The Student Teacher Affair

Chapter 3: Snarky beginnings

Joshua’s POV

I stared at the cluttered desk in my apartment, already regretting my decision to ask Mercy to meet me here. It was the first day of our project collaboration, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of dread. Why did I agree to this again? Right, because I had no choice. She was determined, and Professor Richard made it clear that my involvement was non-negotiable.

The doorbell rang, pulling me from my thoughts. I took a deep breath and opened the door. Mercy stood there, her eyes bright with determination, clutching a notebook and a pen.

"Hi," she said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

"Hi," I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral. "Make yourself comfortable."

"Thanks," she said, looking around before settling on the couch.

"Before we start I want you to know that you can call me Joshua,no need for all the formalities" I said to her

"okay" she replied, acting like she has always wanted to call me by my name.

I sat down opposite her, trying to ignore the tight knot forming in my stomach. "Let's get started," I said, opening my laptop. "We need to break down the key themes of 'Echoes of the Ancestors'."

Mercy nodded, flipping through her notes. "I was thinking we could focus on the theme of ancestral wisdom and how it shapes the characters' decisions."

"Ancestral wisdom, huh?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "Seems pretty obvious."

"Well, it's a major theme," she shot back, not missing a beat. "Or do you have a better idea?"

I sighed. "No, it's fine. Let's go with that."

We worked in silence for a few minutes, but it didn't take long for the tension to surface again.

"You know," I said, unable to resist, "if you weren't so determined to win this scholarship, we wouldn't have to do this."

She looked up, eyes flashing. "And if you weren't so determined to make my life difficult, this would be a lot easier."

I scoffed. "Right, because I'm the problem here."

"Actually, you are," she said, her voice calm but firm. "I don't understand why you have to be so difficult. This project is important to me."

"Important to you?" I repeated, incredulous. "You're from a wealthy family. You don't need this scholarship."

"It's not about the money," she snapped. "It's about my dreams, my future. Winning this will boost my resume. It's a stepping stone to bigger things."

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I felt a pang of remorse but quickly masked it with indifference. "Fine, whatever. Let's just get this over with."

"Agreed," she said, her tone icy.

We returned to our work, but the snarky comments kept coming, each one a jab that left us both more frustrated. It was clear that working together was going to take a lot more effort than either of us anticipated.

Despite the bickering, we managed to make some progress by the end of the session. As she packed up her things to leave, I couldn't help but feel a strange mix of irritation and respect for her determination.

"Same time tomorrow?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"Yeah," she said, not looking at me. "See you tomorrow."

As the door closed behind her, I let out a long sigh. This was going to be one hell of a project.

Mercy’s POV

Walking into Joshua's office at the university felt like stepping into enemy territory. I clutched my notebook tightly, mentally preparing myself for another round of snarky comments and subtle jabs. This project was supposed to be a collaboration, but it felt more like a battle of wits and wills.

I found Joshua already seated behind his desk, typing away on his laptop. He looked up briefly as I entered, his expression neutral. "You're on time," he said, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Don't sound so shocked," I replied, settling into the chair opposite him. "I do take this seriously, you know."

He smirked. "Right, because winning is everything to you."

I ignored his comment and opened my notebook. "Let's get started. We need to finalize our outline for the presentation."

We dove into the work, but it didn't take long for the snark to resurface.

"As I was saying, when I was in Europe—"

I rolled my eyes. "We get it, Joshua. You moved here from Europe. No need to keep reminding us peasants."

His eyes narrowed. "Excuse me for trying to share some relevant experience."

"Relevant, sure. Annoying, definitely," I shot back.

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Why do you have such a problem with Europe, anyway?"

"I don't," I said, flipping through my notes. "I have a problem with you acting like it makes you superior."

He scoffed. "Europe is different. I came here to learn about my heritage, to understand where I come from."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You came back to Nigeria to learn about your heritage? That sounds like the stupidest idea I've ever heard."

His eyes flashed with irritation. "And why are you here if you hate it so much?"

I hesitated, then sighed. "Because I'm my parents' only child. They hover around me like I'm going to break. Every summer we travel around the world, and I see all these beautiful places. But here I am, stuck in Nigeria because they can't let go."

Joshua's expression softened, but only for a moment. "Must be tough, being so loved and cared for."

"It is," I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "What a terrible burden to bear."

He rolled his eyes. "Maybe if you stopped acting like a spoiled brat, you'd appreciate what you have."

I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to snap back. "Maybe if you stopped acting like a know-it-all, you'd realize you're not as special as you think."

For a moment, we just glared at each other, the air between us crackling with tension. Then, almost simultaneously, we both looked away, pretending to focus on our work.

"Let's just get this done," I muttered.

"Agreed," he replied, his tone clipped.

Despite the bickering, we managed to make some progress. But as I left his office, I couldn't shake the feeling that this project was going to be a lot more complicated than I had anticipated. Working with Joshua was like navigating a minefield, and I wasn't sure if we were going to make it through unscathed.