A Small Dishonesty in the Classroom

I've always prided myself on being honest, especially when it comes to my personal life as a professor. But recently, I found myself telling a lie that felt like such a betrayal of who I am and what I stand for. I’m in an open relationship, but one day, a student asked if there was any chance of us exploring a mentor-teacher dynamic beyond the classroom. Now, this isn't unusual for students to think romantically about professors, especially when they admire you, but it's strictly forbidden. The truth is that my partner and I sometimes explore unconventional dynamics in our relationship, ones that are always consensual and explicit roleplay between adults. But explaining that to a student would likely send them running the other way or worse, jeopardize my career. So, I lied, saying there’s no possibility of anything more than professional respect between us. It was easy for me to say, but it’s left an uneasy feeling in my stomach ever since.