”Um, hello,” I said feeling a little shy.

”Hi,” she said and smiled, ”I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Nadia Karella.”

”Hi, Bette Porter,” I said and shook her hand.

”I know, we met briefly a few months ago. I don’t know if you remember but you helped my nana when she had a hip replacement.”

”Oh, ok, how’s she doing?”

”Really good actually.”

”That’s great,” I said checking my watch.

”I know you have to go, I just wanted to say hi and see if you had a partner.”

”What,” I asked, panic filling my voice. What was she getting at?

”A partner. For the research paper.”

”Oh,” I said, relief coming over my body, ”no actually.”

”Would you like to be mine? I am very excellent at doing research and I know the campus library like the back of my hand,” she said smiling big.

”Sure, that sounds great.”

”Cool. Give me your number and I’ll call or text you about scheduling time in one of the library cubicles.”

I opened my purse up and gave her one of my business cards and she studied it. I have never felt so awkward talking to someone in my life.

”Wow, so you’ve got your own sports medicine practice?”

”Not yet,” I said as we walked out of the class and down the hall, ”my friend wanted to start her own practice and asked me to join her. We won’t open until November, possibly the first of the year.”

I swallowed as we walked in silence for a while. We opened the doors to the parking lot and stopped. I didn’t know what to say. She made me feel a bit uneasy and I wasn’t sure why.

”Well I have a meeting with my son’s teacher, so I have to get going.”

”Oh, you’re married,” she asked trying to hide her disappointment.

”Not yet, my fianceé Tina and I are getting married in December.”

”Oh you’re gay?”

”Yes.”

”That’s cool,” she said with a satisfactory smile.

”Well I’ll see you in class.”

”Ok bye.”

I hurridly walked to my car, trying to get away from her as fast as possible. I got into my car and started driving out of the parking lot. I spotted her at the coffee cart, she saw me, smiled and waved. She’s trouble I thought.