Chapter 5 Jace Harris

"Hey Mia!" A feminine voice calls out.

I'm sitting at my favorite under-tree spot and doing some research from the textbook I had borrowed from the library. I lift my head to see the owner of the familiar voice.

"Yes" I answer.

Bella Harper.

She's also a fellow student but she's not such a likable person.

"Where the hell have you been?" She asks.

"I've been here. Any problem?" I ask.

"Yeah, you got me walking around this campus for the past fifteen minutes."

She's exaggerating, the Bella I know would rather die than look for someone for fifteen minutes especially someone she hates.

Yeah, she hates me and I don't know why.

Come on, Mia. You know why she hates you.

Okay, I do know why she hates me.

Since freshman year, Bella had always seen me as a kind of rival or something. She's one of the top students in our department just like me and she thinks that we're in some kind of academic competition and I guess that I always win that competition, making her really angry.

I don't really have time for some competition, I just want to nail my exams and graduate but Bella doesn't get it.

"I know you didn't walk around the campus for up to ten minutes but whatever. Why were you looking for me? How can I help you?" I ask.

Bella laughs sarcastically and says "You? Help me? Ha! Don't flatter yourself into thinking that you can ever help me or I'll ever need your help."

"Fine, why are you looking for me?" I ask.

"Well, your sweet professor wants to see you......"

Hold on

Sweet professor?

Is she talking about Professor Harris right now?

Forgot to mention that Bella also hates the fact that I'm Professor Harris' favorite student. She's probably jealous.

"By "sweet professor" who are you talking about?" I ask knowing who she's referring to.

"Since you've just claimed that you don't know who I'm talking about I'll just tell you. Professor Harris has summoned you to his office. I wonder what you guys have been doing that he's now inviting you to a place as private as his office." Bella says.

Okay, this girl over here is really capable of starting a rumor that I am or maybe seeing Professor Harris but she won't do that 'cause she'll be expelled for starting a false rumor capable of ruining a Professor's career.

"Okay, Bella. Congrats on the end of your "fifteen minutes" walk. I'll get going now." I say, standing up and walking away totally ignoring the last twenty-one words she said.

Professor Harris' office.........

"Come in"

I hear Professor Harris say after I knocked on his door.

What's the reason for this unexpected "summoning" to his office?

Oh God, I hope I didn't mess up in a way I didn't know.

I really don't want to get on anyone's bad side now.

I thought as I enter the office.

"Good afternoon, Professor. I was told that you wanted to see." I say as my eyes wander straight to a brown haired young guy sitting on one of the chairs across from Professor Harris.

Who is this new looking guy?

"Yes, Miss Johnson. Please come and take a seat." Professor Harris says gesturing me to sit on the chair next to the guy.

I do so.

"You may be wondering why I called you here." Professor Harris says.

"Yes and also who this g...young man is." I say.

"Well, this is Jace Harris." He says.

"Harris?" I question.

"Yes, he is my nephew." Professor Harris says.

"So it's not like some surname coincidence?" I ask.

"No, we are related." Suddenly turns to "his nephew" and says "Jace, meet Mia Johnson, my top student, everyone's top student."

OMG! Everyone's top student.

That's new.

So much flattery.

I thought almost blushing.

Come on Mia, this shouldn't be new to you. You have been the top of your class since elementary school.

Wake up from this feeling of flattery.

Okay, I'm waking up.

Having a conversation with my mind has always been my stuff.

"Nice to meet you, Mia Johnson." I hear this "Jace" guy say.

Why does his voice sound weirdly familiar?

I see him stretch out his hand for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you too, Jace Harris." I say making my hand reach his for the handshake.

Wait, that bracelet.

Haven't I seen this bracelet somewhere?

This guy looks completely new to me.

But his voice really sounds familiar and so does his bracelet.

Think, Mia, think.

My thoughts again.

We break the handshake.

"So, Miss Johnson, let's get to the reason why I called you here." Professor Harris says.

"Yes, please." I say.

"Jace here has been having problems with some subjects especially history. His grades used to be good as a freshman but not anymore as a sophomore and I don't know how he got so distracted. His grades has been slipping since last semester and if he doesn't pick up, he will definitely have to repeat sophomore year. So I want you to help him out." Professor Harris says.

Wait a minute, this guy is not a new student?

He's a sophomore, like me?

"He is not a new student?" I ask.

"No, he is not. He has been here in this campus but not in your department." Professor Harris says.

"Okay, but how do you want me to help him?" I ask.

"Well, it's pretty obvious. I want you to tutor him." Professor Harris says.

I'm sorry, what did he just say?

Tutor?

Me, tutor his nephew?

He's the Professor here, he should be the one to tutor his student/nephew.

"Tutor him?" I question.

"Yes"

"But why? You can tutor him yourself, you are the Professor plus he is not just any student, he is your nephew." I say.

"And you are not just any student, you are my best student and that is why I want to entrust you with his academics." He says.

"Why don't you want to tutor him?" I ask.

