LAST KISS

CHAPTER 4: THE ASSISTANT

Finally, we have arrived at the Student Affairs Office. Abbie and I draw near the electronic printer and got the priority number near the door. We sat down after waiting for our turn to be called.

"..next?" asked a woman with eyeglasses who looks like a chairman of the student affairs office.

MS. TWOMBLY -- that was written in front of the table - Chairman Student Affairs office. Abbie and I approached the vacated seat.

"Good Morning Ms. Twombly. My friend Margie suddenly became poor and I would like to help her to continue her studies here at Hartfeld!"

"Abbie!"

"I see! so what do you excel most?" Ms. Twombly asked me cross-examining my looks. I thought for a long time because I didn't know what to say, so before Abbie will insist again, I replied back--

"I excel academically!" I said sharply. Abbie's eyebrows raised as if confused. 

"I graduated as class valedictorian when I was in High school. I was a senior writer in our PUB in my entire high school, Ms. Twombly."

"Oh great! the application will end today and I'm glad to know that you made it! I'll just check vacancies for you". Ms. Twombly checked her computer when Abbie suddenly scolded me giving me a sudden elbow jerk towards me.

"I don't know you are a nerd all this time! How come I didn't know about it?".

She asked me. From my peripheral vision I saw the corners of Ms. Twombly's mouth turned up exposing her front teeth, she might be eavesdropping to Abbie's not so kind of whispering voice.

"May I know your full name ?" Ms. Twombly asked me again.

"Margie Dominicka Dathynea"

"You also have a very gorgeous name Margie, I thought all this time your name was just Margie. You didn't also share that you are a nerd!"

".. It doesn't mean that having good grades, I consider myself as a nerd." That was my defense when we heard Ms. Twombly's voice.

"exactly! Good to know that Margie is not a nerd and can handle between beauty and brains!" Ms. Twombly said smiling. It flattered me a little hearing her appreciation of my achievements. 

"Oh, I can see there's one vacancy as a researcher of Professor Vasquez!" she continued. I was delighted to hear that from her! At last! I will have the chance to stay at this University.

"Wow... Professor Enrique Vasquez? The famous author of the book Winter in July? Names of all lost things are my favorite book I've read so far from him. How good for you Margie!" I feel evidently good to hear that too. I'm glad even though I didn't even know this author that Abbie was talking about. I am a bookish person but I do not know anything about this professor.

"Really? Is he good?" I asked Abbie in overwrought.

"Of course! I can't imagine what it feels like working with such a great author!" Her answer endowed my soul in a tizzy.

"Look who's talking know less about this Professor!" We are shocked at Ms. Twombly's revelations so Abbie and I turned back to her getting our attention.

"I've heard no assistants last long with this Professor. Every week there's always a withdrawal from his assistants." 

It seemed like I was abruptly surprised by what Ms. Twombly has said. Feeling completely baffled and nervous, I simmer-down my negative thoughts--

"I think I can make it! I'm special.." I try to calm myself down from the negativity that starting to eat me.

"Being just special doesn't count these days dear. We cannot blame society for having all the discrimination placed if they want." 

I bowed my head and thought. How brutal is this professor and why is that his helpless assistant didn't last long in serving him?

Now I became very interested in the work.

"I'll take it as a challenge!" I answered to Ms. Twombly! I smiled at them determinedly. I'm doing this for the scholarship and there's nothing who can snoop down my way.

"That's the spirit!" Says Ms. Twombly. She handed me a printed note.

 "Here, this is an endorsement for you. Just go to the Professors Office and introduced yourself." She handed it to me, I read it first, it contained my name, my credentials and an endorsement letter confirming that I had come from the Student's Affairs Office and had Ms. Twombly's signature.

"Thanks, Ms. Twombly!" I said in delight shaking her hand.

"Good! I hope you will stay long with him!" She smiled at me and we immediately left her office. Abbie hugged me again.

"I'm so proud of you Margie! Do you still want me to accompany you to Professor Vasquez's Office? "Abbie asked. I held Abbie's hand.

"Abbie, Thanks so much! You can finish the task with me just fine! But now, I'm sorry but I want you to come with me. ” Abbie's eyes light up and she blushes. I know she wanted to meet this Author her mouth wouldn't shut off earlier.

I forgot that Abbie was a Lesbian, so she might give me a different meaning when I hold on her hands so I took it back.

... "ahm, if that's okay with you.." after I took it off Abbie smiled at me.

"I'll go with you to his office and after that, I'll leave you then because I know he has many instructions for you." her explanation is clear.

"Thank you very much, Abbie!" Just then, Abbie accompanied me to Professor Vasquez's office.

[PROFESSOR VASQUEZ]

"This must be his office if I am not mistaken!" Abbie knocks the door and a familiar guy opened the door.

"Good day! are you professor Vasquez?" I asked the man though I was a bit unsure. Abbie seems to be mesmerized too.

"I haven't met and seen any of Professor Vasquez pictures but I don't know it's you all the while!" Abbie articulated in puzzlement. The man didn't act immediately. If I'm not mistaken this is the same guy I saw on Splash looking at Caitlyn. That one Caitlyn says that was HOT!

But I forgot the name she mentioned. I wanted to ransack my brain figuring-out the name of this man but to no avail.

"Proven as guilty of the crime! now can you buy me espresso at the campus cafe?" he promptly ordered me after he answered.

"Aghh .." I was a little confused when...

