ahead of him, interrupting his train of thought. Felix
stopped for a moment and listened; it was a pair of footsteps
trotting toward him, followed by a second. It wasn’t long before
the soft light of the hallway’s faded bulbs revealed the culprits,
Jenn and her boyfriend Bradley. At least, he thought Bradley was
her boyfriend; they certainly spent enough time together. Since
meeting them both at the start of the program three years ago,
Felix had never been able to pinpoint the precise nature of their
relationship.
He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his
nose toward his eyebrows and peered out at the pair. He wondered
what sort of person goes by “Bradley.” “Brad” seemed so much more
efficient.
“Felix!” Bradley shouted. The muscular, blond
nineteen-year-old chuckled a bit before jogging ahead of Jenn to
meet Felix head on.
“Why is it that no matter what the
conversation, you always laugh before you speak?” Felix asked, not
expecting an answer.
Bradley complied with the assessment. “What’s
going on, bud?” he asked. “Where were you tonight?”
“Oh, you know me, Brad,” he replied. “Just
busy, per usual.”
Bradley smirked. “It’s Brad ley ,
actually. As I know you already know.”
“Well, if you’ll excuse me, Brad ley ,”
Felix replied tiredly, “as you yourself have pointed out, I am
quite late for class this evening.”
Bradley chuckled. “Late? You’re a bit more
than late, pal. Class ended just a minute ago.”
“Then I suppose,” Felix said, “I am
exceedingly early for tomorrow’s. Either way, if you’ll excuse
me.”
“Huh?”
“I am trying to ... ”
Felix paused his response, interrupted by
Jenn’s noisy approach. He looked past Bradley to her feet and
watched her clonk briskly toward their conversation in those purple
high-heeled shoes she so often wore. She strolled up to Bradley’s
backside and parked herself directly behind him, peering from over
his left shoulder at Felix. Her slender body was completely
concealed by Bradley’s large frame, giving Felix the illusion that
Bradley now had two heads, albeit one much more attractive than the
other.
Felix had always found Jenn appealing, but
her physicality was where any thought of interest halted. She was
attractive enough--good complexion, light eyes, athletic build--but
something was off.
What’s wrong with this one? he
wondered. It’s the way she always says my name , he
immediately decided, like she’s spitting out something
unexpectedly pickle-flavored. Or perhaps it’s simply that
insufferable Bradley who’s always hanging from her bodice like a
vestigial appendage. And the hair , he added. Yes, her hair
is just a bit too short. Five centimeters, perhaps.
“Felix?” Jenn asked, a puzzled look on her
face.
“Oh, sorry,” Felix stumbled. “Did you just
say something?”
“Yes,” she said, a smile forced across thin
lips. “I was asking where you were tonight. I would really have
liked to hear your input on the relationship between the quantum
state and cellular mitosis.”
“Is that so?” Felix wasn’t sure whether to
feel complimented by the comment or annoyed about the delay that
came packaged with it. He wasn’t sure why but, at that exact
moment, he felt an increasing urgency to speak with the professor.
He had no logical reasoning behind the impulse, but didn’t like to
be stopped from doing something he wanted to do, even if he didn’t
know why he wanted to do it.
“Well, I’m sure the professor had much to say
on the subject. Perhaps if I hurry now I can catch him before he
turns in for the evening.”
Jenn spoke quickly, seeming to take the hint.
“Yes, well, I truly hope to see you next class. I expect you
understand how much everyone benefits from full attendance by all
members of Curriculum B. Especially you. It would be good of you to
think about the rest of us every once in awhile, and what we’re
trying to accomplish in there.”
So much for subtlety ,
stopped for a moment and listened; it was a pair of footsteps
trotting toward him, followed by a second. It wasn’t long before
the soft light of the hallway’s faded bulbs revealed the culprits,
Jenn and her boyfriend Bradley. At least, he thought Bradley was
her boyfriend; they certainly spent enough time together. Since
meeting them both at the start of the program three years ago,
Felix had never been able to pinpoint the precise nature of their
relationship.
He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his
nose toward his eyebrows and peered out at the pair. He wondered
what sort of person goes by “Bradley.” “Brad” seemed so much more
efficient.
“Felix!” Bradley shouted. The muscular, blond
nineteen-year-old chuckled a bit before jogging ahead of Jenn to
meet Felix head on.
“Why is it that no matter what the
conversation, you always laugh before you speak?” Felix asked, not
expecting an answer.
Bradley complied with the assessment. “What’s
going on, bud?” he asked. “Where were you tonight?”
“Oh, you know me, Brad,” he replied. “Just
busy, per usual.”
Bradley smirked. “It’s Brad ley ,
actually. As I know you already know.”
“Well, if you’ll excuse me, Brad ley ,”
Felix replied tiredly, “as you yourself have pointed out, I am
quite late for class this evening.”
Bradley chuckled. “Late? You’re a bit more
than late, pal. Class ended just a minute ago.”
“Then I suppose,” Felix said, “I am
exceedingly early for tomorrow’s. Either way, if you’ll excuse
me.”
“Huh?”
“I am trying to ... ”
Felix paused his response, interrupted by
Jenn’s noisy approach. He looked past Bradley to her feet and
watched her clonk briskly toward their conversation in those purple
high-heeled shoes she so often wore. She strolled up to Bradley’s
backside and parked herself directly behind him, peering from over
his left shoulder at Felix. Her slender body was completely
concealed by Bradley’s large frame, giving Felix the illusion that
Bradley now had two heads, albeit one much more attractive than the
other.
Felix had always found Jenn appealing, but
her physicality was where any thought of interest halted. She was
attractive enough--good complexion, light eyes, athletic build--but
something was off.
What’s wrong with this one? he
wondered. It’s the way she always says my name , he
immediately decided, like she’s spitting out something
unexpectedly pickle-flavored. Or perhaps it’s simply that
insufferable Bradley who’s always hanging from her bodice like a
vestigial appendage. And the hair , he added. Yes, her hair
is just a bit too short. Five centimeters, perhaps.
“Felix?” Jenn asked, a puzzled look on her
face.
“Oh, sorry,” Felix stumbled. “Did you just
say something?”
“Yes,” she said, a smile forced across thin
lips. “I was asking where you were tonight. I would really have
liked to hear your input on the relationship between the quantum
state and cellular mitosis.”
“Is that so?” Felix wasn’t sure whether to
feel complimented by the comment or annoyed about the delay that
came packaged with it. He wasn’t sure why but, at that exact
moment, he felt an increasing urgency to speak with the professor.
He had no logical reasoning behind the impulse, but didn’t like to
be stopped from doing something he wanted to do, even if he didn’t
know why he wanted to do it.
“Well, I’m sure the professor had much to say
on the subject. Perhaps if I hurry now I can catch him before he
turns in for the evening.”
Jenn spoke quickly, seeming to take the hint.
“Yes, well, I truly hope to see you next class. I expect you
understand how much everyone benefits from full attendance by all
members of Curriculum B. Especially you. It would be good of you to
think about the rest of us every once in awhile, and what we’re
trying to accomplish in there.”
So much for subtlety ,
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