"Almost every lecturer knows my relationship with him and tutoring him in private seems partial to them. They believe I would teach him more than I teach other students and I could let him see test and exam questions even before tests and exams. They had previously started a rumor that I have been doing so to you and that's why you are always the top student."

Okay, I noticed that some lecturers don't like Professor Harris and I really don't know why.

"What?!!!" I yell out of the blue.

"I am sorry for yelling like that."

"It's okay. They stopped the rumor after I had told them that you have been an outstanding student since your elementary school. I tried to tutor him but they said that I would be risking my career if I am caught tutoring a student or students in private and especially not my nephew." Professor Harris says.

"Oh"

"So I promised Jace that I would find him a student to help him out and at this rate, I think he will understand the lessons of his fellow student better than that of a lecturer. So please, Miss Johnson, help him." Professor Harris says.

"Sir, I would like to help but I don't really have the time and I already disappointed someone who asked for my help so accepting this request would mean accepting the other request so not to be partial." I say.

"Please, just spare some time to tutor him, giving him a head start is still something. I really don't want to let him down since I already promised to get him a tutor. You can just give both him and the person you previously disappointed, head starts. It's better than nothing." Professor Harris says.

"Sir, it may be really hard to focus, with my part-time job, the tutoring and then my studies." I say.

"Miss Johnson, you are like the most focused student I know. I know that no matter how busy you are, you can't lose focus. Please, Miss Johnson, Jace really needs this." Professor Harris says.

Hearing Professor Harris plead like this makes me not want to disappoint him or his nephew. I can see he doesn't even want to disappoint his nephew.

Gosh! I'm so gonna tutor his nephew and I'll have to give Rose a head start at least. It wouldn't be fair to only tutor the professor's nephew knowing well that someone else had previously asked for my help.

"Fine, I will see what I can do for him." I say.

"Thank you, Miss Johnson. I really appreciate." He says then turns to Jace who is currently texting someone. "Jace? Jace!!"

"Yes?.....oh.....I'm really sorry. I just wanted to reply a text real quick." Jace says putting his phone away into his blue jacket with brownish-orange collar.

"Miss Johnson has agreed to tutor you. Don't make her regret accepting this request. You heard her say that she is a busy person so try not to be a burden to her." Professor Harris says.

"I won't make her regret." Jace says.

"Okay then. You are in good hands. She will tutor you well, I trust her on that." Professor Harris says.

This man should stop flattering me already.

"Okay, Uncle." Jace says.

"Good, now off you go, the two of you." Professor Harris says.

"Alright, professor." I say standing up to leave the office.

"Thanks, Uncle. I really appreciate your help." Jace says.

"Anything for you, boy." Professor Harris says.

Aww, look at that Uncle-nephew stuff. If only I had an uncle who actually gives a damn about me.

"I'll see you around then." Jace says and starts following me out of the office.

"Yes, boy" Professor Harris says as we leave his office.

Outside the office.......

"I won't be able to tutor you today 'cause I've somewhere to be right now so I'll give you a little assignment to start with....."

"An assignment? Already?" Jace asks.

"Yes. I won't have all the time to tutor so I'll give assignments from time to time." I say taking out a paper and pen from my bag. I find somewhere balanced and I quickly write something on the paper.

"Okay"

"So your assignment is to go to the library, find these books and read them." I say handing him the paper.

"After reading them, you'll tell me what you understood from it and what you don't. That should be a good way to start." I say.

"Okay.....I don't know if I should ask this but have we met somewhere?" Jace asks.

He finds me familiar too.

This can't be some coincidence, we've definitely met somewhere, I just need to find out where and when.

"No, I don't remember meeting you before now." I say.

Mia, you know you're lying. Didn't you say his voice is familiar and that bracelet too.....

Wait, that bracelet. It should be the same beaded bracelet from last week. He's the guy I bumped into that day.

God! He was the one.

"Okay, I thought you looked familiar." Jace says.

"I'll get going now. Like I said I've somewhere to be now." I say.

"Okay, I'll just head to the library." Jace says.

************************************

"Professor Harris has a nephew?!!!!" Michelle and Amber yell together.

We're doing some clean ups in the restaurant. It's closing time.

"Shhhh! don't be so loud about it." I say.

"What does he look like? Is he handsome? Is he good looking?" Michelle asks

"Is he muscular?" Amber asks.

"Oh, is he hot?" Michelle asks.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously so tell us, how does he look?" Michelle asks.

"I don't know how he looks." I say.

"You met him. How can you say you don't know what he looks like?" Amber asks.

"Because I don't know. What do you guys even wanna hear?" I ask.

"Anything at all." Michelle says.

"I don't have "anything at all" to say about him." I say.

"Ugh...you're really no fun, Mia." Amber says.

"I think he's handsome but Mia doesn't want to admit it." Michelle says.

"Yeeesss!!! You've a point there Michelle. I bet he's hot too." Amber says.

"Ohh....you thinking what I'm thinking Amber?" Michelle says with her eyebrows raised.

"Wait.....I think so. This is great." Amber says.

