Right Person Too Late

chapter 20

Arsema

"I swear that every word you [wrote] You wrote them for me...Will you be there to [write them] again? Could I be the one you talk about in all your stories? Can I be him?"

Song: Can I Be Him by James Arthur

"...that's who the first psychology lab was founded by."

I don't even know why I chose psychology. I like the understanding people part of it but get into the science part and I become a 16-year-old ignoring my science teacher all over again. Yes, I could've chosen a Sociology subject, but I hated that shit in high school so there was no way that I'd put myself through it again. But all my career advisors, teachers and everyone else told me that if I want to work Human Rights law that psychology will be a good thing to know.

So, I should probably start listening to my lecturers instead of sitting here thinking about who I should invite to my birthday and if I should try and attempt to make my own cake, especially since exams start next week. Yay.

"Arsema?" Noah's whisper reins me out of my mind. It takes me a few minutes to register that the entire classes' eyes are zeroed onto me, the lecturer included. I feel my face burning up in embarrassment.

I slightly twist my head to ask Noah what's happening when the lecturer speaks up for seems to be the second time. "Do you have an answer, Miss...?"

"Mesfin, Arsema Mesfin, sir." I hastily fill in, knowing that I've been caught lacking in psychology. Again.

"Well, Miss Mesfin?"

Avoiding his gaze I shift uncomfortably and ask, "Could you please repeat the question, Professor?"

Sighing he repeats, "When was the first psychology lab founded, Miss Mesfin?"

I wince. "The first psych lab?"

"Yes, Miss Mesfin. The first pysch lab. We went over it at the start of this lecture, you simply cannot have forgotten it that soon."

Kinda hard not to forget something when you never heard it in the first place.

I feel a sharp dig to my ribs and shift my gaze to Noah to see him pointing to his notebook. Where he's got all the notes from lecture, including when the first psychology lab was founded.

Bless him.

The lecturer lets out a disappointed exhale and moves to ask another student the question.

I quickly pipe in before he can. "1879, sir. The first lab was created in 1879. By Wundt, sir."

Surprise colours his features as he looks across our class to where I'm seated in the middle of the lecture hall with Noah. "Well done, Miss Mesfin. That is correct, now..."

He continues his droning but instead of learning from my mistakes I turn to Noah in relief. "Thank you so much, bro. He looked like he was ready to kill me or something."

Chuckling Noah shakes his head. "Always so dramatic, Mesfin. Anytime. What happened to you though? You were out for the entire lecture."

"Eh, I don't know. To be honest, I haven't been able to sleep lately, but I think it's just exams nerves."

An understanding smile lifts his mouth. "Tell me about it. With our first game of the season less than a week away I feel like I'm ready to start hibernating like bears."

"Ugh, count me in!" I exclaim in frustration. "But you guys will be perfectly fine, I saw youse at practice and you're all just as good as NBL players," I say referring to the NBL games I've been binge-watching with the girls for the past month to prep ourselves for the upcoming season. We can't afford to embarrass ourselves, especially with Mia dating one of our team's best players and me being friends with Noah. I'm pretty sure Harper's only in it for the ride – and the chance of scoring herself a basketballer.