Summer

Chapter nine

Summer decided that it would not be healthy to spend most of her time with her history professor. While she admired him, she realised that she also attended university for her education.

She had hoped that he would not take it personally as he was also education-focused.

Three months after starting university, Summer had finally declared to herself that she would follow a more rigorous study routine. She would wake up at seven am to go on a walk then would come back to her room after eating breakfast and study until lunch. After lunch, she would go back to her room and study even more then she would go to work. All while doing this she ensured that she would attend all her lectures and seminars.

Whilst this routine benefited Summer, it however failed to satisfy her imaginary social life. She had not been able to remember the last time she had talked to Tonia- and that was worrying. She had been neglecting her only friendship which upset Summer, so she decided to distance herself from Tirstian.

She already found it hard to make friends, and if she lost her only friend in university then she did not know what she would do.

In contrast, the silent professor had decided to relax more. He chose not to take such a harsh approach to his students' learning. He wanted to be more welcoming, so he also began to try and get to know his other co-workers. It was hard at first to be so socially open to people that he did not particularly care about- but he tried.

For example, he had gone to the staff room for once and tried to speak to one of the English literature professors: "How are you today?" he had said.

The elderly professor had looked at him in question, then looked around the room to see if he had been speaking to him.

"It has been okay."

In the moment, Tristan had looked at him expectantly to continue the conversation but it had ended there. Despite the tense atmosphere, Tristan had been proud of himself for at least talking to someone at work. The professor lacked crucial social skills which the average person would deem concerning, but he did not care for that.

Having been around Summer, Tristian had momentarily pretended that he had the social skills to entice the average person. Summer was a new beaming light to him. The student was everything that he was not. She was welcoming and happy and did not make the professor feel tense.

Their history lectures were an extra opportunity for him to watch her however, he had noticed that she looked burnt out.

Mostly tired.

He hoped that whatever she was going through would not distract her from him.

—-

A shift at the cafe allowed Summer to relax.

She had come to appreciate the breaks between learning and revising. She could also people-watch which had been her second favorite thing so far.

She appreciated her manager; he arranged her shifts so they would be in tune with her restless schedule. The student's close relationship with her manager also benefited her in other ways; on a gloomy Wednesday, they had a brief conversation in which he was strongly concerned about her...

'Summer are you aware that a man watched you sometimes on his shifts?'

Summer had turned to her manager in question, 'No? What does he look like.'

'He's fairly tall... with brown eyes and black hair.'

Summer had immediately known that it was the professor watching her on her shifts and she did not know whether to feel appreciated or slightly creeped out...

Later on that day when she went on break at work she decided to call Tonia. After a few rings, she answered. "Hi, how are you?"

There was silence on the other side of the phone, then Summer cleared her throat.

"So now you decide to talk to me or check up on me," Tonia replied after an awkward silence.

"Sorry. I've just had a lot of work to do... and you know my course has more contact hours than yours..."

"Okay," Tonia replied.

"Maybe... we should meet up. I'm currently at work but we should meet at this other cafe when I finish."

"When do you finish?" Tonia asked.

"Three pm."

—-

Summer sat at one of the sofas near the window in the cafe patiently waiting for Tonia to appear. The girl was nervous, to say the least... she could sense Tonia's agitation on the phone and she secretly hoped that would not replicated today.

"Hello."

Summer had looked up smiling, but Tonia silently did not look happy.

They both decided to order some matcha lattes and Tonia looked at her in question. "So... why did you disappear?"

"I've just been busy but I'll make time... I'm sorry."

"Was it a guy?" Tonia asked in question.

Summer hesitantly shook her head which briefly raised Tonia's suspicions but she did not say anything.

After that light conversation blanketed the duo as they promised to hang out more, and Summer secretly agreed to herself she would not neglect their friendship for the sake of the professor.

Following the meet-up at the cafe, Summer and Tonia decided to go back to her dorm and go over any work that they may of had to complete.

The winter holidays was around the corner and the duo would be free from work, lectures, and seminars for an entire month. Despite living across the country from each other they ensured that they would meet up the entire time without, any, distractions.