"What's great? What are you guys talking about?" I ask.

Why do I feel like I know what they are talking about?

"I really hope we're right." Amber says.

"Me too." Michelle says.

"Come on, guys, talk to me.... what are you guys right about?" I ask.

"You'll find out soon." Michelle says.

"How soon?" I ask.

"I don't know, Mia, just soon." Michelle says.

I'm really curious about what they are up to.

I do feel like I know but I want to be sure if my thoughts are right.

"Hey girls, how's it going?" Suzie asks as she comes back from wherever she went.

"Hey, Suzie." I say.

"Going well over here." Amber says.

"Hey, Suzie Poo" Michelle says.

"Seriously, Michelle? I told you not to call me that." Suzie says.

"It's not my fault you share the same name with a character in my favorite TV show as of now." Michelle says.

The TV show she's talking about is "Stranger Things"

That TV show is really something.

I could watch it more than three times 'cause it's sooo good.

I'm not exaggerating.

And what's "Suzie Poo"

It's what Dustin call Suzie his thought-was-a-mistery girlfriend in the show, you know.... like a pet name.

"Dusty Bun"

"Suzie Poo"

That's how it goes.

"Hey, what's their song again?" Amber asks no one in particular.

"Umm.....turn around......"

"Yeah, let's sing it together"

"Turn around, look at what you seeee..eee...eee...ee

In her face, the mirror of......."

Here we go again.

"Can you guys just keep quiet?" I ask already fed up with their off-key Dustin-Suzie song.

"Come on, Mia. I bet you wanna join us." Michelle says.

"Nope I don't want to. You guys do realize you're imitating Lucas and Max." I say.

They stop singing.

Finally.

"Except they were sort of mocking Dustin and we're not mocking anyone." Amber says.

"Well, Michelle calls our Suzie "Suzie Poo" what does that have to say?" I ask.

"Ugh....you're indeed no fun." Michelle says.

"I've heard that a lot. So Suzie, where have you been?" I ask.

"Umm....I went somewhere.." Suzie says.

"Somewhere.......where?" Amber asks.

"Did you perhaps go to see your Dustin?" Michelle asks.

"Michelle!!!!!" I yell.

"What? Did I say something?" Michelle asks rhetorically.

"Well, maybe I did go to see my Dustin. I went on a date. I was lucky enough to have Mr. Martin's permission to go." Suzie says.

"Ohh.....how did it go?" Amber asks.

"It went pretty well." Suzie answers.

"Lucky indeed." I mutter.

"So, speaking of date, I see you guys finally let your girl rest." Suzie says.

"Huh?"

"I know you guys were the ones that setup those blind dates for Mia." Suzie says.

"Ohh....is that what you mean?" Michelle asks.

"Yeah, we did let her rest." Amber says.

"That's good 'cause I don't think Mia can find "the one" through blind dates. None of those dudes were good for her." Suzie says.

"Yeah, exactly. I love you, Suzie." I say.

"Will you still love me if I told you I had given out the information about you to that declined credit card guy?" Suzie asks.

"What? What kind of information did you give him?" I ask.

"I heard that guy making his empty boasts about his riches.....no, his parents' riches. After you left I told him to stay back so I could give him some advice." Suzie pauses for a while.

"And?" I ask.

"Umm...I may have told him about your mom's boutique and the fact that you're already almost independent at 19." Suzie says.

"How can you tell him about my mom's boutique? I didn't want him to know anything about me." I say.

"I'm not finished. I may have also told him about you being a top student since you were born and that you can afford designers but you just choose to be simple." Suzie says.

"Oh, come on. You didn't have to spill out my entire life to a stranger. Wait.....how did you even know these things?" I ask.

"Umm..." Suzie utters and turns towards Amber and Michelle.

They told her about me, didn't they?

"You guys did not......" I utter looking at Michelle and Amber.

"Yes, we did." Amber says.

"They tell me lots of amazing things about you." Suzie says.

"We love you that much." Michelle says.

"And we mean it." Amber adds.

"Ugh" I groan.

"I may have also told the want-a-Cardi B-Nicki Minaj kinda girl that he may never find a girl as hot as you're." Suzie says.

Oh, come on!!!

"Why did you even do that? Did you talk to all my ex-blind dates?" I ask.

"I think I did." She answers.

"Suzie!!!" I yell.

"I couldn't help it. I couldn't watch them talk down on you knowing that you're too good to be talked down on." Suzie says.

I'm touched.

"Aww, I appreciate but please never give out information about me like that." I say.

"Okay" Suzie says.

"Same goes for both of you." I say to Amber and Michelle.

"Okay, gosh, you can be bossy at times." Michelle says.

"I know" I say.

"So, anyone up for some snacks?" Suzie asks.

"Yeah, totally." Amber says.

"Yes"

"Yes"

"Okay, nice. Let's have some snacks then." Suzie says.

"Okay, we'll conclude the clean up after having snacks." I say.

"Yeah"

I may be a little mad at Suzie for telling strangers some things about me but I'm definitely gonna forgive her over some amazing snacks.