The Student Teacher Affair

Chapter 4: Convention Chaos

Mercy’s POV

The faculty convention was one of the biggest events of the year, and as the social director, I was practically running on adrenaline. Between arranging the guest speakers, setting up the venue, and coordinating with vendors, I barely had time to breathe. To make matters worse, Joshua was assigned to supervise the preparations. It felt like the universe was conspiring against me.

I arrived at the auditorium early, a long checklist in hand. The place was buzzing with activity as students and staff worked together to get everything ready. Just as I started to give instructions to the decorators, Joshua walked in, clipboard in hand and a scowl on his face.

"Looks like you could use some help," he said, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"Not from you," I shot back, not even bothering to look at him. "I’ve got this under control."

He rolled his eyes and walked over to the stage, inspecting the setup. "The sound system needs to be tested. And those banners are crooked."

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay calm. "Thank you for your keen observation, Professor. Maybe you can find something else to criticize while I handle it."

He smirked. "Just trying to help."

Throughout the day, our interactions continued in the same vein. Snarky comments, sarcastic jabs, and thinly veiled insults. It was like we couldn't resist pushing each other's buttons.

"Do you even know what you're doing with the lighting?" he asked, hovering over my shoulder as I directed the technicians.

"Do you even know what you're doing here?" I retorted. "Because it seems like you're just here to annoy me."

"Maybe if you were a bit more organized, I wouldn't have to step in," he said, folding his arms.

I turned to face him, narrowing my eyes. "And maybe if you stopped being a control freak, we'd get things done faster."

The other students watched us with a mix of confusion and amusement. To them, it must have seemed like we were a bickering old couple rather than student and lecturer.

As the day wore on, I focused on my tasks, determined to prove that I could handle everything without Joshua’s interference. But just as I was starting to feel like I had things under control, a girl walked in and made a beeline for Joshua.

She wasn’t one of the students, that much was clear. She had an air of confidence about her, and she smiled brightly when she saw him. "Josh!" she called out, waving.

Joshua’s face lit up in a way I’d never seen before. He walked over to her, and they embraced like old friends – or more than friends. She whispered something in his ear, and he laughed, a genuine, carefree laugh that made my stomach twist uncomfortably.

I rolled my eyes, turning away from the sight. Of course, Joshua had a girlfriend. It wasn’t like I cared, but it was just another reminder of how infuriatingly perfect his life seemed to be. And now I had to deal with him and his happy-go-lucky girlfriend on top of everything else.

Taking a deep breath, I focused on the task at hand. There was no time to get distracted. The convention needed to be perfect, and I wasn't about to let Joshua—or his girlfriend—get in the way.

But as I worked, I couldn’t help but steal glances at them, feeling a strange mix of annoyance and something else I couldn't quite place. Maybe it was just frustration. Or maybe it was something more. Either way, I pushed it aside, determined to get through the day without any more drama.

Joshua’s POV

The morning of the convention was a whirlwind of last-minute checks and frantic adjustments. Mercy and I were at the auditorium early, making sure everything was in place. Despite our differences, we botknew the importance of this event, and I begrudgingly respected her dedication.

“Can you make sure the sound system is working perfectly?” Mercy asked, her voice strained with worry.

“Already did. Twice,” I replied, not bothering to hide my annoyance. “But I’ll check again, just to be sure.”

Just as I was about to head towards the stage, Mercy’s phone rang. She stepped aside to take the call, and I could see her face fall as she listened to the person on the other end. When she hung up, she looked pale.

“The caterer just canceled on us,” she said, her voice shaking. “They had a personal emergency and can’t make it.”

“Of course,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. “Why not add another crisis to the day?”

Mercy shot me a desperate look. “What are we going to do? We need the food ready in a few hours!”

I couldn’t resist the opportunity to be a bit dramatic. “Well, it seems like you’ve got quite a mess on your hands, doesn’t it?”

She glared at me, but I could see the panic in her eyes. I sighed, knowing I had to step in. “I’ve got a friend who’s a caterer. I’ll call him and see if he can help.”

Mercy’s expression was a mix of relief and irritation. “Really? You can do that?”

“Of course, I can. Unlike some people, I know how to handle a crisis.” I took out my phone and made the call, feeling a bit smug. My friend agreed to help, and within minutes, we had a new caterer on the way.

“Problem solved,” I said, putting my phone away. “You can stop panicking now.”

Mercy crossed her arms, not looking the least bit impressed. “Thanks,” she said flatly. “But you didn’t have to make it sound like it was my fault.”

I shrugged. “Just stating the obvious.”

The rest of the morning was a blur of activity. We worked together, albeit with our usual snarky comments, to ensure everything was perfect. Despite our constant bickering, I had to admit that Mercy was good at her job. By the time the convention started, the place looked amazing, and I could see the pride in her eyes.

As the event progressed, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Everything was going smoothly, and people were genuinely impressed. Several attendees came up to us, praising our efforts.

“You two did an incredible job,” one of the professors said, shaking our hands. “This is the best convention we’ve had in years.”

Mercy and I exchanged a rare smile. “Thank you,” we said in unison. It was a brief moment of camaraderie, knowing that despite all our arguments, we had pulled this off together.

But of course, that moment didn’t last long. Once we stepped aside, I couldn’t resist getting a bit cocky. “See, I told you we’d manage. You should really trust my judgment more often.”

Mercy rolled her eyes. “Please, don’t start. Just enjoy the fact that we didn’t mess up.”

I was about to retort when I saw another girl approaching me. She wasn’t the same one Mercy had seen with me before. This one was different – a friend from another department. As she reached me, she smiled and gave me a quick hug.

“Joshua, it’s so good to see you! I heard about the convention and had to come by.”

I could feel Mercy’s eyes boring into me, judging me for talking to yet another woman. I glanced at her, seeing the unmistakable look of disapproval on her face.

“Great,” I thought, “just what I needed – more drama.”

“Hey, it’s good to see you too,” I said to my friend, trying to keep the conversation casual.

Mercy didn’t say anything, but her silence spoke volumes. I knew she was judging me, thinking I was some sort of playboy. The tension between us was palpable, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit frustrated. No matter what I did, it seemed like I couldn’t win with her.

As the girl walked away, I turned to Mercy, ready for another round of snarky comments. But she just shook her head and walked off, leaving me standing there, feeling oddly defeated.