2. A Battle
1235 Words
Before heading to her advising session, Zea first went to campus to pick up her book that she had left in the library.
Yes. Her plan to rest all day failed completely because the lecturer threatened her if she didn't attend the session that morning. Who wouldn't be terrified if asked to revise again from chapter one? Just thinking about it gave Zea the chills. She remembered her struggle to compile from chapter 1 to chapter 3, with revisions totaling perhaps dozens of times. At that time, Zea even fell ill because she was so exhausted.
“Zea ...”
Zea immediately turned around when she heard someone calling her.
She was already in the library, and the person calling her was her classmate.
“Yes?” Zea replied.
“When are you going to pay for the book? Mr. Zeus has been asking.”
Zea grimaced with an uneasy face. She forgot that she hadn't paid for the book she bought from her lecturer.
“Oh no ... can we push it back another week? I don't have any money right now. I haven't worked part-time in a while,” she said with a pleading face.
“Well ... alright then. I'll let Mr. Zeus know.”
“Yeah. Sorry, Nova. I'm really strapped for cash right now.”
“It's okay.”
“How much is the total?” asked a man who suddenly approached them.
Zea looked at him in shock. “Don't, Dylan. I'll pay for it myself when I have the money,” Zea said in a panic as the man took out his wallet from his pocket.
“It's fine, relax. How much is the total?”
“20 bucks,” Zea's friend replied.
“Here. It's settled,” the man said while handing his money to Zea's friend.
Zea let out a heavy sigh. Then, after her friend left, she invited the man to sit on a chair.
“If you need anything, just tell me,” the man said.
“I feel bad, Dylan. Since we started dating, you've been paying for everything. I'm confused about how to repay you.”
The man smiled. “I didn't expect anything in return. Just being your boyfriend makes me happy,” he replied.
“I feel bad. People are talking about it. They say I'm dating you just because I need your money.”
“Why listen to what people say? The important thing is you never ask me for anything; I'm the one who takes the initiative to help you.”
Zea sighed. Her boyfriend was indeed generous, but he was overdoing it. He helped Zea too often, making her feel uncomfortable. Zea knew the man had a lot of money. But does he really need to help her that often? Especially since Zea never asked for help.
There was a time when this man paid Zea's rent for several months. Then, when Zea was hospitalized, he was also the one who covered the expenses. Because of this, many people assumed she was dating Dylan just for his money. But she genuinely felt sincere and comfortable with him, even though people said Dylan wasn't as handsome as the other guys who approached her on campus.
"Has the rent been paid?" Dylan asked.
"Yes. Scott sent it earlier," she replied, lying. In fact, she hadn't even asked her brother for money yet.
"Where are you going after this?" Dylan asked.
"Meeting with fussy Andrei," she replied with an annoyed face. For some reason, every time she mentioned that guy's name, she just felt like getting angry.
Dylan sighed in annoyance. "What does that lecturer want? Always calling for meetings, but always asking for revisions."
Zea shrugged. "What chapter are you on now?" she asked.
"Chapter five."
Zea sighed. "I don't know if I can graduate this year or not. I've lost all motivation."
"Do you want me to help you change your advisor?"
"It's pointless, Dylan. I've applied several times, but the campus hasn't done anything."
"But he's torturing you, Ze. Don't just stay silent. If it continues like this, when will your thesis be finished?"
Zea shrugged again. "That's why I gave up. Maybe I'm just destined to be a perpetual student."
"You can't think like that. You're the best student in our class. Are you really going to give up so easily?"
So engrossed in conversation, Zea didn't realize that it was already after eight o'clock.
"Oh my God... it's already after eight. Fussy Andrei will definitely scold me again."
In a panic, she then ran out of the library towards the main road to find public transportation. Dylan had offered to take her earlier, but she refused because she didn't want to trouble him. Besides, there were plenty of public vehicles on the main road, so why ask for a ride?
"Oh no... it's so congested," she complained.
She booked an online motorcycle taxi, but the estimated arrival was still ten minutes away. The public minivans and city buses also seemed to be at a standstill, so taking public transportation wasn't the right option, as the traffic jams seemed quite long.
Finally, she decided to run from the campus entrance to the road that was free from traffic.
It turned out the traffic jam was quite long. If Zea wasn't used to military training, she might have fainted in the middle of the road. Zea was already out of breath, and her legs were starting to hurt. If it weren't for avoiding revisions, she wouldn't want to risk her life like this.
Hah... hah... hah...
Zea caught her breath for a moment. It felt like her life was on the line as she began to run out of breath. And she didn't bring any drinking water, so she felt like fainting.
Finally, the traffic started moving, and she quickly boarded the bus that stopped in front of her.
“Man... I might die young if this keeps happening every day,” she complained while wiping the sweat from her forehead.
Half an hour later, she arrived at the café that would be the place for her meeting this time. She immediately got off the bus and ran into the café. However, she couldn't find her lecturer.
“It's impossible that he hasn't arrived. It's almost nine o'clock,” she muttered while looking at her phone.
She then asked the barista. “Excuse me, was there a guy in a shirt here earlier? He was carrying a laptop, books, and a bag. He's got a plain face, not very handsome, but looks neat.”
The barista furrowed his brows in confusion. “No one is wearing a polo, Miss, they've all been wearing t-shirts,” he replied.
“No way. He never wears t-shirts. He's so boring, not fun, too serious, too neat. He always wears a polo shirt, and it's always the same one, like he can't afford a new one,” she rambled, complaining about the lecturer.
The Barista scratched his neck with an awkward smile. “I really don't know, Miss.”
“Seriously, Sir. There's no way I'm at the wrong Caf-"
“Ahem,” Zea's words were cut off by a clearing of the throat from behind her. Slowly, she turned around. And she was shocked when she found herself face to face with the person she'd been complaining about all along.
- Writer
