“Who?” I spin around and scan the room again. Not that I know what or who I’m looking for. I should have thought to ask.
“Customer at the corner table. Said she was a professor or something? I dunno; I’m just doing what she asked.” I turn to the table she nods at and find a tall, elegantly dressed woman sipping at her cup. Her red hair is pulled tightly back and styled into a large bun at the nape of her neck. She stares out the window, but I can tell she’s listening to us, too.
“Thanks. Yes, I think she’s here for me.” The girl nods and serves me an awkward smile before darting off to help the second girl with the orders. By the time I have my cup in hand, I’ve worked up the confidence to join the woman at the window.
She holds herself upright, as though suspended from an invisible chord. She has a peaceful yet authoritative presence, her body language conveying a sense of control. No older than fifty, with pristinely applied make-up, I’m immediately intimidated and also assured that this woman is from HU.
“Excuse me, my name is Juliet…JulesGirard,” I say, repeating the name she’d given the barista girl. “I believe you’re the Admissions Coordinator at HU?”
“Good morning, Miss Girard. May I ask why you assume I’m from HU and not the contact from VCC?”
Well crap, looks like the interview has started already. Either I’m wrong and I’m about to insult her, or I’m right and I’m going to insult VCC, either way I’m putting my foot in it, but I refuse to lie.
“Please excuse me if I am incorrect, however you seem to have arrived before me, are calm, well put-together, and display an interest in our meeting.” She raises her eyebrows and I try to explain. “You’re actively watching the door and you reached out to the server to ensure I would know you were here. In doing so, you eased our introduction. Thank you for that.”
A small flick of a smile picks up the corner of her lips. “And that told you I was the HU representative?”
“Meaning no disrespect but having studied at VCC for the last three years, you notice that the teaching and administrative staff are overwrought. People are more insular, focussing on themselves and their tasks rather than on others. They move faster and yet are more often late than on time, and they look battle-worn. I’ve no doubt that it’s an aspect of living and or working in the Vale, but it is a visible and pronounced characteristic of VCC. Even the students bear similar characteristics after a while.”
“Interesting. You seem quite calm, you’re on time, well turned out…” she points out, leading to a question I expect. “If you studied at VCC, why haven’t you displayed those characteristics?”
“If you’d have met me a few weeks ago, I would have. Because of various personal circumstances, I’ve had the opportunity to remove myself from those behaviours and collect myself.” It hits me as I say it. For once, I’m not a mess, run-ragged between a life I hate and a life I’m trying to create. I’m calmer. Focussed on one thing.
“Mr Nagano and Mr Driscoll.” The woman mutters their names and nods like she understands. I return her nod and hold her gaze.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Dr Gabrielle Demetri. I am the current Head of Admissions at Harrison University andam happy to include you on our student roll.” She holds out her hand, which I at once shake. My body is buzzing. I want to ask a million questions, but I don’t know where to start. She nods at the bench opposite and I sit down.
“Now,” she says, stilling my enthusiasm. “I will enroll you as Joslyn Girard as per Mr Nagano’s request.”
“Will that be possible? I’m registered as Juliet Feelan at VCC.”
“I hear you were forced to use your stepfather’s surname?” she asks. I nod, unsure of how much to say or what story Dax gave her. “We will continue this meeting as Juliet Feelan but your credits will be assigned to your real given name. Mr Nagano didn’t want the VCC rep made aware of the changeover, so we’ll keep that between ourselves.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
“I have your prospectus, sign-in package, course schedule, and tutor details here for you.” She slides a thick packet across the table that I immediately slip onto the bench beside my handbag while she continues speaking. “We’re aware that you’ve completed three years of study in a part-time capacity. We were surprised that you’d managed to complete so many modules in that time, you really should be four or five modules off target, not two.”
“There were catch-up courses offered during spring and summer breaks for the years above mine, and some professors offer modules during breaks because of the overbooked teaching facilities during official term time. I took all the electives and summer lectures I could.”
“You’ve studied without a break for three years?”
“They close at Christmas and New Year,” I offer as if it’s compensation for working hard.
“Your determination is admirable. As it’s officially the autumn term of what is your fourth year, we’ll be attaching you to our new third-year groups. Once you’ve chosen your final modules, you’ll be assigned to their schedule despite working remotely. Does that sound reasonable?”
“Are you sure it’s okay just picking and choosing and not sitting the year?”
“Your remaining credits are so few; it really is just a case of you choosing your own schedule. You can take all year about it if you wish, or you could be finished and awarded in less than three months if you pack your schedule tightly. Your choice.”
“Thank you.” I’m excited to begin and if it’s my choice then I choose to finish fast. That way I can graduate by New Year and get an advantage on the graduates who’ll be tied into learning for another six months. That will either give me my choice of interviews and career paths or it’ll raise a few eyebrows with recruitment. I can handle that when it comes.
There is a question that has been bothering me, though. “If you came here ready to offer the opportunity, why are we meeting with the VCC rep at all?”
“This meeting is really a formalityforthe VCC representative. They obviously think highly of you as a student. They seem unwilling to let you go. I believe a Mr Trainor is on his way to help you change your mind about leaving. Do you think they can sway you?”
She’s asking if I’m sure about HU, but I’m guessing she already knows my answer. There’s no comparison.
“No,” I tell her matter-of-fact. “I admit, I never thought this would be a possibility, and I reached out to VCC requesting their help. They were unwilling to even entertain the idea of recording lectures or assigning a tutor for distance learning. I’m surprised they haven’t just handed me over to you.”
