In which Jennifer is assigned a new tutor.
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Note: Edited to better reflect the common science fiction setting.
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"Miss White, am I boring you?" The booming voice of professor Jackson shook Jennifer from her reverie.
"Yes," she thought to herself. She straightened up to look the man in the eye, "Sorry, professor, I'm just tired." she answered, "It's been a long day for me." He looked at his wrist and tapped it twice. The Media Link embedded under his skin recognised the command and projected the 24hour clock time on top of his skin, it read 16:54. He took a deep breath as he turned his back to lecture hall and faced the media-wall. It was littered with the screens he has used during class. A quick gesture gathered them all and saved their internal states to his Media Link, then cleared the wall for use by others. He stepped away from the wall and to his lectern, one of the few old school affectations the college insisted kept their students grounded.
"Very well," he closed the book on the lectern, "I guess this will do for today." The silence of the lecture hall was replaced by textbooks slamming shut, chairs scraping the ground and the voices of students eager to leave for the weekend. The professor had to raise his voice to make himself heard, "Don't forget the finals, covering the first five chapters are in two weeks. Start studying in time!" He straightened a stack of papers and placed them in his carry-all. "Miss White, please stay. I want a word." He looked at her meaningfully. Jennifer dropped her backpack on the floor and fell back into her chair, deflated. "You too, miss deMille." he added. Jennifer watched the mousy honours student freeze at the mention of her name, then looking around in confusion.
From the back of the lecture hall Jennifer watched the demure Kathleen deMille, hidden away in her ubiquitous hoodie, finish her noted and pack away her stuff while the rest off the class raucously prepared to leave. Slowly, but surely the last of the students left the hall. "I wonder what Kathleen did to draw the attention of the professor." Jennifer thought to herself as she stared at the back of her classmate. "She's just so unassuming. Fuck. I don't even know what she looks like under that hoodie." Slowly but surely, Jennifer's mind went blank again, as she continued to stare into empty space. "Miss White," professor Jackson's warm voice shook her awake again. He sat at the edge of his desk to take the weight off of his feet, "I'm sorry to say you're about to fail this class." A knot formed in the pit of her stomach as the dreaded words were spoken, "I know Human Resources Ethics isn't the most sexy of the Ethics courses, but it is an important one." Jennifer nodded her assent. "unfortunately, the only chance you have to turn this around is with a nearly perfect score on the finals this month." The blood drained from her face.
She fidgeted with her cold clammy hands and nervously began to stammer, "Bu- but..." she took a deep breath, "But-, I need a passing grade to..." her voice faltered, and she wiped a tear from her eye.
"Yes, I know you cannot afford to drop this class" he paused, "You have a choice, either you come back during break for the catch-up courses, or..." he waited until she looked him in the eyes, "Or you write an essay, due the day of the finals, and if you manage to get at least 80% on both you'll still get a passing grade." Slowly his words sunk in and he watched her realisation take effect. "Which brings us," he continued, "to you, miss deMille." Jennifer rubbed the remainder of her tears from her face and eyes, half listening to the professor and half wondering how she's going to get an 80%. "Your academic record is excellent. Not a poor grade in sight." he got back on his feet, and moved behind his desk. "Except for your extra-curricular credits, and it would be a shame if you missed the honours roll based on two extra-curricular credits." Jennifer stared at the back of the other girl's head and saw her shoulders slump.
"So here's the deal, for the next two weeks you will tutor miss White to ensure her passing grade in the finals. Review her previous tests, start from page one and guide her to an 80% mark. And don't forget about the essay. If she passes both, you'll receive your last two extra credits." He picked up his ancient leather carry-all, and made for the exit. "Good luck." and he was gone.
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With her face tucked deep inside her idiosyncratic hoodie and her backpack slung over her right shoulder, Kathleen hastily left the lecture straight on to the quad. She was gone so rapidly, that Jennifer had no choice but to carelessly cram her stuff into her own backpack and run after her. By the time she got outside, Kathleen had already crossed half the quad heading for the campus library. Jennifer ran after her. The library was an imposingly old building, named after some 19th century local big shot Jennifer always forgot.Most students though, preferred to do their studying at the media-plaza with it's all encompassing Wi-Fi hotspots and laptop islands and adjoining food-court. Inside the library Jennifer barely caught up to Kathleen, as she sped past rows and rows of bookcases. "Um, where are we going?" she asked while trying to catch her breath. Kathleen abruptly stopped and turned around, looking at Jennifer with her eyes wide open in surprise.
"Wha- what...? Why are you following me?" she sounded almost afraid. She even took a step back.
"Um... To study? Kathleen, we need to study together." Jennifer's voice quivered in uncertainty, wasn't that what the professor had told them to do?
"Now!? But... um, I can't... I mean... We don't have the materia..." her voice trailed off weakly. She let her head hang and sighed in defeat, "Ok, fine." Jennifer looked around her, seeing nothing but row after row of dusty old books no-one had bothered with for at least a century.
"So... uhm, should we go to the plaza to study? Or do you prefer the computer centre?" Kathleen remained silent. Uncomfortable in the silence Jennifer began fidgeting and for the first time noticed that she was a full head taller than new tutor. Kathleen looked around furtively, apparently making sure they were alone,