head, a knowing smile on her face. "Where did you purchase the thongs?"

"Target?" Yes, I said it as a question, knowing the answer wouldn't be the right one based on Bailey's calculating gaze.

"Come here, Hessa." Bailey stood there with thongs overflowing her two hands. "Grab a handful, would you?"

Well now, this was getting awkward again. We were all alone in the fitting room, caressing lacy underwear. My girlfriends in college were the studious-nose-in-a-book kind, not the feel-up-underwear-and-talk-about-sex kind.

Although, the thongs I held now did seem to have a different feel to them.

"Do you feel that material? Without looking at it, can you even detect a seam?" I was about to answer her, but decided correctly the question was rhetorical. Bailey looked dead serious and was on a roll. "No, you can't. Why? Because that's quality right there. You get what you pay for, and I believe your lady parts deserve the very best. Don't you?"

I swallowed, hoping she was done. "I think I'll get some thongs."

She nodded at me and I felt palpable relief, knowing I'd finally landed on a correct answer.

"How's it going in there?" Esa's voice came through the fitting room door, breaking the tension. "I've got coffee."

"Bless you, my friend." I swung the door open and snagged a cup out of her hands before letting her step into the room.

"Perfect timing. I'll go find some date night outfits while you two take a break." Bailey grabbed the other cup out of Esa's hand and swept out of the room.

"Hey! That one was mine..." Esa pouted for all of three seconds before she swung her gaze to me, brightening to a grin. "So. Date night outfits. Got any dates lined up? Let's talk about it."

Between the two of them, I felt like I'd stepped into an alternate universe where conversation boundaries didn't exist and energy levels never dipped.

"No. No dates lined up right now. But I'd like there to be." It was humbling to admit. Here was Esa, younger than me by a couple years, and she was engaged.

"I have a feeling that's going to change for you soon, Hessa-dear." She winked at me and lowered her voice. "I saw you have a 'moment' with Kai the other day at Career Day."

The statement hung in the air and I didn't know how to respond. Did we have a 'moment'? Was she friends with Kai because of her fiancé? And if so, did I dare tell her how I felt about him?

I was saved from answering by Bailey entering the room loaded down with more clothes.

"Okay, I pulled an LBD, which every woman should have, a few more casual dinner outfits, and just a few colorful things for fun." She hung it all up on the hooks on the wall, then spun around to look at us. "Why is it so silent in here?"

"I was just questioning Hessa here on her dating prospects. She and Kai had an interesting exchange the other day and I wanted to know what was going on," Esa spilled.

"Reaaallllyyyy?" Bailey's eyebrows went up in her hairline.

"I don't know if I'd call it a 'moment' but he's a very nice man to look at," I admitted.

"Very nice? That's like how you'd describe the eighty-year-old next-door neighbor or that tomato soup at that place off Magnolia. Give us something better, girlie." Bailey folded her arms over her chest and gave me an encouraging smile.

I blew out a big breath, boosted by the caffeine, and launched into it. I told them how I felt when I first saw him, how he bought me a hot chocolate, and the conversation in the gymnasium. When I finished they both had smiles on their faces and looked ready to jump up and down in excitement.

Bailey clapped her hands and whipped the LBD off the hanger. "We better get back to work so you have something to wear when that boy asks you out. Mark my words: he'll ask you out. I've gotten to know the habits of these lifeguards. It's just a matter of time."

I walked out of the store with my bank account several paychecks lighter, but my heart lighter too. I'd found friends and I'd found courage and hope. Which was priceless, really.