"Brandon! what's the commotion in there! will you please help me find the last book I've made!" that's the voice from the back room of the front desk. That voice was from a guy somewhere from the back of the table.  After we heard that voice the pretending man to be Professor Vasquez turned to us and I met him with a wistful look. I raised my eyebrows to this man who was supposed to ask me an order of espresso, he didn't immediately respond but rather just displayed his sly grin.

"So you're lying! You are not Prof. Vasquez!" Now I remembered his name, This Brandon smiled sarcastically.

"Ahh... I just really love their coffee. Forgive me!"

"Brandon!!!" The loud voice again shouted.

"So who are you and what are you doing here?" Abbie interrogated him.

"Prof. Vasquez is my mentor. He helps me with the play I am writing. Please excuse me!" And he unabashedly leaves in our front. It was in his rush that a small journal fell from his hands and was opened when it hit the tiled floor. Abbie picked it up, starting to read a few opened pages.

"Abbie!" 

I stopped her because I noticed she was reading the notebook that had fallen from Brandon.

"Ohh! That Brandon has a really good taste as a writer!" She says in a tease.

"would you like to read the lines with me?" she asked me but I could not understand what she means.

"Just get it back and bring that to the table. That guy is going to be mad when he finds out you are reading his output!"

"very doomsayer baby girl! It's a nice read .. I find him so interesting!" Abbie replied.

I gulped to her words. Did she just say it in a seductive tone?

"Why?" I wondered.

"His masterpiece was a dirty romance! His narration was so good to be true!... Okay since you seem to be a prophet of doom then let's stop reading!. I might splotch your innocent mind!"

She laughed saying that words after. We heard someone coming out of a room so Abbie quickly brought the Journal back to the table and the middle-aged man who I thought was Professor Vasquez appeared frowning to us. 

He looks like a real tiger but I'm not terribly jaded.

I handed him the endorsement from Ms. Twombly and started to introduce myself.

"I'm Margie and I'm here as your assistant"

"and you?" Prof. Vasquez asked looking at Abbie. Abbie was very pale her enthusiasm suddenly vanished when she saw the professor's worst greeting.

"I'm her friend and your fan!" Abbie's smiling answer hiding her nervousness. Vasquez smiled sarcastically in return.

" a friend and a fan? Now get out. You can leave your friend thanks for coming!" he says seriously. Abbie seemed to be in shock at Vasquez's attitude and easily walked out the door without letting me know. Vasquez turned away, While here I am stunned, felt like dumb-founded and still standing behind him.

He turned to me again. Eyes are in fury and seem like he is about to eat my soul.

Is he the angel of death?

"I told you to get out!" he said loudly and tried to drive me away just like a stray dog in his eyes.

"No..  You didn't tell me to get out. " I-insisted.

"Now I'm telling you to get out! " He said it the second time. 

I wonder why he drove me away. Is this what Ms. Twombly meant here? He is such a heartless professor.

"Why? I'm here as your assistant."

"Did you assisted anyone before?" He asks me a question. I think for a while, actually never.

"I-... I never assisted anyone but I know I find myself helpful."

"That's all your lines! My previous so-called assistant found herself useful too after she lost the flash drive containing 3 months of my work!"

"Oh! that's too bad for you."

"Yeah! Before that my assistant drops the glass of coffee while dusting my table and ruined all the works that I need to publish within this month! So I don't need an assistant! Now get out!"

"No! Please I'll promise to be useful"

 "I don't want someone to see with stripes! I also ditched out my other assistants because she always wears stripes and since you wore the same then I won't! now leave!"

" I won't wear stripes anymore here for you. "

"I still don't want an assistant. Nitwits!"

"Why are you so judgmental to me! I am different!" I said in the annoyance of his words.

"Different? why is your body divided? Are you a pokemon? Not at all? You're not unique. You haven't been able to assist anyone before yet so how can you prove that you are useful? It's a waste of time so now leave!"

That hurts.

I do not want to give up but now I start to regret coming here. Is this his real attitude? Why does he seem mean and so angry at the world? His words are so painful that he even gave me no chance to show what I could do.

But no matter what embarrassment he does, I want it to overcome. I will not give up.

I was just about to leave when I remembered it will be my last chance to stay here at this school to continue studying for my future. I have to eat up my negative emotions and pride and must retort back with shameless face in full gall. I have to face him back if I don't, then It's the end of my future in Hartfeld. I couldn't continue studying here.

I opened the door but yet chooses to close it again and spoke.

"I will not gonna give up! I need this scholarship and I will not give up just because of your so judgemental mind towards me! I just met my friends and the love of my life and If I will just give up because of your nonsense understatements I'm sorry but I am not leaving!" I said imprudently. I wanted to cry on his front, kneeled and beg him to accept me. I am almost done until Vasquez turned back to me. I am positive he would say Yes to me.

But---

"I actually don't care. "

I'm done. I didn't answer anymore. I have no hope for someone who has NO HEART LIKE THIS BALD OLD MAN!.

I remained silent. I am lost for words when I heard him spoke.

"Now..tell me, what you can do most to help me?" HE ASKED ME IN BOREDOM OF MY SILENCE.

"Anything! I won't gonna give up!" A sly grin painted his face.

"Okay! I found you interesting! You impress me! I'll put you as pre-employed with a test, I will give you a chance to prove yourself!" I was shocked and smiled at what he said.

"I will give you your first test and if you'll gonna make it I'll let you stay! If not then I don't want to see your face ever!"

"Challenge Accepted!"