sitting in one of the leather chairs. A manila folder with her name on it was resting on the desk in front of her.
Maggie Douglas, her advisor’s name was, sat down, pressing a few buttons on the phone to stop the ringing.
“If I understand correctly, you want to change your major?”
Lauren nodded, folding her hands in her lap, rubbing her thumb across the back of her knuckles.
“Can I ask what made you choose Pre-med?” She opened the folder, looking over a few of the documents inside.
One had Lauren’s grades from the pat year as well as her transfer credits. Another was a letter from the hospital Lauren volunteered at the summer after her senior year in high school.
Before leaving Michigan, she had stopped by, not really sure what to ask of them, but one of the doctors she had worked with was there and she told him about her decision. He offered to write a letter of recommendation—she guessed to keep on file since it didn’t really make a difference at NYU.
“My father was a doctor.” While she did enjoy helping people, that wasn’t her sole reason for choosing this path. “It’s what he would have wanted me to do.”
Maggie smiled kindly, like she had heard this reason before. “But are you sure this is what you want. I know a lot of students whose parents wanted them to go in a certain direction, but it wasn’t what they really wanted.”
“More than anything.”
Nodding, Maggie made the entry in the computer, then proceeded to go over the course work Lauren would have to complete to graduate on time. A few times Lauren’s eyes widened, but she was more determined than nervous about it all.
It was a rather quick process and by the time it was over, Lauren had a new schedule for the upcoming semester.
Leaving campus again, she paused at the intersection, noticing the man across the street. He had a very distinctive look and it didn’t help that he stood out rather prominently in the sea of smaller men around him.
He didn’t seem to notice that Lauren had spotted him and she didn’t make it a point to alert him of that fact.
She continued on, deciding that she would stop by the café anyway. Occasionally, she would peek behind her to see if he was still there…he was.
Vlad was Mishca’s bodyguard…or something else for the Bratva that she didn’t know the name of. While mostly reserved, the few times they had talked he seemed kind enough, if saying a maximum of ten words on those encounters were anything to judge by, but Lauren had no idea why he was on this side of town now.
At first, she had thought Mishca was somewhere nearby since she had never seen one without the other—unless Mishca was with her—and momentarily panicked thinking that he was going to see her, but she didn’t see him.
Inside the café, Lauren waited the short time in the line and at the register, Lauren ordered her usual while ordering a medium black coffee for Vlad. She didn’t know how he took his, so she just grabbed a few sugar packets and creamers.
Back outside, she headed in his direction, smiling when she noticed him pretending not to notice her. When she was within earshot, she smiled.
“Nice to see you again, Vlad.” She held out the cup to him, nodding when he took it hesitantly. “What can I do for you?”
He shrugged good-naturedly. “I need to talk to you.”
He gestured over to the park where a good number of people were minding their business. Maybe he chose this spot because he knew she wouldn’t go anywhere with him alone.
Seated on the bench, she tried to pass him the sugars, but he declined, taking a long drink of his coffee.
“You did not need to do this,” he said looking down at the cup.
“Thought you might want it since you’ve been following me for…” She trailed off, hoping he would fill in the blanks, but Vlad was too seasoned to fall for that. “I’m assuming because you’re here everyone knows I’m back.” And by everyone she meant Mikhail.
“We knew as
Maggie Douglas, her advisor’s name was, sat down, pressing a few buttons on the phone to stop the ringing.
“If I understand correctly, you want to change your major?”
Lauren nodded, folding her hands in her lap, rubbing her thumb across the back of her knuckles.
“Can I ask what made you choose Pre-med?” She opened the folder, looking over a few of the documents inside.
One had Lauren’s grades from the pat year as well as her transfer credits. Another was a letter from the hospital Lauren volunteered at the summer after her senior year in high school.
Before leaving Michigan, she had stopped by, not really sure what to ask of them, but one of the doctors she had worked with was there and she told him about her decision. He offered to write a letter of recommendation—she guessed to keep on file since it didn’t really make a difference at NYU.
“My father was a doctor.” While she did enjoy helping people, that wasn’t her sole reason for choosing this path. “It’s what he would have wanted me to do.”
Maggie smiled kindly, like she had heard this reason before. “But are you sure this is what you want. I know a lot of students whose parents wanted them to go in a certain direction, but it wasn’t what they really wanted.”
“More than anything.”
Nodding, Maggie made the entry in the computer, then proceeded to go over the course work Lauren would have to complete to graduate on time. A few times Lauren’s eyes widened, but she was more determined than nervous about it all.
It was a rather quick process and by the time it was over, Lauren had a new schedule for the upcoming semester.
Leaving campus again, she paused at the intersection, noticing the man across the street. He had a very distinctive look and it didn’t help that he stood out rather prominently in the sea of smaller men around him.
He didn’t seem to notice that Lauren had spotted him and she didn’t make it a point to alert him of that fact.
She continued on, deciding that she would stop by the café anyway. Occasionally, she would peek behind her to see if he was still there…he was.
Vlad was Mishca’s bodyguard…or something else for the Bratva that she didn’t know the name of. While mostly reserved, the few times they had talked he seemed kind enough, if saying a maximum of ten words on those encounters were anything to judge by, but Lauren had no idea why he was on this side of town now.
At first, she had thought Mishca was somewhere nearby since she had never seen one without the other—unless Mishca was with her—and momentarily panicked thinking that he was going to see her, but she didn’t see him.
Inside the café, Lauren waited the short time in the line and at the register, Lauren ordered her usual while ordering a medium black coffee for Vlad. She didn’t know how he took his, so she just grabbed a few sugar packets and creamers.
Back outside, she headed in his direction, smiling when she noticed him pretending not to notice her. When she was within earshot, she smiled.
“Nice to see you again, Vlad.” She held out the cup to him, nodding when he took it hesitantly. “What can I do for you?”
He shrugged good-naturedly. “I need to talk to you.”
He gestured over to the park where a good number of people were minding their business. Maybe he chose this spot because he knew she wouldn’t go anywhere with him alone.
Seated on the bench, she tried to pass him the sugars, but he declined, taking a long drink of his coffee.
“You did not need to do this,” he said looking down at the cup.
“Thought you might want it since you’ve been following me for…” She trailed off, hoping he would fill in the blanks, but Vlad was too seasoned to fall for that. “I’m assuming because you’re here everyone knows I’m back.” And by everyone she meant Mikhail.
“We knew as
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