"If any of those stories were true," Joselyn said, "do you really think those professors would still be teaching at Mira Pavo? No way! I think petty jealousy started those rumors going around and petty jealousy keeps them circulating. Bertrand and Velasquez are right in the forefront of what's happening in Theoretical Chem… and they've got the biggest National Science Foundation grants in the department for their research. It's jealousy, Paul, just jealousy."

Joselyn knew that wasn't the case and so did Paul. Jealousy hadn't made the prettiest department secretary suddenly resign after five years on the job. Jealousy hadn't made a sexy young coed complain to the Faculty advisor about the treatment she was receiving from a certain illustrious professor. The College, however, chose to ignore the peccadilloes of two of its "Golden Boys".

"Christ! How can you say that?" Paul exclaimed. "I don't believe that you'd really consider working for one of them. They're a couple of… animals! Everybody knows it!?"

She had him squirming, but good.

"What are you afraid of?" she said. "That one of them might hit up on me… or that I might get a better post-doc than you?"

"Dammit, dammit," he said, pushing up from the rug and storming off to the bathroom. He slammed the door behind him.

She stuck her tongue out in his direction, then picked up her skimpy, faded blue cut off jeans from the foot of the bed. She didn't bother with panties, but just pulled on the brief shorts and zipped them up. They were super tight, cutting up into her crotch, outlining the fat hummock of her pubis and, in back, showing a bit of smooth, tan butt cheek protruding from each frayed leg hole. She slipped on her platform sandals and picked up her book bag, walking over to the bathroom door and putting her head, up against it. She knocked on it lightly.

"Paul?" she said, cheerily. "Paul, I'm going now. I have an appointment with Dr. Bertrand." She paused, awaiting his reply, but there was none. "Aren't you going to wish me luck?" she said. The sound of the shower being turned on full force came hissing through the closed door, but it did not drown out Paul's single word response.