Forever

III

"Ms. Anderson, there you are," a voice greeted her as she opened the door of the administration office. Mrs. Anne Miller was smiling graciously at her, her hands entwined together and rested on the table. Olivia uneasily smiled, not knowing why she was there being called. The older woman gestured her to sit on the chair that goes by her table.

"So maybe you're wondering why you are here," Mrs. Miller started off, and in Olivia's mind she immediately answered with a sarcastic absolutely. "Well, I've seen your work," she supplemented, making the girl furrow her brows.

"What work?" Olivia asked curiously. Mrs. Miller gave her another smile.

"You submitted a piece on last month's college publication, right? And it was published?" she said as Olivia tried to wrack her brain for details. She remembered she submitted something, but she was not sure if it was published.

"Oh," she mumbled, processing the words. "Oh!" She uttered almost immediately when she remembered. That's right, her work was published. What's with her brain these past few days? "So, um, what about that?" She asked the madam.

Mrs. Miller smiled once again. "Well, I would like to give you an offer. There is this competition for literary writers taking place in a few weeks time, an interstate contemporary writing, to be precise, and I would like you to be the representative of our college," Mrs. Miller explained to her, sending Olivia gaping.

"M-me? Why me?" She barely answered, making the older woman give out a goodhearted chuckle.

"I like your work and your style of writing. And also, I've done a background check on your performance in subject courses, and you actually always pass with flying colours. I think you're worth it for the slot in this contest," Mrs. Miller further explained, and Olivia was still awestruck and in the process of understanding the matter being presented to her.

"A-are you sure? I mean, of me?" She questioned out, confirming if what she had been hearing was true. At that moment her mind was wandering to the worry world of her thoughts wherein there swam the hesitation in herself because she was just an ordinary student, and of course that very thing that is on top of all her concerns at the moment.

"Of course, dear. I believe you can do it," the older woman reassured, making her snap back in reality. "I believe in your ability. You'll bring home the victory."

*

The hallway was extremely silent, opposite of what the current state of her mind was. In her head was loud banging out thoughts, inner contemplation of what had just been the conversation between her and Mrs. Miller. Everything in her mind was all over the place.

One, she still can't believe of the offer. She felt doubtful of herself because in her head she always question how she do things. Why me? Is she really sure? she kept asking herself. Two, at the same time she felt revived that finally, she had the chance to prove she can do it - that she can write. And three, she questioned herself and her time if she can make it there, if she was still capable of making it there without failing, or herself failing.

As she strolled her way to the northern exit of the university, her hand clutched tightly on the strap of her bag, she happened to pass by the auditorium, and she noticed that the lights were all lit up inside.

Is it still used at this time of the day? She thought. Right then she heard some shuffling going on from the inside, after which a hint of guitar strings being plucked. Curiosity bubbling up inside her as always, she opened the door ever so slightly to peek and check on what was taking place.

On the stage few stair steps down from her was a guy sitting on a stool, a guitar placed on his lap as he plucked the strings, making up melody that seemed familiar to her. The guy was too immersed in his music that he didn't even notice that someone was watching her.