Hidden In Plain Sight

tuesday

Buzz buzz! Professor Goore felt his phone vibrate silently in his pocket.

"... so if you take Year Three Group A tomorrow instead of Group B on Friday afternoon, you can essentially bunk off early for the weekend..." Pat was making a note in his diary as he spoke in his office. The two had met up for coffee at 11 am and were having a private meeting to discuss boring work details.

"Group A tomorrow? Yeah, I can do that!"

"You'll be quite late going home that's the only thing, I'm sorry about that! It's such a long drive to yours!"

"Ah, don't worry about it! An early weekend is a good trade!" Mary laughed good-naturedly. "Besides, it's my birthday on Friday!" He took his phone out and saw Sadie had messaged him:

Hey! Jack isn't in today, so I've all my classes done already. I'm going home to catch up on my assignments. Come over later? Love you!

Mary grinned as he replied in silence:

Excellent! Make sure u get a nap in too, u work so hard Kitten! I'll be at yours this evening! Love u more!

"Hate to interrupt you, but will you remember that?" Pat spoke gently.

"Huh?" Mary looked up and locked his phone. "Of course!" He scribbled the change of schedule in his own diary.

"How's love anyway?"

Mary felt his face heat up knowing he was caught.

"I know you, Goore! Things must be going well with your lady of mystery!" Pat continued. His eyes were twinkling.

"Good! Great!" He shoved the phone back in his pocket.

"I think you're in love! I haven't seen you this smitten in a long time! In ever, come to think of it!"

"Pat!" Mary laughed.

"Well, she really must be something because you didn't give Professor Chloe McAuley a second look at the conference! And she's a knock out!" Pat closed his diary and swung his chair around to face the young junior lecturer sitting in his usual spot. "If I was your age..." He whistled.

Mary snorted involuntarily. "If I was single perhaps I'd have been mildly interested. But my girl is a hundred times more amazing..." Why is Pat so hung up on Chloe? "Plus, she's in this country! I couldn't do a long distance relationship. England is a little far!"

"You could have moved over there! Your English is better than mine. Plenty of work for production lecturers over there. And plenty of studios too..."

"And what? Give up my job here? Learning from the best?" Mary gently punched Pat's upper arm. "I don't think so!"

"I haven't much left to train you. You're nearly ready to take over..."

"Don't you go retiring early yet!" He laughed, looked at his watch and stood up. "Pat, you're too young to give up here and besides, I need my buddy around!"

"Right, Goore! Just checking you're not going to bail on me! Go to your next tutorial, you're already fashionably late!"

"Catch you later, old man!" He joked as he headed out the door. Pat made a face in return and Mary could hear him laughing as he hurried to his Year Two class. Old man is a bit weirder than normal today! I must keep a closer eye on him from now on...

"Hey, Professor!" Several students brightly greeted him in the busy corridor as he walked quickly. "Cool t-shirt!"

"Get to class, dudes!" he teased. "You're late!"

"Yes, sir!"
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This is the end, also next page is all the music references