Rachel stood in front of the classroom trying to explain Greek mythology to a group of high school sophomores. Some of them were interested. Some of them were asleep. She noticed only Todd was continuously engaged.
+++++She heard the other boys tease Todd from time to time.
+++++“Every time Ms. Arlene mentions a movie, you always know what that movie is. You like her.”

***

When Rachel came back to her apartment, she fed her two cats and turned on the TV. It was showing the local news. Some house in Brooklyn was on fire. She grabbed her toothbrush from the bathroom and continued watching the fire on TV. The owner of the house was crying.
+++++Rachel spit the toothpaste out into the sink and rinsed. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her black eyeliner made her sort of look like her cats. She took off her black silk sweater and stared at herself in her black lace bra. She felt too skinny.

***

The next day at school Rachel was half-asleep. She was trying to explain the concept of Zeus as a rapist from a modern feminist lens, but then she realized she got off-track because she was teaching high school. She felt all the students staring at her. Todd smiled at her. She assigned the class an essay and then excused herself from the room.
+++++In the teachers’ lounge, she saw Mark. He was the new substitute teacher for Mr. Andersen, who was another English teacher in the school. Mark always wore tight T-shirts that exposed his massive biceps. Rachel met him three weeks ago, but their initial conversation wasn’t long. He was checking her out then, but she got the impression that he checks all the female teachers out—even the old ones.
+++++“How’s it going, Rachel?” he asked.
+++++“Just need a coffee. I’m barely awake.”
+++++“Up all night grading papers?”
+++++“No, just couldn’t sleep.”
+++++“Oh, really? You have a hard time sleeping?”
+++++“Yeah, sometimes.”
+++++“You know what helps me? A good book. I’m teaching The Grapes of Wrath right now.”
+++++“That puts you to sleep?”
+++++“Uh-huh.”
+++++Rachel poured herself a coffee. She glanced at Mark’s right bicep.
+++++“You doing anything Friday night?” he asked.

***

Mark came over Rachel’s apartment.
+++++“Say, you got yourself a nice place here,” he said.
+++++Rachel immediately began undressing and took Mark into the bedroom. He took off his shirt and pants and straddled her into doggystyle. She didn’t ask for protection. When he put it in, she felt that he was long.

***

Rachel took the next week off and asked Mark to sub for her. He took attendance, taught from her notes, and graded the student’s papers. The following week when she came back, Todd came up to her after class.
+++++“So are you and Mark like a thing now?” he asked.
+++++“Excuse me?”
+++++“Sorry, maybe that was inappropriate.”
+++++“It’s okay. You’ll find out when you’re older that there are some men that you sleep with that you don’t actually want to date.”
+++++Todd looked cold.
+++++“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m really sorry.”
+++++“I asked out Melissa. She said she’s not looking for a boyfriend. She said she wants a friend with benefits.”
+++++“We shouldn’t be talking about this.”
+++++“I won’t tell anyone. I just need advice.”
+++++“Todd.”
+++++“Should I?”

[Image Credit : Photo by Enis Yavuz on Unsplash]

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Dmitriy Kogan

Dmitriy Kogan is a short story writer and poet from Staten Island, New York. His work has appeared in Oddball Magazine, The Rye Whiskey Review, A Thin Slice of Anxiety, and The Beatnik Cowboy.

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• Extra Credit - September 1, 2026