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"Nala?" Their voice had been drowned out by her ever growing thoughts. She'd lost track of them a while ago, listening as they swarmed her mind and took over all her senses. Nala couldn't help but go back to the night at the frat house, or him, or last summer. It all was coming back to her tenfold after the incident, and she truly wished she'd never gone out that night.
A sudden beam of light hits her eyes, the grandfather clock chiming and bouncing off the walls as her lecture ends. All the students were gone when she finally broke from her daze, only her professor being in the room, staring at her with mere concern. "Everything alright?"
Internally shaking off the thoughts and feelings accompanying them, she sighs, nodding her head solemnly. All Nala wanted was to get back to her dorm, lay down under the covers with the heat on blast while considering her homework. It was based on an old case file, everyone had to research it and figure out where the defense went wrong. It was due tomorrow and she hadn't even begun reading it over, let alone taking any notes and finding theories.
She was utterly tired, ready for a long slumber she knew she could never take.
"Yeah," She finally speaks. "Sorry, I'm just kind of out of it today."
Her professor, Miss Taylor, wasn't buying it. She was an old soul, moved to New York from the south, started a booming career before deciding to teach all her knowledge to angsty young-adults. She'd become Nala's favorite teacher, and ultimately the one to take care of her the most during her time at Finch. Whatever Nala needed, she was there. It was the best student-teacher relationship anyone could ask for.
"How's your thesis coming along?" Miss Taylor asks.
"It's good, actually. I've gotta go-"
She looks at the girl sternly. "Nala." Her voice is demanding, and Nala can't tune it out. With a sigh, cursing herself under her breath, she turns back to her professor. This time, there's no fake smile to accompany her.
Just pure, raw emotion. "I haven't started it yet," She admits. "I've just got a lot going on."
"Nala, this is worth a large chunk of your grade for the semester. If you fail this-"
"I wont fail-"
"if you do, you'll flunk." It hits her hard. She couldn't flunk out of college, she couldn't fail the one thing she truly has left to look forward to. Not that college was any fun at the moment, though. "I can give you a two day extension but that's it. Turn it in on time and I'll consider giving you a full grade."
Nala's lips thin. "Thanks..."
"Don't thank me, just get it together."
She really needed to get it together. Between this semesters course work and her impending internship, she shouldn't have room for anything or anyone else. Yet, Nala always found a way to make it happen, even if it truly wasn't her fault. Nodding, she goes to walk away, but Miss Taylor calls out again. She doesn't turn around this time, only stopping in her tracks on the steps.
