Mr. Gardner

Another Semester

A month later...

Mila's POV

Today is the start of my second semester and I am more nervous than my very first day here.

The break was bittersweet... but I believe in moving forward rather than dwelling on the past.

Anyways, the reason I'm more nervous is because I'm going to be a teaching assistant this semester and I have never done that before. 

Although, I unfortunately don't have any classes with Nathan this semester which disappointed me. 

I can always hang out with Susan occasionally if I want to see him... 

Nevermind, because I need to focus on other things rather than my friends father.

"Mila! Come to Bogie's Bagels with us before class." Susan snaps me out of my thoughts. I look at the time and see I have a half hour before I meet with the professor I'm helping out this semester.

"Sounds good, but I can't stay and chat long." 

"Got an early class?" Charlie asks and I shake my head.

"No, I thought I told you guys that I was asked by the head of the history department to be a TA this semester?" Both of their eyebrows raise.

"I definitely don't remember you saying that, but congrats Mila that's amazing!" Susan exclaims and steps over to hug me. 

"Yeah, that's awesome! Who is the professor?" Charlie asks after giving me a high five.

"I don't know, I'm meeting with them after we grab out bagels." 

"Cool, I hope they take it easy on you and don't make you do everything. Every music class TA has to bend over backwards with giving lessons in most of their free time, it's insane." Susan explains.

"Shouldn't the professor do that?" I ask.

"Exactly! Music professors at this school don't do shit besides criticize and put people down." I frown after hearing Susan say that.

"That doesn't sound constructive, I'm sorry you have to deal with that Susan..." She shrugs and we walk up to the entrance of the campus bagel shop. Charlie just staying quiet and holding Susan's hand the entire walk there. 

"What do you want? I can order for you, that way you two could sit and talk more before Mila has to leave?" Charlie offers to Susan and I.

"It's okay, Charlie. We'd want you in the conversation too. Plus, we can always plan on hanging out whenever we have free time." I say and Susan nods and smiles.

"Okay, just figured I'd offer." Charlie shrugs and Susan gives him a kiss on the cheek. I'm so happy those two work so well together. I let them go up to the counter first since I always have trouble deciding what kind of coffee I'm going to order whenever I come here. 

I look around the place and see that it's pretty busy. Lot's of students sitting and conversing, a few are over on the side waiting for their orders to be ready, and there's quite a few people waiting behind us as well. 

It's my turn to go up to the counter and I tell the lady I want an everything bagel with cream cheese with a cold brew coffee. I pay and go wait near Charlie and Susan. "He has a meeting this morning or else he would've asked me to get him something from here." I hear the tail-end of what Susan was saying.

"Your dad eats the campus food?" Charlie asks.

"Only from here, everywhere else he can't stand and I don't blame him."